Assembly Line Communion

[A2SciTeach]

Update on using the altar rail at Easter Vigil - we didn’t. I guess there are some glitches to be worked out yet. Still, the majority of people knelt to receive. Happy Easter to everyone. The Lord is risen - The Lord is risen indeed.

 

[CradleCath]

CradleCath;6483125:

I thought it was midnight. But even with the three hour fast, there was probably no more than 30-40% of those in attendance who received.

I don’t know how many received the Eucharist before the changes in the fast. I wasn’t looking at who did & who didn’t.

I DO know that there was a more heightened sense of the damage that sin did to our souls… not only mortal sin, but the venial sins that we commit time after time. Taking the Lord’s name in vain, the juicy little gossip that we pass on, the fussing, the holding of grudges, the sniping & judging, etc., etc.

We didn’t feel that we had a RIGHT to the Eucharist, we knew that it was a Sacrament whose reception we had to earn.

We also believed in Spiritual Communion. This was our prayer when due to fasting, sin, whatever…we chose to remain in our pews during the distribution of the Eucharist:

“My Jesus,
I believe that You
are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment
receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You”.
Amen.

While there are some benefits from this emphasis on the “right” to receive the Eucharist unless one is absolutely sure that they are not in a state of grace…there are also many negative results. From Ted Kennedy to Nancy Pelosi to the man who verbally “beat” his wife last week, all of whom feel that they are worthy since they didn’t commit a mortal sin (at least in their eyes they didn’t)… there have been many negative results.

 

[ProVobis]

I DO know that there was a more heightened sense of the damage that sin did to our souls… not only mortal sin, but the venial sins that we commit time after time. Taking the Lord’s name in vain, the juicy little gossip that we pass on, the fussing, the holding of grudges, the sniping & judging, etc., etc.

We didn’t feel that we had a RIGHT to the Eucharist, we knew that it was a Sacrament whose reception we had to earn.

We also believed in Spiritual Communion. This was our prayer when due to fasting, sin, whatever…we chose to remain in our pews during the distribution of the Eucharist:

While there are some benefits from this emphasis on the “right” to receive the Eucharist unless one is absolutely sure that they are not in a state of grace…there are also many negative results.

Good post. Pope John Paul II taught that venial sins should not be “underestimated” in his 1984 “Reconciliation and Penance.” In light of this teaching, each one of us might need to take a second look as to whether indeed we are worthy to receive until we do go to confession.

Man knows well by experience that, along the road of faith and justice which leads to the knowledge and love of God in this life and towards perfect union with him in eternity, he can cease to go forward or can go astray, without abandoning the way of God; and in this case there occurs venial sin.** This however must never be underestimated, as though it were automatically something that can be ignored, or regarded as "a sin of little importance " .**

For man also knows, through painful experience, that by a conscious and free act of his will he can change course and go in a direction opposed to God’s will, separating himself from God (aversio a Deo), rejecting loving communion with him, detaching himself from the life-principle which God is, and consequently choosing death.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

This is how it was done when I was growing up (with the Tridentine Mass). There was no order to going up to receive communion, you just climbed over the other people in the pew. Of course back then not everyone went to communion so sometimes you had to climb over a lot of people.

I remember this very vaguely as well. I had not made my First Communion, so was left behind in the pew and could watch all the people climbing over others. I do remember the older ‘church ladies’ racing to the altar at the beginning of communion. Thinking about it now I wonder why they didn’t just sit up front.

At my parish now there are usually always folks who step out of the pew to let the rest go up, but who then don’t receive themselves. I’ve never speculated as to why they didn’t receive. My parish is huge though, so I don’t know everyone’s name and business. I’m sure it is harder in a small parish.

 

[otjm]

That’s the way I was raised to as well. The nuns I had back in the pre-VII days always stressed that you wouldn’t invite your favorite movie star or athelete or even politician over to your house if it wasn’t absolutely spotless, so why would you invite our Lord “under your roof” if you weren’t spiritually clean? Judging by the vasy disparity most weeks between the confessional lines and the communion lines, either I’m in a parish that is primarily inhabited by inviolate saints or people who don’t believe in the Real Presence of Our Lord.
Anyway, after returning to my pew after receiving Holy Communion, I try to converse with The Lord, but it’s very hard with the organ flute and trumpet having a battle royale in the choir loft, and the organist exhorting us to sing the latest pop tune or protestant hymn out of the Oregon Catholic Press hymnal we use. Why can’t we ever have any peace abd quiet in the OF to commune with OuR Lord?

It was said by someone far wiser than I that he who sings prays twice.

