For the Vatican, photocopies at mass are a sin …

Without any relation to the case of photocopies of notebooks in Argentina, the Vatican announced that it considered it “inappropriate” to use photocopies or brochures of liturgical books at Masses, as recalled this Saturday in a document which includes a series of recommendations for readings at Masses.

The prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Robert Sarah, published this Decalogue of recommendations to “revive the awareness of the importance” and the value of the Scriptures in the Christian life “.

One of its points invites to “take care of the material aspect and the good use” of the Sacred Books and of the ditch: “It is inappropriate to resort to brochures, photocopies or subsidies in substitution of the liturgical books”.

The recommendations also stress the importance of the place where ecclesiastical texts are supported and read, the ambo or the pulpit.

“It is not a question of a functional piece of furniture, but of the place appropriate to the dignity of the Word of God, in correspondence with the altar”, one remembers.

This pulpit on the altars of churches is reserved for readings, the singing of the psalm, the paschal proclamation, homilies or the announcement of prayer intentions to the faithful.

But “it is not advisable “for the priest, or a layman, to access him for comments or warnings“.

Among other things, the Vatican advises priests, deacons and readers “to avoid any improvisation” when reading texts and recalls the importance of silences to “promote meditation” in the assembly of the faithful.