N THE CHURCH of Saint Joseph (Libertyville, Illinois), Archbishop Blase J. Cupich has banned the HAIL MARY (“Angelic Salutation”) from being prayed after Mass is over. We are not aware of any Church legislation which prohibits saying the “Hail, Mary” after Mass, but Cardinal Cupich seems not to care. Indeed, pretty much anything can be done after Mass is over: A Hymn; An Organ Postlude; A Prayer; and so forth. Cardinal Cupich has also ordered an end to praying the “Saint Michael the Archangel Prayer” after Mass:
The Jesuit Martyrs of North America—Saint Isaac Jogues, Saint Noël Chabanel, Saint Jean de Brébeuf, Saint Gabriel Lalemant, Saint Charles Garnier, Saint Antoine Daniel, Saint René Goupil, and Saint Jean de Lalande—had a tremendous devotion to Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary. They dedicated their main mission to her: “Sault Sainte Marie.” Mary, the mother of God, is very powerful. This action on the part of Cardinal Cupich seems a huge mistake. Meanwhile, we are not aware of any statement by Cardinal Cupich condemning things like this:
And why is something like this (see below) allowed in the Archdiocese of Chicago?
UPDATE (28 August 2021):
There appears to be some form of “damage control” underway.
(1) From the Catholic News Agency we read: “CNA asked Torres-Fuentes in an email who gave him the directive to cease the Prayer to St. Michael and the Hail Mary after Mass, but received no response.” Furthermore, the Archdiocese has not responded to CNS request for dialogue.
(2) The Pastor issued a statement suggesting that perhaps the HAIL MARY (and Saint Michael Prayer) had become “an imposition on the rest of the faithful in the Church who have a right to remain at the end of Mass to pray privately as they wish.” But this doesn’t seem to make any sense because those two prayers are incredibly brief. Moreover, no liturgical book guarantees this alleged “right to remain at the end of Mass to pray privately as they wish.”
(3) The Pastor also said: “In accord with sound liturgical practice and in keeping with archdiocesan norms, which I personally confirmed with the Cardinal, the recitation of prayers must never interfere with, interrupt or distract from the public liturgy of the Church.” But this cannot apply here, because we are talking about something that happens when Mass is already finished.
(4) The Novus Ordo includes numerous spots where the priest is allowed to “improvise” (according to the official rubrics). But there is nothing that speaks to what happens after Mass is already over. Contrary to what the Pastor said, the “public liturgy of the Church” does not include the time after Mass is already finished.
