Holy Eucharist in Plastic Cups?

[otjm]

Which is why I said I wouldn’t comment on this occasion (not knowing specifics), but I disagree with the the notion that the details are mere trivialities. They are not.

I don’t think anyone said the details are “mere trivialities”, but I may have missed it.

Let me try it from another angle: The rule about the Host being in a container with a precious metal lining is just that - it is a rule.

And as a rule, it is not a doctrine; it is something that can be changed for the good of the Church.

And in this circumstance, it appears to have been suspended for the purposes in this specific Mass to distribute Communion to those attending.

I would suggest that those who were in a position to have (name removed by moderator)ut on the matter (and there are normally priests and/or monsignors and/or bishops and/or cardinals presnet at papal Masses such as this) saw that the greater good was distributing Communion to those attending, not in withholding it because it was an utter impossibility to procure chalices and/or ciboriums sufficient to do so.

The suspension of a rule in a specific setting has never been a granting to do so in another setting. Concern that somehow this is going to go viral is beyond silly; but charity prevents me from describing how far.

Those who were in attendance and part of this decision were the ones who were entrusted to make that type of decision. The fact that some people here in this thread deem withholding Communion to be better for the spiritual nourishment of the souls of those attending than would be reception of Communion are first off not charged with making that decision, and secondly not trained sufficiently in theology to do so.

I suspect that the world youth who took the time, money, planning and travel to go to that Mass and attend the rest of the gathering were every bit as reverent as most of us here, if not more so. They wanted to rceive Jesus; the priests, deacons, priests, bishops and the Pope who were there wanted them to receive Jesus.

We seem to be either forgetting or minimizing that.

I have no problem with the rule that the Host is to be in a container lined with precious metal. It is also just that - a rule, and can be changed for the good of the Church. People with far more training than anyone here made the decision it was for the good of the Church.

Amazing how some of us know better.

 

[Bastoune]

Please people, relax.

As I wasn’t on the beach itself during the so-called “mega-Mass” of the final Sunday of World Youth Day, but I was within eye-shot, after having conferred with SEVERAL people who were (some of whom were near the pope), they were confused that someone like Father Z would make such an ERRONEOUS declaration that the Most Precious Blood was distributed in plastic cups. Those pics of plastic cups were not with the Precious Blood they were with some other drinks to keep people hydrated.

The Eucharist was distributed under the Host only!!! So someone is spreading some ugly rumours. I hadn’t seen it and wanted to make sure if it had really happened. Bearing false witness is a sin and Father Z should check his facts.

Again, my friends who communed were shocked that such an idiotic rumour is going around.

 

[andrewstx]

Please people, relax.

As I wasn’t on the beach itself during the so-called “mega-Mass” of the final Sunday of World Youth Day, but I was within eye-shot, after having conferred with SEVERAL people who were (some of whom were near the pope), they were confused that someone like Father Z would make such an ERRONEOUS declaration that the Most Precious Blood was distributed in plastic cups. Those pics of plastic cups were not with the Precious Blood they were with some other drinks to keep people hydrated.

The Eucharist was distributed under the Host only!!! So someone is spreading some ugly rumours. I hadn’t seen it and wanted to make sure if it had really happened. Bearing false witness is a sin and Father Z should check his facts.

Again, my friends who communed were shocked that such an idiotic rumour is going around.

I was wondering about that. A lot of Evangelical Protestants use disposeable plastic cups for their grape juice.

And Mormons use tiny paper cups for the water in their one and only “Sacrament”.

 

[EasterJoy]

Please people, relax.

As I wasn’t on the beach itself during the so-called “mega-Mass” of the final Sunday of World Youth Day, but I was within eye-shot, after having conferred with SEVERAL people who were (some of whom were near the pope), they were confused that someone like Father Z would make such an ERRONEOUS declaration that the Most Precious Blood was distributed in plastic cups. Those pics of plastic cups were not with the Precious Blood they were with some other drinks to keep people hydrated.