The community singing a Communion song is praying out loud together. That does not make praying on your own back in the pew wrong; it just means that there has been a shift from individual prayer to community prayer during the distribution of Communion. There is supposed to be a period of silence after Communion - and that is after all have received - and given the heat some priests get for “making the Mass too long”, and scheduling times for the next Mass, that period is usually far far shorter than it should be. When I attend Mass at the Trappist abbey, they sit in silence for a bit; they seem to get it. On the other hand, they live a life of silence, so one would expect them to get it.

And before anyone barks at me, the comment about “Mass being too long” is not confined to the OF; it was the same in the 50’s when I was an altar boy. All too many people look at the Mass as more of an obligation than a privilege, and that is nothing new at all.

 

[JerrySeibert]

Forgive my ignorance but what do
Of/No Tle mean?
I go to a Church that has the “Assembly line” as you put it. We have 5000 members in our Parish. Both of my Pastors are what I would consider “The Best” I have ever witnessed. Both, very reverent and treat the Mass as gift from God that they, “Are honored to relive the sacrafice of our Lord, daily.” Now, would a man say that if he were only half commited? I don’t understand all of the differences in other Parishes or “Rites” and honestly I want to learn them only to enrich my faith. Not make it appear as “Mine is better than yours.” If I am mis understanding something please correct me.

 

[Jotobo]

^^^

Basically I saw something that made me want to pose a question. If you read the thread its a lot of misunderstanding. Im brand new to the Church and what I saw in an FSSP video made me question what I had seen previously. I am just learning so I thought I should ask. People all took it different ways. Honestly, since posting it and seeing the responses its caused me to come here much, much, much less. Im sure people will want to jump down my throat about that statement too. But the answers I need can really only be properly answered by a priest who is sitting right in front of me and can get to the bottom of what I am asking.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

^^^

Basically I saw something that made me want to pose a question. If you read the thread its a lot of misunderstanding. Im brand new to the Church and what I saw in an FSSP video made me question what I had seen previously. I am just learning so I thought I should ask. People all took it different ways. Honestly, since posting it and seeing the responses its caused me to come here much, much, much less. Im sure people will want to jump down my throat about that statement too. But the answers I need can really only be properly answered by a priest who is sitting right in front of me and can get to the bottom of what I am asking.

This is a great statement. Often people do come here with questions about how things are done at their parish that no one can really answer except the priest at that parish. We can give official Church documents, we can talk about our own expereinces to compare and contrast, but we really can’t tell you why something happens the way it does at parish XYZ. Often we can’t say if something happening there is allowed or not because the poster either doesn’t remember exactly what happened, is a new Catholic and so can’t explain what they saw clearly, etc. Those issues are true about any topic discussed on the internet. If you can make an appointment with your priest to get some questions answered and have him point you in the direction of resources to help you learn more, that is wonderful!

 

[Jennifer_J]

It is customary to genuflect in front of a King.

If Holy Communion is only given on the tongue then there’s not much reason to worry that people are walking away with the Blessed Sacrament. Check out youtube for all the Black Masses and other desecrations to consecrated hosts these days.

Most NO parishes I know make the Communion Procession as quick as possible. I liken it to a fast food drive through. If reverence towards the Blessed Sacrament and Holy Mass in general is what you are looking for then the safest bet is to find a EF.

It’s Ordinary Form. And no, the point is not as fast as possible, it’s made to be as orderly as possible. You act as if people couldn’t abscond with hosts if they are kneeling and receiving on the tongue. That’s not true. Do you think that this sort of thing only started happening after the OF was instituted? There was NEVER anyone who took consecrated hosts? I’ll bet you are WRONG. All those desecrations of the Eucharist COULD be consecrated, but they could also be unconsecrated, there is no way to know. The fact that there are videos on youtube is no indication of anything.

I know in our parish, It is a communion PROCESSION and not a “fast food line” and how insulting you are.

Additionally, EF is not the only reverent form of Mass. Our OF is quite reverent as I would bet most Masses are.

Ugh, this is one reason I avoid this part of the forum. Broad brushes and narrow minds.

 

[CradleCath]

^^^

Basically I saw something that made me want to pose a question. If you read the thread its a lot of misunderstanding. Im brand new to the Church and what I saw in an FSSP video made me question what I had seen previously. I am just learning so I thought I should ask. People all took it different ways. Honestly, since posting it and seeing the responses its caused me to come here much, much, much less. Im sure people will want to jump down my throat about that statement too. But the answers I need can really only be properly answered by a priest who is sitting right in front of me and can get to the bottom of what I am asking.

Actually, what you did was compare the TLM. & the way we receive communion to the NO. & the way the Eucharist is distributed there…& you expressed approval of the TLM. way of doing it. On these boards that is an unforgiveable “sin”.

You have explained your honorable intentions numerous times. You have almost apologized for saying that you wanted to be sure that you began your journey in the Catholic Church in the most reverent way possible.

