No Washing of Feet and Dipping Communion Host

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GypsyWarrior

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First I want to say that I have absolutely nothing personal against my parish priest. On a personal level as far as I know he is a wonderful man. He has helped me quite a bit with some issues but some things with how he does liturgy is starting to bother me. 1st off he has a lot of young women at the altar assisting him appearing between 16 and 22. Makeup packed on and wearing high heels. Also it bothers me the way he dips the host in the sacred blood like it’s nacho dip. Lastly last night at Holy Thursday mass there was NO washing of the feet. Is this right? Please no nasty comments. Again I like this priest. I just want to learn and make sure I’m not overreacting.
 
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Intinction is permitted by permission of the Bishop. I would suggest that, rather than looking at the “how”, you focus like a laser on the “what” it is that you receive. In truth, nothing else matters. As to physical appearances, we may sin less if we close our eyes at mass. Regarding those serving, this may be a clear call for you to serve. Omitting the washing of the feet is lamentable, but there may be good reason - ask Father.
 
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Not sure about the women helping him, so I won’t comment there.

Foot washing is optional. So you might be overreacting there.

As for “dipping the host like it’s a nacho,” it’s allowed to dip the host in the Precious Blood. This is called intinction and it’s perfectly licit. Maybe you shouldn’t presume on his motives by implying he’s doing it “like a nacho.”

-Fr ACEGC
 
Dipping the host is licit. I am pretty sure washing of the feet is optional. I’m not really sure what to say on the women issue.
 
According to the 2004 Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum , n. 103, intinction is always permitted, regardless of the bishop:

“As regards the administering of Communion to lay members of Christ’s faithful, the Bishops may exclude Communion with the tube or the spoon where this is not the local custom, though the option of administering Communion by intinction always remains. If this modality is employed, however, hosts should be used which are neither too thin nor too small, and the communicant should receive the Sacrament from the Priest only on the tongue.”

The full document is at http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/c...doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html

The rubric in the Roman Missal about the Washing of Feet being optional is:

“10. After the Homily, where a pastoral reason suggests it, the Washing of Feet follows.”

[Excerpt from the English translation of The Roman Missal, © 2010 International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.]
 
The Catholic Church doesn’t have any rule against makeup and high heels. Most of the women and girls I see assisting at Mass in any way do wear makeup, unless they’re members of religious orders. And most dressy shoes for ladies have high heels. Not sure why you have a problem with this.
 
Yup, and footwashing at Mass was only introduced as any option at all in 1955, and that was to show the relationship between bishop and priests. priests

Very modern! Never saw it happen in my parish until the late 80’s, with all men serving the parish.

I agree that if women/girls are being acolytes/servers, makeup should be very light and not dramatic or obvious. Also, heels should be low and shoe clattering at a minimum. Their hair should be neatly and straightforwardly arranged, too, because it is a time to work and not a time to be a star.

But that is the kind of thing that women have to tell other women, and not every girl has a mother who will tell her such things.

There is a little more leeway with other jobs at Mass, because being a lector or EMHC does not come with vestments. Therefore the job does not make such a point of “This is a clergy role, and you are acting as a replacement for clergy.” There is a similar divide of appropriateness with choirs that wear robes vs. choirs that don’t, and especially with choirs that wear “choir dress” styled after clerical wear.

But if the original poster is not in charge of servers, I agree that his best recourse during Mass is to close his eyes. But away from Mass, he can transmit his concerns to whomever is in charge of servers or ministries in general. Do not expect instant results after dropping a hint.
 
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