Interesting personal practice... but is it allowed?

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promethius

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So at daily mass about a month ago, I saw something kind of interesting… A woman went up and genuflected in the communion line and then stepped out… then stood in line for the Blood of Christ and, after bowing, kissed her finger and merely touched the chalice.

I can’t, obviously, judge why she was not receiving, but I thought the show of reverence was intimate and touching… no blessing requested, just a desire to show veneration for the Eucharist…

But I’ve never heard of such a thing… so is such an action allowed or is it an irregular and discouraged practice?
 
I do not know whether her actions are illicit, irregular, or permitted. What I would say is that the only people who should be going up in the communion procession are those who are going to receive communion. Therefore, I would say she should not be going up in the communion procession if she is not going to receive; she should remain in the pew.
 
Perhaps the dear soul is a recovering alcoholic and gluten intolerant?
 
Matthew_Holford said:
I do not know whether her actions are illicit, irregular, or permitted. What I would say is that the only people who should be going up in the communion procession are those who are going to receive communion. Therefore, I would say she should not be going up in the communion procession if she is not going to receive; she should remain in the pew.
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Reference this please.

The communion line has always been open to all to receive a blessing in my lifetime in all churches I’ve attended.

Judging by the extensive list of threads on this matter, this has been done ad nausium.

google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1093&bih=461&q=+site:forum.catholic.com+blessing+at+communion+catholic

We make communion about us when we make a big show of bring holier than thou to the congregants we have to trip over and step on that remain in the pews.

At every Catholic wedding and funeral I have been to (and that’s a lot), the priest has made a point of inviting the non-Catholics up with their arms crossed.

Please just show the official documents that say this is bad. Ask your own priest why he’s “being illicit” if that’s the case and then rehash this old argument.
 
InspiritCarol said:
Reference this please.

The communion line has always been open to all to receive a blessing in my lifetime in all churches I’ve attended.

Judging by the extensive list of threads on this matter, this has been done ad nausium.

google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1093&bih=461&q=+site:forum.catholic.com+blessing+at+communion+catholic

We make communion about us when we make a big show of bring holier than thou to the congregants we have to trip over and step on that remain in the pews.

At every Catholic wedding and funeral I have been to (and that’s a lot), the priest has made a point of inviting the non-Catholics up with their arms crossed.

Please just show the official documents that say this is bad. Ask your own priest why he’s “being illicit” if that’s the case and then rehash this old argument.
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Please don’t derail into the debate of whether or not one should go up to receive a blessing… this is on the subject, altogether different, of whether or not one CAN go up to make a sign of personal reverence for the Eucharist (no blessing received).

Aaaaand, that act of personal reverence might actually be a GOOD way to get people out of the pews (and therefore out of the way) whether or not the blessings idea is included… shrug so all that starts with the question of whether or not it is allowed or forbidden (officially).
 
promethius said:
this is on the subject, altogether different, of whether or not one CAN go up to make a sign of personal reverence for the Eucharist (no blessing received).
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Interesting distinction. The japhy letter found at the top of the Liturgy & Sacraments forum appears to only address blessings.

As there is not even a hard and fast rule against blessings (just obvious discouragement from the CDW, and reasonable extrapolations of rules that touch on similar issues), I doubt you’ll find any such rule against the sign of reverence you describe. But I think for similar reasons it would be inappropriate, and the CDW would probably so rule if push came to shove, which seems highly unlikely.
 
Well, if we went to be stickler for the rules, there’s nothing that says everyone in the Communion line must receive. Though it does create confusion among those in line and the Ministers of Communion.

Reverencing the sacred vessels is done in some Byzantine Rite Churches.
 
InspiritCarol said:
The communion line has always been open to all to receive a blessing in my lifetime in all churches I’ve attended.
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If the line for Holy Communion is for those not receiving… then it’s not a line for Holy Communion. Everybody gets a blessing afterwards. I know this has been argued over and over again, but everytime we must make a point about it. If you are not disposed to receive, do not join the line.
We make communion about us when we make a big show of bring holier than thou to the congregants we have to trip over and step on that remain in the pews.
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So if you remain in the pew you are “holier than thou” and making it about yourself? Outrageous. If you are not disposed to receive, you do not go up. Good grief. So if I am in a state of mortal sin I need to go up anyway so as not to be “holier than thou” and profane the Blessed Sacrament? How on earth does that work? If anything… Going up for a blessing makes it about you - “Even though I can’t receive this gift, I want to go up anyway!”. Though I am sure most have better intentions than that.

If you find yourself tripping over people, sit at the edge of the pew, or ask them to move their legs.
 
NewsTheMan said:
So if you remain in the pew you are “holier than thou” and making it about yourself? Outrageous. If you are not disposed to receive, you do not go up. Good grief. So if I am in a state of mortal sin I need to go up anyway so as not to be “holier than thou” and profane the Blessed Sacrament? How on earth does that work? If anything… Going up for a blessing makes it about you - “Even though I can’t receive this gift, I want to go up anyway!”. Though I am sure most have better intentions than that.
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You turned my words around 180 degrees.

Let me put it another way.

At communion time; “Sally” stays in the pews.
I guarantee that “Sally” will be the object of discussion for those with wicked tongues.
However, “Sally” has an out by going up in the communion line for a “blessing”.

The “holier than thou” would *not *be the ones sitting; how could they be? No, alas, they are those of us who feel no hindrance between us and receiving.

