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Rickwood
Guest
Where does the Church say that?
Why suggest that? That’s only your opinion.
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nsper7
Guest
I know in the Anglican Communion it is customary for those who cannot receive Communion (either because they are not Baptized or they have unconfessed sin or some other reason of the conscience) to approach AS IF TO RECEIVE COMMUNION but then cross their arms in front of them and receive a blessing from the Priest.
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sancte_joseph
Guest
The time in the mass labeled as “the reception of communion”
is to “receive” communion in other words…if your in the line you are going to receive the Eucharist…because it is not called
“Blessings and Communion”
but i guess it gives a sense of “unity” or maybe so people can receive a blessing that they may soon be able to receive Jesus
In Fact: the priest at my parish encourages people who cannot receive Jesus (for any reason) to come and receive a blessing
I don’t really know what to think
is to “receive” communion in other words…if your in the line you are going to receive the Eucharist…because it is not called
“Blessings and Communion”
but i guess it gives a sense of “unity” or maybe so people can receive a blessing that they may soon be able to receive Jesus
In Fact: the priest at my parish encourages people who cannot receive Jesus (for any reason) to come and receive a blessing
I don’t really know what to think
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reff
Guest
The local Parish here announces before Mass that “If you are not Catholic or share our belief that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, you may receive a blessing instead, just cross your arms, etc.”
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Like
Guest
God bless you for choosing the Catholic Faith!
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kyria
Guest
I do not understand why it would be improper. Can someone tell me if there is a limit on the number of blessings one can receive at mass? I love watching the little children and others go up for a blessing with their arms crossed. I used to send my daughter up before she was old enough to have her first communion.
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kyria
Guest
If I could I would receive both communion and a blessing.
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Kielbasi
Guest
Communion line blessings are not an official part of the mass, and there is no official liturgical form for it.
The idea is a relatively new one, and didn’t exist when I was a kid. Back then, those who did not receive always stayed in the pews- or shot out of mass early to the parking lot early.
The idea is a relatively new one, and didn’t exist when I was a kid. Back then, those who did not receive always stayed in the pews- or shot out of mass early to the parking lot early.
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japhy
Guest
The Missal and the GIRM talk about the communicants coming up to receive Holy Communion; they say nothing about coming up to receive blessings, or to ask about the homily, or light a candle, etc. The Church’s instructions for what happens at this time has to do with people coming forward to receive Communion and what the ministers of Holy Communion do about it.
Making a spiritual communion when you are not able to receive Holy Communion is not a recommendation of the Church? That surprises me. Here’s what I’ve found in my set of magisterial documents:
“Clearly, full participation in the Eucharist takes place when the faithful approach the altar in person to receive communion. Yet true as this is, care must be taken lest they conclude that the mere fact of their being present in church during the liturgy gives them a right or even an obligation to approach the table of the Eucharist. Even in cases where it is not possible to receive sacramental communion, participation at Mass remains necessary, important, meaningful and fruitful. In such circumstances it is beneficial to cultivate a desire for full union with Christ through the practice of spiritual communion, praised by Pope John Paul II and recommended by saints who were masters of the spiritual life.” (2007 - Sacramentum Caritatis, n. 55)
“The Eucharist thus appears as the culmination of all the sacraments in perfecting our communion with God the Father by identification with his only-begotten Son through the working of the Holy Spirit. With discerning faith a distinguished writer of the Byzantine tradition voiced this truth: in the Eucharist ‘unlike any other sacrament, the mystery [of communion] is so perfect that it brings us to the heights of every good thing: here is the ultimate goal of every human desire, because here we attain God and God joins himself to us in the most perfect union’. Precisely for this reason it is good to cultivate in our hearts a constant desire for the sacrament of the Eucharist. This was the origin of the practice of ‘spiritual communion’, which has happily been established in the Church for centuries and recommended by saints who were masters of the spiritual life. Saint Teresa of Jesus wrote: ‘When you do not receive communion and you do not attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion, which is a most beneficial practice; by it the love of God will be greatly impressed on you’.” (2003 - Ecclesia de Eucharistia, n. 34)
“Public and private devotion to the Holy Eucharist outside Mass also is highly recommended: for the presence of Christ, who is adored by the faithful in the Sacrament, derives from the sacrifice and is directed towards sacramental and spiritual Communion.” (1980 - Inaestimabile Donum, n. 20)
“When the faithful adore Christ present in the sacrament, they should remember that this presence derives from the sacrifice and has as its purpose both sacramental and spiritual communion.” (1973 - Eucharistiae Sacramentum, n. 80; this was simply repeating the earlier
“When the faithful adore Christ present in the sacrament, they should remember that this presence derives from the sacrifice and has as its purpose both sacramental and spiritual communion.” (1967 - Eucharisticum Mysterium, n. 50)
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Petergee
Guest
The Catholic Church’s official Book of Blessings says in its General Introduction:
“28. Because some blessings have a special relationship to the sacraments, they may sometimes be joined with the celebration of Mass.
