Vatican: Receiving Eucharist kneeling will be norm at papal liturgies

[benedictgal]

These are rather strong words. Does the Holy Father mean to suggest that Eastern liturgies are “sick at the core,” or am I overlooking some context to his remarks?

First of all, the book I quoted from is directed mostly towards the Latin Rite. He makes the case for kneeling because it is something that our culture has forgotten.

Now, regarding Luxe’s comments, inasmuch as there is the issue of the bishop’s authority to consider, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacramenits issued a letter to the USCCB that specifically addresses the matter of kneeling to receive Holy Communion:

This Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has received your letter dated December 1, 2002, related to the application of the norms approved by the Conference of Bishops of the United States of America, with the subsequent recognitio of this Congregation, as regards the question of the posture for receiving Holy Communion.

As the authority by virtue of whose recognitio the norm in question has attained the force of law, this Dicastery is competent to specify the manner in which the norm is to be understood for the sake of a proper application. Having received more than a few letters regarding this matter from different locations in the United States of America, the Congregation wishes to ensure that its position on the matter is clear.

To this end, it is perhaps useful to respond to your inquiry by repeating the content of a letter that the Congregation recently addressed to a Bishop in the United States of America from whose Diocese a number of pertinent letters had been received. The letter states: "…while this Congregation gave the recognitio to the norm desired by the Bishops’ Conference of your country that people stand for Holy Communion, this was done on the condition that communicants who choose to kneel are not to be denied Holy Communion on these grounds. Indeed, the faithful should not be imposed upon nor accused of disobedience and of acting illicitly when they kneel to receive Holy Communion".

In other words, the Holy See granted the USCCB permission to distribute Holy Communion while the communicants are standing. That is an exception to the norm. Some bishops and priests were refusing to give Holy Communion to those penitents who chose to kneel to receive Our Lord.

Therefore, you cannot say that the bishops have carte blanche over the Mass, especially when they were called to task for forbidding something that is actually the norm in the Latin Rite.

 

[LilyM]

Didn’t Jesus, at Gethsemane KNEEL while praying to the Father? Shouldn’t we kneel as we are about to receive the Body of Christ to dwell within us for that short while?

And didn’t Jesus pray while STANDING at Lazarus’ tomb? While STANDING at the bedside of the dead young girl? While STANDING in many other situations? At the Last Supper He would’ve prayed while reclining, and the Apostles likewise would’ve received reclining.

 

[benedictgal]

And didn’t Jesus pray while STANDING at Lazarus’ tomb? While STANDING at the bedside of the dead young girl? While STANDING in many other situations? At the Last Supper He would’ve prayed while reclining, and the Apostles likewise would’ve received reclining.

Perhaps this statement from Pope Benedict’s book, the Spirit of the Liturgy, will brings things into perspective for you:

The related passage Isaiah 45:23 we shall have to consider in the context of the New Testament. The Acts of the Apostles tells us how Saint Peter (9:40), Saint Paul (20:36), and the whole Christian community (21:5) pray on their knees.

Particularly important for our question is the account of the martyrdom of Saint Stephen. The first man to witness to Christ with his blood is described in his suffering as a perfect image of Christ, whose Passion is repeated in the martyrdom of the witness, even in small details. One of these is that Stephen, on his knees, takes up the petition of the crucified Christ: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (7:60). We should remember that Luke, unlike Matthew and Mark, speaks of the Lord kneeling in Gethsemane, which shows that Luke wants the kneeling of the first martyr to be seen as his entry into the prayer of Jesus. Kneeling is not only a Christian gesture, but a christological one.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is both Christological and cosmic. Jesus kneels before the Father in prayer. If Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, kneels before the Father, why should we be any different?

By the way, for Catholics, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass should never be merely an historical re-enactment of the Last Supper. At every Mass, we are just as present there, at Calvary and at the Tomb as were the Blessed Mother, the Apostles and St. Mary Magdalene. We aren’t repeating history, we are living the Sacred and salviffic mystery of our faith.

To say that the Apostles didn’t kneel at the Last Supper (and how do we know that they didn’t–after all, at the end of St. John’s Gospel he notes that it is impossible to record every single thing that happened) is to buy into the Protestant notion of historical re-enactment. This particular viewpoint is also very prelevent in the Neocatechumenal Way, which, until very recently, used to have their communicants receive Holy Communion seated, just like they supposed the Apostles did. Pope Benedict personally told them to cease and desist and he also directed Francis Cardinal Arinze to give the Way their marching orders.

 

[Walking_Home]

Talk about private interpretation! That is one of the biggest stretches I haave ever seen. Have you ever heard of inculturalization? or different Bishops conferences? The Bishop is the High Priest of his **diocese (Pope Benedict reaffirmed this in the letter about the TLM)

And the instruction is for the Mass you are attending. How on earth could you even have the 2 forms with your illogical reasoning?

Lux**​

Private --interpretation—are you saying a bishop and/or a bishop’s conference is not answerable to the Church. You must be under the impression that the bishops and/or conferences have the authority to do as they will.

Yes --the bishop is the high priest of his diocese — but neither he or his diocese stand alone. I believe it was Archbishop Ranjith who put it plainly – a bishop who disobeys the Pope in reference to the TLM — is an instrument of the devil. So you see --how a bishop manages his diocese --must be within the mind of the Church.

