Consecrated Hands

[MikeDunphy]

thistle:

Well excuse me for not being perfect like you!!!
No I don’t recollect learning specifically about that in RCIA.
Why do you have to be so rude to someone asking an honest question?

I thought maybe palmas was kidding. My best friend went through RCIA and we were amazed at how much was left out, even very basic things like how to go to confession. I would be very surprised if your RCIA mentioned a priest’s consecrated hands, which don’t have the significance they did 30 years ago.

 

[Catholic_Heart]

mosher:

The hands of the priest are not consecrated to hold the Eucharist but rather his hands are consecrated (set apart) for the offering of Sacrifice. To consecrate something means to set it aside in a special way for the service of God. In this case it is for the administering of the Sacraments and confecting of the Eucharist. Being able to hold the Eucharist is not part of the reason for the consecration of his hands. Remember, a Deacon is an Ordinary Minister of Holy Communion just like a Bishop or a Priest but the Deacons hands are not consecrated.

Thanks…That really helps…

 

[palmas85]

thistle:

Well excuse me for not being perfect like you!!!
No I don’t recollect learning specifically about that in RCIA.
Why do you have to be so rude to someone asking an honest question?

Sorry if you took offense. I never realized that someone could go through catechism and not know about the priests hands being consecrated.

I was actually amazed that you didn’t know. I wasn’t trying to be rude. I thought you were kidding or something.

 

[muledog]

I thought that this excerptfrom Pope John Paul II’s letter “Dominicae Cenae” is rather appropriate:

But one must not forget the primary office of priests, who have been consecrated by their ordination to represent Christ the Priest: for this reason their hands, like their words and their will, have become the direct instruments of Christ. Through this fact, that is, as ministers of the Holy Eucharist, they have a primary responsibility for the sacred species, because it is a total responsibility: they offer the bread and wine, they consecrate it, and then distribute the sacred species to the participants in the assembly who wish to receive them. Deacons can only bring to the altar the offerings of the faithful and, once they have been consecrated by the priest, distribute them. How eloquent therefore, even if not of ancient custom, is the rite of the anointing of the hands in our Latin ordination, as though precisely for these hands a special grace and power of the Holy Spirit is necessary!
To touch the sacred species and to distribute them with their own hands is a privilege of the ordained, one which indicates an active participation in the ministry of the Eucharist. It is obvious that the Church can grant this faculty to those who are neither priests nor deacons, as is the case with acolytes in the exercise of their ministry, especially if they are destined for future ordination, or with other lay people who are chosen for this to meet a just need, but always after an adequate preparation. (emphasis added)

 

[kleary]

puzzleannie:

yes the priest’s hands are consecrated to bless the Eucharist. Yes it used to be the discipline that the faithful did not receive the Eucharist in their hands, a change from what was the practice in the early Church according to some of the Fathers. yes the discipline changed as part of the changes of Vatican II, in the US at least, where permission was given for a time for this option. It was never decreed that receiving in the hand is preferred, but it was permitted. Why I can’t say but if the church permits it, it is licit.

:clapping:

 

[kleary]

muledog:

I thought that this excerpt from Pope John Paul II’s letter “Dominicae Cenae” is rather appropriate:

However “just need” is NOT what we see in our parishes today.

Believe me- I go to Mass where there is an overwhelming crowd every Sunday - BIGGER than most parishes and THERE IS ONLY ONE PRIEST. He hears confessions for 30 minutes before both Sunday Masses- and distributes Holy Communion at the Altar Rail at each Mass BY HIMSELF mostly- only on a few occasions he gets help from another priest or a transitional deacon. And when the priest distributes alone it does not make for a long delay to where you need a lay person to distribute.

Ken

 

[thistle]

palmas85:

Sorry if you took offense. I never realized that someone could go through catechism and not know about the priests hands being consecrated.

I was actually amazed that you didn’t know. I wasn’t trying to be rude. I thought you were kidding or something.

Forgive me too for being over sensitive.

