Father Tom Margevicius
When asked if someone could receive grace before receiving any sacraments, St. Prosper of Aquitaine in the fifth century answered “yes,” and based his response on the universal prayer in the Mass of Good Friday, which prays for the pope, the bishop and even those not united with the Church, said Father Tom Margevicius, director of worship for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
One of the prayers, back then even as today, is for those not yet baptized, Father Margevicius said in his latest “Mass Class” for the “Practicing Catholic” radio show in a program debuting 9 p.m. Aug. 12 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM.
St. Prosper argued that the Church would not pray for someone who could not access grace, Father Margevicius said. The fact that the Church prays for those who do not yet have sacraments means grace is available to them, he said.
That link between what Catholics believe and how they actually pray in the liturgy, is important in the life of the Church, Father Margevicius said. One way to know what the Church officially believes is to look at how the Church officially prays. “That back and forth between what the Church prays and what the Church believes is manifested in that part [the Universal Prayer] of the Mass.”
During the interview, Father Margevicius also responded to a question about the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed — providing background on how both came about, and another question about what sort of intentions the faithful should be praying for at Sunday Mass. To hear his explanation and to hear the complete interview, tune in to the “Practicing Catholic” show which repeats at 1 p.m. Aug. 13 and 2 p.m. Aug. 14 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes interviews with Father Michael Van Sloun, director of clergy personnel at the archdiocese, who discusses the meaning and importance of the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Maria Wiering, editor in chief of The Catholic Spirit, who discusses the archdiocese’s official newspaper, its publications and social media presence, and staff members’ contributions.
To submit a question about the Mass for Father Margevicius to address in an upcoming episode, call 651-251-7737 or send an email to PracticingCatholicShow.com.
Listen to their interviews after they have aired at:
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