Article and photos credit to: Manila Bulletin / Article Author
Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle asked priests to do away with their habit of greeting their parishioners “good morning” during Mass, saying the expression “the Lord be with you” is already sufficient.
“With all due respect, my brother-priests, I do not see the need for saying ‘good morning’ and similar greetings when God’s real presence in the Holy Eucharist alone suffices,” he said in an article posted on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website.
“Is not the expression ‘The Lord be with you’ more than enough?” added Tagle.
His Eminence said this during his Corpus Christi Mass at the Santa Cruz Church (Our Lady of the Pillar Parish Church) in Manila, Sunday.
Tagle said priests seem to give more emphasis on “good morning” than on the all-important “The Lord be with you.”
According to him, any person can wish another good morning, but “The Lord be with you” is heard only during mass, which explains why it must be emphasized.
Many of them, the cardinal said, even instinctively repeat wishing their parishioners “good morning” when a “Good morning, Father” is not fast forthcoming, but are completely oblivious when “The Lord be with you” is unreciprocated.
It is for this reason that Tagle is urging the clergy to do away with the habit.