 

[Brain]

On a side note, i am kinda sad that the current rite of ordination doesnthave the blessing for the hands explicitly stated its somthing along the line of “may whatever you bless be blessed and whatever you concecrate be consecrated.” I love that blessing, i think i like it even better than the laying on of hands! its just so powerful! i mean… a preists hands are the tools by which God blesses and comforts and comes to dwell with us. WOW :bowdown:

sorry for the tangent, I dont do it becuase i am an american and its not custom, but fully understand why some cultures will kiss the hands of a priest.

 

[Diaconia]

Brian:

Your note here:

Brain:

On a side note, i am kinda sad that the current rite of ordination doesnthave the blessing for the hands explicitly stated its somthing along the line of “may whatever you bless be blessed and whatever you concecrate be consecrated.” I love that blessing, i think i like it even better than the laying on of hands! its just so powerful! i mean… a preists hands are the tools by which God blesses and comforts and comes to dwell with us. WOW :bowdown:

sorry for the tangent, I dont do it becuase i am an american and its not custom, but fully understand why some cultures will kiss the hands of a priest.

the reason that the rite doesn’t contain such language is that the anointing of the priest’s hands are to offer sacrifice.

When a deacon is ordained his hands are NOT anointed, yet deacons can bless things and people, and can handle and distribute the Eucharist.

It is the power of Sacred Orders that all clerics (deacons, priests & bishops) receive that allows them to bless things, not the anointing.

If it helps people put this in perspective, simply recall that in the ancient Church the deacons always distributed the Eucharist, rather than the bishop or priest who presided. After the assembled faithful were communicated, then the deacons took the holy Eucharist to the sick. For a marvelous summary see Justin Martyr’s First Apology (excerpt shown below):

On the day named after the sun, all who live in city or countryside assemble in the same place.

The memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read for as long as time allows.

When the lector has finished, the president addresses us and exhorts us to imitate the splendid things we have heard.

After we have thus cleansed the person who believes and has joined our ranks, we lead him or her in to where those we call “brothers” are assembled.

We offer prayers in common for ourselves, for the one who has just been enlightened, and for all human beings everywhere. It is our desire, now that we have come to know the truth, to be found worthy of doing good deeds and obeying the commandments, and thus to obtain eternal salvation.

When we finish praying, we greet one another with a kiss.

Then bread and a cup of water and mixed wine are brought to him who presides over the brethren.

He takes them and offers prayers glorifying the Father of the universe through the name of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and he utters a lengthy eucharist because the Father has judged us worthy of these gifts.

When the prayers and the eucharist are finished, all the people present give their assent with an “Amen!” “Amen” in Hebrew means, “So be it!”

When the president has finished his eucharist and the people have all signified their assent, those whom we call “deacons” distribute the “eucharistified” bread and the wine and water over which the eucharist has been spoken, to each of those present; they also carry them to those who are absent.

God bless you all,

 

[Ana_Reus]

palmas85:

You really never knew that the priests hands were consecrated? Come on, you’ve got to be joking. When you went through Catechism, or CCD or RCIA or whatever, you read about and discussed the Sacrament of Holy Orders didn’t you? It’s right there. .

I went through RCIA and became catholic in April 2004, I also had never heard that a Priests hands were concentrated. But I am glad I know now.

 

[palmas85]

Diaconia:

Brian:

Your note here:

the reason that the rite doesn’t contain such language is that the anointing of the priest’s hands are to offer sacrifice.

When a deacon is ordained his hands are NOT anointed, yet deacons can bless things and people, and can handle and distribute the Eucharist.

It is the power of Sacred Orders that all clerics (deacons, priests & bishops) receive that allows them to bless things, not the anointing.

If it helps people put this in perspective, simply recall that in the ancient Church the deacons always distributed the Eucharist, rather than the bishop or priest who presided. After the assembled faithful were communicated, then the deacons took the holy Eucharist to the sick. For a marvelous summary see Justin Martyr’s First Apology (excerpt shown below):

                    God bless you all,

In the ancient church people also took the eucharist home in a handkerchief so they would have some during the week,and were told to be careful not to let mice consume them.