Covering/Uncovering Concerning Adoration

[SanRafael1102]

I know that there have probably been threads about this before, but I want to specifically list some thoughts/questions, and finally turn it over to you guys for correction and comment.

Our Parish is small and rural; we only have adoration one Wednesday evening/month from about 6-10pm for the obvious reason that we don’t have enough people to have more time. When we have our 4-hour time, it’s sometimes tough to fill all of the 30-minute slots (especially during harvest).

If there is ever a time when there is no adorer available:

1. I wonder about whether or not a layperson can slip a cover over the monstrance? I’ve seen a covered monstrance before, is that the same thing as placing the host back in the tabernacle (I know that the tabernacle is of itself different, but I mean is it still considered exposed?)?
2. If this is the case, can longer periods of adoration be available with a layperson covering it if they have to leave?

Is adoration with the host unexposed:

1. As efficacious as adoration where the host is in the monstrance?
2. What about when it’s in a ciborium within an opened tabernacle?

Who can:

1. Open the tabernacle?

 

[Don_Ruggero]

I know that there have probably been threads about this before, but I want to specifically list some thoughts/questions, and finally turn it over to you guys for correction and comment.

Our Parish is small and rural; we only have adoration one Wednesday evening/month from about 6-10pm for the obvious reason that we don’t have enough people to have more time. When we have our 4-hour time, it’s sometimes tough to fill all of the 30-minute slots (especially during harvest).

If there is ever a time when there is no adorer available:

I wonder about whether or not a layperson can slip a cover over the monstrance? I’ve seen a covered monstrance before, is that the same thing as placing the host back in the tabernacle (I know that the tabernacle is of itself different, but I mean is it still considered exposed?)?
If this is the case, can longer periods of adoration be available with a layperson covering it if they have to leave?

Is adoration with the host unexposed:

As efficacious as adoration where the host is in the monstrance?
What about when it’s in a ciborium within an opened tabernacle?

Who can:

Open the tabernacle?

Are you in dialogue with your parish priest about this situation?

What you describe is a situation that does not really lend itself to exposition of the Blessed Sacrament but rather is indicating that adoration of the reserved Sacrament in the tabernacle is a better choice…people can come and go as they are able and the Blessed Sacrament is secure and not in danger.

An unsecured monstrance, even if it were covered by a cloth, should never be left unattended as that presents too great a danger to the Blessed Sacrament.

An Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion could be a minister for exposing and reposing the Blessed Sacrament in the absence of a priest or deacon…but the rite does not envision that occurring multiple times in a period of time so short as four hours.

Here are a couple of articles that you may find informative, especially his treatment of the concept of “Adoration on demand” in the first link below.

http://www.ewtn.com/library/liturgy/zlitur281.htm

http://www.ewtn.com/library/liturgy/zlitur15.htm

 

[cradlecatholic56]

That’s what I’ve always been told also. My parish has Adoration Chapel 6 days a week - 7:00 am - 12:00 am. I’ve stayed after my hour when the next person hasn’t shown up. I would NEVER leave Him unattended. When I had the 10:00 pm hour, and the 11:00 pm person didn’t show up, I placed Jesus in the tabernacle.

 

[pianistclare]

Father Ruggero’s answer is the definitive one.
Thank you, Father. Very glad you returned to us. We need your reasoned and learned responses.

 

[PJM]

Our Parish is small and rural; we only have adoration one Wednesday evening/month from about 6-10pm for the obvious reason that we don’t have enough people to have more time. When we have our 4-hour time, it’s sometimes tough to fill all of the 30-minute slots (especially during harvest).

If there is ever a time when there is no adorer available:

I wonder about whether or not a layperson can slip a cover over the monstrance? I’ve seen a covered monstrance before, is that the same thing as placing the host back in the tabernacle (I know that the tabernacle is of itself different, but I mean is it still considered exposed?)?

YES, that is permissible [I live in a rural Farm Community Parish too]

If this is the case, can longer periods of adoration be available with a layperson covering it if they have to leave?

YES this is permissible; I live in a RURAL FARM community to; but I would run this by your Pastor to get his TAKE.]

If this is the case, can longer periods of adoration be available with a layperson covering it if they have to leave?

YES; BUT this again needs to be run past your Pastor

Is adoration with the host unexposed:

As efficacious as adoration where the host is in the monstrance?
What about when it’s in a ciborium within an opened tabernacle?

Both ARe Jesus Christ; IMO, the grace will be the same depending on the degree of belief and attitude of the worshiper

Who can:

Open the tabernacle?

THis is normally done by the Priest and or Deacon; any exception should be RARE and for good-cause.

Thanks for asking
Patrick

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

YES, that is permissible [I live in a rural Farm Community Parish too]

Patrick, your very definitive responses are directly opposite those of Fr. Ruggero. Do you have a source available?

 

[PJM]

MY friend I don’t think we differ:

I was ASSUMING you meant in exceptional cases; NOT as the NORMS.

