Sermon at beginning of Mass, pita bread, was it licit?

[Nicole]

Hi all, just a question about Mass rubrics. I was on vacation in the Dallas area and went to Mass on Friday at a local Church (w/my kids, which I’m sure was educational for them!).

The Priest entered and gave a long talk on the Transfiguration. It was a good talk actually, about how the Apostles were all jazzed about the Transfiguration but when it came time to stay up and pray in Gethsemane, they couldn’t cut it. He called us all to evangelize for Christ and His Church and not cop out.

So, then the Mass started and after the Gospel, he just paused a few minutes and then went on w/the Mass. The host was a big, round piece of bread that looked like a pita bread, but it was obviously made for Communion as it was perforated so that he could break it into pieces. I thought there were specific requirements as to the make up of the bread. Is it possible that this fulfilled them but just looks different from your traditional host? Also, if it wasn’t OK, what does that mean for the Mass and Communion?

Just curious.

Thanks, Nicole

 

[Tom]

There are very specific requirements for the host as far as ingredients. That being said, it is entirely possible that this host met those requirements. I wouldn’t fret about it, the Eucharist was probably valid.

 

[Chuck]

I live in the Dallas area and have not attended a mass that is intentionaly (name removed by moderator)roper. The Churches I know of are very careful of proper form and detail. Sorry you had a disappointing experience, it is not the norm.

Chuck

 

[Della]

It was perfectly all right for the priest to make a few comments about the day’s Gospel reading before Mass began, but to have left out the homily on that account was definitely a violation of the rubrics. I can see no reason why he did this apart from a desire to do things as he pleased rather than as the Church has determined.

If the host you saw was made of the proper substances: wheat flour and water it was valid and so was the consecration. If it wasn’t made of the proper substance then the consecration was invalid.

Since you received in good faith that it was made of the proper substances you are not guilty of any sin, but you may have only received a spiritual communion and not an actual one. But, since it is not required that we receive the Eucharist at every Sunday/holy day of obligation Mass (only once a year minimum), your reception of a tainted host is no more than that on your part. The priest would be guilty of consecrating an improper substance, which nullified the consecration. And if he did so knowing this, then he may have commited blasphemy, God help him.

 

[Nicole]

Chuck:

I live in the Dallas area and have not attended a mass that is intentionaly (name removed by moderator)roper. The Churches I know of are very careful of proper form and detail. Sorry you had a disappointing experience, it is not the norm.

Chuck

Hi Chuck, yes, our Parish when we lived there was St. Ann’s in Coppell and it was great. The Msgr. sadly just passed away right before our visit. They have twice daily Masses and it he was awesome. It is a big loss for that Parish. This other Parish is nearby and has always been, imo, more modern in terms of its Liturgy, which isn’t always a bad thing, just not my thing.

God Bless, Nicole

PS: Thanks for the responses everyone.

 

[Katholish]

If it was similar to pita bread insofar as it might have had leaven in it, the consecration would be illicit, but still valid if this was a Roman Rite Church. In the Roman Rite, the bread used must be unleavened bread for it to be licit. In the Eastern Rites, it must be leavened bread. This it is still valid either way, but if the priest is violating the laws of his Rite, it is illicit, and he commits sin if he understands that it is forbidden.