You have neither said nor done anything that was wrong & no, you should have been able to expect us to give you an answer. That’s what CA’s is about. You will find that Traditional Roman Catholics…not SSPXr’s, not schismatic groups…but those of us right among you, who appreciate the silence, the reverence of the TLM. are marginalized & pretty much shoved aside. I’ve been Catholic since my birth…68 yrs. ago…& I’m used to it, you aren’t. However, let this serve as a warning to you. Should you find a Traditional Roman Catholic Church, like I have, you won’t be popular here & your friends from RICA will probably look at you as if you have two heads.

Now, ask me if going to a Mass where one is allowed to pray the Mass of the Ages, where one is allowed to receive Christ kneeling, where one is allowed silence that they may be able to ‘connect’ with God, Himself, where one is openly reminded that one is part of the Communion of Saints, where the priest is allowed to be the PRIEST & the laity are to remain in their pews & PRAY…is worth it??? My answer is a resounding
YES!!

BTW. You have probably made your First Communion, as you said you were due to make it on Easter. Congratulations Welcome. I, for one, am so happy to have someone like you.

web2.airmail.net/carlsch/MaterDei/churches.htm

 

[mommamaree]

I know that attitude an emotion are not present in typed words, at least when an average person types them.

Im just being clear I didnt ask this out of judgement. More out of curiosity and a bit of fear. Being I am learning so much about the Eucharist and what it is, it did strike me as odd (without seeing a TLM Mass), that people take it and are chewing it all the way back to the pew.

I posed the question to learn, not to judge.

Watch the faces of the communicants as they return to their seats. You’ll probably notice, as I joyfully did when I first started attending Mass, that many of them are visibly transformed. They are not fidgeting, but are slowly relishing their portion, reflecting upon the Real Presence, many make the Sign of the Cross, almost all reverently fold their hands in prayer, and they all walk meditatively back to their place in the pews. Yes, they may be moving, in order to make room for those communicants who still are waiting to receive, but spiritually, they are experiencing the presence of Christ. It took me only two or three weeks of witnessing this before I began crying at almost every Mass as I observed communion. As a baptized Catholic whose parents chose not to raise me within the Church, I had to wait until I was properly catechized and given the Sacrament of Confession before I could enter the full communion with the Church. I will tell you that those months, which seem so brief now, felt like an eternity for me as I watched the transformation of faces and postures of the communicants. And FWIW, our parish follows what I guess is called OF (NO by some).

 

[John_Grudzien]

It was said by someone far wiser than I that he who sings prays twice.

The community singing a Communion song is praying out loud together. That does not make praying on your own back in the pew wrong; it just means that there has been a shift from individual prayer to community prayer during the distribution of Communion. There is supposed to be a period of silence after Communion - and that is after all have received - and given the heat some priests get for “making the Mass too long”, and scheduling times for the next Mass, that period is usually far far shorter than it should be. When I attend Mass at the Trappist abbey, they sit in silence for a bit; they seem to get it. On the other hand, they live a life of silence, so one would expect them to get it.

And before anyone barks at me, the comment about “Mass being too long” is not confined to the OF; it was the same in the 50’s when I was an altar boy. All too many people look at the Mass as more of an obligation than a privilege, and that is nothing new at all.

Fine! But wht can’t they wait and sing when Father is cleaning all of the vessels used by him and the 12 or so emhc’s? I just would like a few minutes between myself and Our Lord in peace so I can concentrate on His Presence. Is that really asking too much?

 

[otjm]

Fine! But wht can’t they wait and sing when Father is cleaning all of the vessels used by him and the 12 or so emhc’s? I just would like a few minutes between myself and Our Lord in peace so I can concentrate on His Presence. Is that really asking too much?

No, I don’t think it is nor would I propose that it is too much to ask. However, the other side of the coin is that there is at least legitimacy to group prayer. I think too few people really see singing as prayer.

I also think that all too few priests, including some of the best I ahve known, seem to understand that people need a period of peace and quiet, and the world would not come to an end if it amounted to more than just 30 seconds or a minute. A couple of minutes isn’t going to break very many schedules, realistically; on the other hand, priests also catch a lot of flack for “making the Mass too long”; I have stood near a priest more than once or twice and heard the comments.

The singing is during the Communion procession. It would be more appropriate for silence when he is cleaning the vessels.

And the world would probably not come to an end if there was no singing during the Communion procession, but that is not what the Church has requested liturgically.

 

[Wampa]

Lormar;6435382:

Are you Catholic, Church Torch?

If you want to ask a rude and inflammatory question like that send me a PM. You won’t of course because your “question” was nothing more than a thinly disguised attack.

By the way Lormar, are YOU Catholic? How does that feel?

Bear in mind that you don’t have any religion listed in your profile. Most Catholics on this site proudly list Catholic in their profile and it shows up in every post they make.

When people leave it blank, I have a hard time figuring out what mindset/background/experiences they are coming from. So I don’t think it’s necessarily an unfair question.