The Eucharist was distributed under the Host only!!! So someone is spreading some ugly rumours. I hadn’t seen it and wanted to make sure if it had really happened. Bearing false witness is a sin and Father Z should check his facts.

Again, my friends who communed were shocked that such an idiotic rumour is going around.

Maybe you ought to read his website before you accuse him, then. He did not say it was the Precious Blood, but Holy Communion. Some posters there assumed that this (the Precious Blood) was meant, but were corrected by others. As for distributing hosts from plastic cups, the pictures clearly show that the plastic cups were indeed being filled with hosts from huge ciboria, which were being distributed to the faithful. (wdtprs.com/blog/2013/08/wyd-holy-communion-from-disposable-plastic-cups-at-mega-mass/#comments; blog.messainlatino.it/2013/08/pissidi-moderne-rio-per-la-gmg-2013.html)

If the pictures in the Italian blog were from some Protestant gathering, though, because you can tell that the official ID was obviously not that for WYD, please do make that correction. I do not doubt that he’d want you to make that correction in the comments section of his blog, as well. It is charitable to assume, after all, that he is not immune to being corrected. If he is wrong, it is best to correct him directly, and not elsewhere only.

 

[CompSciGuy]

Talk about shooting the messenger! Where is your outrage at this having taken place in the first place? This happened right under the Holy Fathers nose and no one is talking about how wrong it was to do. Instead we are supposed to sit back with our hands over our eyes pretending it didn’t happen! This should not have happened. It was wrong on so many levels. It should never happen again and I would like to hear the Holy Father speak out about this being wrong so it never happens again.

I’m with you, this should not have happened, it should be common sense to treat the Eucharist with proper respect.

 

[CompSciGuy]

I can’t help but wonder why they thought it was a good idea to have mass on the beach in the first place, much less have a mass to serve 3,000,000 people. Just so they could say that they did? Are there not enough churches in all of Rio to accommodate the WYD attendees? It is way too complicated to do something like this, it needs to be handled very carefully.

 

[triumphguy]

I can’t help but wonder why they thought it was a good idea to have mass on the beach in the first place, much less have a mass to serve 3,000,000 people. Just so they could say that they did? Are there not enough churches in all of Rio to accommodate the WYD attendees? It is way too complicated to do something like this, it needs to be handled very carefully.

Who is “they”?

 

[pnewton]

I can’t help but wonder why they thought it was a good idea to have mass on the beach in the first place, much less have a mass to serve 3,000,000 people.

The source of World Youth Day is Blessed John Paul. It was his initiative and the last two popes have continued with the event. The largest ever was in Manilla with four to five million people. This constitute the largest mass gathering every. However, if we want to go all the way back, I think we would have to go to Jesus who first gave us His body and blood and commanded His disciples to go into all the world.

I am still in awe at how all these young people were willing to scrimp and sacrifice to make this pilgrimage. This is the future of the Church we saw, the bride that Jesus laid down His life for. I think if we are to honor the Savior, we need to try and think from His perspective lest we kick against the goads. “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

 

[quiet52]

Originally Posted by CompSciGuy
I can’t help but wonder why they thought it was a good idea to have mass on the beach in the first place, much less have a mass to serve 3,000,000 people.

Part of the attraction of World Youth “Day” is attending Mass celebrated by the Pope. He can only be in one place at a time.

I have been blessed to attend such a Mass (not WYD, but one celebrated by a Pope, with many thousands of people). I still cannot find the words to express how wonderful it was.

Be happy please, for those 3,000,000 young people and chaperones. They will never forget the graces they received from worshiping together and receiving the Lord together on that day. That Mass will help them in their future endeavors to help build up the Church.

Let’s just trust that the organizers knew how to purify and dispose of the plastic cups, if they were in fact used.

 

[EasterJoy]

Part of the attraction of World Youth “Day” is attending Mass celebrated by the Pope. He can only be in one place at a time.

I have been blessed to attend such a Mass (not WYD, but one celebrated by a Pope, with many thousands of people). I still cannot find the words to express how wonderful it was.

