Communion: angel's action at Fatima contradicts St. Francis story

  • Thread starter Thread starter workinprogress
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
W

workinprogress

Guest
I think the communion account at Fatima had an angel (one account, maybe it was in the “All About Angels” pamphlet, says it was St. Michael) apearing to consecrate the host and offering it to the children; the St. Francis story has St. Francis choosing a bad priest over an angel because only the priest could bring him Jesus fully present in the Holy Eucharist. This confuses me. Can only the priest consecrate the host or can an angel (obviously no human without Holy Orders can) also do it? Thanks!
 
I don’t think there’s been much written on whether or not angels can consecrate hosts–for the simple reason that it is one of those incidences which does not happen often. The angels are without sin and so are able to be in God’s presence. I see now reason why they can’t consecrate a host. (According to my understanding, the Catholic Church consecrates the host with a prayer; whereas the Orthodox Churches do so with an invocation of the Holy Spirit.) In the Book of Revelations we see angels that surround the throne of God and which burn incense to him. On the outside I don’t see any reason that an angel can’t consecrate a host.

A few questions have arisen in my mind, however. For one, the Eucharist in the mass is really the sacrafice which Christ paid for our sins. Since the good angels are sinless, I don’t know how this would affect the consecration of a host–since all the priests who consecrate a host have been in sin at one time in their lives. I don’t know how this might affect your situation.
 
Personal sin doesn’t play a part in who’se worthy to consecrate the host or I would think Jesus would send angels to be priests. God works through us though and no angel has taken any high place of authority made by man or given him as far as reigning or governing from those positions. If Jesus intended so, there would have been cases of good angels running states or cities; parishes or dioceses–but they are to be our helpers in doing good. Satan’s helpers were also created good. If priests can consecrate with mortal sin on their souls, I would think Satan could (though he would do something blasphemous with the sacraments)
There has to be another reason they could consecrate the host. Maybe heaven has extraordinary angel priests. St. Francis didn’t know everything about heaven and the story might have been made up, but it would have been to teach a truth. Of course, in apologetics, sometimes you have to generalize because the Bible and Catechism could not contain all extenuating circumstances, but that’s not for anyone to decide as if official unless it’s made official. Then again, if angel-priests are not in public revelation or could be deduced from it, it could be considered a stumbling block for Vatican approval if it were said the angel consecrated the host.
Could anyone answer? Thanks!

Phil
 
Our Catholic theology teaches that all sacraments are efficacious *ex opere operato *which is a theological shorthand for “Jesus does it.” The priest is the agent through whom Jesus works. There is no theology that indicates an angel could confect the Eucharist since no angel can receive Holy Orders. Thus, St. Francis would be correct. A bad priest can confect the Eucharist, an angel cannot (but an angel could be an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion).

Deacon Ed
 
work(name removed by moderator)rogress:
I think the communion account at Fatima had an angel (one account, maybe it was in the “All About Angels” pamphlet, says it was St. Michael) apearing to consecrate the host and offering it to the children; the St. Francis story has St. Francis choosing a bad priest over an angel because only the priest could bring him Jesus fully present in the Holy Eucharist. This confuses me. Can only the priest consecrate the host or can an angel (obviously no human without Holy Orders can) also do it? Thanks!
Click to expand...
I have heard of Fatima but never about Saint Michael and (maybe) an Angel can’t.???

TRUE only a priest can consecrate the bread into the body, blood ,soul and devinity of Jesus.
 
The Angel at Fatima, which was St. Michael by the way, did not consecrate the host, he could not. He did however give the children Holy communion.
 
I meant to do this stream of thought style so forgive the grammatical errors please
BTW When I meant that God created angels good, I did not mean to the exclusion of people or anything else, but that angels are far more superior in goodness if they decide to be good and so they would be better creatures than us and if consecrating depended on goodness they would be tops but if they could do it because they were created good as we were created good than bad angels could consecrate the host just as crooked priests could…
 
The angels did not play priest and consecrate. There are accounts, however, that the host may well have been taken by the angles from a tabernacle (of a St. Michael’s Church?) at a local parish.
 
40.png
chicago:
The angels did not play priest and consecrate. There are accounts, however, that the host may well have been taken by the angles from a tabernacle (of a St. Michael’s Church?) at a local parish.
Click to expand...
Yes, this is the explanation. I remember reading it, but I don’t remember where it was that I read it. Anytime an angel gives communion to someone, that angel retrieved the host from a tabernacle somewhere. Angels cannot consecrate a host.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top