Holy Communion & the Tabernacle

[CatholicJHwk]

Quick question that I’m hoping to get an answer to. I feel as though when I was a kid (20 years ago) during communion the Tabernacle was left open. At my present parish I know for a fact they remove the ciboria and close it, distribute, reopen, and replace it.

Simply put, should the Tabernacle remain open during communion? My instinct says yes because it’s empty, but not empty on the level of say Good Friday.

(name removed by moderator)ut is appreciated. Merry Christmas everyone!

John

 

[paperwight66]

It’s certainly left unlocked during communion n our parish, but, thinking about it, the large Host used for Adoration is still in there, so maybe your parish is being extra careful to avoid any possibility of this being stolen? The same would apply to any ciborium left in there, too, of course.

 

[CatholicJHwk]

It’s certainly left unlocked during communion n our parish, but, thinking about it, the large Host used for Adoration is still in there, so maybe your parish is being extra careful to avoid any possibility of this being stolen? The same would apply to any ciborium left in there, too, of course.

I’m speaking during the distribution, during a Mass, should it be left open when there is absolutely nothing in it? It’s always unlocked at the 5 pm Saturday and during the Sunday morning Masses. We do lock it outside of Mass.

Here’s the quagmire, I’m an EMHC and on occasion I’ve been the one to retrieve the ciboria from the Tabernacle. On a side note, I think I’m the only one that genuflects before opening it but that’s another rant. So here I am, I stroll up to it, genuflect, open the doors, and pull all the ciboria out. Should the door remain open since it’s empty or should I close it?

I’m a stickler for details such as this. Much like kneeling after the Agnus Dei until it’s my turn to receive communion - it’s usually just me and a nun kneeling. The rest of the congregation sits and waits. I guess as a child I was taught there was nothing more holy and revered than the Blessed Sacrament, but again, another rant I’m trying to avoid here.

 

[Phemie]

I’m speaking during the distribution, during a Mass, should it be left open when there is absolutely nothing in it? It’s always unlocked at the 5 pm Saturday and during the Sunday morning Masses. We do lock it outside of Mass.

Here’s the quagmire, I’m an EMHC and on occasion I’ve been the one to retrieve the ciboria from the Tabernacle. On a side note, I think I’m the only one that genuflects before opening it but that’s another rant. So here I am, I stroll up to it, genuflect, open the doors, and pull all the ciboria out. Should the door remain open since it’s empty or should I close it?

I’m a stickler for details such as this. Much like kneeling after the Agnus Dei until it’s my turn to receive communion - it’s usually just me and a nun kneeling. The rest of the congregation sits and waits. I guess as a child I was taught there was nothing more holy and revered than the Blessed Sacrament, but again, another rant I’m trying to avoid here.

That has never been addressed in any document that I’m aware of. In fact, in an ideal situation the only time the Tabernacle would be open during Mass is when Fr. reposes the Blessed Sacrament in the form of the few unconsumed Hosts that remain after all those who wished to receive have done so.

My question in this particular case is ‘What difference does it make?’ Ours is closed because the lunette with the Host for the Monstrance is there.

 

[pat_mc_1]

I think it really depends on the door of the tabernacle. The Tabernacle at my church the door slides open and goes into the tabernacle and would need a stopper to stay open because it slides closed as soon as you open.

 

[jimrob]

Quite right. The doors are only left open when both the ciborium with the Communion hosts and the lunette with the exposition host are removed. In churches where they don’t have exposition or benediction, the doors are left open during Holy Communion. If the exposition host is in the tabernacle, the doors are left closed during Holy Communion. Locking the door has less ceremonial and more a practical significance. It’s usually unlocked by the minister who checks on the quantity of communion hosts before Mass and locked by the minister who returns the ciborium after communion.

On Maundy Thursday, all hosts are removed from the tabernacle after morning prayer or the Mass of Chrism. The tabernacle then remains empty with the doors open until after Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil.

 

[CatholicJHwk]

That has never been addressed in any document that I’m aware of. In fact, in an ideal situation the only time the Tabernacle would be open during Mass is when Fr. reposes the Blessed Sacrament in the form of the few unconsumed Hosts that remain after all those who wished to receive have done so.

My question in this particular case is ‘What difference does it make?’ Ours is closed because the lunette with the Host for the Monstrance is there.

Our Monstrance is kept in the adoration chapel so that’s not really an issue. If there is no set protocol and either is acceptable then it doesn’t really make a difference to me. Sheer curiosity got me wondering is all.

I think it really depends on the door of the tabernacle. The Tabernacle at my church the door slides open and goes into the tabernacle and would need a stopper to stay open because it slides closed as soon as you open.

Ours is like that somewhat. They slide open (after we give 'em a little push) and stay open.

Again, if it comes down to personal preference then my preference is to leave it open if we remove all ciboria and close it if we take 3 out and leave 1. I’ve attached a picture - not sure how well you can see it.

 

[runningdude]

Assuming the Tabernacle is capable, I would think it would be most appropriate for the doors to be left open during communion if it is empty. If there are other Hosts, then it could be closed during communion.

It seems to me that would (at the very least) be confusing to have the doors on an empty Tabernacle shut while the Tabernacle lamp is lit. One might inadvertently genuflect to, well, nothing if one were to attempt to retrieve additional Hosts from the empty tabernacle.

(As an aside, one doesn’t bow or genuflect when carrying the consecrated Hosts. One bows or genuflects when receiving the Host. This might account for why some extraordinary ministers don’t bow while approaching the tabernacle if their container is not completely empty)

 

[isaiah_m]

As an EMHC, in two different parishes, the rule was always close the tabernacle door. I wasn’t told and didn’t ask why, just followed directions.

 

[FrDavid96]

Quick question that I’m hoping to get an answer to. I feel as though when I was a kid (20 years ago) during communion the Tabernacle was left open. At my present parish I know for a fact they remove the ciboria and close it, distribute, reopen, and replace it.

Simply put, should the Tabernacle remain open during communion? My instinct says yes because it’s empty, but not empty on the level of say Good Friday.

(name removed by moderator)ut is appreciated. Merry Christmas everyone!

John

It is left open during Communion.

This is a practical matter.

The priest needs to return the ciborium to the tabernacle after Communion. For this reason, the tabernacle is left open, so that he does not need to use his hands to open it again–those hands (or at least one) already being used to carry a ciborium.