Be happy please, for those 3,000,000 young people and chaperones. They will never forget the graces they received from worshiping together and receiving the Lord together on that day. That Mass will help them in their future endeavors to help build up the Church.

Let’s just trust that the organizers knew how to purify and dispose of the plastic cups, if they were in fact used.

Statisticians in Brazil have lowered the estimate of the crowd to somewhere closer to 1.2 to 1.5 million, based on the area covered and the density that was reasonable. Suffice it to say that the estimate is wildly speculative, in any event.

 

[quiet52]

Statisticians in Brazil have lowered the estimate of the crowd to somewhere closer to 1.2 to 1.5 million, based on the area covered and the density that was reasonable. Suffice it to say that the estimate is wildly speculative, in any event.

I’ve read the 3 million estimate, or “up to 3m” on several news reports. I guess statisticians can disagree among themselves?

 

[Julian_Bashir]

I don’t think anyone said the details are “mere trivialities”, but I may have missed it.

Let me try it from another angle: The rule about the Host being in a container with a precious metal lining is just that - it is a rule.

And as a rule, it is not a doctrine; it is something that can be changed for the good of the Church.

And in this circumstance, it appears to have been suspended for the purposes in this specific Mass to distribute Communion to those attending.

I would suggest that those who were in a position to have (name removed by moderator)ut on the matter (and there are normally priests and/or monsignors and/or bishops and/or cardinals presnet at papal Masses such as this) saw that the greater good was distributing Communion to those attending, not in withholding it because it was an utter impossibility to procure chalices and/or ciboriums sufficient to do so.

The suspension of a rule in a specific setting has never been a granting to do so in another setting. Concern that somehow this is going to go viral is beyond silly; but charity prevents me from describing how far.

Those who were in attendance and part of this decision were the ones who were entrusted to make that type of decision. The fact that some people here in this thread deem withholding Communion to be better for the spiritual nourishment of the souls of those attending than would be reception of Communion are first off not charged with making that decision, and secondly not trained sufficiently in theology to do so.

I suspect that the world youth who took the time, money, planning and travel to go to that Mass and attend the rest of the gathering were every bit as reverent as most of us here, if not more so. They wanted to rceive Jesus; the priests, deacons, priests, bishops and the Pope who were there wanted them to receive Jesus.

We seem to be either forgetting or minimizing that.

I have no problem with the rule that the Host is to be in a container lined with precious metal. It is also just that - a rule, and can be changed for the good of the Church. People with far more training than anyone here made the decision it was for the good of the Church.

Amazing how some of us know better.

Actually, if you read the whole thread , you’ll see that even the rules (and doctrines) were suggested to be annoying trivialities, as I read it. Did you not read who I was commenting to originally? Certain people are always going to be singled out for reception - Catholics in good standing.

i seem to remember sinners touching jesus on a daily basis and prostututes crying over his feet and drying with her hair. i don’t think a little plastic is going to damage him. if people don’t believe in the real presence, they have faith issues. gold vs plastic doesn’t change that. especially for extenuating circumstances. it’s not like htis happens in regular mass. if they are able to uses chalices, by all means. but it it’s not logistically possible then exceptions can be made. o don’t believe letting only certain people receive communion. how exactly would you decide that anyways, only males? only females, blonds brunets? his flesh and blood give life, i feel like that’s a bigger deal than the type of vessel used for a one time event

Now, for the third time, I’ll say it again - I have no opinion on how WYD was handled since I wasn’t there, don’t know what was discussed by those in authority, or what went on.

The point is even mere rules require some form of rigor in both their application or waiver.
I’ll presume in this case that the appropriate measures were taken to dispense with the rule (if it was dispensed with), but I have seen enough Church’s here in the US who do not follow the Church’s rules, know they even exist, or go through the proper steps to waive them. The attitude of “what’s the big deal?” seems to run rampant. And apparently in reading a number of Priest’s commentaries on the matter, they think the same thing.