Picking at nits.... questionable answer in Ask an Apologist

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

In the Ask an Apologist forum margie asks if it is appropriate for an Extraordinary Eucharistic Minster to add the communicates name after saying, “The Body of Christ”.

Michelle Arnold a Catholic Answers Apologist replies,

According to paragraphs 41 and 43 of the Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion, the proper words are “The Body of Christ” and “The Blood of Christ.” Nothing else should be said, including acknowledgement of the person’s name. This online handbook for extraordinary ministers of holy Communion – a local parish’s document – makes a good point when explaining why names should not be used:

*“When offering Eucharist, do not state a person’s name, even if you know it. This fragments the common unity of the assembly. When you say some names and not others, it implies some are more important than others.”
*
Now I understand the section above in quotes comes from an online handbook (I wonder if this is an offical Church Document) and that the Byzantine Chruchs do not have EEMs but…

It is answers like this that make Byzantine Catholics wonder if Catholic Answers is really mindful of us… :nope:

During communion in the Divine Litrugy, in all the Churches of the Byzantine rite, the as the priest gives communion he says, “The servant of God N . . ., partakes of the precious, most holy and most pure Body and Blood of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ for the remission of his (her) sins and for life everlasting. Amen.”

Here N is the persons name… If the priest does not know the individual he says “The servant of God, partakes…” for a male or “The handmaid of God, partakes…” but if he knows the persons name he uses it…

So I argue that the statement, from the “handbook”, that saying the persons name “fragments the common unity” is bunk :ehh: and nothing more than political correctness…

Some Byzantine priests will ask the persons name if they do not know it so that they can say it…

Again, it is things such as this that turn off many Byzantine Catholics from Catholic Answers. :crying:

 

[DominvsVobiscvm]

Quite frankly, Byz, its answers like yours that make me wonder if you Byzantines ind anything of value in the Latin tradition.

Seriously, though, the different liturgical traditions of the Church emphasize different aspects of the one saving mystery of Christ. In the Roman liturgy, there simply has never been the “naming” of the communicant, for the reasons the handbook states.

In the Byzantine liturgy, there’s obviously a different emphasis. And these differences are both good and true, in fact complimentary; they’re wrong only when taken out of their liturgical contexts.

 

[gomer_tree]

How do we know if a question we submitted will ever get answered?

I submitted one a few days ago and it wasn’t posted. But I haven’t been told it won’t be posted. I didn’t want to duplicate on another thread, but if it isn’t answered soon, I’ll pose it to the group.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I believe that the question was about the Latin or Roman Rite. The answer (not the part in quotes) was correct and is taken from the exact wording of the Church document.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

DominvsVobiscvm:

Quite frankly, Byz, its answers like yours that make me wonder if you Byzantines ind anything of value in the Latin tradition.

Hey, I would agree with you… There are many Byzantines that have no interest in anything Latin…

I on the other hand love the Latin Church and its Liturgies… (when done correctly… )

Seriously, though, the different liturgical traditions of the Church emphasize different aspects of the one saving mystery of Christ. In the Roman liturgy, there simply has never been the “naming” of the communicant, for the reasons the handbook states.

In the Byzantine liturgy, there’s obviously a different emphasis. And these differences are both good and true, in fact complimentary; they’re wrong only when taken out of their liturgical contexts.

I understand this and my post was to state how some byzantines dislike Catholic Answers and why…

I would add, if we look to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, when it states something like clerical celibacy or communion under one species, it adds a caveat stating that the Byzantine Churches do something different, it then states how they do it differently and why…

As Catholic Answers chose the name Catholic Answers and not Latin Catholic Answers I would just ask for more understanding of the East and to try and bring it up when it differs.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Br. Rich SFO:

I believe that the question was about the Latin or Roman Rite. The answer was correct and is taken from the exact wording of the Church document.

The question does not explicitly state what rite it is about…

Also if the “Handbook” is an offical church document, where can it be found?

 

[gomer_tree]

Another solution is to just punt and become Roman Catholic! Then you won’t be near as annoyed.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

“In the Ask an Apologist forum margie asks if it is appropriate for an Extraordinary Eucharistic Minster to add the communicates name after saying, “The Body of Christ”.”

It must be referring to the Latin or Roman Rite since the Byzantine Catholic Church does not use Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.

 

[DominvsVobiscvm]

It must be referring to the Latin or Roman Rite since the Byzantine Catholic Church does not use Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.

