Reason for attending SSPX Masses

[DavidJoseph]

Citing Pope John Paul II’s statement that no one should attend SSPX Masses unless physically or morally impossible to attend an approved Mass, be it Novus Ordo or Tridentine, a friend of mine claims it would be a moral impossibility for him to attend a Novus Ordo Mass and would thus attend an SSPX Mass if there was no indult around. The reason he cites is that, if you receive Communion in the hand, according to him, it scatters minute particles of the Host everywhere, even though they may not be visible to the naked eye. And of course, in NO parishes receiving Communion in the hand is common. So he claims he doesn’t want to risk stepping on particles of Our Lord. How does one respond to something like that? Because I say that the Church should be the one to decide what a valid reason would be, not us. However, I think I need a little bit more ammunition than that to show that his reasons for possibly attending an SSPX Mass at some point aren’t justified.

 

[bear06]

DavidJoseph:

Citing Pope John Paul II’s statement that no one should attend SSPX Masses unless physically or morally impossible to attend an approved Mass, be it Novus Ordo or Tridentine, a friend of mine claims it would be a moral impossibility for him to attend a Novus Ordo Mass and would thus attend an SSPX Mass if there was no indult around. The reason he cites is that, if you receive Communion in the hand, according to him, it scatters minute particles of the Host everywhere, even though they may not be visible to the naked eye. And of course, in NO parishes receiving Communion in the hand is common. So he claims he doesn’t want to risk stepping on particles of Our Lord. How does one respond to something like that? Because I say that the Church should be the one to decide what a valid reason would be, not us. However, I think I need a little bit more ammunition than that to show that his reasons for possibly attending an SSPX Mass at some point aren’t justified.

Why don’t you ask him if he would attend a “Novus Ordo” Mass if there were Communion on the tongue only. I’m betting the answer would be no. If he were truly concerned with minute particles as he says he is then he should have a problem with a priest even remotely handling the Host at all. When the priest goes to pick up a Host, I’m pretty positive that microscopic particles are spread even to the floor.

I’m not fond of Communion in the Hand but it has nothing to do with microscopic particles of Our Lord being spread about since I’ve never seen this happen. I haven’t even seen specks from the fractioned host end up on the floor. It isn’t as if licit hosts are made of easily crumbly material. Now Hosts touched by dirty hands or pocketed are what scares me.

You are right that the Church is the one who calls the valid reasons and they have not said that this is one of them. It seems that he is stretching for justification to attend.

 

[Melanie01]

bear06:

Why don’t you ask him if he would attend a “Novus Ordo” Mass if there were Communion on the tongue only. I’m betting the answer would be no. If he were truly concerned with minute particles as he says he is then he should have a problem with a priest even remotely handling the Host at all. When the priest goes to pick up a Host, I’m pretty positive that microscopic particles are spread even to the floor.

I’m not fond of Communion in the Hand but it has nothing to do with microscopic particles of Our Lord being spread about since I’ve never seen this happen. I haven’t even seen specks from the fractioned host end up on the floor. It isn’t as if licit hosts are made of easily crumbly material. Now Hosts touched by dirty hands or pocketed are what scares me.

You are right that the Church is the one who calls the valid reasons and they have not said that this is one of them. It seems that he is stretching for justification to attend.

Crumbs do happen, as I have seen It on the rare occasion on the paten

 

[JKirkLVNV]

Melanie01:

Crumbs do happen, as I have seen It on the rare occasion on the paten

But that has no bearing on whether one should attend the Tridentine Mass or the Mass of Paul VI. I would really be interested in seeing what kind of line of reasoning can be built on “SSPX Mass is a must-go because of the potential for crumbs!”

 

[bear06]

Melanie01:

Crumbs do happen, as I have seen It on the rare occasion on the paten

Sorry. Never examined the paten as I’m receiving but I’ve never noticed a crumb on the floor of my red carpeted Church. Sadly, I have seen entire hosts dropped at the “Novus Ordo” and the “Tridentine” despite the paten. No malice intened. Completely an accident. I’m assuming that if a crumb (not minute particle) were to fall to the ground, it should be dealt with quickly but the original OP was talking about minute paritcles.

