Crossing one's arms in lieu of receiving Holy Communion

[TrueLight]

While it is true that we now have knowledge that this practice should perhaps never have begun, I don’t believe that it is clear that a “prohibition” on this practice exists. It has become so widespread in some areas that it would be difficult to end it without a direct order from above. The Congregation for Divine Worship and The Discipline of the Sacraments have been studing this issue for many years and have not yet attempted to correct this “error”.

Pardon my ignorance but what other options do they have for correcting aside from writing documents which they already have?

I do agree that since it is so widespread, it might take the Pope to actually make a statement or write a letter himself. Although I have no idea if this bothers him at all or if he sees it as harmless.

 

[zab]

Pardon my ignorance but what other options do they have for correcting aside from writing documents which they already have?

I do agree that since it is so widespread, it might take the Pope to actually make a statement or write a letter himself. Although I have no idea if this bothers him at all or if he sees it as harmless.

They could have included this correction when Redemptionis Sacramentum was issued correcting many liturgical abuses. But it was not mentioned.

 

[Stylites]

Note that the document referred to points out that there is a general blessing at the end of Mass anyway, so to approach during communion time for a blessing is unnecessary anyway.

One can never have just enough or too many blessings.

 

[Stylites]

No, it is our responsibility to take note and charitably correct error even if it is by a Bishop. Following Christian principles of course, and with respect to the Office of the Bishop and to the Bishop himself. However, we are obliged to correct error - with prudence of course.

I hear that Jesus would cure on the Sabbath, and there were those who took note and charitably went to the Sanhedrin over that as well.

 

[Stylites]

Sorry, just seeking clarification here, as this (for children who have not yet made their First Holy Communion) is normal practice here in Australia: Is it just prohibited for extrordinary ministers to do this (i.e. the Celebrant of the Mass or another priest helping out with Holy Communion can do it), or is it absolutely prohibited?

That part wasn’t clear to me in the thread.

As I understand it, only a priest can give God’s blessing: “God bless you,” while an EMHC has to use different conditional words, such as “May God may bless you.”

 

[TrueLight]

I hear that Jesus would cure on the Sabbath, and there were those who took note and charitably went to the Sanhedrin over that as well.

That is something I think about on my journey. There is beauty to having rules laid out for you, but sometimes I do wonder if we (permit me to include myself along with Catholics) can be too legalistic.

I can definitely see Jesus speaking to some of us as if we are Pharisees.

At the same time, the rules are there for a reason.

 

[zab]

Sorry, just seeking clarification here, as this (for children who have not yet made their First Holy Communion) is normal practice here in Australia: Is it just prohibited for extrordinary ministers to do this (i.e. the Celebrant of the Mass or another priest helping out with Holy Communion can do it), or is it absolutely prohibited?

That part wasn’t clear to me in the thread.

The argument has been that blessings are not allowed in the Communion line at all, not even by the priests or bishops.

 

[Stylites]

There are many good priests who give blessings in the Communion line. One cannot equate, as some have attempted to do, a priest who gives a blessing to a cop who sells drugs or a bishop who encourages people to steal from the supermarket if they do not have enough money to pay for the items they want.
There is no need for one to have anxieties and doubts about their priest because he gives blessing in the Communion line.

One has to wonder how anyone can equate in their minds a child being blessed by a priest with a cop selling drugs, or telling people in pirate slang to go steal. Spreading anxieties and doubts about the liturgical actions of priests seems to be a cottage industry.

 

[joclucsylv]

Mass is not about your feelings or what you feel is special. I think it would be special if everybody told me how great I was during the announcements. The Mass is about Christ. Christ - not you, not your child, not the Priest. Everybody gets a blessing after Communion. If you want your child to be singled out or to have a special blessing, your Priest can do it outside the Mass.

Holy Communion is not the place for a blessing. I have used this analogy before:

Imagine going to a supermarket, standing in line with no items, and then telling the cashier you have no money anyway so it’s not like you could buy something. But then you say “Ah well, at least give me the next best thing?”

It just makes no sense. But it is even more so when in the context of the Mass! You are there for Christ, yet you stand in a line despite not being adequately disposed to receive the gift of Communion, and so instead you profane the sacrifice by ignoring it’s real meaning and saying “Ah well, just gimme something else like a blessing instead”. No! You validate your inability to receive by doing that! You make it out like the Eucharist is nothing special! You pretend to be in Communion with Christ and his Church when you really aren’t!

Special

A eucharistic minister is a Priest or Bishop. Only they can confect the Eucharist. I think you mean an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.

Yes special. Forgive me for being a mother who thinks it’s important for her child to receive a blessing from the priest and to be honest it makes me smile that my children look forward to the blessing from the priest. I think it is important for a child to have some sort of connection with the priest and if receiving a blessing is that connection than that makes me happy. Seriously, do you need to be on this board rolling your eyes at comments people make.

Yes, I mean Extraordinary minister Holy Communion. I am still learning.

 

[TrueLight]

Yes special. Forgive me for being a mother who thinks it’s important for her child to receive a blessing from the priest and to be honest it makes me smile that my children look forward to the blessing from the priest. I think it is important for a child to have some sort of connection with the priest and if receiving a blessing is that connection than that makes me happy. Seriously, do you need to be on this board rolling your eyes at comments people make.

Yes, I mean Extraordinary minister Holy Communion. I am still learning.

I think the connection between child and priest that you speak of is awesome.

However, isn’t the communion line for communion? It is for receiving the Lord’s Body and Blood. What more significant occasion is there than that?

Why minimize its significance with blessings that have nothing to do with receiving the Eucharist, when in fact, the whole congregation is blessed during mass? Could we not teach the children the importance of that blessing and help them make the sign of the cross while being blessed?

And I speak as someone who wishes she could receive communion.

 

[Stylites]

This forum is so frustrating. Everything on here gets attacked by people who lie in wait for the chance to correct or point out everything you are doing is wrong.

People mostly mean well, and there’s some comfort in thinking one is helping the Church by quoting and interpreting Church documents, even if it isn’t their position or training to do so. It does get frustrating to read that doing what is kind and loving is somehow wrong; blind guides straining out from the waters of grace the floating gnats of extraneous blessings, while swallowing the camels of anxiety and doubt.

 

[jwinch2]

People mostly mean well, and there’s some comfort in thinking one is helping the Church by quoting and interpreting Church documents, even if it isn’t their position or training to do so. It does get frustrating to read that doing what is kind and loving is somehow wrong; blind guides straining out from the waters of grace the floating gnats of extraneous blessings, while swallowing the camels of anxiety and doubt.

One other thing to consider is that trusting an anonymous source online to properly interpret Canon Law for you is akin to trusting them to interpret Civic Law for you. If you were in doubt about the interpretation of a certain law or statute, you would seek the advice of a lawyer who is properly trained in the interpretation of that law; someone who could place the law in the context of how it had been interpreted in the courts, how it works in the framework of other established law, and what the intent of the writers of the law was at the time of its passing. It would also behoove someone to know what subsequent laws or prior laws may pertain to that same situation that are not quoted directly in the exact statute one is reading.

Anyone in the world can pull up documents as it relates to the Church and tell you something is right or wrong as a result. More than likely however, they are not going to be familiar with what that law or document was designed to do, how it has been interpreted by the Church, and how it fits into the remainder of the entirety of Canon Law. In addition, they are not likely to be aware of any dispensations that the Diocesan Bishop may have given, either verbally or in writing to the priests he shepherds. There are Diocesan Statutes that carry the weight of Canon Law within the Diocese and those are quite often not published online. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for Bishops to issue directives on how certain Vatican Documents or even Canon Law is to be interpreted and implemented within the Diocese. Its also important to remember that not just any document written by someone in the Vatican carries the weight of a Papal Bull or represents Magesterial teaching on something. Separating those things for people who are not properly trained to do so can be difficult. Just think about how many times people who are trained in the law argue over the meaning of the statute or how it is supposed to be implemented. Canon Law is likely no different.

When in doubt, the answer to this is quite simple. Send a polite e-mail to your pastor inquiring about the situation. Cite the relevant statute, document, or law and ask him if this applies to the situation. Make it clear that you are simply confused and are not trying to second guess him but are requesting pastoral guidance on the matter. If you are not satisfied with his answer, approach the Bishop in the same manner or the liturgy director for the diocese and ask the same questions. The Bishop has Canon Lawyers who work for him as well as people specifically trained in the Liturgy.

If, after exploring those options you receive the response that getting a blessing is allowed my advice to you is to trust the priests and bishops who have been ordained to guide and protect their flock. Quite frankly, I am far more inclined to trust my Bishop with their interpretation of Vatican documents or Canon Law, then I am someone online whom I have never met.

