Spouses receiving Eucharist together

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Well, I do know that neither of us are going to change the opinions of each other. I feel comfortable in my stance based off the fact that our Bishop has not had any problems with our parish at all. He, although a conservitive, has been very encouraging to our charismatic parish. Our parish serves over 7500 families at last count, and is one of the biggest in our diocese. We are often looked at very carefully by many who question our charismatic beliefs. But as long as our bishop says we are doing everything right, then I guess we are doing everything right. He has served as presider at our parish on more than one occasion.

I will say that what we are talking about is a rather small thing. It is obviously wrong as I stated earlier for some couples to go to the extemes that they do. We can only pray for those things to be corrected. I would like to see some of those couples defend their position, because to be honest with you, I am the least of anyone’s worry in regards to this topic. I think we are both justified in our stances, they just happen to be different. I would be more worried about the dipper’s who show up in the cup line ready to dunk the host into the cup. Now, that is definately against the GIRM!

Is this thread stalled? Until the GIRM is re-written with clear and concise language, probably so…
 
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RichT:
I will say that what we are talking about is a rather small thing. It is obviously wrong as I stated earlier for some couples to go to the extemes that they do. We can only pray for those things to be corrected. …
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Food for thought. How do you know that what some couples do is wrong??? :hmmm:
 
Detroit Sue:
Food for thought. How do you know that what some couples do is wrong??? :hmmm:
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No offense Sue, but since you left the conversation early on, there has been a lot of discussion about some couples serving each other, priests adding words that don’t belong, and so on. Just scroll up and you will see what I mean. There are things that are wrong based on factual information in the GIRM. If you will scroll up you will see my description of what my wife and I do when receiving. It is pretty simple and definately, in my opinion not against any sort of rule. If you are implying that I am busy looking around to see what others are doing, that is not the case. Most of what I have heard is right here in this thread. I will say that it is rather difficult not to see things when they happen right on front of you, but keep in mind, that is still not the right time for me to allow those things to bother me. I stated earlier that I do bring things to our priest’s attention. I just don’t allow my experience at mass to be ruined by them. I get the impression from some that their time at mass is ruined when they see something that they feel could be a liturgical abuse. It would appear that some even attend mass looking for abuses. I’m sure that is not the case with yourself, but some sure give the impression they do. We as parishoners can only tell our priest about it, and pray that if it is a abuse, that it is corrected.
 
I read most of the replies, but not all, so I hope I’m not repeating what has already been said. My husband and I just got back from a training weekend for marriage encounter (we will eventually be a presenting couple on a weekend). There was no specific training on “you must receive communion with your spouse” but I did notice this was happening. We had a lengthy talk on marriage as a sacrament and what this means - one of the things that came out of it was that two become one. When spouses seek to receive communion side by side they are not trying to be “cute” or distract others, they are simply yearning to be a living symbol of “two become one”. I’ve never understood this as fully as I do now after going on a marriage encounter. In fact, prior to a marriage encounter I probably would have scoffed at the idea myself. For those of you who are skeptics, try a marriage encounter weekend for yourself. Another thing to point out is that this practice does not dissolve the unity with the remainder of the body of christ, in fact if you truly embrace the concept of two becoming one, the two receiving communion side by side, should be looked at as “one”. That being said, I don’t know if I would receive communion next to my spouse -probably because I don’t have the courage that others have shown. I fear that people will not understand my reasons for doing so. Perhaps if more attend marriage encounter understanding will grow. Love you all and pray the holy spirit will continue to guide us all!!
 
I am not sure what is going on here. Do you and your husband walk up side by side? I am pretty sure that a small bow right before reccieving is required. How can you both bow? One of you has to recieve first unless there is two priests standing there and give it to you at the same time. One of you isn’t holding on to the Eucharist waiting for the other to recieve are you? If so I am sure that is a big NO NO. How do you manage with recieving the cup. One of you has to get it first and you certainly cannot bow together since we are to bow immediately prior to recieving. I don’t get it.

On another note how can you and your spouse be Eucharistic ministers? Isn’t that reserved title for the priest?

Do you mean extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion?

Also you should not be administering communion to each other. The priest/deacon should be administering communion to each EMHC himself. It is my understanding that EMHCs are not to communicate each other but from the priest/ deacon before they go to their stations. The sacrament flows vertically not horizontally.
 
I think the whole idea stinks. I wish this had been set up as a poll so we could see the answers and outcome more clearly.

It stinks. What is the purpose? Everyone has lived fine without this trend to date, why the need for it now? I walk away if my spouse attempted this with me. Yep. Walk away and skip the Eucharist.

THis cant be a good thing. Next thing ya know we’ll have U2 playing in the backround…:mad:
 
I know this is what a lot of Marriage Encounter couples do, and I think it is great. (if you haven’t been to Marriage Encounter then you probably wouldn’t understand the significance of it all)
The only thing I have seen in the past that is a problem is where the husband receives the blood first, and then hands the cup to his wife. That is wrong and should never be done that way; you are to receive the cup from the priest or the minister. The key word is “receive”.

I personally have my family go before me, and I will stand behind them.
 
runandsew said:
I know this is what a lot of Marriage Encounter couples do, and I think it is great. (if you haven’t been to Marriage Encounter then you probably wouldn’t understand the significance of it all)
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HUH?! Significance of the Eucharist? Has marriage encounter added somthing to the doctrine or “significance” of the Eucharist?
 
No the siginificance of being a loving couple, to be of one flesh, to show the community a sign of a strong marriage.

Sorry, I didn’t make that clear.

And it isn’t just at the Eucharist they strive to be together, they try to volunteer for church functions together, and be side by side when serving at those functions.

