Etiquette at the tabernacle?

[Phemie]

If Hosts are remaining after a visit to, say, a nursing home (perhaps because several expected communicants were ill or unavailable), isn’t it proper to replace them in the tabernacle? Or is the Extraordinary Minister expected to consume potentially multiple Hosts themselves? Unless such were to prevent eucharistic sacrilige, wouldn’t that be self-communication?

If they can be returned to the Tabernacle they should be. If they can’t immediately be returned to the Tabernacle (no one in the church, you don’t have a key, you don’t have a way there, etc.) they should be consumed.

 

[ts83143]

As a strong believer of the presence of Jesus Christ in the tabernacle, I believe we are standing on Holy Ground when the Blessed Sacrament is present. I myself have observed this appearance of utter rudeness, call it what you like. It is painful to see someone treat the Blessed Sacrament as a casual thing, as it were a “something”. For me, personally, these actions are a sign of the times, the works of the evil one.

Anyone who cannot prostate themselves before the Blessed Sacrament, outside of being physically unable to, does not have any idea what is before them or intentionally wish to harm our Blessed Sacrament, as if they could. There is a history of those who try to do harm to the Blessed Sacrament whether while receiving Jesus in the Holy Communion or any opportunity they have. This is what they practice, whether they have the keys or not, whether they are female or male.
I believe we must always be aware of the bigger picture. Our Church has been under extreme attack for a while now. We must all be careful to protect the Blessed Sacrament by reporting anything suspicious immediately.

Imagine the blessings we would receive by doing so or by praying for God’s protection of all God’s Holiness in the Blessed Sacrament and more so by praying for those who do not believe in the Blessed Sacrament.
Keep in mind how the Holy of Holies was protected 24/7 in the Old Testament.

 

[philip01]

No offense taken.

I’ll be praying for your mother.

Thank you for your (name removed by moderator)ut, and especially thank you for including my mother in your prayers.

 

[philip01]

I am new to this site, and I am pleased with my first experience. Thank you all for your (name removed by moderator)ut.

 

[lizaanne]

I am new to this site, and I am pleased with my first experience. Thank you all for your (name removed by moderator)ut.

Welcome to the CAF!

~Liza

 

[tinalewis]

You frighten me ! What do you mean…“remove or REPLACE” hosts". Hosts that are taken from the Tabernacle must be consumed to my knowledge. In the event all the hosts are not consumed by those who are communicating the EMHC must consume what is left.
Unless the pyx is so large they can be brought back. That’s not very good planning, is that what you meant?
God Bless.

God Bless

Oh, I know, I’m just so scarey! Boo! You should see me on Halloween!

Is this good planning? No, I’m terrible at planning. For example, this past Sunday I went to a local nursing home right after Mass to bring Holy Communion to the Catholic patients and I did have to replace 3 consecrated hosts to the tabernacle at my parish. ***Frightening!!! ***

Here’s the evidence of lack of planning on my part:

• We have more than a foot of snow on the ground and the roads aren’t yet totally clear, so my driving time from church to the nursing home took longer than usual and one patient couldn’t wait for me to arrive because her children were taking her out to lunch. So that’s one host that I brought with me that wasn’t offered, sadly.
• One lady died a few days ago and since she didn’t belong to my parish, I wasn’t aware she had died. That’s another host in my pyx that wasn’t offered. Total of two so far.
• One man who’s a friend of mine couldn’t manage to take an entire host, so I broke a piece for him. That’s 50% of a host left in my pyx.
• Another man asked for part of a host because he has trouble chewing. I gave him the other 50% of the broken host. So that’s 3 hosts so far left in my pyx.

Really poor planning on my part. And really frightening, too!

But if someone you love is in a nursing home or hospital they can tell you that somehow I manage not to appear frightening to them at all. You want to know what’s really scary? Being in a nursing home or hospital and not having anyone to bring Our Blessed Lord to you. I hope that never happens to you.

I’m a little weary of seeing posts that don’t show a little respect for the job of a EMHC. You don’t have to show me respect. Just the job I do. No one expects us to do our job perfectly or to exercise perfect planning and knowledge in all situations . If that’s frightening to you, then so be it. If omniscience were the expectation, then most of us would fail at being an EMHC. Then who would bring Holy Communion to the elderly, hospitalized, and home-bound? Do we really have enough priests and deacons? Not in my diocese, we don’t. So you’ll just have to be healthy all your life or else accept us EMHC as we are, warts and all.

*Boo! *

 

[tinalewis]

Know something that’s the truly scarey part?

Do you know?

Philip01 is praying his heart out for his mother and we are discussing everything else but this.

Your mother remains in my prayers tonight, philip01. Please keep us updated on how she and you are both doing.

 

[lizaanne]

Know something that’s the truly scarey part?

Do you know?

