Kissing the Blessed Sacrament After Benediction

[I_Believe]

I’ve done several searches on the net, but can’t find any info on the practice of kissing the luna holding the Blessed Sacrament.
Anyone know the origin of this act of reverence ?

To clarify, a local parish has Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament followed by Mass. After mass, the faithful may approach the priest at the Communion Rail, who holds the luna containing the Blessed Sacrament. He then touches the lips of the faithful with the glass of the luna. He then wipes the glass before touching it to the lips of the next person in line.

 

[benedictgal]

I’ve done several searches on the net, but can’t find any info on the practice of kissing the luna holding the Blessed Sacrament.
Anyone know the origin of this act of reverence ?

To clarify, a local parish has Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament followed by Mass. After mass, the faithful may approach the priest at the Communion Rail, who holds the luna containing the Blessed Sacrament. He then touches the lips of the faithful with the glass of the luna. He then wipes the glass before touching it to the lips of the next person in line.

As well-meaning as this priest may be, there is something very wrong about this practice. The Blessed Sacrament is not a relic to be venerated in that manner. It is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord.

This has happened at the chapel of one of our local hospitals. The deacon who reposes the Blessed Sacrament does this. When a priest friend of mine walked in, he was rather disturbed and troubled by what he saw. He may have talked to the deacon about this very problematic practice.

 

[I_Believe]

Hi benedictgal, thanks for your thoughts on this, but you are describing an entirely different situation. (or are you saying it is the exact situation, exposition, benediction, mass, the act itself,only in a chapel ?)

Carrying the Blessed Sacrament outside of a church for the purpose of Adoration is indeed suspect, I agree. Probably prohibited. I’m surprised the Church allows EMHC’s to take Communion to the sick and homebound. A priest should do that IMHO.

Also, I agree the Blessed Sacrament isn’t a relic. But to describe it as such regarding the specific situation I described isn’t quite accurate.

I suppose I’ll have to ask one of the Friars about this. It may be an old Dominican devotion, since the parish is run by Dominican Friars. It is a weekly event on Saturdays, so I’m sure if it were a suspect practice, the Archbishop would have addressed it by now. And we have recently welcomed a new Archbishop, so two have certainly been aware of this.

I think it is a wonderful act of reverence and could be of great value in feeding the spiritual needs, especially of those who are not able to receive Communion for various reasons.

I’ll post the answer I receive from one of the Friars. Probably after I attend noon Mass this coming Monday.

Hopefully, someone here who is familiar with it will share some info with us sooner.

God Bless

 

[John_Lilburne]

…To clarify, a local parish has Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament followed by Mass. After mass, the faithful may approach the priest at the Communion Rail, who holds the luna containing the Blessed Sacrament. He then touches the lips of the faithful with the glass of the luna. He then wipes the glass before touching it to the lips of the next person in line.

A strange approach, an innovation not described in the liturgical books. What is the Blessed Sacrament doing out after Mass, if the Benediction is before Mass? I suggesting writing to the bishop describing the situation, with names, dates and location.

 

[benedictgal]

Hi benedictgal, thanks for your thoughts on this, but you are describing an entirely different situation. (or are you saying it is the exact situation, exposition, benediction, mass, the act itself,only in a chapel ?)

Carrying the Blessed Sacrament outside of a church for the purpose of Adoration is indeed suspect, I agree. Probably prohibited. I’m surprised the Church allows EMHC’s to take Communion to the sick and homebound. A priest should do that IMHO.

Also, I agree the Blessed Sacrament isn’t a relic. But to describe it as such regarding the specific situation I described isn’t quite accurate.

I suppose I’ll have to ask one of the Friars about this. It may be an old Dominican devotion, since the parish is run by Dominican Friars. It is a weekly event on Saturdays, so I’m sure if it were a suspect practice, the Archbishop would have addressed it by now. And we have recently welcomed a new Archbishop, so two have certainly been aware of this.

I think it is a wonderful act of reverence and could be of great value in feeding the spiritual needs, especially of those who are not able to receive Communion for various reasons.

I’ll post the answer I receive from one of the Friars. Probably after I attend noon Mass this coming Monday.

Hopefully, someone here who is familiar with it will share some info with us sooner.

God Bless

But, it is. You say that the priest is allowing the people to kiss the Blessed Sacrament (while it is still in the luna). This is wrong on so many levels.

As John noted, there is no such practice that would involve this kind of activity. This is just wrong.

 

[Kielbasi]

I’ve done several searches on the net, but can’t find any info on the practice of kissing the luna holding the Blessed Sacrament.
Anyone know the origin of this act of reverence ?

To clarify, a local parish has Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament followed by Mass. After mass, the faithful may approach the priest at the Communion Rail, who holds the luna containing the Blessed Sacrament. He then touches the lips of the faithful with the glass of the luna. He then wipes the glass before touching it to the lips of the next person in line.

The practice has been around for quite a while, it is portrayed in The Godfather Part II in New York during the first decade of the 20th century, which would make it at least 100 years old.

 

[benedictgal]

The practice has been around for quite a while, it is portrayed in The Godfather Part II in New York during the first decade of the 20th century, which would make it at least 100 years old.

However, just because it was portrayed in the movie doesn’t make that a valid reason for doing this practice. A lot of what Hollywood claims to be Catholic may not necessarily be the case. I don’t think the motion picture industry is a valid enough form to authenticate something, especially when it comes to the Blessed Sacrament. Furthermore, Hollywood doesn’t necessarily have a stellar track record in depicting anything related to the Church (except for the Passion of the Christ and the Exorcism of Emily Rose and stuff that came out prior to 1960s).

 

[Kielbasi]

However, just because it was portrayed in the movie doesn’t make that a valid reason for doing this practice.

Of course you’re right, it only testifies to the longevity of the practice, which relates the OP asking what the origin was.

Just because something is old-news doesn’t make it a correct practice.

 

[CathMass]

It may be reasonable to kiss the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance if it is an old Eucharistic miracle or bleeding host (i.e. Santarem, Lanciano etc…).

As for kisssing regular hosts in lunas, I don’t know what to say. I have heard of this practice in the old days with children but I am not familiar with it. I mean why do that if you can just receive Him.

 

[I_Believe]

Mea culpa.

It is not the Blessed Sacrament. It is a relic of St Bernadette. The Church has a Lourdes Shrine as well. The elderly friar I asked could not remember the date, but said the practice of kissing the relic was approved by the Church.