Receiving Holy Communion

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I certainly mean no disrespect, but if this is a priest who has “done it right” and now has changed his “tune” so to speak, maybe he is ill? This would be such a change, I can’t imagine a priest doing this.
 
No, this priest is new, just transferred recently. He is from Nigeria originally. I don’t know how long he has been a priest, or a chaplin in the military.
 
We have had a couple of priests come into our diocese recently from Nigeria and while they have a little trouble with the language now and then, and ‘move’ a little differently (more ‘stately’ in some ways) we have never, ever had either of them refuse to give communion on the tongue and CERTAINLY they have never insisted on ‘self communication’. It certainly appears as though this priest (for whom we should all pray) has either somewhere along the line after seminary been grossly mistaught or himself, in reading and studying and preparing for his duties, has grossly misunderstood, his priestly duties.

Since this is a military situation there might be some differences from a purely ‘diocesean’ or a purely ‘orders’ perspective. But it is very, very serious. I would suggest that you gather at least 10-20 people’s signatures and testimony, cc to the military person under whom the chaplain reports, and hand-deliver to the bishop’s secretary. While one would have to phrase it most delicately, one should state to this secretary (and also have in writing in the cover letter) that, since this is a situation where many of the faithful are being DENIED THE EUCHARIST and that the situation is so potentially SCANDALOUS, that you must hear back from the bishop within a week, before you write to Cardinal Arinze (Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith), the Thomas More Law society, the Catholic League, and your local Catholic paper regarding the situation. IOW–you will bring it not only to the ‘next step up the ladder’ (the Cardinal), you will bring it to legal attention (Thomas More Law society) and to the MEDIA attention (Catholic League and local paper).
 
Thank you, this is very good information. I was wondering if the protocol might be different for a military chapel. I am very sad about this and will pray for this priest. I wish I could avoid informing his leadership, but I am concerned this might be an indication of a bigger problem. Perhaps I am not the only one to have a complaint about this particular priest. I like the idea of getting the signatures of the others who were at the mass. Please pray for justice, and that God’s will is served in this situation.
 
AZSVGirl said:
Thank you, this is very good information. I was wondering if the protocol might be different for a military chapel. I am very sad about this and will pray for this priest. I wish I could avoid informing his leadership, but I am concerned this might be an indication of a bigger problem. Perhaps I am not the only one to have a complaint about this particular priest. I like the idea of getting the signatures of the others who were at the mass. Please pray for justice, and that God’s will is served in this situation.
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If you’re American you would contact “The Roman Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services” also called the Military Ordinariate of the United States at

Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA
Post Office Box 4469
Washington DC 20017-0469

In Canada you would contact the Military Ordinariate in Ottawa at

Military Ordinariate
Canadian Forces Support Unit (Ottawa)
Uplands Site - Building 469
Ottawa (ON) K1A 0K2
CANADA
 
Phemie said:
If you’re American you would contact “The Roman Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services” also called the Military Ordinariate of the United States at

Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA
Post Office Box 4469
Washington DC 20017-0469

In Canada you would contact the Military Ordinariate in Ottawa at

Military Ordinariate
Canadian Forces Support Unit (Ottawa)
Uplands Site - Building 469
Ottawa (ON) K1A 0K2
CANADA
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If you are in the US, send your letter directly to Archbishop Timothy Broglio. Good man; just named Archbishop last November.
 
AZSVGirl said:
Well unfortunately this did happen. Sorry I had to ask about it; I’m not confrontational by nature and have a hard time questioning a priest. I’ve never seen a priest do what he did, and didn’t know if this was authorized and done in other parishes, and I just wasn’t aware of it. Before I questioned him about it I wanted to ensure I was correct in my feeling that this wasn’t right. It is a small chapel at a military base, he is new and only recently transferred to our post. He is an Captain, guess the rank structure makes questioning his actions even a little more difficult for me.
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Okay - and I did not say be confrontational … just ask him about it … priests are people too … maybe he was feeling ill? …

He may be a captain but he is first and foremost a priest …

We have had two priest fro Africa [one South African ad one from Nigeria] and one from India at my parish in the last 15 years … Our newly ordained associate is from Viet Nam … All of these men [two of which were ordained in their mother country and two trained at the local bnedictine seminary] have always followed the GIRM as closely as any other priest …

I have never been to a Clown Mass and while I could nit pick a mass * … I would never presume to … people are just that people and all any of us can do is follow the instructions to the best of our abilities …

I just find the descriptions of abuses here at times so outraguous that it is hard to imagine they really occur …*
 