This book specifies what such blessings are and the part or rite with which they are to be joined; it also provides norms that may not be disregarded. No blessings except those so specified may be joined with the eucharistic celebration.”
The book does not indicate any blessings which may be administered during the administration of Communion. Hence I conclude that the practice is illicit.
“28. Because some blessings have a special relationship to the sacraments, they may sometimes be joined with the celebration of Mass.
This book specifies what such blessings are and the part or rite with which they are to be joined; it also provides norms that may not be disregarded. No blessings except those so specified may be joined with the eucharistic celebration.”
The book does not indicate any blessings which may be administered during the administration of Communion. Hence I conclude that the practice is illicit.
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Binary
Guest
Yikes! I feel dumb now. Thanks to all who answered. While some parishes may allow or encourage this practice, I think I’ll just stay in the pew and attempt this spiritual communion thing.
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benedictgal
Guest
With all due respect, you are receiving both at the Mass. You are already receiving Our Lord. That, in itself, is the most sublime contact you can have with Him. You are in union with Him.
You then receive the blessing at the end of the Mass. Thus, you are receiving both.
Please don’t take this worng; howevr, I suspect that there is a serious lack of solid catechesis where Holy Communion and blessings are concerned. This is a sad, but, concrete example of innovations that confuse the faithful, as Redemptionis Sacramentum notes.
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Rickwood
Guest
What? Did you even read what I typed and what I was responding to?
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Rickwood
Guest
I’m a little bit ashamed at the “advice” you received here.
Going up to the priest to receive a blessing is a time-honored tradition in the Church. There is certainly nothing wrong with it. There IS something wrong with those who denigrate the practice based on their own opinions.
Similarly it would be wrong to feel as though you were being pressure to go up and request a blessing.
In a practical sense there is a tangible benefit for some to process up with the others and have an ordained hand touch their forehead as they are receiving their blessing.
Pray on it and do what you feel is right given your specific situation.
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benedictgal
Guest
Yes, but, you did not provide any documentation that indicates that this can happen. It is only your interpretation. Nor is the “blessing” indicated as something that EMHCs can do. The GIRM, RS and the 1997 document on the collaboration between the ordained and the faithful spell out wht the EMHCs can do. Offering a blessing in lieu of distributing Holy Communion is not even listed as an option. Therefore, if it is not listed, then, it should not be done.What? Did you even read what I typed and what I was responding to?
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Rickwood
Guest
It all boils down your YOUR OWN personal interpretation and preference. There is nothing in the documents that you provided that prohibits or even dissuades one from going up to receive a blessing.
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benedictgal
Guest
No, Rick. It is yoiur opinion. The documents do not indicate that such a procedure is allowed. You have yet to show any authoritative documentation from the Holy See that supports your notion that an idiosyncracy should be inserted into the Mass.
No one has the right to add to or subract from the Mass on their own intiative. This illicit gesture crept into the Mass even though there are no provisions in the GIRM, let alone RS, that allow such a thing to happen.
Furthermore, the idea of making a spiritual communion is more of a time-honored tradition than approaching the priest for a blessing during the distribution of Holy Communion. In fact, the saints advocated spiritual communions. The notion of approaching the priest for a blessing during communion time is a recent innovation, not long enough for it to be time-honored.
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benedictgal
Guest
There is nothing in the documents that allows it, either. Just look at the section regarding EMHCs in RS, the GIRM and the 1997 document from the Congregation for Clergy. In each document, the duties of the EMHC are spelled out. They don’t include imparting blessings. The imparting of blessings during the Mass is expressly reserved to the priest/bishop.
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Rickwood
Guest
First, let’s get rid of your ridiculous and offensive red herring. No one in this thread suggested that EMsHC can bestow blessings. Obviously they cannot. Please do not try to introduce this separate subject into this thread as a means to obfuscate the real issue at hand.
Second there is no prohibition in the liturgical documents of going up to receive a blessing. Not a one. Much like the hand-holding matter, it’s a purely personal non-issue until it begins to impact the Mass – and then we would have an entirely different discussion. I think in cases like this, it’s often profitable to reflect on Sacred Scripture, particularly:
John 20:30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
John 21:25 But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
I have been aware for quite a while that it takes a great deal more than printouts of the GIRM and RS and a copy of CM to understand the Mass…
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Rickwood
Guest
Your attempted introduction of a non-issue per this thread – EMsHC/blessings into this conversation for the purpose of trying to “make your point” is bad form.
Bad form not because of what you said but because you thought you could introduce something that has no bearing on the current discussion as a means to derail the conversation without others noticing. You may not even be aware that you are doing it, but it is very noticeable.
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