It is be a role model of Marriage to other couples.
 
runandsew said:
No the siginificance of being a loving couple, to be of one flesh, to show the community a sign of a strong marriage.

.
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I thought that the NUP Mass already had a rite in it besides the EUCHARIST that showed the strength of the Marriage?

To me it is like hand holding during the Pater Noster. The Mass already has the kiss of peace to show unity.
 
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decn2b said:
I thought that the NUP Mass already had a rite in it besides the EUCHARIST that showed the strength of the Marriage?

To me it is like hand holding during the Pater Noster. The Mass already has the kiss of peace to show unity.
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Not only that but keep this in your marriage encounter events/Masses please.
Dont tell people WE need to get up to speed with what encounter groups are or are not doing! How condecending!

You can have it all you want but keep it out of my parish please! Get a seperate rite!

Whats stopping twins from doing this too? To show strength of sibling love?
Or a flock of nuns going up at the same time to show their unity?

Marriage needs more spotlight in the Mass? Why? you think its overlooked? Trust me I see you kissy face types there every week. Thats enough attention on marriage thank you very much. Cant you control yourselves from PDA’s for at least one hour?
 
Damascus said:
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Not only that but keep this in your marriage encounter events/Masses please.
Dont tell people WE need to get up to speed with what encounter groups are or are not doing! How condecending!

You can have it all you want but keep it out of my parish please! Get a seperate rite!

Whats stopping twins from doing this too? To show strength of sibling love?
Or a flock of nuns going up at the same time to show their unity?

Marriage needs more spotlight in the Mass? Why? you think its overlooked? Trust me I see you kissy face types there every week. Thats enough attention on marriage thank you very much. Cant you control yourselves from PDA’s for at least one hour?
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In a world where the definition of marriage is being threatened, I’m surprised this kind of thing wouldn’t be more encouraged actually. Remember, in the sacrament of marriage “two become one”. Marriage encounter and this act have been going on since the 60’s - no U2 playing in the background in over 40 years!! Also, twins and nuns I don’t believe have received the sacrament of marriage (sarcasm intended) so for them to try to symbolize “two become one” just wouldn’t make sense. C’mon, step out of your comfort zone a little and see the beauty in a spousal relationship rather than a bunch of PDA.
 
If you don’t want to stand next to your spouse when going up to communion then don’t do it.

No one is **forcing you **to do it or telling you to do it.

It is just simply the way some couples choose to show their commentment to marriage.

And if they choose to show their comment to each other **more that once a year **then more power to them.

I am sorry that this is such of an offense to you.
Should people also keep a certain distance between them and the person if front of them?

I don’t understand why people are so concerned about what others are doing or not doing.

I think that the only liturgical abuse that I encounter every Mass is my recieving the Eucharist.
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
One is going to have to receive before the other no matter how you do it so other than the symbol of standing side by side what is the point?
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Yep. That’s my view.

I don’t want to cut in on anybody else’s sense of committment to their marriage. If that’s what works for somebody else, and it is NOT a logistical problem (blocking the line up, etc.), fine.

However, IN MY OPINON, it doesn’t make their marriage any worse or better than anybody else’s. I’m just as married if my husband stands behind me, as he is a gentleman and lets me out of the pew first. 😃

As for being one in marriage- yep, we are, but we are also individual people in God’s sight.
 
robertaf said:
Greetings Church,

My husband and I walk up side by side and receive Holy Communion together as you describe.

For us, it started about 20 years ago, when we went on a World Wide Marriage Encounter weekend. This was one of the greatest and most life changing weekends of our 49 yr marriage. If you don’t know anything about it, I suggest you do a search.

When we entered the Sacrament of Marriage we became one. It is in this unity, we receive Jesus together.

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I think this is beautiful but can develop into a practice that could run out of control, especially in Churches with limited space during the reception of Holy Communion. What does the priest do when the husband, wife and their five children come, hand in hand to receive as a family. Many rubrics start as monkey see, monkey do. However, if your priest does not object, I do not see any reason for anyone else to object.
 
I really haven’t noticed this being done in local Catholic churches, perhaps we are more conservative here?

But hwat I have seen on the Cathedral of Hope homosexual MCC or MacChurch web site in Dallas is couples made up of two men or two women going forward to get their version of “communion”. They have hosts dunked in grape juice (not wine) put in their mouths, together and then the (preacher?, minister? whatever) will put her or his arms around them and then “pray over” them.

Just seeing this makes the whole thing a turn-off for me. And it appears that the praying over is much, much, more important to them than communion.

Leave it for the male and female couples at MacChurch is what I say.
 
lvande said:
In a world where the definition of marriage is being threatened, I’m surprised this kind of thing wouldn’t be more encouraged actually. Remember, in the sacrament of marriage “two become one”. Marriage encounter and this act have been going on since the 60’s - no U2 playing in the background in over 40 years!! Also, twins and **nuns I don’t believe have received the sacrament of marriage (sarcasm intended) so for them to try to symbolize **“two become one” just wouldn’t make sense. C’mon, step out of your comfort zone a little and see the beauty in a spousal relationship rather than a bunch of PDA.
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No sarcasm intended, but who do you think nuns are married to?
 
I think it is very “sweet”…if that word is ok to use. There is a couple about my age who go to Daily Mass together…every day and I see them at Sat. evening Mass and it has never caused a problem. My hubby has Alzheimers, I could only wish I were in their shoes.

:heart:Blyss
 
Greetings Bhcordova,

I am sorry to hear this. Yet thank you so much for the update. I will continue to pray for your uncle and your family.

God Bless.
Anathama Sit
May the Lord Jesus Christ comfort your uncle and your family in this time of sorrow. May he provide for all of your needs according to his Holy Will. Amen.
 
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