ST. THOMAS AQUINAS (1225-1274). "Out of reverence towards this sacrament [the Holy Eucharist], nothing touches it, but what is consecrated; hence the corporal and the chalice are consecrated, and likewise the priest's hands, for touching this sacrament." (Summa Theologica, Pars III, Q. 82, Art. 3, Rep. Obj. 8)
POPE PAUL VI (1963-1978). "This method [on the tongue] must be retained." (Apostolic Epistle "Memoriale Domini")
Of related interest: http://www.adoremus.org/Notitiae-kneeling.html
5 comments:
When I was a little girl, we used to kneel to receive Holy Communion, and the altar boy would hold a paten underneath the Blessed Sacrament to catch any particles which might fall from the Eucharistic Host. Now people walk up to the Extraordinary Minister (which many inappropriately refer to as the "Eucharistic Minister" - only the priest may be referred to as a Eucharistic Minister since only he can confect, or bring about the Eucharistic Presence), they stretch out their arms with cupped hands and place the Sacred Species into their mouths with absolutely zero reverence - most of them anyway.
How does this represent a positive development? How can less reverence for the Blessed Sacrament be construed as anything even remotely positive?
Has this practice encouraged more respect for the Sacrament? Has it fostered more reverence? Has it contributed to piety and vocations?
I think if we're honest with ourselves, we know the answers to these questions.
A friend of mine actually saw a Host partially consumed in a pew at her parish. I've seen people walking up to receive Communion while chewing gum. A few years back, at Saint Joseph's Church in Gardner, they had an Extraordinary Minister who openly supported abortion and would advertise for John Olver. To me, that was just evil.
I don't like the whole idea of lay people distributing Holy Communion. I know the Church permits it. But I still don't like it. There is no reason in my opinion for this. So it takes the priest a bit longer to distribute Holy Communion? Isn't that why he's been ordained? It's not like a priest has to work 8 hours or more standing in a factory. What if he has to stand a few extra minutes to accomplish distribution of the Eucharist?
At some parishes there seems to be more reverence. I don't know if this is because these parishes have perpetual Eucharistic Adoration or what. What I do know is that at my parish there is very little reverence for our Eucharistic Lord. The music group practices their music (loudly) for about a half hour before Mass while I'm trying to pray and prepare for Mass. There is no spirit of silence. No listening to the Lord Jesus. People engage in loud conversations, laughter and general carrying on. The atmosphere is more akin to a beer hall or a sports bar than a Catholic church. It is depressing and sad.
The care and reverence, and the procedure for distributing the Holy Eucharist, should be the same at every mass offered, worldwide. Period.
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