How many practices does the GIRM have to condemn in order for it to be clear that adding things to the liturgy is not allowed? The GIRM does not forbid a lot of things that we have seen added to the liturgy. What the GIRM does forbid is the very act of adding things. This is construed by many of us to imply that the only thing licit in the Distribution of Holy Communion is the dialogue: “The Body of Christ. Amen” “The Blood of Christ. Amen.” Why does the GIRM have to be specific about abuses that are made up out of thin air and added to the rite? It does not. That burden lies with documents such as Redemptionis Sacramentum and this letter from the CDW with a protocol number. In reality, the only thing that all these documents do is to reiterate liturgical decrees that existed before. For example, the GIRM draws heavily on Sacrosanctum Concilium. You are more than welcome to cite Church documents which support blessings being given in the line for Communion, but I think you will find that there are not any in existence. The time-honored custom of the liturgy is that the Communion queue is for receiving the Eucharist. For almost 2,000 years, people not receiving Communion stayed in their place and did not approach the altar for something that was not being given. It is rather plain to see that this is an innovation.
