Four hosts dropped on the floor at Mass last Sunday. What should the priest have done?

[Al_Masetti]

Sometimes a problem area is when communicants stand and the person distributing Holy Communion is short and cannot reach high enough to place the Host on the tongue of the communicant.

Dropping of Consecrated Hosts can be avoided if the communicants kneel and if an assistant (altar server) holds a paten under the communicant’s chin. The paten is a flat gold-plated plate with a handle.

The paten would catch a falling Host immediately.

Prior to Vatican II, all communicants would kneel along the altar rail and the priest would move along and distribute Holy Communion with an altar boy (hopefully a potential priest-candidate in training) would hold the paten. It was an important assignment for a very young person and also demonstrated to the assembly the sacredness of the act of receiving Holy Communion.

By opening up the ritual of receiving Holy Communion to accidents involving dropping Hosts, the Church has diminished slightly the sacredness of the Real Presence.

By making something so special appear to be so ordinary, we have also diminished the stature of attendance at Mass, as well … which is the topic of another thread nearby on the reduction of the numbers of people attending Mass.

It used to be called “assisting at Mass”; and it has been diminished in importance by referring to it as “attending Mass”.

But, I’m getting off topic.

 

[peary]

They need to go back using the paten again. People are sloppy.

 

[Norseman82]

What about Blood that spilled on your tie? How do we treat the tie?

 

[lak611]

What about Blood that spilled on your tie? How do we treat the tie?

Take the tie and soak it in a pan of water at home. Then launder the tie as usual (or take it to the dry cleaners). Pour the water in the pan directly into the ground, not down the drain, out of respect for the Precious Blood.

 

[Teeliumtrozzle]

At our school Mass,during the offetery procession,a careless little first year dropped a Host on the floor.I pointed it out to the religion teacher,and she picked it up,and I wanted to recieve it but she wouldn’t let me.I don’t know what she did with it. I am worried in case she just threw in in the bin.

 

[peary]

Al Masetti wrote: *By opening up the ritual of receiving Holy Communion to accidents involving dropping Hosts, the Church has diminished slightly the sacredness of the Real Presence. *

Diminished slighty? Slightly*??***

 

[lak611]

At our school Mass,during the offetery procession,a careless little first year dropped a Host on the floor.I pointed it out to the religion teacher,and she picked it up,and I wanted to recieve it but she wouldn’t let me.I don’t know what she did with it. I am worried in case she just threw in in the bin.

It was just bread at that point, so nothing special needed to be done with it.

 

[peary]

To Dempsey1919: many many Catholics do not believe in the Eucharist in the sense that it is truly the Body and Blood of Christ under the species of bread and wine. I asked my nephew, an altar server, if he knew this. He looked at me as if I were nuts. When I asked him if he was ever taught about the Real Presence, he laughed and said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I never heard that before.” And HE goes to a Catholic school!!

 

[CatholicCajun]

maybe if consecrated hands (priests) were to be the only to touch the Consecrated Hosts (as it was before) and everyone was receiving on their tongue (with a paten underneath), this probably wouldn’t happen.

I have to agree with you. That is why hubby and I have NEVER taken the Eucharist in the hand,

 

[Sure]

maybe if consecrated hands (priests) were to be the only to touch the Consecrated Hosts (as it was before) and everyone was receiving on their tongue (with a paten underneath), this probably wouldn’t happen.

I have to agree with you. That is why hubby and I have NEVER taken the Eucharist in the hand,

Most of the mishaps that I have seen have been people receiving on the tongue not in the hand. Sometimes you get a funny bounce and the paten doesn’t catch the Host. I’m sure our Lord understands. As long as great care and reverence is taken, He’s not going to be made about an accident…they happen.

 

[CatholicCajun]

I have to agree with you. That is why hubby and I have NEVER taken the Eucharist in the hand,

Most of the mishaps that I have seen have been people receiving on the tongue not in the hand. Sometimes you get a funny bounce and the paten doesn’t catch the Host. I’m sure our Lord understands. As long as great care and reverence is taken, He’s not going to be made about an accident…they happen.

Good point! I imagine it may be harder to get the Eucharist on the tongue than simply placing it in the hands. But, personally we still will never take it in the hand. God Bless.