Nor do they say “Corpus Christi. Amen.” when distributing Communion.

 

[otm]

The Maronite rite I’ve attended did the same thing; as I was new to the congregation the aboona (sic) asked me my name as I approached for Communion; he knew almost everyone else there.
Wow.

 

[a_pilgrim]

gomer tree:

Another solution is to just punt and become Roman Catholic! Then you won’t be near as annoyed.

Hi, gomer!

I’m certain that your response was meant in jest… at least I trust that’s why you added the big smiley!

Please understand, however - the Eastern Catholics are, for lack of a better way of phrasing it, outnumbered BIG TIME on this forum - no big secret there, huh? Yet, we are Catholic - every bit as “Catholic” as the Roman Catholics here… and this forum is, as I understand it, for Catholics! It’s sad to say, but being “annoyed,” as you put it, at the lack of understanding others have with regard to our place, our rightful place, within our Holy Catholic Church is, sadly, nothing new to us - it does, however, become all the more hurtful when that lack of understanding comes from those same *Catholic *brothers and sisters with whom we are in full communion.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church that was referenced in this thread was obviously written to “default” to the Roman viewpoint - that’s understandable to me, and speaking for myself, I can live with that, given the vast advantage in numbers that you Roman Catholics hold over us Eastern Catholics within our Church. What is not understandable to me and, quite frankly, hard to live with, is the attitude exhibited by many of our fellow Catholics when exceptions to the Roman Catholic “rules” spelled out in the Catechism, exceptions that apply to our perfectly valid, perfectly Catholic, Eastern traditions, rites and ceremonies, are pointed out.

Tell me… had ByzCath not pointed out the apparent error with regard to the apologetic response to the question of using the individual’s name in conjunction with the distribution of Holy Communion, how on earth would the Roman Catholics even know that it is a fully valid and accepted practice in our Church - our Catholic Church, I remind you. It’s simply not addressed in our “rule book”, our Catechism of the Catholic Church! I believe that the truly Christian response would have been to thank ByzCath for pointing out the omission rather than attempt to cover over the obvious intent of his post with the shallow reference to the “technicality” that “since the Eastern Churches do not use Extraordinary Ministers, the question does not apply.” Let’s be honest and rise above childishness here - we all know that the point of the original question was not whether or not Extraordinary Ministers are appropriate - the point was clearly whether or not using the individual’s name in conjunction with the distribution of Holy Communion is appropriate! Well, guess what? In the Eastern Catholic Church ***IT IS! ***Yet, you’d be hard-pressed to know that fact, given the wording (or lack thereof!) in the Catechism AND given the responses that were offered in this forum!

Our Holy Father has given all Catholic faithful a mandate to learn of and embrace the ancient and sacred traditions of all the Churches that, together, compose our Holy Catholic Church, especially those traditions of the Churches of the East! He chose to emphasize this by naming the encyclical in which he delivered this mandate “Orientale Lumen” which means "Light of the East" (emphasis mine). One would expect that this being a Catholic forum for, I assume, all Catholics, it would be an ideal medium within which to follow the instructions of our Holy Father, and learn from each other. Sadly, this appears not to be the case.

I’m saddened, but not discouraged. I’m not going to run away and pout. Quite the contrary, in fact. The way I understand it, my Holy Father, John Paul II, has given me a command to “fill in those holes” that are so sadly riddled throughout our Catechism wherever I can. I truly, truly hope that my few Eastern brothers and sisters who currently share their time and efforts with me at this forum - this Catholic forum - will continue to stick around and do the same.

Slava Isusu Christu!

a pilgrim

 

[Mfaustina1]

Byzantine-

I’m sorry that you and some other Byzantine rite Catholics are put off by Catholic Answers at times. I don’t think your rite is deliberately overlooked, but since the vast majority of Catholics in this country are of the Roman rite, I think this is why primarily the directives and GIRM are referred to when issues of the Liturgy are brought up. Incidently, does your rite have specific written guidelines such as our GIRM?

Secondly, the words the priests use toward the communicants in your rite are so beautiful! Perhaps you can educate us “Westerners” in the ways of youse “Easterners”. I for one would enjoy the education! I too say “Slava Bogu!”
-Mfaustina1

 

[Aris]

To all non-Latin rite Catholics,

Please send more posts and invite your friends. I am as a lot of other Roman Catholics are interested in how you live your faith.