Philip01 is praying his heart out for his mother and we are discussing everything else but this.

Your mother remains in my prayers tonight, philip01. Please keep us updated on how she and you are both doing.

That’s because the OP was not about his mother. We try to stay on topic here. Praying for his mother is a good thing - but let’s remember the forum rules as well.

~Liza

 

[philip01]

Know something that’s the truly scarey part?

Do you know?

Philip01 is praying his heart out for his mother and we are discussing everything else but this.

Your mother remains in my prayers tonight, philip01. Please keep us updated on how she and you are both doing.

Thank you tinalewis. Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated.

 

[Cathryn]

Dear Philip

I’m puzzled why a kneeler would be 2 ft in front of the tabernacle in the sanctuary for lay people. I’m a sacristan yet always pray kneeling outside of the sanctuary because this is what I have been taught. In the sanctuary when I have specific duties, which is daily, I always genuflect to the Blessed Sacrament and do what I need to do, but don’t use the sanctuary for myself to pray. For me this is the priest’s territory and the Lord’s tabernacle. Parishoners usually pray in the body of the church. Because of my age, I still remember the altar rails and the velvet ropes that marked the boundaries of the sanctuary. My parish still has the velvet ropes in one of the candle closets. My prayers for your mother.

 

[philip01]

Cathryn,

I have attended parishes that appear to keep the sanctuary “off limits”. I have also been in more than one church where a kneeler is present in front of the tabernacle. Second hand personal story: A friend of mine who lived in Naples, Florida for 9 years attended a parish where there is a kneeler in front of the tabernacle. When he moved to Wyoming, his new church did not have a kneeler. Since he wanted to pray close to the Blessed Sacrament, as he has been for several years, he asked the parish pastor if he could donate a kneeler for this purpose. The pastor was more than agreeable to this. When the kneeler was in place, many looked at it, but seemed a little self-conscious about using it. My friend was the first to use it, and many followed suit afterwards. Most parishoners at his church have been going to this church most if not all of their lives.

 

[nannyma]

Oh, I know, I’m just so scarey! Boo! You should see me on Halloween!

Is this good planning? No, I’m terrible at planning. For example, this past Sunday I went to a local nursing home right after Mass to bring Holy Communion to the Catholic patients and I did have to replace 3 consecrated hosts to the tabernacle at my parish. ***Frightening!!! ***

Here’s the evidence of lack of planning on my part:

• We have more than a foot of snow on the ground and the roads aren’t yet totally clear, so my driving time from church to the nursing home took longer than usual and one patient couldn’t wait for me to arrive because her children were taking her out to lunch. So that’s one host that I brought with me that wasn’t offered, sadly.
• One lady died a few days ago and since she didn’t belong to my parish, I wasn’t aware she had died. That’s another host in my pyx that wasn’t offered. Total of two so far.
• One man who’s a friend of mine couldn’t manage to take an entire host, so I broke a piece for him. That’s 50% of a host left in my pyx.
• Another man asked for part of a host because he has trouble chewing. I gave him the other 50% of the broken host. So that’s 3 hosts so far left in my pyx.

Really poor planning on my part. And really frightening, too!

But if someone you love is in a nursing home or hospital they can tell you that somehow I manage not to appear frightening to them at all. You want to know what’s really scary? Being in a nursing home or hospital and not having anyone to bring Our Blessed Lord to you. I hope that never happens to you.

I’m a little weary of seeing posts that don’t show a little respect for the job of a EMHC. You don’t have to show me respect. Just the job I do. No one expects us to do our job perfectly or to exercise perfect planning and knowledge in all situations . If that’s frightening to you, then so be it. If omniscience were the expectation, then most of us would fail at being an EMHC. Then who would bring Holy Communion to the elderly, hospitalized, and home-bound? Do we really have enough priests and deacons? Not in my diocese, we don’t. So you’ll just have to be healthy all your life or else accept us EMHC as we are, warts and all.

*Boo! *

First, I apologize for offending you. The assault was not intended for you personally perhaps it was the wording of your post that brought to my mind an unpleasant experience in my past. I too am a EMHC for 15 years, nursing homes included which was very rewarding, I still draw from the many deeply spiritual benefits of this part of our ministry. Now, without a vehicle I remain a EMHC solely for the Masses which is no less deeply rewarding spiritually.
To continue on my unjust affront on you personally I,myself will cautiously hold back any “quick” response to future posts. In fact I have learned,since reading your post that there are times when the laity are given mulitble hosts to consume because of a church closing. This is completely foreign to me yet trusting in the overseers in Catholic Answers I know it would have been corrected. So you see time served doesn’t always give the fullness of truth. Take care,
God Bless

 

[tinalewis]

Apology accepted, no offense taken.

I hope you have transportation again soon so you can continue your nursing home ministry (minus the snow trips!). I bet the patients miss you.