Consecration

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catherine_m

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At Mass in our parish the Priest brings the children preparing for first Holy Communion up around the alter with him for the Consecration. Does anyone know if he is allowed to do this? :confused: Replys greatly appreciated.
 
Why prepare children for their first Holy Communion by confusing them about the nature of the Eucharist, priesthood, and the way in which the faithful participate in the offering of the sacrifice of the Mass?

From a response from the Congregation for Divine Worship (Notitiae 17 (1981) 61):
Query: At the presentation of gifts at a Mass with congregation, persons (lay or religious) bring to the altar the bread and wine which are to be consecrated. These gifts are received by the priest celebrant. All those participating in the Mass accompany this group procession in which the gifts are brought forward. They then stand around the altar until communion time. Is this procedure in conformity with the spirit of the law and of the Roman Missal?
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Reply: Assuredly, the Eucharistic celebration is the act of the entire community, carried out by all the members of the liturgical assembly. Nevertheless, everyone must have and also must observe his or her own place and proper role: “In liturgical celebrations each one, minister or layperson, who has an office to perform, should do all of, but only, those parts which pertain to that office by the nature of the rite and the principles of liturgy.” (SC art. 29). During the liturgy of the eucharist, only the presiding celebrant remains at the altar. The assembly of the faithful take their place in the Church outside the “presbyterium,” which is reserved for the celebrant or concelebrants and altar ministers.
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Thanks dylanschrader for the above reply. It answers alot for me.🙂
 
It’s not allowed at all. Perhaps you could provide him with a copy of the official Church documents prohibiting this. If he still refuses to stop the practice, I encourage you to write a letter to your bishop.
 
Seminarian_Matt said:
It’s not allowed at all. Perhaps you could provide him with a copy of the official Church documents prohibiting this. If he still refuses to stop the practice, I encourage you to write a letter to your bishop.
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Hate to say it, but I called it … :rolleyes:
 
Thanks Seminarian Matt and PaixGioiaAmor for your replys. I’m going to do as you say and talk to the Priest in question about it. I’ll have to pray for a lot of courage. He’s not very approachable!
 
catherine_m said:
Thanks Seminarian Matt and PaixGioiaAmor for your replys. I’m going to do as you say and talk to the Priest in question about it. I’ll have to pray for a lot of courage. He’s not very approachable!
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I’m sorry to say this but I will.

You say he’s not approachable - So I’m sure you know very well how this is going to end up.

Contrary to what other individuals on these boards say, the bishop is not likely to care and the papal nuncio certainly isn’t.

So, you’re going to likely anger him, create a confrontation, then not get backed up by the higher powers.

Some battles are not worth fighting.

I’m not saying that what he is doing is liturgically correct. But is he displaying TOTAL ABUSE AND DISREGARD for the sacrament? Is he teaching that it is merely bread and wine? Is he purposely desecrating it?

So maybe he’s doing something technically not correct. But you’ve no doubt heard the advice “Pick your battles wisely” before.

By your own description of his personality, it sounds like you’re not going to change his mind, but will create a lot of headaches for yourself.

I would probably let this one go.
 
PaixGioiaAmor said:
I’m sorry to say this but I will.

You say he’s not approachable - So I’m sure you know very well how this is going to end up.

Contrary to what other individuals on these boards say, the bishop is not likely to care and the papal nuncio certainly isn’t.

So, you’re going to likely anger him, create a confrontation, then not get backed up by the higher powers.

Some battles are not worth fighting.

I would probably let this one go.
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Sad to say…this is a sad commentary on the way things are then doesn’t it?😦

:heart:Blyss
 
PaixGioiaAmor said:
I’m sorry to say this but I will.

You say he’s not approachable - So I’m sure you know very well how this is going to end up.

Contrary to what other individuals on these boards say, the bishop is not likely to care and the papal nuncio certainly isn’t.

So, you’re going to likely anger him, create a confrontation, then not get backed up by the higher powers.

Some battles are not worth fighting.

I’m not saying that what he is doing is liturgically correct. But is he displaying TOTAL ABUSE AND DISREGARD for the sacrament? Is he teaching that it is merely bread and wine? Is he purposely desecrating it?

So maybe he’s doing something technically not correct. But you’ve no doubt heard the advice “Pick your battles wisely” before.

By your own description of his personality, it sounds like you’re not going to change his mind, but will create a lot of headaches for yourself.

I would probably let this one go.
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I think you are right. Our Bishop is very liberal and unlikely to take an interest. The Priest in question certainly won’t care and is likely to be annoyed I would question him. As to whether or not he believes in the real Presence - he refers to the Consecration as " now we will bless the bread", so I don’t know. I’ll have to find somewhere else to attend Mass. Thanks for the advice.🙂
 
catherine_m said:
I think you are right. Our Bishop is very liberal and unlikely to take an interest. The Priest in question certainly won’t care and is likely to be annoyed I would question him. As to whether or not he believes in the real Presence - he refers to the Consecration as " now we will bless the bread", so I don’t know. I’ll have to find somewhere else to attend Mass. Thanks for the advice.🙂
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Blessed Mother Teresa said that God doesn’t ask us to be successful, just faithful. By trying to correct a serious liturgical error, you will be faithful to God. It doesn’t matter what the end result is. The most important thing is that you are doing this for the Lord. Surely you shall be rewarded to defending Our Lord in the Eucharist.
 
Seminarian_Matt said:
Blessed Mother Teresa said that God doesn’t ask us to be successful, just faithful. By trying to correct a serious liturgical error, you will be faithful to God. It doesn’t matter what the end result is. The most important thing is that you are doing this for the Lord. Surely you shall be rewarded to defending Our Lord in the Eucharist.
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If only I had this courage. I’ll pray to do the right thing and not the easy thing!!
 
Seminarian_Matt said:
Blessed Mother Teresa said that God doesn’t ask us to be successful, just faithful. By trying to correct a serious liturgical error, you will be faithful to God. It doesn’t matter what the end result is. The most important thing is that you are doing this for the Lord. Surely you shall be rewarded to defending Our Lord in the Eucharist.
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As though the presence of children around the altar to watch Fr. up close constitutes an assult on “Our Lord in the Eucharist.”

I’m not saying that the practice is correct. But to say that she would be “defending our Lord in the Eucharist” is quite dramatic.

On serious moral issues, I would agree with you. On an irregularity or even milder abuse in the liturgy, I don’t think we are mandated to make everyone’s life harder for nuaght.
 
BlyssfulDreamer said:
Sad to say…this is a sad commentary on the way things are then doesn’t it?😦

:heart:Blyss
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I’m not sure what it is.

On one hand, as a liturgist, no one would argue more than me for reverent, faithful celebration of the Eucharist.

On the other hand, put yourself in the bishop’s shoes. In most dioceses, they are in the process of or already have had to close massive amounts of parishes. Some are dealing with bankruptcy issues and declining finances. There are sex scandals involving clergy. Of course there is the constant job of administrating the finances and operations of an entire diocese.

He’s not going to drop everything to chatise a priest who more than likely has good intentions of wanting the children to get a better look so that they will have more appreciation for the mass.
 
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