 

[Sean_O_L]

The minute particles “reason” is pious - but specious.

WHEN a priest at a Latin Mass does drop a Host - even after the ritual cleansing there may remain “particles” on the floor.

The facts are that God is everywhere - even in non-Host minutiae on the floor! - but, He no longer exists in those minute Host particles once they begin to decompose - just as when that happens in one’s stomach.

It would be a good idea also to ask your friend whether or not he/she believes that the normative Mass in the local parish is a true and proper Sacrifice or that it is a propitiary Sacrifice. If the answer is “no” - then there is reason to point out that this is contrary to the Canons I and III of the Council of Trent’s Chapter IX “On the Sacrifice of the Mass” - which attracted anathemas, and which, even today, would make that person “suspect of heresy.”

 

[snow_white]

I don’t understand why some churches stubbornly refuse to use the paten, even though the majority recieve on the toungue. It’s the best way of preventing Christ from falling to the floor!

 

[Melanie01]

bear06:

Sorry. Never examined the paten as I’m receiving but I’ve never noticed a crumb on the floor of my red carpeted Church. Sadly, I have seen entire hosts dropped at the “Novus Ordo” and the “Tridentine” despite the paten. No malice intened. Completely an accident. I’m assuming that if a crumb (not minute particle) were to fall to the ground, it should be dealt with quickly but the original OP was talking about minute paritcles.

Dear bear06 I would not attempt to construct an argument for attending an SPPX chapel on the strength of my statement due to the incredible disinformation of the SPPX on this site.

The fact entire Hosts have been dropped in the NO mass leave me breathless? What an insult to Our Divine Saviour!

 

[JKirkLVNV]

Melanie01:

The fact entire Hosts have been dropped in the NO mass leave me breathless? What an insult to Our Divine Saviour!

An accidental dropping of a Host is an insult? Wow. And you genuinely think this has only ever happened in the NO Mass?

 

[bear06]

Dear bear06 I would not attempt to construct an argument for attending an SPPX chapel on the strength of my statement due to the incredible disinformation of the SPPX on this site.

The fact entire Hosts have been dropped in the NO mass leave me breathless? What an insult to Our Divine Saviour!

Hi Melanie!

I’m a little unclear about what disinformation of the SSPX you are referring to. Can you clear this up?

Entire hosts have been dropped on the floor at the “NO” as well as the “TLM”. I personally have never seen this done on purpose or even because they were being careless - purely an accidental. My point, of course, is that it’s silly to not go to an approved, licit Mass over and SSPX Mass based on minute particles since they exist in all of these Masses.

 

[JOHNYJ]

Either you are loyal to Holy Mother church and our Holy Father Benedict XVI or you are not ! To go to a schsmatic church under Excommunication is bad enough.To receive Communion there is disloyalty to the Pope and the Faith.
There seem to be a number of Catholics who do not have the courage. To follow their real beliefs and join the renegade Lefebvreists,but. Are constantly defending and excusing them.Finding arcane and legalistic reasons why they are not what they are.They may have to decide one day what they are and where they belong .

 

[Melanie01]

JOHNYJ:

Either you are loyal to Holy Mother church and our Holy Father Benedict XVI or you are not ! To go to a schsmatic church under Excommunication is bad enough.To receive Communion there is disloyalty to the Pope and the Faith.
There seem to be a number of Catholics who do not have the courage. To follow their real beliefs and join the renegade Lefebvreists,but. Are constantly defending and excusing them.Finding arcane and legalistic reasons why they are not what they are.They may have to decide one day what they are and where they belong .

This is a very confusing statement JohnyJ…it is a bit pro and a bit agin…

For my earlier post I apologise if it sounded as if Hosts are only dropped at one Mass and not the Other. It is of course possible in either due to human failing…regardless dropping the Host would leave me breathless