Regarding altar linens: can corporals be "shaken out," in mid-air outside?

[at0gjm]

This is simple question about how to properly care for altar linens.

The author is acquainted with clergy who regularly are in the habit of purifying their corporal – after daily Mass – by means of taking it outside, and shaking it in the wind, (nearby an area where no one will be walking, out of reverence).

However, to this author, bearing in mind that Jesus is truly Present in every smallest Particle, this seems equivalent to reaching into a ciborium, and chucking a handfull of Hosts into the lawn!..

I am therefore wondering:

Is this practice of “shaking out” a corporal outdoors… historically or liturgically acceptable and common practice, in ecclesiastical tradition?

If anyone has quotable references, that would be better than someone’s personal opinion…

For, the clergy (in question) also says that, while being trained (many many decades ago), this was the common practice in his seminary.

By contrast, every sacristy this author has ever seen typically requires first soaking the corporals, after which the water is duly disposed in a sacrarium or poured into the earth.

Any helpful insight?.. Much appreciated; +may God reward you.

 

[otjm]

For starters, you are mistaken about the “smallest piece”. The Church holds that if a particle is so small that is unrecognizable as bread, Christ is no longer present.

Further, if a Host has fallen to the floor, the method of dealing with it is to place it into a cup or class of water until it disintegrates, and then dispose of it. One looking at the Host in the water, disintegrated, and knowing that it was Host, could be upset about that, but that is how the Church deals with it.

And going back to the early 1950’s, there was a cloth on the back side of altar rails that was flipped up over the top of the rail toward the congregation, and when people were receiving, they placed their hands under the cloth. After Communion, the cloth was flipped back toward the sanctuary, and nothing was done to purify it before (or after) that.

I have seen priests take the paten and scrape the corporal after Communion to retrieve any visible particles. again, if particles are not identifiable as bread, then the Presence is gone.

As to any specific rule, I don’t go researching the rules, so someone else may have information.

 

[AngelusDomini]

I was taught that corporals and purificators should be soaked in water. The water may then be poured into the ground (or sacrarium/piscina where available). They are then laundered and pressed. A corporal should not need to be cleansed after each use.
One minor annoyance of mine is when corporals are folded/placed on the altar incorrectly and/or left open on the altar.

 

[Duesenberg]

For starters, you are mistaken about the “smallest piece”. The Church holds that if a particle is so small that is unrecognizable as bread, Christ is no longer present.

Further, if a Host has fallen to the floor, the method of dealing with it is to place it into a cup or class of water until it disintegrates, and then dispose of it. One looking at the Host in the water, disintegrated, and knowing that it was Host, could be upset about that, but that is how the Church deals with it.

And going back to the early 1950’s, there was a cloth on the back side of altar rails that was flipped up over the top of the rail toward the congregation, and when people were receiving, they placed their hands under the cloth. After Communion, the cloth was flipped back toward the sanctuary, and nothing was done to purify it before (or after) that.

I have seen priests take the paten and scrape the corporal after Communion to retrieve any visible particles. again, if particles are not identifiable as bread, then the Presence is gone.

As to any specific rule, I don’t go researching the rules, so someone else may have information.

Any particles from the communion veil (AKA “domenical”, a “manutergium”, or “houseling cloth”) were always collected and either consumed or dissolved in water and poured down the piscina in my parish. That was (or at least should have been) the norm everywhere.

 

[Duesenberg]

I was taught that corporals and purificators should be soaked in water. The water may then be poured into the ground (or sacrarium/piscina where available). They are then laundered and pressed. A corporal should not need to be cleansed after each use.

One minor annoyance of mine is when corporals are folded/placed on the altar incorrectly and/or left open on the altar.

A “piscina” is a special sink. The “sacrarium” is the piscina’s drain line that goes directly to the Earth and not the sewer.

 

[AngelusDomini]

I am aware of the difference. I have heard both referred to though to denote the whole so included both terms.

 

[Duesenberg]

I am aware of the difference.

Most are not…

 

[TK421]

I thought a piscina was a swimming pool

 

[FrDavid96]

Is this practice of “shaking out” a corporal outdoors… historically or liturgically acceptable and common practice, in ecclesiastical tradition?

There are no specific church laws on this. It comes down to (just as you wrote) a matter of liturgical history, a matter of custom.

Such custom is going to vary; both by place and by time.

The purpose of the corporal is to collect or hold the fragments of the Body of Christ (hence the name “corporal”).

In the vetus ordo, the consecrated Host was placed directly on the corporal; while in the novus ordo, the Consecrated Host is on the paten. The result is that there are far less fragments of the Body on a corporal today then there were in times past (our modern hosts also help to reduce fragments).

Nevertheless, shaking it out out-of-doors as opposed to over the sacrarium does seem a bit strange.

It is certainly not “common practice.”

If one is certain that there are no particles large enough to retain the accidents of bread, it’s not a problem. However, if there are such particles, then there is a problem.

 

[casslean]

We were taught, as EMHCs, that under NO circumstances should the corporal be unfolded. It is placed, still folded, in a special laundry bag for the sacristans.

 

[at0gjm]

For starters, you are mistaken about the “smallest piece”. The Church holds that if a particle is so small that is unrecognizable as bread, Christ is no longer present.

This is exactly the type of claim — “The Church holds…” — for which a document reference would be beneficial, I’d say. For, many times, claims have resounded to the effect of, “The Church says… [such-and-such],” (etc); but, these claims, at times, nearly in direct contradiction to each other, on certain points.

So, please offer reference, if you can. Otherwise, “the Church holds…” seems too tempting to be taken as “your understanding of the Church…,” or, “…your opinion is…”

In contrast to your words:

Father Jerabek’s blog — [father jerabek dot com, from January 5, 2014… (new users can’t post links; sorry)…] — specifies, (to clarify a bit further, beyond what you wrote), that the remaining Particles must be visible.

