To you as well. It’s going to be an amazing Tridium with my formal reception finally happening on Saturday night during the Easter Vigil. We ran through it as a practice run on Wednesday before Tenebrae and it seems like it’s going to be a beautiful service (as was Tenebrae for that matter) with quite a few confirmations, baptisms, and 3 of us being received.
Oh wow! I am somewhat familiar with the process. Congratulations and I will try to keep you in mind in my Sat prayers. And I am sure a very exciting time and beautiful, special Easter it will be for you.
I already stated it isn’t a strict requirement in my Parish. I can’t really speak for Memaw’s pastor refusing someone based on proper hands. However, I can say no pastor is perfect. Maybe he was having a bad day.But what if someone on vacation attended your parish and was not accustomed to bowing? Memaw noted their pastor has refused Communion to anyone who does not hold their hands properly or does not bow. Would yours do the same to one who stopped by to fulfill their Mass obligation along their travels? Say a Ravens, Bengals or Browns fan perhaps
Good for you. And indeed I had forgotten the part about your priest not refusing someone who doesn’t bow. Happy Easter!I already stated it isn’t a strict requirement in my Parish. I can’t really speak for Memaw’s pastor refusing someone based on proper hands. However, I can say no pastor is perfect. Maybe he was having a bad day.
Just wanted to add, I was at mass in a few parishes in Italy and even though I didn’t speak the language I new exactly what was going on in the mass and wasn’t refused communion.
Would be nice if you would get your facts straight. Everyone returns to their pew after receiving, shaking hands at the sign of peace is proper, and holding hands up during the Our Lord’s Prays is NOT in the Rubrics, even tho many Catholics do that. It is just something that got started by individuals and is not actually part of the Mass. I have NO idea why Fr. gave them a Blessing instead of the Host but I do know he must have had a very good reason and they seemed to be OK with it. He may have asked them something, I don’t know. I just know that somehow he knew they shouldn’t receive Communion. A Catholic would know how to receive the Host properly. The changes are proper and if understood properly one would know why. Interesting how non-Catholics seem to know so much and yet so little about the Catholic Faith. God Bless, MemawI looked into it a bit more and I guess bowing in the OF of the Roman Rite was added to the mass last fall (2015)? Along with not returning to your pew to pray after receiving, embracing rather than shaking hands during the peace, and holding your hands up during the our father?
In my admittedly limited experience to Catholic mass since these changes were brought about (don’t know the exact date they were made), acceptance has not been universal at all. I mean heck, acceptance of the last set of changes made to the mass in 2011 has not been universal. I still here “and also with you” at Catholic masses among other things. It would seem an odd thing to deny the Body of Christ to a Catholic who is either unfamiliar with the bowing addition or simply hasn’t memorized it into their long remembered motions during the mass.
It hardly seems a proper identifier of who is and isn’t Catholic (never mind worthy to receive).
I should make it clear that I am only saying what I think. Maybe they didn’t say Amen, I don’t know He is careful about how hands are held, no “one” handed receiving etc. It hasn’t happened often but he is a Canon Lawyer so I am sure he knows what he is doing. Much more than you or I do. You’d be surprised how some approach Communion. If they are carrying a small child that starts to grab for the Host, he will give them Communion on the tongue instead. God Bless, Memaw
Ok. Or maybe they were only asking for a blessing instead of Communion… ?
No I won’t ask him, he knows what he is doing. Most Priests are faithful priests and unless I see one doing something very wrong I wouldn’t jump to conclusions. I was just trying to make the point that sometimes priests can and should protect the Sacred Host from abuse. God Bless, Memaw
I was suggesting that you ask him for your own understanding and confirming for those who read this thread. You were the one sharing to others that he witheld Communion from someone for not holding their hands a certain way. This led to people thinking the Church Teaches it’s a mortal sin to hold their hands “the wrong way”.
By definition, a fan of the Ravens, Bengals, or Browns is already a godless heathen, so reception of the Eucharist isn’t even a question.Say a Ravens, Bengals or Browns fan perhaps
MeeMaw, I got my facts straight based on the articles I linked to previously. And as we later discussed, it may have been a parish or diocese specific thing.
Any Catholic would know that if you see a priest refuse someone Communion, there MUST be a serious reason. My own understanding is, he knows what he’s doing. I don’t have to question everything I see a priest do. I only shared that so some would know there are legitimate reasons why one could be refused Communion. Also if one is setting in the front pew and see this take place one can only surmise why? How we hold our hand or approach Communion in the Hand can tell a lot about if one knows what they are doing. Or if one does not say Amen or bow. And yes bowing is required now. There are times when he says something to the communicant and they then hold their hands properly and he gives them Communion. I wish all were as careful about it as Fr. is. God Bless, Memaw
I’m not certain when the article linked to by Padres was written. It appears 2015 but I am confused because it cites Anthony Pilla, bishop of Cleveland and the first Sun of Advent as Nov 30. But Pilla is a retired Bishop Emeritus of Cleveland and the first Sun of Advent 2015 was the 29th.
No it was not added last fall. Here is an article that addresses bowing of the head dated from 2005. I am not sure when it began. I remember we use to genuflect but that was considered to cause people to fall then we were instructed to bow. I haven’t heard of embracing as the sign in the US is shaking hands. As to standing until all have received communion this article addresses that. One should not speculate on what they think they see.
Coming from someone who has grown up in the Evangelical world, it’s not something that is easy to understand from that perspective. I think the fact hat most Evangelicals do not see Communion in the same way as Catholics and other apostolic Christians do plays a big factor. He really needs a full immersion into Catholic theology to understand the fundamental importance of the Eucharist in Catholic life, because it really isn’t considered of great importance in Evangelical circles (in fact, my own experience is that Communion has always been taken monthly, in some cases even less frequently).
For clarification it is not a “simply Catholic teaching”. The Eucharist is a divine revelation believed in and practiced since the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I do not think you can help him much on this. If he felt discriminated because he could not (not allowed) to receive Communion in a Catholic Church, he has valid reason to feel so. Non-Catholics (with exceptions e.g. the Orthodox) are not allowed to receive Communion in a Catholic Church.
I think you’re reading a little more into my post than you should.
.I’ve arrived back to the thread after your post, but hope you enjoyed a Happy Easter, ComplineSanFran! An Easter Sermon of St John Chrysostom full of joy! Brightest blessings!
