The Altar Rails Came Back

[patrick457]

Thank you for posting this. I see, or read, or hear about these kinds of things, and it gives me hope.

Please God, the Era of Lite Catholicism is dying as we speak.

It may not end immediately, Perhaps we’re just nearing the period in which this kooky ‘innovations’ is going to end and become history, but we do not know.
God will choose to end this one whenever He chooses.

May He help His Vicar Benedict to help exterminate these flies swattering around the Church.

 

[Rand_Al_Thor]

Grabbing? GRABBING?

I reverently hold out my hands in order to make them a throne and cradle and gently receive the Sacred Body of the Lord into them. Then I just as reverently and gently pick up the host from my hand and place it in my mouth. Then I slowly make the sign of the cross and return to my seat.

Through the whole process I gratefully thank him for the precious gift and privilege of being able to receive Him.

I grab nothing.

Pax tecum!

And as you take the host into your hands, tiny particles come off of it, which in turn fall to the floor…

In Christ,
Rand

 

[lukefan]

Kneeling for communion? At our parish today we had a guest priest. The EHMC’s came up around the altar, as usual, they all took the body and blood of Christ, there was nothing left for the Priest! He just shrugged his shoulders and sat down during communion.

I miss the good ol’ days, kneeling at that altar rail.

 

[palmas85]

Grabbing? GRABBING?

I reverently hold out my hands in order to make them a throne and cradle and gently receive the Sacred Body of the Lord into them. Then I just as reverently and gently pick up the host from my hand and place it in my mouth. Then I slowly make the sign of the cross and return to my seat.

Through the whole process I gratefully thank him for the precious gift and privilege of being able to receive Him.

I grab nothing.

Ah a member of St. Cyrils Church at Jerusalem. Outstanding:thumbsup: . Tell me, do you also wrap up the portion that you don’t consume in a white cloth whwn you it home? One of the reasons that reception in the hand was done in those days was because the enirity of the Eucharist was normally not consumed at the altar but taken home for consumption later in the week.

Wrapping the Eucharist in white cloth was done to help prevent it being eaten by mice

 

[LilyM]

Rand al'Thor:

Pax tecum!

And as you take the host into your hands, tiny particles come off of it, which in turn fall to the floor…

In Christ,
Rand

Not a one :nope: - I do have eyes and do check you know. And what about the priest’s hands, hmmm? They’re not exactly spill-proof either. And I was around for at least some of the old days when patens were mandatory - accidents still happened sometimes, even then.

If there were perchance to be any particles on my hand (which has happened only once) I would, as I did, gather them on the tip of my finger and consume them as reverently as possible. Which is probably better than some priests do.

And if a particle is invisible to my naked eye and the naked eyes of others it doesn’t have the accidents of bread and isn’t the Sacred Body - just like it isn’t after it’s been dissolved in your stomach for fifteen odd minutes.

 

[palmas85]

Kneeling for communion? At our parish today we had a guest priest. The EHMC’s came up around the altar, as usual, they all took the body and blood of Christ, there was nothing left for the Priest! He just shrugged his shoulders and sat down during communion.

I miss the good ol’ days, kneeling at that altar rail.

Well let me see, one they are not supposed to grab anything, he is to hand everything to them, and two he is to distribute Communion and they are to assist him if needed. Looks like you have a situation in your Parish where the Extraordinary Ministers have carved themselves out a niche so to speak.

 

[LilyM]

Ah a member of St. Cyrils Church at Jerusalem. Outstanding:thumbsup: . Tell me, do you also wrap up the portion that you don’t consume in a white cloth whwn you it home? One of the reasons that reception in the hand was done in those days was because the enirity of the Eucharist was normally not consumed at the altar but taken home for consumption later in the week.

Wrapping the Eucharist in white cloth was done to help prevent it being eaten by mice

If the church, in its collective wisdom as pillar and bulwark of the truth, and under the protection of the Holy Spirit, saw fit to permit the practice of taking the Eucharist home for later consumption, I would certainly make sure it was well protected from rodents and bugs - these days we have tupperware which does an excellent job Of course I would also keep it in a place at least as secure as the tabernacle of a church to minimise possible profanation.

