Question
What is meant by an "altar of repose" during the Holy Thursday liturgy? Where are we supposed to take the Blessed Sacrament? May we leave it in the church's tabernacle?
--Occurring in Austin
Answer
The Roman Missal (Sacramentary, 1985), and other documents pertaining to the Triduum are clear that the Blessed Sacrament is not to be reserved in the church or the church's tabernacle during the Triduum. If there is a Blessed Sacrament chapel, this is where the Blessed Sacrament is reposed, processed to after the "Prayer After Communion." If a church does not have a Blessed Sacrament chapel, another place is set up to be the place for "adoration" of the Blessed Sacrament until midnight on Holy Thursday. These may be in a place separate from the church.
At midnight on Good Friday, another place is to hold the Blessed Sacrament - such as the sacristy safe. This is the place where the Blessed Sacrament comes from for the Good Friday Liturgy of the Lord's Passion and the third part of the liturgy, holy communion. After this part of the Good Friday liturgy, the remaining hosts, used only for viaticum on Holy Saturday, are returned to the sacristy safe.
For more details, see the Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy Newsletter, March 1993 or Paragraphs 49, 54, 55, 56 and 71 of the Circular Letter concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts (1988 from the Congregation of Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments).