I was almost decapitated by a server using a paten with a long handle! I went to a Mass that was being said by my Bishop and he uses the seminarians. They use the short handled ones. I complimented the particular seminarian after Mass for being rather stealth in his duties. I did relate the near beheading and he had a good chuckle. Seems he had come across a kid doing the same thing at one time.You misunderstand. That’s not what I’m saying. Lay EMs are necessary because we don’t have enough priests at most liturgies to distribute communion efficiently to the many people who come forward to receive under both species. Are you hoping to go back to how it was pre Vatican II when not many participated in communion? I remember many people remaining in their pew and only receiving once a year. Is that the attitude that you want to go back to? Again…we need lay EMs to serve in this ministry… at least until the ordained priesthood is once more an attractive lifestyle and vocation. Until we have more priests, EMs are not going away any time soon.
It could be that those pre-VII people knew they were unworthy at that time and refrained and that today nobody cares, they just go up because everyone else is. I don’t know how old you are but I grew up in that pre-VII era and do not remember large numbers of people not receiving communion; of course I can only draw on twenty years of that experience before the mass was er changed.
I dontbelieve that t be true. Majority of people do not committ mortal sin every week. No one is worthy but to refuse the invitation is not what Christ wants of us. The graces of communion, if we believe, outweigh any feeling of unworthiness.
I’m not sure that Anna Claire meant ‘participate’ in that way. I think she meant that more people receive Communion on a regular basis.
I wouldn’t bet on that. I attended Mass last year where the Bishop was the celebrant and he fractured the Host at Consecration. That’s when it became clear to me that either they aren’t up to snuff on what the Church requires or they simply don’t care and do their own thing because they think they know better.I just trust that my priests and bishop know whether or not things are required in the OF Mass.
Yes, our rituals have meaning. I’m not a legalistic but certain rituals should not be changed. But who wants to point this out to the bishop?!
You are way off with the mortal sin stuff. We had a requirement to fast from midnight to receive communion, if one could not get to an early Mass and had to eat something that alone would require abstaining from communion and that was not all that unusual. In fact that is one of the reasons the law changed to three hours and then to the current one hour fast, too many were being deprived. If in fact people were attending Mass out of obligation only they were likely not properly disposed to receive and were correct in remaining in their seats.
You have no way of knowing whether or not the majority of people commit mortal sin every week or not. Granted, I don’t either, and I’m not implying I am, because I don’t.
Anna,
Alternating lines converging at one point is as time efficient as the altar rail.
Of course, both postures are permitted at the receipients choice, per the GIRM. Such a person simply stands at the communion rail.
Actually, it is impossible to recieve Holy Communion without recieving the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ, even in the form of a single species. So yes, everyone present who recieves recieves the Precious Blood, along with the Sacred Body and Soul and Divinity of Christ.
Yes, assuming that everything was equal. But I was not comparing equally time efficent means.
**I am not way off **but I do agree about the fast from midnight. That too discouraged people.