Ciborium w/Hosts left out until after end of Mass

[Ravenwine]

Our priest has recently switched the procedure in Mass of replacing the Ciborium (contianing unused Hosts) into the Tabernacle. He feels that too much attention was being focused on the procession back to the tabernacle at the end of Holy Communion instead of focusing on “us” becoming the body of Christ."

Also, at one Mass the Ciborium was just taken into a back room.

Is this proper procedure?

Thank you.

 

[joeysmom]

Hello:
At our parish, the Ciborium goes back to the Tabernacle immediately following Communion. However, I am not sure if it is okay to keep the Ciborium on the Credence table until after Mass. I tried looking it up in the GIRM but I couldn’t find it. Is there any way to ask your Bishop?

 

[Didi]

Ravenwine:

He feels that too much attention was being focused on the procession back to the tabernacle at the end of Holy Communion instead of focusing on “us” becoming the body of Christ."

This is quite sad. Even though Jesus is now present in all who receive Him in Holy Communion, He is still also very present in the consecrated Hosts and is due the respect and reverence He deserves. We should never elevate ourselves above Jesus in any circumstance.

 

[Ravenwine]

Another take - The Church allows that empty Communion vessels (when there are a large number) be left out on the credence table for purification after Mass (as opposed to immediatly after Communion). It is implicitly acknowledged that they have fragments/droplets of the Blessed Sacrament within them (since they need to be purified). So, what is the difference of leaving the Ciborium with the Blessed Sacramant in it on the credence table until Mass is ended?

I appreciate comments. I am trying to get to the bottom of this.

 

[JimG]

It takes only a minute to repose the ciborium back in the tabernacle. Why leave it out? For that matter, even if there are multiple ciboria for communion, it takes only a few minutes for purification, and is more respectful.

At our parish we have many ciboria due to the large number of communicants, but they have never been left until later to be either purified or reposed. If, during the process, there is an extra few minutes for silent prayer, that’s not a bad thing.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I think it can be left out,

• but there must be a lighted candle nearby and someone kneeling in adoration before it at all times.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Ravenwine:

Another take - The Church allows that empty Communion vessels (when there are a large number) be left out on the credence table for purification after Mass (as opposed to immediatly after Communion). It is implicitly acknowledged that they have fragments/droplets of the Blessed Sacrament within them (since they need to be purified). So, what is the difference of leaving the Ciborium with the Blessed Sacramant in it on the credence table until Mass is ended?

I appreciate comments. I am trying to get to the bottom of this.

A ciborium may be placed on the altar as a means of presenting the Blessed Sacrament for Adoration. If a ciborium is out containing the Blessed Sacrament either as hosts or particles. The same reverence due to the Blessed Sacrament during Adoration must be given. They must also be placed on a corporal. In times past the ciborium was always purified at the altar and the water poured into a chalice an
consummed. Ciboriums are still required to be purified the same way except that it is not in most parishes done at the altar right after Holy Communion.

After the remaining Blood of Christ is consumed, at the altar when possible and the initial purification with water is complete at the Altar when possible. The chalice and ciborium can be left on the altar or table on a corporal for further purification after Mass. If a ciborium with hosts is left out on the altar or table someone must attend to it at all times.

 

[AltarMan]

Ravenwine:

Our priest has recently switched the procedure in Mass of replacing the Ciborium (contianing unused Hosts) into the Tabernacle. He feels that too much attention was being focused on the procession back to the tabernacle at the end of Holy Communion instead of focusing on “us” becoming the body of Christ."

Also, at one Mass the Ciborium was just taken into a back room.

Is this proper procedure?

Thank you.

It’s sad to hear your pastor implemented such a gravely wrong procedure. Even in the capped ciborium, Jesus is exposed until His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity is consumed or reposed in the tabernacle. To me this is yet another dumbing-down of the Mass.

This is not a matter of non-purified vessels waiting to be cleansed after the Mass as allowed by the GIRM. It’s also not a matter of the Blessed Sacrament on exposition in the ciborium – that was nothing more than a red herring for this discussion. This is a matter of making the faithful even more coarse and indifferent to the Real Presence.

