Eucharistic Procession and Benediction at the Shrine
At the Cathedral of Our Lady of Walsingham there is a Eucharistic Procession (with Benediction at the Outdoor Shrine) on the solemnities of Corpus Christi and Christ the King. The procession takes place at the conclusion of the 11:15 solemn mass.
Among the servers this requires the addition of two extra torch bearers and one extra thurifer.
Also required are 4 canopy bearers (usually ushers), a verger, and, typically, an honor guard from the Knights of Columbus.
Preparations before mass:
At the Shrine (by the altar guild):
Sweep the steps and clean the altar surface.
Have the kneeling cushions before the shrine altar.
Have the fair linen in place on the shrine altar.
Set 6 office candles on the shrine altar and light them (have a taper there in case they blow out during mass).
Have two vases of flowers placed at the shrine altar.
Have a corporal in a burse in the Gospel-side credenza at the shrine altar
In the Sanctuary (by the altar guild):
Set the cope and humeral veil on the Gospel-side chancel stall.
Place an extra priest’s host on the paten – or else assure that one is already in the lunette in the tabernacle
Set the monstrance, covered, on the Gospel-side credence table.
Place a 2nd corporal in the burse (to be set out in exchange for the 1st by the Deacon of the Mass at the ablutions)
Set 2 altar candles from shrine ready in vestry
Have the canopy at the ready in the Martyrs’ Chapel.
The pews in the Martyrs' Chapel are moved toward to baptismal font enough to accommodate the procession.
The thurifer should set out an extra thurible in the vestry.
During Mass
Mass proceeds as usual until the end of Communion.
Toward the end of Communion, the thurifers should replenish both thuribles with fresh coals.
During Communion, the MC checks the outdoor shrine altar, and lights candles.
At the end of Communion, the two thurifers (not the MC) open the chancel gate and set the cushions inside, as usual.
Deacon of the Eucharist places a fresh corporal (in the burse) on the altar after removing the used one during the ablutions.
The torch bearers should remain kneeling at the footpace with torches burning.
After the ablutions and Post Communion Collect, the altar missal & stand are removed by the MC and carried to the sacristy.
The usual Blessing and Dismissal are omitted.
At the same time the Deacon of the Eucharist brings the empty monstrance to the altar and places it to the left of the corporal, facing liturgical North (toward the sacristy), while the celebrant assisted by the Deacon of the Word/acolyte moves down to change into the cope.
The choir and cantor descend from the loft and line up in the nave along the side aisle on the Gospel side, by the Martyrs' Chapel.
The canopy bearers go the Martyrs’ Chapel and prepare to take up the canopy.
Forming the Procession:
Immediately following the placement of the empty monstrance, the celebrant changes from his chasuble into the cope. He is assisted by the Deacon of the Word or acolyte and MC. Change celebrant’s microphone from the “church mic” to the “shrine mic”
The candle bearers get the outdoor processional candles and take their places, kneeling at the foot of the altar, next to the torch bearers.
The thurifers get their thuribles and kneel next to the candle bearers.
The celebrant places the Most Holy in the monstrance. The Sanctus bells are rung once.
The celebrant prepares incense in both of the thuribles (there is no blessing of incense in the presence of the exposed Sacrament) and the Most Holy is incensed, all kneeling at the foot of the altar.
O Salutaris Hostia is sung by all while kneeling
Act of Adoration is said by all
At this point, the crucifer gets the cross and, flanked by the candle bearers, they proceed from the chancel to a place near the pulpit, ready to lead the procession out the Martyrs' Chapel doors
The MC directs the canopy bearers to move from the Martyrs’ Chapel to a place in front of the chancel gate.
The canopy should be positioned such that it can easily receive and cover the celebrant with the Most Holy in the monstrance.
Meanwhile, after genuflecting, the Deacon of the Word places the humeral veil on the celebrant’s shoulders.
The celebrant takes the monstrance in his veiled hands and turns to walk toward the canopy.
Remaining servers rise, the torch bearers walk on either side of the celebrant.
The thurifers, side-by-side, walk just ahead of the Most Holy, holding and gently swinging the thuribles with their inside hands.
