How Your Church Name Affects Your Liturgy

by Gary D. Penkala

Rules for naming parishes

In one of Chuck Moody's articles in the diocesan newspaper The Pittsburgh Catholic, he quotes John Flaherty, diocesan associate general secretary, about how parishes are named.

"There are three separate but related issues here, namely:

1. the title of a church building
2. the name of a parish
3. the patron of a place."

The title of a church is given, generally by the diocesan bishop, when the church is dedicated. Only one title may be given to a church, unless it is taken from the names of saints inscribed together on the liturgical calendar: for example, Saints Peter & Paul, Holy Innocents, North American Martyrs. The title is how the church building is known (Transfiguration Church, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Saint James Church), and can be taken from the Holy Trinity, Our Lord (under a mystery of his life: Presentation or a name used in the liturgy: Christ the King), the Holy Spirit, the Blessed Virgin Mary (under a title found in the liturgy: Our Mother of Sorrows), a blessed or saint from the Roman Martyrology, or any blessed on the diocesan calendar.

In the past, the name of the parish was almost always the same as the title under which the church building was dedicated. The recent emergence of "clustering," where a parish may celebrate the sacraments at several "worship sites" (which are probably church buildings from former distinct parishes now merged), has brought about the situation where a parish, perhaps Holy Redeemer Parish, has several church buildings which might be titled: Saint Andrew, Madonna del Castello and Saint Stanislaus. Alternately, if several parishes are merged and use only one building, it is permitted for pastoral reasons, to assign to the church building in use a title which is the name of the parish, even if the church was dedicated under another title.

A patron may be chosen as an intercessor for a particular place (parish, city, state). The choice of a patron may begin with the clergy and faithful of a place, but it must be approved by the bishop and confirmed by the Apostolic See. None of the Divine Persons of the Trinity, nor the Trinity together, may be claimed as a patron. This special intercessor before God must be of the created order, such as the Blessed Virgin Mary, the angels or archangels, or one of the saints or blesseds.

How this affects your parish

Every parish in the Latin (Roman) Rite is bound to observe the solemnities, feasts and obligatory memorials of the Universal Liturgical Calendar [this is found at the beginning of any Sacramentary, or the Lectionary, or the volume(s) of the Liturgy of the Hours]. Further, individual countries (like the United States), religious communities (like the Franciscans) and dioceses (like Pittsburgh) may add to this calendar certain celebrations of local or particular importance. This can be made obligatory within that jurisdiction. An locally-published Ordo can be very helpful in listing any such celebrations as they occur throughout the year. The beauty of this scenario is that, overlaying the requirements of the Universal Calendar are various local, intimate celebrations, different in separate locales, giving an inherent unity and diversity to liturgical calendars.

Beyond this, though, every parish in the world can, and should, celebrate its own specific "holy" days. The following are all celebrated as solemnities in a parish:

1. the patron of the place (if there be one)
2. the title of the church [see above]
3. the anniversary of the dedication of the church building
   [see the CNP article The Overlooked Solemnity]

The Table of Precedence gives the rank of various celebrations in the liturgical calendar, so if dates overlap, one knows which celebration to observe (i.e. which takes precedence). It is interesting that the Church places considerable distinction on these celebrations associated with the church building, so much so that they even outrank Sunday celebrations in Ordinary Time. For pastoral reasons, the Church even allows their transfer from a weekday to a Sunday in Ordinary Time, so more people may join in marking the day.

The rank of solemnity has particular significance in the liturgy. The Mass on any of the days listed above (patron, title, anniversary) should include the Gloria, two readings prior to the Gospel, and the Creed, as well as the festivity and music demanded by a great celebration. For the Liturgy of the Hours, Evening Prayer I is celebrated the night before, the Te Deum is included in the Office of Readings, and Morning and Evening Prayer should come from the appropriate Common (unless Proper texts are already given); Night Prayer for Sundays would be used.

To make this clearer, let's use a concrete, albeit hypothetical, example. Here's how Saint Robert Belarmine Church might celebrate these special days.