This is a NORMAL function the duty of the priest or Deacon. IN an difficult situation it is better for the layfolk to cover the monstrance or close the reservation tabernacle than the other choice of LEAVING the exposed Divine Presence uncovered with NO Worshipers.

SORRY if I miss led you,

Patrick

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

But, as Fr. Ruggero pointed out, “An unsecured monstrance, even if it were covered by a cloth, should never be left unattended as that presents too great a danger to the Blessed Sacrament.” If there are not people present at all times, in my opinion it would be better to leave the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle and pray there.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

MY friend I don’t think we differ:

Yes, we most assuredly do differ.

What you write is not correct for the circumstances queried by the original poster.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

THis is normally done by the Priest and or Deacon; any exception should be RARE and for good-cause.

This is also not correct. Extraordinary Ministers also can access the tabernacle with no problem. Of course, they should be opening it for a reason…not simply standing there opening and closing for the sake of opening and closiing it. They are opening it to retrieve the Blessed Sacrament to take to the home bound, for example…or verifying the amount of consecrated hosts before Mass.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

But, as Fr. Ruggero pointed out

Redemptionis Sacramentum

[138.] Still, the Most Holy Sacrament, when exposed, must never be left unattended even for the briefest space of time. It should therefore be arranged that at least some of the faithful always be present at fixed times, even if they take alternating turns

I think it worth putting in this post what Father McNamara wrote

Follow-up: Blessed Sacrament Under Glass [9-8-2009]

Related to our Aug. 25 reply on the “Eucharist under glass” were a couple of other questions on file. A Wisconsin reader asked: "How does the Church address ‘Eucharistic adoration on demand’? Our parish has an adoration chapel. Viewing and adoring the Eucharist can be done by anyone by opening two small windows in the tabernacle doors; the tabernacle doors remain locked and only the host is in view. This practice seems to trivialize the majesty of God"

To the first question we can reply that exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is linked with an intense form of adoration. This entails a proper exposition, a certain fixed period of time in which the Eucharist is never left alone, and concluded by reserving the sacrament in a formal manner, preferably after Benediction has been given

The situation described is clearly not adoration as desired by the Church. In fact, this practice contains a real danger of undermining adoration of the Lord present in the closed tabernacle. It appears to give the message that the only real adoration is of the Blessed Sacrament exposed, which is simply false.

The Code of Canon Law states at 938

§3. The tabernacle in which the Most Holy Eucharist is reserved habitually is to be immovable, made of solid and opaque material, and locked in such a way that the danger of profanation is avoided as much as possible

§5. The person responsible for the church or oratory is to take care that the key of the tabernacle in which the Most Holy Eucharist is reserved is safeguarded most diligently

And

Can. 941 §1. In churches or oratories where it is permitted to reserve the Most Holy Eucharist, there can be expositions with the pyx or the monstrance; the norms prescribed in the liturgical books are to be observed

The liturgical books state that when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed across hours, it can be reposed and exposed anew but never more than twice…for example at the hour of the siesta and then at night. The concept of exposing the Sacrament, it being exposed for an hour, then covered for half hour, then uncovered for an hour, covering it for another half hour gap and then uncovering it for another period of time before definitively reposing it takes us into the area of “adoration on demand” spoken of above

The canons specificity about the Sacrament being protected from profanation means it cannot be left in a circumstance where someone can easily abduct It – a monstrance left on the altar unattended can as easily be stolen as a ciborium left in an unlocked tabernacle. The Sacrament can be exposed in the monstrance on the altar, so long as someone is present to guard it

 

[SanRafael1102]

Viewing and adoring the Eucharist can be done by anyone by opening two small windows in the tabernacle doors;

So these tabernacles with a transparent solid display would be bad practice?

Also, one of our diocese’s larger (maybe the largest) parishes holds 24-hour adoration. My 90-year old grandfather usually has some weird late hour on a Friday night. In fact, many hours are claimed by retirement-aged individuals who have more available times to be there. What happens if one of the adorers has an emergency and has to leave? Would it be better for them to cover it, or leave it alone? Both seem like they would be bad answers.

Pax

 

[pianistclare]

This may or may not work, but we insist on 2 Adorers for each hourly time slot.
If not available, Father Locks the Church.
As such, we have seldom had less than 15 people per hour.
One of the smallest groups, amazingly is Saturday mornings after sunrise. Few takers.
But middle of the night? Dozens of people. Go figure.

 

[StephieNorthCo]

Wow. At ours, the middle of the night is almost always one per hour at our parish. The exception is first Sunday of the month where there are many Hispanics who spend all night there.

 

[pianistclare]

Yes, it is the Hispanics. They have a particular aversion to Our Lord being left alone. They take it very seriously. But I have noticed that folks who live alone, prefer the wee hours because they assume they will still be solitary. They are used to not many people around, and seek it out. Makes sense. Parents with small children come after the kids are in bed and go home early, just in case their children need them during the night.
We leave coffee and biscotti in the sacristy for people to take on the way home. Ours is a rural parish on dark windy roads. Father doesn’t want anyone falling asleep at the wheel.