YADA said:
I have never been to a Clown Mass and while I could nit pick a mass * … I would never presume to … people are just that people and all any of us can do is follow the instructions to the best of our abilities …

I just find the descriptions of abuses here at times so outraguous that it is hard to imagine they really occur …*

You’d have loved to be at my last liturgy committee meeting then. When I was ordered not to tell EMHCs to ‘stand down’ when there were several priests concelebrating I said that it flew in the face of all the documents out of Rome. In response the associate pastor, (a man who had been my pastor’s professor in the seminary) stood up, so red that I feared he was going to have a stroke, shook his finger at me and yelled “We’ve never listened to anything that came out of Rome on that topic yet and we’re not about to start now.” So 2 priests sitting on their behinds and 3 EMHCs continued to be OK in my parish for a while. At least now we’re down to only the pastor so the situation no longer exists.

I have a pastor who refuses to genuflect at the consecration and refuses to receive Communion before he distributes to the EMHCs. And he wouldn’t dream of telling a non-Catholic not to receive Communion.
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Phemie said:
You’d have loved to be at my last liturgy committee meeting then. When I was ordered not to tell EMHCs to ‘stand down’ when there were several priests concelebrating I said that it flew in the face of all the documents out of Rome. In response the associate pastor, (a man who had been my pastor’s professor in the seminary) stood up, so red that I feared he was going to have a stroke, shook his finger at me and yelled “We’ve never listened to anything that came out of Rome on that topic yet and we’re not about to start now.” So 2 priests sitting on their behinds and 3 EMHCs continued to be OK in my parish for a while. At least now we’re down to only the pastor so the situation no longer exists.

I have a pastor who refuses to genuflect at the consecration and refuses to receive Communion before he distributes to the EMHCs. And he wouldn’t dream of telling a non-Catholic not to receive Communion.
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I am glad that I live where I do and have had the blessing to have good priests … 🙂

While I have wondered bout some things that I see at mass [usually at very small rural parishes - were they have little resoources and no paid staff] … most of what I see are minor and far be it from me to be judgemental … working with liturgy is not easy … take the average Easter igil the averge person in the pew may not know how hard it is to make sure the Mass goes smoothly … we take notes, meet and discuss what worked, what didnot … and there never will be a perfect mass … til we get to heaven … 😉 and the angels are in charge … 👍
 
Denae said:
I know that you’re being charitble, (Certainly more than me) but do you honestly think that a priest could be ignorant of something SO important? It sounds to me like he’s deliberately going against Church teaching…but he COULD be ignorant… :rolleyes:
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Keep in mind, some priests are not where they can keep up on current rules, and when reavailable, are expected to find out what they missed.

Some are in drug or alcohol rehab. Others are in prison for various issues. Others are in solitude for various reasons. these can be extensive in duration, and can preclude outside contact.

One itinerant priest shared how he’d spent several years as a prisoner due to his alcoholism, and a resultant DUI conviction. He had the remainder of the precious blood consumed by the one of the altar servers, since mustum was not available in the parish. He also mentioned several changes that he was surprised with, like the general indult to return to the older missal, and the lifting of the indult allowing EMHC’s to purificate the sacred vessels.

Now, mind you, he was permitted to function while in prison, however, his parish was only those catholics in that prison. Mustum was normative in that prison.

So there are a few who have valid reasons for their ignorance.
 
Phemie said:
And he wouldn’t dream of telling a non-Catholic not to receive Communion.
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Now, Phemie, let’s be charitable. Poor man is probably afraid of being sued for “harrassment/creating a hostile environment” under Canadian law. :eek:
 
IrishAm said:
Now, Phemie, let’s be charitable. Poor man is probably afraid of being sued for “harrassment/creating a hostile environment” under Canadian law. :eek:
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I hope that was said tongue firmly planted in cheek.

This is a man who told me that when a family told him that they were taking their teenage daughter for an abortion his reply was “You have to do what’s best for your family.” I was so shocked by what he said that I just turned and walked away without saying a word.

He met with a woman a few times when she was inquiring about becoming Catholic. Since she was the only person inquiring and he’d spent several hours with her you’d think he’d have said something when she presented herself for the Sacrament of the Sick & Communion at a special daily Mass. Nope, administered both sacraments without blinking. Why bother with RCIA if you can just drop by daily Mass and receive Communion without actually being received into full communion?
 
Very important to remember the Priests are mearly humans just as we are they are capable of error also. But it is our right and responsability as Catholics Per cannon law to report any conflict with the Proper rules of the Church.
Please be patient and forgiving but act do not just look the other way.:tsktsk:
Peace
 
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