So, you wrote that a small particle must simply no longer be recognizable as (having the species or appearance) of bread; in contrast/comparison, Fr. Jerabek says “visible.” Maybe this is “splitting hairs”. But, I love Jesus in the Eucharist!… And so, I’d like to know what is the best & proper understanding, which such loving reverence would demand, in accordance with Church Tradition.

In the TLM, (for example), why would the Church have had the long-standing history of a priest holding the first two fingers together (after the Consecration, until purificatory ablutions after Communion), were it not that the numerous visible Particles… are truly Jesus? — (Particles: which many priests could attest to the veracity of the fact that such [visible] Particles are there, often in abundance, after every fractio of the Host, during Mass!) —

For example: For years as an altar-server, I held a paten (attached to a handle or a “stick”), under the chins of communicants while the priest distributed Communion to the lay faithful. From this experience, I can bear eyewitness testimony that — even with these Hosts, whole Hosts, which were not broken, (unlike the priest’s Host) — there is often an abundance of Particles — easily visible Particles, left on that paten, after all was said & done.

In short:

When one strives to love GOD above all — and, since Jesus is God; and, since Jesus is the Eucharist; and since visible Particles are therefore GOD! — then this love leads one to want to treat the Object of our love, (God), with the greatest reverence, appreciation, and respect — in every Particle where He is, (or might be), Present.

However, reference & mention was given earlier, but we have not yet seen the relevant citation from Fr. Jerabek’s blog. Here it is. He writes:

…it is still possible for small particles of the host to end up on the corporal during the celebration of Mass. These visible particles of the Eucharist are no less the Body of Christ than the larger hosts that we receive at Holy Communion. So it is important that the utmost reverence and care be shown so as to avoid any loss of the Holy Eucharist.

Again, a reference would be nice. (Anyone?)

 

[at0gjm]

Nevertheless, shaking it out out-of-doors as opposed to over the sacrarium does seem a bit strange.

It is certainly not “common practice.”

If one is certain that there are no particles large enough to retain the accidents of bread, it’s not a problem. However, if there are such particles, then there is a problem.

This (name removed by moderator)ut is very helpful; much appreciated.

…(An understatement…) — greatly appreciated.

Thank you!..

 

[at0gjm]

I have seen priests take the paten and scrape the corporal after Communion to retrieve any visible particles. again, if particles are not identifiable as bread, then the Presence is gone.

Regarding “scraping the corporal with the paten”:

This has always been the practice done in every TLM I have ever attended.

Regarding “if particles are not identifiable as bread”:

I have difficulty with this language.

For example, I have heard it said that it seems less difficult to believe that the Hosts after consecration are the True Presence — Body, Blood, Soul, & Divinity — of Jesus Christ, than that the same hosts, before the Consecration… are truly BREAD!…

So, what are we exactly talking about, here? What sized Particle can truly be classified as “looks like bread to me,” versus, “nope, that one’s no longer looking like bread”?.. [slight hyperbole, a bit — sorry]. It just seems too imprecise, to my liking.

Which is why Fr. Jerabek’s language seems slightly more “palatable”: he, (in more or less talking about the same idea), specifies VISIBILITY. That’s something that seems more objective; more certain; easier to work with.

However, to be clear:

The corporals shaken outside, out-of-doors, most likely do have a variety of Particles left on them — both visible, and less-than-visible in size — when the said “shaking out” occurs.

In short: if someone could possibly mention that there is at least one other (known) instance of this having been taught or done anywhere else — let’s say, (to put it in an approximate timeline-framework), during a circa-1950s seminary-formation environment — then, it might be a little less frightening for me… But, as it stands, my conscience is troubled about it: want to be sure the love of our lives — our dear Eucharistic-Jesus — is being treated properly; etc.

 

[otjm]

FrDavid96 I think pretty much answered your question to me. Is there a specific size?

I will answer that a different way: if you could not tell, from looking at a speck, whether it was dandruff or a particle of the Host, then we are within the realm of what the Church teaches.

I have received in the hand since when it was allowed in my archdiocese. I have also listened the the hysteria of receiving in the hand and particles.

I have always looked. I can think of two times where I have actually seen a particle of the Host - very small, maybe about the diameter of 1/2 the size of an ordinary pencil lead. I consumed it, as I knew that it was from the Host; and the Host that I received was a fraction (about 1 inch long) of the large Host the priest held during the Consecration.

In all the years, I have yet to see an identifiable particle off one of the small hosts.

I have also received at our local Trappist abbey, and on a rare occasion have received the Host, which is a cube of unleavened bread they make; and never a particle.

I am all for reverence. However, when one pushes past what the Church teaches. I have problems.

And I happen to be 71, so I likely have attended far more Masses in what is now called the EF than the vast majority of posters here. That is not to brag - it is just a fact, and I am well aware of the EF, having had every position open to a lay person from server up to and including Master of Ceremonies in Solemn High Masses. Periodically I feel some are trying to lecture me.

With the Hosts which are made today and bought by parishes (other than the large one), about the only way one is going to possibly have a particle is if the Host is fractioned (as in, you are near the end of the line for Communion, and there are not enough Hosts for the total # of people remaining to receive).

If receiving in the hand bothers you, receive on the tongue.

as far as the issue of someone “shaking out” the corporal, I was and still am of the opinion that I give the priest the benefit of the doubt. Meaning, I presume they checked the corporal for any identifiable particles and resolved them, and that once that has occurred, the issue is closed. That seems to be contrary to opinions which are regularly expressed in these forums. I find the constant second guesing of priests by people who have never read the GIRM to be - slightly amazing.