Leaving the chancel, the thurifers momentarily divide to make their way around the canopy, to its front, and take their place there, just behind the MC.
Meanwhile, the celebrant goes under the canopy with the Most Holy.
The torch bearers take their places on the sides of the canopy, flanking close to the Most Holy.
Deacons and acolyte follow the celebrant just behind the canopy.
The choir having descended from the loft and lined up along the side aisle near the Martyrs' Chapel prepare to join the processional party behind the deacons and acolyte.
Ushers are stationed at the Martyrs' Chapel doors to open them for the procession.
The crucifer, walking slowly, sets the procession in motion.
The choir sings the psalm.
The people follow behind the choir.
Procession to the Shrine:
The procession takes its route to the outdoor shrine, around the front of the church
NOTE to the canopy-bearers: The canopy is tricky to navigate properly and at the right speed. One would think that the front men are leading but that is not the case. When you have the right tension, it is the men in the rear of the canopy who establish the pace and make sure that the canopy is not advancing faster than the celebrant is walking. Also, take note of the height of the center post of gate at the cloister entrance, as you’ll have to navigate this as smoothly as possible.
Candle 1 * Crucifer * Candle 2
(bare-headed, in pairs)
Thurifer 1 * Boat * Thurifer 2
K of C * Torch * [Celebrant] * Torch * K of C
[under canopy]
Deacon Word * Deacon Eucharist
Choir
People
Arrival at the Shrine & Benediction:
Reaching the shrine, the crucifer goes off to the right and puts cross in the stand, as the candle bearers place their candles on the retable at the shrine altar, and then they join the crucifer off to the right.
The MC places the corporal from the burse on the altar and makes sure all the candles are lit
The thurifers, still swinging their thuribles, divide and make room for the celebrant to carry the monstrance to the altar.
As the celebrant steps out from under the canopy, the canopy bearers take it off to the right, just in front of the shrubbery, where they lower the canopy and wait.
The torch bearers kneel with their torches on the top step, facing inward & flanking the altar.
The deacons take their places at the steps next to the celebrant.
The celebrant sets the monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament on the altar.
The Deacon of the Word receives the humeral veil and hands it to the MC to keep until it is placed again on the celebrant’s shoulders.
The choir, arriving at the shrine, moves to the left of the altar and waits until the people have assembled before beginning to sing Tantum Ergo.
The celebrant, assisted by the deacons, lays on plenty of incense in both thuribles.
Then the celebrant kneels with the deacons as the three prostrate themselves for the first verse of the Tantum Ergo.
At the second verse of the Tantum Ergo, the celebrant and deacons come to a kneeling posture as the Deacon of the Eucharist takes the thurible from the thurifer to his right and hands it to the celebrant who censes the Most Holy.
The MC gives the humeral veil back to the Deacon of the Word, who puts it back on the celebrant.
Benediction proceeds, as usual.
The crucifer takes care to ring the bells throughout the Benediction as both thurifers hand thuribles to the deacons who continuously cense the Blessed Sacrament.
The Divine Praises. (the celebrant can leave the humeral veil on at this point)
Procession back to the church
After the Divine Praises are ended, the processional party forms again
The celebrant moves to retrieve the monstrance from the altar, and stands in place before the altar facing the congregation with monstrance patiently as processional party forms swiftly and reverently.
Candle bearers get their candles from the retable as reverently as possible and return to the crucifer who by then is at the front of the procession, near center of the octagon.
In the same order, the procession returns to the church, entering through the Martyrs’ Chapel, as the choir sings the Psalm.
Back inside the church
The choir moves to the back of the nave singing the psalm until the Most Holy is reposed again in the tabernacle.
Arriving at the chancel, the servers take their customary places at the foot of the altar, kneeling (do not put up cross, candles, thuribles, etc. yet)
Canopy bearers take the canopy over to the Martyrs’ Chapel.
The celebrant returns the Host to the tabernacle immediately; deacons kneel with servers.
At the moment the Host returns to the tabernacle--as the door is closed, the crucifer strikes the bell.
The Deacon of the Word takes the humeral veil from the celebrant’s shoulders, gives it to the MC to place on choir stall.
Invocation of the Saints (kneeling)
Closing Voluntary