Funnily enough, no matter what method of reception or other practices are insituted to protect the Eucharist, it has in every day and age been quite vulnerable to profanation. As the body and blood of Our Lord was at his passion, if I remember rightly, and willingly made so by him.

Naturally I would be equally obedient if the church turned around tomorrow and returned to the uniform practice of reception kneeling and on the tongue. I am obedient to the Church in every one of its teachings, :yup: since it is protected to at least a degree from error, unlike you or I.

Let the sheep be sheep and the shepherds be shepherds, palmas. I pity the church when so many of its members try to be both.

 

[UKcatholicGuy]

Today at Mass I was surprised, and delighted, to see altar rails on either side of the main aisle that would each kneel 4 people.

Our new (young) PP took over less than one month ago. I can’t wait to see what he does next.

May God bless your priest! Be sure to pray for him every day. Perhaps you could organize a group of supporters to pray for him on a regular basis. Courageous young priests like him need all the prayers they can get.

God bless you.

 

[Kielbasi]

Just look at all the responses! We’re not all wackoes! But we remember a Church that is far, far different from what we encounter today. Clown Masses? Liturgical dancers? A cast of thousands on the altar for Communion? Oh, for the Church of my childhood. Tridentine or NO is NOT the issue - the issue boils down to one word and one word only - reverence!

The problem that is attempting to be addressed here, lack of reverence and respect, extends far beyond the lack of altar rails in church and can’t be solved by installing them.

How will altar rails solve the lack of respect that many folks of every religion attending church in jeans or other casual clothing? Even Sen. Kerry , someone of the upper crust , was seen in a skiing outfit at church a few years ago.

How will it solve the ultra-casual attire some folks will wear to the opera nowadays? How will it influence people to honor the traditional practice of genuflecting?

Its just a disrespectful age we live in, the lack of altar rails didn’t cause it and re-installing them won’t help.

People can be perfectly reverent and respectful even in an altar rail-free environment.

I was just pointing out that the current practices, whether done reverently or not, generally work out better without altar rails. Pointing out that indult Latin masses are “more reverent” isn’t a reflection of the role of altar rails at all. The reason why they may be more reverent is due to the fact that the congregations of such masses are a self-selected group that is going out of their way to attend it. They would naturally be more reverent it would seem.

If the Church were to mandate that the TLM be said in every parish, the TLM’s would be attended by the same mixed bag of Catholics as attend the mainstream mass of today, it would make them no more reverent nor respectful.

 

[brotherhrolf]

You miss my point. Having the altar rails back means that we could all kneel to recieve Communion. Domine, non sum dignus! Lord, I am not worthy! And perhaps if we did reinstall the rails it would be impetus for us boomers to embrace the faith of our childhood. I can’t believe I’m the only boomer out there who didn’t want to see the changes of VII. And we had altar rails in my parish church until well into the mid-70s.

I firmly believe that if the folk of my generation, who grew up in the late 50s and early 60s said enough is enough and opted to return to the liturgy of our childhood, we could move mountains. Do I honestly think it is going to happen? No. But if enough of us express our dissatisfaction at the liturgical dancers, clowns, etc. maybe someone in the hierarchy would take note.

We children of the 50s have become the elders. Our parents of WWII fame have passed away by in large. I honestly and truly want to receive the Eucharist kneeling. I can’t believe that there are not others of my generation who feel the same.

 

[ridesawhitehors]

I don’t criticize anyones way of receiving… THANK GOD they are receiving, and hopefully in a state of sanctifying grace.

However, it is my understanding that kneeling and on the tongue is still normal. AND… if you choose to kneel (with or without altar rails) you cannot be refused communion! It is still acceptable.
I am among the 5% or so at my parish who kneel before the priest to receive and receive on the tongue. No altar rail needed.

 

[Bob67]

I am among the 5% or so at my parish who kneel before the priest to receive and receive on the tongue. No altar rail needed.