Anyway - apologies for seeming derailment. In my mind the two go hand in hand. Approaching to receive a “blessing” is a personal acknowledgement of reverence for the Most Holy Eucharist though significantly less demonstrative.
And since the former is unclear, it seems this falls into that gray zone that is left for the priest to handle.
NewsTheMan said:
If you find yourself tripping over people, sit at the edge of the pew, or ask them to move their legs.
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Really? Does this sound charitable? Does it make you feel good to ridicule and belittle? I’m not so stupid as this would imply, but thank you anyway.

I do not trip over anyone because everyone goes through communion. Is that clear enough?

If the 40 children in our parish of 100 were forced to remain in the pews, we would most certainly have problems. AND I know “Sally”. “Sally” has, at present, an irreconcilable problem that she is working on. If she couldn’t hide the fact that she can not receive, she would not come to church.

Back on topic; as for the overly demonstrative woman in line. Look to St. Faustina. No-one loved the Eucharist more than she. Nowhere do I read of her being so distracting to others. It seems inappropriate. Can the priest talk to this woman? This sounds similar to the problems I’m having with a woman at our church.
 
NewsTheMan said:
If the line for Holy Communion is for those not receiving… then it’s not a line for Holy Communion. Everybody gets a blessing afterwards. I know this has been argued over and over again, but everytime we must make a point about it. If you are not disposed to receive, do not join the line.
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Please don’t hijack my thread and close it down. This is not about receiving a blessing in the line. Totally different subject.
So if you remain in the pew you are “holier than thou” and making it about yourself? Outrageous. If you are not disposed to receive, you do not go up. Good grief. So if I am in a state of mortal sin I need to go up anyway so as not to be “holier than thou” and profane the Blessed Sacrament? How on earth does that work? If anything… Going up for a blessing makes it about you - “Even though I can’t receive this gift, I want to go up anyway!”. Though I am sure most have better intentions than that.

If you find yourself tripping over people, sit at the edge of the pew, or ask them to move their legs.
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I think what said person was getting at was those people who are going to communion who make a big huff about having to step around/over people in the pews are seeming holier than thou. So your criticism is off.

I also think that critique is off, though, since those people huffing and acting inconvenienced are probably also people who either:
  1. don’t know that you shouldn’t receive if you’re not disposed, and thefore don’t understand why people would stay in the pews
  2. don’t believe in the real presense, so they don’t understand why not being disposed means you shouldn’t receive (and wouldn’t care whether or not the blessing thing was allowed or not anyway)
At any rate, going up to get a blessing is not the crux of my question. The question is on going up to make a personal sign of veneration of the Eucharist WITHOUT receiving a blessing.
 
BTW - PTL we have almost 40 kids now! Where did they all come from?
Thanks for prayers.
 
promethius said:
At any rate, going up to get a blessing is not the crux of my question. The question is on going up to make a personal sign of veneration of the Eucharist WITHOUT receiving a blessing.
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To get back on your original topic, I go up and receive the host and then when I pass the cup, I stop, bow my head and then continue on my way. I have already received both the body and blood when I received the host and don’t feel the need to receive it again, so I just make a sign of reverence to the cup and walk on.
 
You turned my words around 180 degrees.
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Mea Culpa. I still can’t see how it was written in the way you explain, but thanks for clearing it up.
I know what you mean now, but I still disagree that going up for a blessing
is some kind of “out”. If people have tongues, let them wag though if you find them wagging you admonish them and they stop. So either way it works out.
Really? Does this sound charitable? Does it make you feel good to ridicule and belittle? I’m not so stupid as this would imply, but thank you anyway.
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Again I am a little confused. You said:
We make communion about us when we make a big show of bring holier than thou to the congregants we have to trip over and step on that remain in the pews.
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So I said that if you find yourself tripping over people you can just ask them to move their legs? That’s no uncharitable?
Please don’t hijack my thread and close it down. This is not about receiving a blessing in the line. Totally different subject.
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I didn’t hijack it, I responded to someone who speak about receiving a blessing. So if there was a hijacking, it wasn’t me. But it seems I misintepreted the post anyway, so my fault and I apologize 🙂
 
NewsTheMan said:
So I said that if you find yourself tripping over people you can just ask them to move their legs? That’s no uncharitable?
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:hmmm:
Well - I suppose I’ll give you that. Just seemed kinda harsh - like duh. You know?

Sorry to be sensative.

Back on topic (again).
Another thought is that someone needs to tell this particular woman when “adoration” occurs.
 
question for all the people who think that you should not receive a blessing in the communion line

can you back this up with church documentation?

because wouldn’t it if not mentioned by the Church be up to the respective dioceses or parishes to determine what is appropriate?

So if a priest said you should receive blessings after communion then receive after and visa versa.
 
If I am not in a state of grace, which unfortunatly happens more than I would like, Ileave the pew and stand to let the pew empty out and then I get back in and kneel… why does every little detail of our lives have to be controversial in some way. I have had to step over countless people when receiving communion and I never thought twice about it, I wasn’t thinking "wonder what they did’ or anything, I was preparing myself for the eucharist.
My advice would be to anyone who may get frustrated with stepping over people, say an anima christi. The last thing you want to do is go up to receive our Lord with malice in your heart about stepping over somebody
 
catholictiger said:
question for all the people who think that you should not receive a blessing in the communion line

can you back this up with church documentation?

because wouldn’t it if not mentioned by the Church be up to the respective dioceses or parishes to determine what is appropriate?

So if a priest said you should receive blessings after communion then receive after and visa versa.
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Again, please do not hijack my thread. If you want the answer to this question you can read the sticky at the top of the forum, do a forum search, or start your own thread.
 
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