Vatican official suggests reconsidering Communion in the hand

[Eilish_Maura]

Lex orandi, lex credendi.

This is about posture.

 

[VociMike]

This is about posture.

Posture in the real presence of our Lord. Is that a small thing?

Besides, you said it was about change of heart also.

Lex orandi, lex credendi.

 

[brotherhrolf]

Oh, how quickly is liturgical reform forgotten.and how here and there it was implemented in North America.

I grew up with kneeling as the norm. I graduated from high school with kneeling as the norm. The intent was to reflect the response of the Roman Centurion…"Domine non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum…Posture? No. Attitude, yes, followed by posture.

I long for the day when I will be able to kneel and receive commmunion. I have always received on the tongue since the late 50s - that has never been an issue here. Domine, non sum dignus.

 

[lizaanne]

… but just hold back on the rails, at least for a while.

I’m so happy and blessed that ours never went away to begin with - and our parish receives at the rail, kneeling, and on the tongue (intinction at the NO Mass, and the Body of Christ only at the TLM). I wish all parishes were so blessed.

Perhaps one day…

~Liza

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I’m so happy and blessed that ours never went away to begin with - and our parish receives at the rail, kneeling, and on the tongue (intinction at the NO Mass, and the Body of Christ only at the TLM). I wish all parishes were so blessed.

Perhaps one day…

~Liza

I hope that no one is refused if they do stand and indicate that they wish to receive in the hand, Since it is their right at this time to do so in the United States.

 

[anamchara]

Not everyone liked the good old days. Some found it cold and isolating. You can speak Latin all you want, but it doesn’t mean anything unless people understand it. Go for those who have found a Church that makes them happy.

I am an Eucharist minister in our parish. I can tell you that people who come up and take communion are coming up reverently. Before I volunteered to take this position I agreed that there seem to be a lack of reverence in general. I don’t feel this way anymore. I’ve seen the look in peoples eyes when they come up and receive and this has been a profound experience for me. It has nearly brought tears to my eyes. They are just as humble taking in the hand as they are by the mouth. There is no difference.

 

[Eilish_Maura]

Posture in the real presence of our Lord. Is that a small thing?

Besides, you said it was about change of heart also.

Lex orandi, lex credendi.

I said reverence, NOT posture was about a change of heart.

Posture in presence of the Eucharist a small thing? Yes - as either can be done reverently and one posture is not inherently more reverent than the other.

We pray in many postures so the last bit really is not part of this exchange.

 

[VociMike]

I said reverence, NOT posture was about a change of heart.

Posture in presence of the Eucharist a small thing? Yes - as either can be done reverently and one posture is not inherently more reverent than the other.

We pray in many postures so the last bit really is not part of this exchange.

First you said “We run the risk of appearing to be more reverent without getting a change of heart.”

Then you said “This is about posture.”

Then you say that reverence and posture are not inherently associated.

So may I take it then that we don’t run the risk of appearing more reverent after all? I know I’m confused now.

Lex orandi, lex credendi. At least we agree on that.

 

[Eilish_Maura]

First you said “We run the risk of appearing to be more reverent without getting a change of heart.”

Then you said “This is about posture.”

Posture is not necessarily the same as prayer.

If you are confused you are not following your own posts as they are what I have responded to.

so bye bye -

 

[Brendan]

I hope that no one is refused if they do stand and indicate that they wish to receive in the hand, Since it is their right at this time to do so in the United States.

I am in a parish very similar to lizzanne’s (same Metro area, not too far to the north )

We use our Communion Rails as well, and yes, someone may recieve standing if they so choose ( very few do).

But they may not recieve in the hand. The Eucharist is offered intincted, and Vatican instructions prohibit the reception of intincted Eucharist in the hand.

 

[childofmary1143]

I don’t believe they can change this on their own, without the council of Bishops, going along with it.

Why would one Bishop have more say over the church, than the rest of the world’s Bishops?

Jim

If that one Bishop can get the Bishop of Rome to agree with him and also have the Bishop of Rome issue a decree then a Council of Bishops wouldn’t be needed.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I am in a parish very similar to lizzanne’s (same Metro area, not too far to the north )

We use our Communion Rails as well, and yes, someone may recieve standing if they so choose ( very few do).