 

[StephieNorthCo]

I can understand that. My parish is in a reasonably metropolitan area,. I go at night as it an extra burden, just to “keep me honest”. Last week was unusual. The 2 eleven o’clock girls were just leaving, so the 12:00 lady stayed a while after I showed up at 1:00.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

So these tabernacles with a transparent solid display would be bad practice?

One of our diocese’s larger (maybe the largest) parishes holds 24-hour adoration. My 90-year old grandfather usually has some weird late hour on a Friday night. In fact, many hours are claimed by retirement-aged individuals who have more available times to be there. What happens if one of the adorers has an emergency and has to leave? Would it be better for them to cover it, or leave it alone? Both seem like they would be bad answers

I’ve been debating whether or not to weigh in on this point since the beginning of the thread

In times past, the matter was relatively straight forward: the Blessed Sacrament was reserved in the tabernacle; a minister opened the door, took out the Sacrament, & placed It in the monstrance. That constituted “exposition.” At the end, he/she took the Sacrament out of the monstrance & placed it back in the tabernacle. That constituted reposing the Blessed Sacrament. IF the minister was a bishop, priest or deacon, Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament was given before the Sacrament was placed in the tabernacle

In this period, too, sellers of liturgical supplies produced miniature monstrances that could fit inside a tabernacle. This permitted a very easy form of exposition, involving simply opening the tabernacle door. This is still, however, deemed to require, minimally, one who is an Extraordinary Minister by the norms of liturgical law. It is “expositon” when the tabernacle door is opened and “reposition” when the tabernacle door is closed

I honestly set aside deliberation as to whether covering the monstrance with a cloth constitutes, for purposes of law, “exposition” & “reposition” because the covered monstrance containing the Sacrament simply should not be left unattended Even if the sanctuary is alarmed, there is no one who could respond fast enough if someone ran up, grabbed the monstrance or stole the Sacrament, & ran out of the empty church. It would be a dereliction of the parish priest, if this happened

Purveyors of liturgical items, naturally, become more & more ingenious in developing products to circumvent obstacles. Thus we have the situation of a tabernacle that does not require the door to be opened in order for the Host to be visible. You simply pull back two panels & the Host is made visible – but while remaining within a solid & locked tabernacle. Does this rise to the level, in virtue of the law, that requires a minister for exposition? Frankly…the law has not envisioned, yet, that situation & so one is having to extrapolate an answer from what exists until competent authority clarifies

From my perspective, the same is true regarding another phenomenon. A monstrance that is secured behind a not-easily broken transparent window in front of which are drapes that can be drawn back…either by pulling the curtains open or closed…using a pull cord that opens & closes the drapes after the fashion of window curtains…or, and I have seen this, a device that is operated by remote control; pressing a button causes a machine to open the drapes or close the drapes

 

[Don_Ruggero]

cont’d

In the case of the former situation described, you do not have to be an Extraordinary Minister to approach or touch the tabernacle. Sacristans for centuries have dusted the tabernacle, changed the veils on tabernacles, arranged flowers around tabernacles. Touching two panels completely external to the locked tabernacle and did not involve opening the tabernacle could possibly be seen as not reaching the threshold that requires the intervention of a minister. Still, the circumstances under which it would be allowed should be considered and Father McNamara’s thought is correct – if this is happening repeatedly, opening and closing this aperture.

In the case of the latter scenario…it is even less clear. The Blessed Sacrament is secure and inaccessible behind the window, as the law requires. it is situated so that it is reasonably protected from harm. The curtain closed makes the housing of the Sacrament opaque, which also complies with the letter of the law. Do you need a minister that is prescribed for exposition/reposition to come in order to pull the cord or press the button? The Liturgical norms were not written with this circumstance as a realistic prospect

If you confront either of these as viable options and the parish priest is in doubt as to how to proceed, he should consult the chancery of the diocese and ask for a determination by the Bishop’s director of liturgy/office of worship for the diocese. That would be my best suggestion…pending clarification from the CDWDS of the Holy See, which will eventually need be made

Regarding your final question…both answers proposed are bad answers. In that situation, the priest needs to be notified using the means that are used for contacting him to attend the dying in the middle of the night, in order for him to secure the Sacrament. I have had to do that myself

If there are two people who are supposed to be there and one was absent from the beginning and the other becomes ill, the one overcome should alert the priest, if he or she can. If the person is taken so ill that the best they can do is call emergency services and an ambulance comes and takes them away…well, the impossible cannot be done

I would hope that, minimally at night, there is some sort of secured/controlled entrance – doors that are locked and require a code or key to enter or such; that provides some measure of protection against brigands to both adorers and Sacrament. If someone had to flee because of sudden onset incapacitation, at least there is some minimum of security for the Sacrament that remains behind until someone can come and restore order

Honestly…these are issues the parish priest needs to have resolved or at least thought through and addressed and have a solution/policy in place before instituting a programme of exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

You should ask the parish priest of your grandfather’s parish what protocol he has put in place for the situation you describe