Communion b4 celebrant

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just_4_him

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We had so much fun with my liturgical abuses thread…and I did say I had 2 issues… here is the second.

Prior to his own consumption the celebrant of our masses distributes Holy Communion to the EMHCs. They are instructed to hold the Blessed Sacrament until after the celebrant consumes. This seems to be in extremely bad form at the very least.

I am sure I can get some instruction on this. I am trying to get our mass in a form that would be closer to the rubric.
 
You are quite correct that this practice is wrong.

In Redemptionis Sacramentum there are 2 paragraphs that would shed light on this -

97 A Priest must communicate at the altar at the moment laid down by the Missal each time he celebrates Holy Mass, and the concelebrants must communicate before they proceed with the distribution of Holy Communion. The Priest celebrant or a concelebrant is never to wait until the people’s Communion is concluded before receiving himself. (This refers to Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 55; Missale Romanum, General Instructionm nn. 158-160, 243-244, 246.)
  1. The faithful should normally receive sacramental Communion of the Eucharist during Mass itself, at the moment laid down by the rite of celebration, that is to day, just after the Priest celebrant’s Communion. (Refer - Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 55.)
When the Priest treats the EMHCs in this way, he is treating them as if they were concelebrants, and, of course, that should not be. Also, if one of the EMHCs prefers to receive on the tongue, he or she is either denied this, or actually receives before the Priest. Totally unacceptable!
 
Our last pastor did this also. I asked him why? He said to save time. Of course it didn’t save time at all. It was just another abuse and his excuse. And inevitably one of the EMHC’s would consume the Host before the priest. A big no-no. Finally when the GIRM came out things changed. And we got a new bishop who enforced the GIRM and is a wonderful and holy man. That helped tremendously.
 
just 4 him:
We had so much fun with my liturgical abuses thread…and I did say I had 2 issues… here is the second.

Prior to his own consumption the celebrant of our masses distributes Holy Communion to the EMHCs. They are instructed to hold the Blessed Sacrament until after the celebrant consumes. This seems to be in extremely bad form at the very least.

I am sure I can get some instruction on this. I am trying to get our mass in a form that would be closer to the rubric.
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The new documents address this by stating that the extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are not to even be in the sanctuary area until after the priest(s) receive Communion. They cannot “hold the Eucharist” because they should not even be in a physical position to receive the host.
 
just 4 him:
We had so much fun with my liturgical abuses thread…and I did say I had 2 issues… here is the second.

Prior to his own consumption the celebrant of our masses distributes Holy Communion to the EMHCs. They are instructed to hold the Blessed Sacrament until after the celebrant consumes. This seems to be in extremely bad form at the very least.

I am sure I can get some instruction on this. I am trying to get our mass in a form that would be closer to the rubric.
Click to expand...
As liturgically abusive as my parish is, this practice was halted, thanks be to God.

Keep in mind that this also takes away from the EM’sHC right to receive on the tongue…
 
Br. Rich SFO:
The new documents address this by stating that the extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are not to even be in the sanctuary area until after the priest(s) receive Communion. They cannot “hold the Eucharist” because they should not even be in a physical position to receive the host.
Click to expand...
No, the “new documents” say nothing of the sort. They state that EMsHC cannot approach the altar before the celebrant takes communion.

Some sanctuaries are so large that EMsHC can indeed be in the sanctuary and yet a very great distance from the altar. In others, simply by entering the sanctuary, they surround the altar.

It’s too bad the Vatican did not say “cannot enter sanctuary.”
 
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Franciscum:
No, the “new documents” say nothing of the sort. They state that EMsHC cannot approach the altar before the celebrant takes communion.

Some sanctuaries are so large that EMsHC can indeed be in the sanctuary and yet a very great distance from the altar. In others, simply by entering the sanctuary, they surround the altar.

It’s too bad the Vatican did not say “cannot enter sanctuary.”
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I read it as being on the outside of the altar rail or where the altar rail would be if it had not been ripped out. But I’ll go read it again.
 
There was a practice where the priest would give the deacon part of the large host and the deacon would consume it when the priest did. When we got the new directives, our bishop called attention to the section that prohibits even the deacon receiving with or before the priest. We had a visiting priest from Mexico that still followed the old practice, so in some countries they may not be implementing the new directives. It depends on the bishop.

May God bless you,
Deacon Tony SFO
 
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