But they may not recieve in the hand. The Eucharist is offered intincted, and Vatican instructions prohibit the reception of intincted Eucharist in the hand.

A person has the right (at this time) to receive an un-intincted host if they choose in their hand. How is that handled. If a person presents their hands in the normal manner does the priest not intinct the Host and simply place it in their hand?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

If that one Bishop can get the Bishop of Rome to agree with him and also have the Bishop of Rome issue a decree then a Council of Bishops wouldn’t be needed.

The Congregation for the Liturgy and Sacraments could propose the change to the Holy Father for his approval.

 

[benedictgal]

I don’t believe they can change this on their own, without the council of Bishops, going along with it.

Why would one Bishop have more say over the church, than the rest of the world’s Bishops?

Jim

If it’s the Bishop of Rome, then he’s the one who has the say over the Church because, he also just happens to be Pope.

Even though there is collegiality involved, the Pope is not the first among equals as far as the bishops are concerned. He holds the Primacy of Peter.

 

[Phemie]

And I didn’t say that you couldn’t install rails in some churches, moreso that some churches are not as conducive to rails as your traditional building. I can think of at least one church where rails would be quite interesting to figure out how to install them because of the shape of the church. It could still definetly be done, though.

I’ve worshipped in a military parish that had only one chapel, used by both Catholics and Protestants. There was the “Travelling Jesus” (an empty cross & a crucifix on a rail, moved so that the proper one became visible and the other was hidden behind a curtain depending on which congregation was at worship) and portable altar rails that are still against the sanctuary’s back wall today but can be brought forth to be used for communion if it ever becomes necessary. Unfortunately there is now only a Protestant chaplain on that Base and Catholics must come to the only Catholic parish 5 miles down the road. None do.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

If that one Bishop can get the Bishop of Rome to agree with him and also have the Bishop of Rome issue a decree then a Council of Bishops wouldn’t be needed.

Then it would render any ecumenical council in the future, meaningless and useless, and I doubt the Pope would do it.

Why bother calling together the Bishops of the world together in a council, if a future Pope will throw out the work and decisions the council established?

However, Pope’s have never operated in this format. Mostly, because of their own humility, they rely on the wisdom of the council of Bishops, to help him come to an agreement. They generally follow the decisions of the council.

Jim

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Then it would render any ecumenical council in the future, meaningless and useless, and I doubt the Pope would do it.

Why bother calling together the Bishops of the world together in a council, if a future Pope will throw out the work and decisions the council established?

The decisions of a Cauncil however do not take effect until the current or future Pope approve them

However, Pope’s have never operated in this format. Mostly, because of their own humility, they rely on the wisdom of the council of Bishops, to help him come to an agreement. They generally follow the decisions of the council.

Jim

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Then it would render any ecumenical council in the future, meaningless and useless, and I doubt the Pope would do it.

Why bother calling together the Bishops of the world together in a council, if a future Pope will throw out the work and decisions the council established?

However, Pope’s have never operated in this format. Mostly, because of their own humility, they rely on the wisdom of the council of Bishops, to help him come to an agreement. They generally follow the decisions of the council.

Jim

Well that was strange, Power is back on.

The decisions of a Universal Cauncil do not take effect until the current or future Pope approves them.

 

[lak611]

I think pushing a mandate to get altar rails back in churches might be a little much. As I’m sure you know, many churches either removed theirs for whatever reason or, if they were built post-Vatican II, weren’t built with them in the first place, and weren’t built to be rail-friendly. Especially for smaller, poorer parishes, this might be way out of their price range to get rails put in.

I don’t too much mind pushing receiving on the tongue(I prefer hand, but when I serve I receive by the tongue) too much, but just hold back on the rails, at least for a while.

If we are going to have reception on the tongue only, we would need the rails. There are more chances of accidents happening if people are standing to receive on the tongue, mostly in the case of an extremely tall or extremely short communicant. When communicants are kneeling, the possibility of the Host dropping are minimized. If Communion on the tongue only is mandated, I cannot see this being feasible without Communion rails.

 

[lak611]

I think standing while receiving on the tongue is just asking for dropped hosts. It’s also difficult for altar servers to use patens when reaching upwards. I’ve never been in any church that an altar rail could not be installed in.

I agree. This would be especially difficult if the communicant was really tall.