J
JohnLilburne
Guest
In the General Instruction of the Roman Missal the description of the washing of hands is not very detailed.
In 118c describing the things to be prepared for Mass it has:
“and whatever is needed for the washing of hands.”
In 145 it has:
“the Priest washes his hands standing at the side of the altar and, as the minister pours the water, says quietly, Lava me, Domine ( Wash me, O Lord) .”
It does not say in the Roman Missal that the Priest is to dry his hands. It does in the Ceremonial of Bishops, n. 150: “He washes and dries his hands. One of the deacons may remove the bishop’s ring.”
A silly interpretation of this is that drying the hands is a privilege that only the bishop is permitted. If a Priest does it he is adding something to the liturgy on his own initiative and pretending to be a bishop. It is silly because it would be ridiculous to think that Priest is meant to handle the host with wet hands. It is understood that the process of washing hands in the Roman Missal includes drying the hands.
In the April 2009 edition of the USSCB Committee on Divine Worship Newsletter it has on page 14, under the heading “Ten Questions on Influenza/Swine Flu and the Liturgy”.
“ 8. What measures should be taken in Roman Catholic liturgies in the United States of America now?
Priests, deacons, and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion should be especially reminded of the need to practice good hygiene. Ministers of Holy Communion should be encouraged to wash their hands before Mass begins, or even to use an alcohol based anti-bacterial solution before and after distributing Holy Communion. They should instruct people who feel ill not to receive from the cup.”
(The full document is at http://www.usccb.org/_cs_upload/7932_1.pdf ).
Using the hand sanitizer just before the distribution Holy Communion is one way. But doing this as part of the Priest’s washing of hands also seems to be a reasonable alternative.
[Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal , © 2010 International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. Excerpt from the English translation of Ceremonial of Bishops , © 1989, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.]
In 118c describing the things to be prepared for Mass it has:
“and whatever is needed for the washing of hands.”
In 145 it has:
“the Priest washes his hands standing at the side of the altar and, as the minister pours the water, says quietly, Lava me, Domine ( Wash me, O Lord) .”
It does not say in the Roman Missal that the Priest is to dry his hands. It does in the Ceremonial of Bishops, n. 150: “He washes and dries his hands. One of the deacons may remove the bishop’s ring.”
A silly interpretation of this is that drying the hands is a privilege that only the bishop is permitted. If a Priest does it he is adding something to the liturgy on his own initiative and pretending to be a bishop. It is silly because it would be ridiculous to think that Priest is meant to handle the host with wet hands. It is understood that the process of washing hands in the Roman Missal includes drying the hands.
In the April 2009 edition of the USSCB Committee on Divine Worship Newsletter it has on page 14, under the heading “Ten Questions on Influenza/Swine Flu and the Liturgy”.
“ 8. What measures should be taken in Roman Catholic liturgies in the United States of America now?
Priests, deacons, and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion should be especially reminded of the need to practice good hygiene. Ministers of Holy Communion should be encouraged to wash their hands before Mass begins, or even to use an alcohol based anti-bacterial solution before and after distributing Holy Communion. They should instruct people who feel ill not to receive from the cup.”
(The full document is at http://www.usccb.org/_cs_upload/7932_1.pdf ).
Using the hand sanitizer just before the distribution Holy Communion is one way. But doing this as part of the Priest’s washing of hands also seems to be a reasonable alternative.
[Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal , © 2010 International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. Excerpt from the English translation of Ceremonial of Bishops , © 1989, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.]