1. Patron: Saint Vincent – This church (hypothetically) is located in a wine-growing region, and the town has received approval and confirmation to hold Saint Vincent of Sargossa, deacon and martyr, as its patron, since he is often associated with vineyards and wine-makers. The Universal Calendar celebrates Saint Vincent as an optional memorial on January 22. However, in Saint Robert Bellarmine Church, in the town having chosen Saint Vincent as its patron, this day would be a solemnity.
   
   At Mass, the Propers and the Orations should be taken from the choices listed under the Common of One Martyr outside the Easter Season (except the Opening Prayer, which is proper to the day, and is found under Saint Vincent: January 22). The three readings, psalm and Gospel acclamation should be chosen from the Common of Martyrs [Outside Easter Season]. The Gloria and Creed would both be used at Mass.
   
   During the Liturgy of the Hours, all would be taken from the Common of One Martyr, except:

   Evening Prayer I: Prayer from Proper of Saints (January 22)

   Office of Readings: Second Reading with its Responsory (Jan 22); Prayer from Proper of Saints (Jan 22)

   Morning Prayer: Psalmody from Sunday, Week I; Prayer from Proper of Saints (Jan 22)

   Daytime Prayer: Complementary Psalmody is used

   Evening Prayer: Prayer from Proper of Saints (Jan 22)

   Night Prayer: from Sunday II

   The Te Deum would be included in the Office of Readings.
    
2. Title: Saint Robert Bellarmine – The Universal Calendar celebrates Saint Robert Bellarmine, bishop and doctor of the Church, on September 17. In our hypothetical church, this day becomes a solemnity, and the parish celebrates what is popularly called its "feast day."
   
   At Mass, the Propers and the Orations should be taken from either the Common of Pastors [for bishops] or the Common of Doctors of the Church (except the Opening Prayer, which is proper to the day, and is found under Saint Robert Bellarmine: September 17). The three readings, psalm and Gospel acclamation should also be chosen from either the Common of Pastors or the Common of Doctors of the Church. The Gloria and Creed would both be used at Mass.
   
   During the Liturgy of the Hours, all would be taken from the Common of Pastors, with possible specific items from the Common of Doctors of the Church, except:

   Evening Prayer I: Prayer from Proper of Saints (September 17)

   Office of Readings: Second Reading with its Responsory (Sep17); Prayer from Proper of Saints (Sep 17)

   Morning Prayer: Psalmody from Sunday, Week I; Prayer from Proper of Saints (Sep 17)

   Daytime Prayer: Complementary Psalmody is used

   Evening Prayer II: Prayer from Proper of Saints (Sep 17)

   Night Prayer: from Sunday II

   The Te Deum would be included in the Office of Readings.
    
3. Anniversary of Dedication: November 12 – The church building of Saint Robert Bellarmine Parish was dedicated on November 12. On that day the Universal Calendar celebrates an obligatory memorial of Saint Josaphat. Since the anniversary of the church's dedication is a solemnity in that church, it outranks the obligatory memorial and would be celebrated instead of Saint Josaphat.
   
   At Mass, the Propers and the Orations should be taken from the Common of the Dedication of a Church [Anniversary of Dedication: In the Dedicated Church]. The three readings, psalm and Gospel acclamation should also be chosen from the Common of the Dedication of a Church. The Gloria and Creed would both be used at Mass.
   
   During the Liturgy of the Hours, all would be taken from the Common of the Dedication of a Church except:

   Morning Prayer: Psalmody from Sunday, Week I

   Daytime Prayer: Complementary Psalmody is used

   Night Prayer: from Sunday II

   The Te Deum would be included in the Office of Readings.

If any of these dates falls on a Sunday in Ordinary Time, then the Parish of Saint Robert Bellarmine would celebrate the solemnities as listed above, with the Patron, Title or Anniversary Liturgy replacing the Sunday Liturgy. At the pastor's discretion, these solemnities, should they fall on weekdays, may be transfered to the nearest Sunday in Ordinary Time and be celebrated as above.

As a pastor, parochial vicar, musician or liturgist in your parish, it would behoove you to find out three things:

1. Whether your parish, city or area has an officially-designated patron, and who it is
2. What day does the Church celebrate your title, i.e. the name of your church building. For less well-known saints not listed on the Universal Calendar, this may take some research. Try this online listing of saints.
3. The date of your church's dedication

Then celebrate the uniqueness of your church!