I think your a wonderful, brave & courageous person!
I wish I had the guts to kneel at communion too!

I feel out of place when I hop into the other line,
so I can receive by the Priest on the tongue!

I’ve never seen anybody kneel at any local NO Parishs!

Keep the Faith!!!

 

[palmas85]

If the church, in its collective wisdom as pillar and bulwark of the truth, and under the protection of the Holy Spirit, saw fit to permit the practice of taking the Eucharist home for later consumption, I would certainly make sure it was well protected from rodents and bugs - these days we have tupperware which does an excellent job Of course I would also keep it in a place at least as secure as the tabernacle of a church to minimise possible profanation.

Funnily enough, no matter what method of reception or other practices are insituted to protect the Eucharist, it has in every day and age been quite vulnerable to profanation. As the body and blood of Our Lord was at his passion, if I remember rightly, and willingly made so by him.

Naturally I would be equally obedient if the church turned around tomorrow and returned to the uniform practice of reception kneeling and on the tongue. I am obedient to the Church in every one of its teachings, :yup: since it is protected to at least a degree from error, unlike you or I.

Let the sheep be sheep and the shepherds be shepherds, palmas. I pity the church when so many of its members try to be both.

I bring this up because often, not always, but often, supporters of receiving in the hand drag up old St. Cyrils commentary on the Jerusalem Church, as you did almost word for word, in order to validate receiving in the hand today as being the universal practice in the early Church

I merely point out that since in those days what was received was usually not a communion wafer or a single sized portion but rather a fairly substantial size piece, which was to be consumed by the whole family throughout the week, receiving in the hand made perfect sense. It had nothing whatsoever to do with the communicants being adults and being able to feed themselves as is often said these days as further justification of the practice.

The wrapping in a white cloth actually comes from another of the early Churches policy on reception. But I’m sure that all Churches had their own policy on this as well.

As to you and I not being protected from error, I agree with you 110%

 

[Bobbi_Baltzer]

There are alot of reasons for the lack of reverence in the Mass in the Church today.It was a long growing process of spiralling -downward-it seems.
In many of our Masses here, in the recent past, I have seen teenage girls and young women come to Mass in the summertime in hip-hugger short shorts, bare-midriff halter-tops and sandals! They went up to receive Communion that way! Some people would say:“Well, at least they believe and are coming to Mass”! Yes, that’s good, but reverence should be there.
The Communion rail being taken out was, I think, part of this spiralling downward at the Mass, and I feel just as important in this regard was the lack of women covering their hair with hats or Mantillas. It is hard to imagine that someone would cover their hair IN REVERENCE and then come in a halter top!
I attend the Indult Latin Mass offered by the FSSP here, at St. Patricks’ and it is very quiet, reverent and respectful. We kneel at the Communion rail and most women and girls cover their hair and people do not talk during, before or after Mass. Thank you ArchBishop Curtiss for allowing us this opportunity:thumbsup:

 

[palmas85]

The problem that is attempting to be addressed here, lack of reverence and respect, extends far beyond the lack of altar rails in church and can’t be solved by installing them.

How will altar rails solve the lack of respect that many folks of every religion attending church in jeans or other casual clothing? Even Sen. Kerry , someone of the upper crust , was seen in a skiing outfit at church a few years ago.

How will it solve the ultra-casual attire some folks will wear to the opera nowadays? How will it influence people to honor the traditional practice of genuflecting?

Its just a disrespectful age we live in, the lack of altar rails didn’t cause it and re-installing them won’t help.

People can be perfectly reverent and respectful even in an altar rail-free environment.

I was just pointing out that the current practices, whether done reverently or not, generally work out better without altar rails. Pointing out that indult Latin masses are “more reverent” isn’t a reflection of the role of altar rails at all. The reason why they may be more reverent is due to the fact that the congregations of such masses are a self-selected group that is going out of their way to attend it. They would naturally be more reverent it would seem.

If the Church were to mandate that the TLM be said in every parish, the TLM’s would be attended by the same mixed bag of Catholics as attend the mainstream mass of today, it would make them no more reverent nor respectful.