I would ask your pastor to change this back. If he refuses find whoever is in charge of the “Office of Divine Worship” at your diocese and write them. If it dosen’t get it fixed, write your pastor. Do all this with the greatest of charity.

We used to have a problem of chalices half full of the Precious Blood being placed on the credence table, after communion – many time with a purificator sorta covering the chalice and also touching the Precious Blood. We had to go to the bishop on this one, but it did get fixed.

 

[AltarMan]

Sorry. The third action should be to contact your bishop, not your pastor – that’s #1.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Br. Rich SFO:

A ciborium may be placed on the altar as a means of presenting the Blessed Sacrament for Adoration. If a ciborium is out containing the Blessed Sacrament either as hosts or particles. The same reverence due to the Blessed Sacrament during Adoration must be given. They must also be placed on a corporal. In times past the ciborium was always purified at the altar and the water poured into a chalice an
consummed. Ciboriums are still required to be purified the same way except that it is not in most parishes done at the altar right after Holy Communion.

After the remaining Blood of Christ is consumed, at the altar when possible and the initial purification with water is complete at the Altar when possible. The chalice and ciborium can be left on the altar or table on a corporal for further purification after Mass. If a ciborium with hosts is left out on the altar or table someone must attend to it at all times.

Sorry, I guess that I didn’t say what I wanted in a way that really made any sense.

A ciborium may be placed on the altar as a means of presenting the Blessed Sacrament for Adoration.

BUT NOT during the Mass!

If a ciborium is out containing the Blessed Sacrament either as hosts or particles. The same reverence due to the Blessed Sacrament during Adoration must be given. They cannot be just left on a side table and ignored.

Which is why the ciborium and chalice must be emptied and purified BEFORE they are placed on the table and the remaining Hosts replaced back into the tabernacle as soon as Communion is over.

 

[otm]

Br. Rich SFO:

Sorry, I guess that I didn’t say what I wanted in a way that really made any sense.

A ciborium may be placed on the altar as a means of presenting the Blessed Sacrament for Adoration.

BUT NOT during the Mass!

If a ciborium is out containing the Blessed Sacrament either as hosts or particles. The same reverence due to the Blessed Sacrament during Adoration must be given. They cannot be just left on a side table and ignored.

Which is why the ciborium and chalice must be emptied and purified BEFORE they are placed on the table and the remaining Hosts replaced back into the tabernacle as soon as Communion is over.

Actually, there is an indult which allows the vessels to be emptied and purified after Mass. That, however, is separate from the issue of returning the ciborium to the tabernacle.

 

[AltarMan]

otm:

Actually, there is an indult which allows the vessels to be emptied and purified after Mass. That, however, is separate from the issue of returning the ciborium to the tabernacle.

There is no indult that allows the “emptying” of the sacred vessels to take place after the Mass. Purification of the sacred vessels can wait under indult, but the Precious Blood must be consumed (or placed in the tabernacle in a sealed container to take to the sick directly after Mass) and the remaining Hosts secured in the tabernacle.

The only exception I can see is that some EMsHC fill their pyxes at the Mass to take to the sick and they place them directly into their burses for the balance of the Mass after communion.

It is truly apalling to see things like this that help to make the faithful indifferent to the Real Presence.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

AltarMan:

. . .
The only exception I can see is that some EMsHC fill their pyxes at the Mass to take to the sick and they place them directly into their burses for the balance of the Mass after communion.

. . …

In our parish we leave to make our calls as soon as we receive the hosts, at the end of the Communion line. This conveys the symbolism that our visits are a continuation of the mass, and it avoids the opportunity for chit-chat on the way out.

Not necessary, but it works well.

 

[Michael038]

Ravenwine:

Our priest has recently switched the procedure in Mass of replacing the Ciborium (contianing unused Hosts) into the Tabernacle. He feels that too much attention was being focused on the procession back to the tabernacle at the end of Holy Communion instead of focusing on “us” becoming the body of Christ."