There are way too many “the sky is falling” people on CAF that, just like me, need to worry about getting the log out of their own eye rather than worrying about the splinter in yours. Ask yourself this: How focused is someone on the Eucharist and their own sanctification if your child receiving a blessing from a Priest disrupts the whole thing? How is it possible that someone who may be going through a tough time spiritually and who cannot receive communion going up to receive blessing from the priest takes anything away from the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass?

When in doubt definitely ask the question but after that, trust your Bishop, trust your Priest, and let Chicken Little go by the wayside.

 

[TrueLight]

When in doubt, the answer to this is quite simple. Send a polite e-mail to your pastor inquiring about the situation. Cite the relevant statute, document, or law and ask him if this applies to the situation. Make it clear that you are simply confused and are not trying to second guess him but are requesting pastoral guidance on the matter. If you are not satisfied with his answer, approach the Bishop in the same manner or the liturgy director for the diocese and ask the same questions. The Bishop has Canon Lawyers who work for him as well as people specifically trained in the Liturgy.

If, after exploring those options you receive the response that getting a blessing is allowed my advice to you is to trust the priests and bishops who have been ordained to guide and protect their flock. Quite frankly, I am far more inclined to trust my Bishop with their interpretation of Vatican documents or Canon Law, then I am someone online whom I have never met.

Good advice.

 

[1ke]

Sorry, just seeking clarification here, as this (for children who have not yet made their First Holy Communion) is normal practice here in Australia: Is it just prohibited for extrordinary ministers to do this (i.e. the Celebrant of the Mass or another priest helping out with Holy Communion can do it), or is it absolutely prohibited?

That part wasn’t clear to me in the thread.

Absolutely. I don’t understand why this is so difficult to understand.

 

[jmcrae]

I hear that Jesus would cure on the Sabbath, and there were those who took note and charitably went to the Sanhedrin over that as well.

What in the world do blessings during Communion have to do with Jesus healing on the Sabbath?

Jesus was meeting a need, and demonstrating to us the example of meeting people’s needs whenever the opportunity arises.

With blessings in the Communion line, there is no need being met. Most people wouldn’t even think of asking for it, if some well-meaning person didn’t suggest it to them.

 

[theistgal]

I’m a Byzantine Catholic, and once when I visited a Latin Rite parish, I went up to Communion with my hands crossed across my chest, because that is the norm for receiving the Eucharist in the Eastern Rite church.

Imagine my dismay when the priest just made the sign of the Cross over me, then turned away without giving me Communion!

 

[TrueLight]

I’m a Byzantine Catholic, and once when I visited a Latin Rite parish, I went up to Communion with my hands crossed across my chest, because that is the norm for receiving the Eucharist in the Eastern Rite church.

Imagine my dismay when the priest just made the sign of the Cross over me, then turned away without giving me Communion!

 

[jmcrae]

I’m a Byzantine Catholic, and once when I visited a Latin Rite parish, I went up to Communion with my hands crossed across my chest, because that is the norm for receiving the Eucharist in the Eastern Rite church.

Imagine my dismay when the priest just made the sign of the Cross over me, then turned away without giving me Communion!

Reason #1 why the practice needs to stop ASAP.

 

[FPH]

I have been a Catholic for 40 yrs, and only attend Traditional Catholic churches. I have lived in almost every state on the eastern coast of the United States from NH to SC, and in every church parish crossing hands over ones heart is practiced as a sign to the priest that the person is not prepared to receive communion. Some priests will give a blessing and some will not, although in my experience most will. I have two children one is a 5 yr old and walks with us to communion, I will not leave her in the pew unattended. She crosses her hands and knows this to be appropriate practice until she is able to receive communion. I believe that all the priest I have encountered in 40 yrs could not be wrong, these are priests that are very devout and spiritual, and many even say mass in latin.

-Fred

 

[ElToro]

But you directly stated that since the bishop allows something it means that Romedoesn’t forbid it. That’s a fallacy. That a bishop chooses to ignore Rome’s rules doesn’t mean that the rules don’t exist anymore than a cop selling drugs mean there are no laws against selling drugs.

No. I am saying “Rome” gives local bishops the authority to make a local determination on mattering like pouring/flagon use given local practices/needs/etc. If a bishop actually overstepped his authority it would be very easy to see – the Holy See would force a change and it most certainly has on a multitude of matters.

This situation is not a comfortable one for the black/white readers of the GIRM and RS who try to position themselves as experts. Not only are they not experts, they hold no authority in the Church. While no doubt frustrating to them, it makes no difference with regard to the Church.