I disagree I think that people act the way they do at Mass these days because the Mass itself is so casual and laid back. The Mass these days is supposed to remind people not so much of a sacrifice but a communal gathering. So much of the ritual has been removed and the atmosphere so watered down how are people who don’t know any better supposed to react? That is the way it was designed and the way that it is presented. Thats a fact that no one would really try to argue against too much.

That coupled with the fact that catechisis is so abysmal in most places that I doubt the rank and file Catholic in most areas is more than just dimly aware of what excactly is going on in the Mass to begin with. Surveys and statistics have pretty much borne that fact out as well.

I truly believe that if the Mass were presented as it was meant to be, and that includfes the sense of mystery, the sense that the Sanctuary is a special mystical place where the great and mysterious re-presentation of the sacrifice takes place in the solemn manner that the sacrifice at Calvary should be, AND if Catholics were aware of what is going on at the Altar, then they would respond to it in a different manner than most do now…

 

[Rand_Al_Thor]

Not a one :nope: - I do have eyes and do check you know. And what about the priest’s hands, hmmm? They’re not exactly spill-proof either. And I was around for at least some of the old days when patens were mandatory - accidents still happened sometimes, even then.

If there were perchance to be any particles on my hand (which has happened only once) I would, as I did, gather them on the tip of my finger and consume them as reverently as possible. Which is probably better than some priests do.

And if a particle is invisible to my naked eye and the naked eyes of others it doesn’t have the accidents of bread and isn’t the Sacred Body - just like it isn’t after it’s been dissolved in your stomach for fifteen odd minutes.

Pax tecum!

There was a thread on here a while back…don’t know if it was before the crash. But it was about a scientific study that an EMHC and his son did on particles coming off when Communion was taken in the hand. The study showed (and this was documented and sent in a letter to the Holy See) that tiny particles DO come off that people can’t see and fall to the floor, getting walked on. Also, your claim that just because it is too small to see it is not the Body of Christ is totally without backing. The Church does not teach that.

As Mother Theresa said, “Wherever I go in the whole world, the thing that makes me the saddest is watching people receive Communion in the hand.”

In Christ,
Rand

 

[Formosus]

This reminds me of the Female Altar boy thread in a sense. Communion in the hand was originally a liturgical abuse that John XXIII and Paul VI condemned and finally , either Paul VI caved into pressure or John Paul II did, one of them , in the same fashion as John Paul II caved into Female altar boys. One of the first things protestants did was to force people to recieve in the hand in order to weaken and eventually destroy beleif in the Real Presence and I would say that the state of faith in the Church today, that this is sadly occuring… solution to the problem, restore a sense of the Sacred by returning to an Organic development of the Liturgy that looks at the New liturgy in Light of the previous 1,969 years of liturgical development

 

[LilyM]

Pax tecum!

There was a thread on here a while back…don’t know if it was before the crash. But it was about a scientific study that an EMHC and his son did on particles coming off when Communion was taken in the hand. The study showed (and this was documented and sent in a letter to the Holy See) that tiny particles DO come off that people can’t see and fall to the floor, getting walked on. Also, your claim that just because it is too small to see it is not the Body of Christ is totally without backing. The Church does not teach that.

As Mother Theresa said, “Wherever I go in the whole world, the thing that makes me the saddest is watching people receive Communion in the hand.”

In Christ,
Rand

Did the same EMHC do a study about what happens when communion is given on the tongue?

I’d be willing to make a fairly sizable bet that even with patens there are still plenty of particles that fall on the ground as well to get trampled on.

 

[Marian_Carroll]

Re the Mother Teresa statement it may be helpful to review:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=119835
Post 8

 

[Paganus]

My church still has its altar rails - as do many of the older churches I have attended. However, I have never seen these used - how do the logistics work? Would the entire row of kneeling communicants remain kneeling until all had received - then stand up and be replaced by another group en masse?

Also, we currently receive under both species - how does that work with a communion rail?