Also, at one Mass the Ciborium was just taken into a back room.

Is this proper procedure?

Thank you.

It is my understanding that the Host’s should bee taken back to the Tabernacle. That is how it is done in my Parish. That is how we are tought in our Diocese.

 

[otm]

AltarMan:

There is no indult that allows the “emptying” of the sacred vessels to take place after the Mass. Purification of the sacred vessels can wait under indult, but the Precious Blood must be consumed (or placed in the tabernacle in a sealed container to take to the sick directly after Mass) and the remaining Hosts secured in the tabernacle.

The only exception I can see is that some EMsHC fill their pyxes at the Mass to take to the sick and they place them directly into their burses for the balance of the Mass after communion.

It is truly apalling to see things like this that help to make the faithful indifferent to the Real Presence.

I did not mean to imply that anything remaining in the Cup should not be consumed; however, any residual that does not come out when one reasonable attempts to consume it does wait until after Mass, per the indult, and then it would be emptired out by swirling some water around the inside and consuming it.

I fail to see that someone taking Communion to the sick, and waiting until the dismissal, would in any way contribute to making anyone the least bit indifferent to the Real Presence. I think that the indifference is due to a long (almost two generations) and abysmal period of catechesis that ranges from poor to borderline criminally negligent.

I also do not see that the indult is responsible for any indifference to the Real Presence. We have been following the indult all along. We also are a parish that has had 24 hour adoration for longer than I can remember; well over 10 years at this point.

That there is widespread problems with people’s knowledge and praxis, I would not question. It is, however, possible to attribute that to any number of issues without any valid proof that they have contributed to the problem; too often the attribution is based on personal feelings and dislikes of the issues rather than any real conection to the lack of knowledge and lack of personal response or reverence.

I also do not know of anything that directs one who has just received Communion to take the pyx and leave Mass before it is actually over; although I may like, for example, what Joe Kelly’s parish does, in ours those taking communion to the sick wait for the final prayers and dismissal. As far as conversations on the way out, that is an issue of training, which doesn’t seem to be a problem in our parish.

 

[AltarMan]

1.) I did not mean to imply that anything remaining in the Cup should not be consumed; however, any residual that does not come out when one reasonable attempts to consume it does wait until after Mass, per the indult, and then it would be emptired out by swirling some water around the inside and consuming it.

2.) I fail to see that someone taking Communion to the sick, and waiting until the dismissal, would in any way contribute to making anyone the least bit indifferent to the Real Presence. I think that the indifference is due to a long (almost two generations) and abysmal period of catechesis that ranges from poor to borderline criminally negligent.

3.) I also do not see that the indult is responsible for any indifference to the Real Presence. We have been following the indult all along. We also are a parish that has had 24 hour adoration for longer than I can remember; well over 10 years at this point.

4.) That there is widespread problems with people’s knowledge and praxis, I would not question. It is, however, possible to attribute that to any number of issues without any valid proof that they have contributed to the problem; too often the attribution is based on personal feelings and dislikes of the issues rather than any real conection to the lack of knowledge and lack of personal response or reverence.

5.) I also do not know of anything that directs one who has just received Communion to take the pyx and leave Mass before it is actually over; although I may like, for example, what Joe Kelly’s parish does, in ours those taking communion to the sick wait for the final prayers and dismissal. As far as conversations on the way out, that is an issue of training, which doesn’t seem to be a problem in our parish.

1.) The Precious Blood must be consumed during communion. The vessels may be purified after Mass, just as I stated in my original posting.

2.) I didn’t suggest that it did. Another poster suggesting leaving immediately added some symbolism and I can see what he is saying, although I’m not at all sure it is a practice I would adopt.

3.) If either species if left out (like the original poster points out) and treated with a cavalier attitude, it most cetainly adds to the indifference many feel for the Blessed Sacrament.

4.) The practice outlined by the OP is bad. Period.

5.) See #2 above.