And yes— I’ve heard of inculturation. Guess what – the Church has realized --it has run amok. As Arch. Ranjith stated – a more proper term for what has happened is de-culturation.

Archbishop Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don, secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on inculturation.

katobs.se/art_intew_ranjith.htm

As for what has been carried out up to now, one cannot be altogether satisfied. Some positive developments are visible, like the large scale use of vernacular languages in liturgy, making the sacraments better understood and to that extent better participated, and the use of art, music and Asian gestures at worship. But a lot of arbitrariness and inconsistency can also be noted, arbitrariness through the permitting of all kinds of experiments and officialisation of such practices without proper study or critical evaluation.

By inconsistency I mean practices we introduce as adaptations but per se are incompatible with our culture, like just a bow instead of genuflection or prostration before the Holy Eucharist, or communion in the hand received standing, which is far below levels of consideration given to the Sacred in Asia. In some countries, instead of introducing liturgical vestments or utensils reflective of local values, their use has been reduced to a minimum, or even abandoned. I was at times shocked to see priests and even bishops celebrating or concelebrating without the proper liturgical attire. This is not inculturation but de-culturation, if such a word exists.

A closer spirit of cooperation with the Holy See in this matter would be needed. There is too much drifting in the matter and even an attitude of “who cares?” that leaves everything to free interpretation and the creativity of single persons. Besides, I wonder if there is a sufficient awareness of what the Council itself mentioned on the matter and the guidelines given in Varietates Legitimae (“Legitimate Differences,” instruction, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Jan. 25, 1994) and no. 22 of Ecclesia in Asia (“Church in Asia,” apostolic exhortation on the Church in Asia, Pope John Paul II, November 6, 1999).

 

[LilyM]

Perhaps this statement from Pope Benedict’s book, the Spirit of the Liturgy, will brings things into perspective for you:

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is both Christological and cosmic. Jesus kneels before the Father in prayer. If Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, kneels before the Father, why should we be any different?

By the way, for Catholics, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass should never be merely an historical re-enactment of the Last Supper. At every Mass, we are just as present there, at Calvary and at the Tomb as were the Blessed Mother, the Apostles and St. Mary Magdalene. We aren’t repeating history, we are living the Sacred and salviffic mystery of our faith.

To say that the Apostles didn’t kneel at the Last Supper (and how do we know that they didn’t–after all, at the end of St. John’s Gospel he notes that it is impossible to record every single thing that happened) is to buy into the Protestant notion of historical re-enactment. This particular viewpoint is also very prelevent in the Neocatechumenal Way, which, until very recently, used to have their communicants receive Holy Communion seated, just like they supposed the Apostles did. Pope Benedict personally told them to cease and desist and he also directed Francis Cardinal Arinze to give the Way their marching orders.

So according to you and Pope Benedict, the Eastern Catholics and Eastern Orthodox, who would never dream of kneeling in their liturgies, actually do have an inferior Christology to ours? Smacks of Latin-centrism or West-centrism (if I may be bold to coin sch a phrase) to me.

 

[Lux_et_Tenebrae]

The true community is the Church. Each parish community forms part of the Church community. This is the community you are I belong to —the Church. You in your parish, me in mine, others in theirs – together worship united in prayer as a community —not separate from one another --following the mind of the Church. When a bishop and/or priest over-rides the mind of the Church (suppresses kneeling) —he in essence is segregating his community from the Church community.

True worship in community – is worship in union with the mind of the Church.

I repeat, since you have not addressed this point–
L:

And the instruction is for the Mass you are attending. How on earth could you even have the 2 forms with your illogical reasoning?

 

[Lux_et_Tenebrae]

---

A closer spirit of cooperation with the Holy See in this matter would be needed. There is too much drifting in the matter and even an attitude of “who cares?” that leaves everything to free interpretation and the creativity of single persons. Besides, I wonder if there is a sufficient awareness of what the Council itself mentioned on the matter and the guidelines given in Varietates Legitimae (“Legitimate Differences,” instruction, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Jan. 25, 1994) and no. 22 of Ecclesia in Asia (“Church in Asia,” apostolic exhortation on the Church in Asia, Pope John Paul II, November 6, 1999).

You are the one doing free interpretation. I quoted the instructions on posture from the GIRM, and you are saying that the pope’s instruction for his Mass (where he is the celebrant) is to supercede the GIRM with USCCB adaptations which were approved by the Vatican.

Lux

 

[Lux_et_Tenebrae]

Another instruction on posture—
Postures and Gestures at Mass

Standing is a sign of respect and honor, so we stand as the celebrant who represents Christ enters and leaves the assembly. This posture, from the earliest days of the Church, has been understood as the stance of those who are risen with Christ and seek the things that are above. When we stand for prayer we assume our full stature before God, not in pride, but in humble gratitude for the marvelous thing God has done in creating and redeeming each one of us.

The posture of kneeling signified penance in the early Church: the awareness of sin casts us to the ground! So thoroughly was kneeling identified with penance that the early Christians were forbidden to kneel on Sundays and during the Easter Season when the prevailing spirit of the liturgy was that of joy and thanksgiving. In the Middle Ages kneeling came to signify the homage of a vassal to his lord, and more recently this posture has come to signify adoration. It is for this reason that the bishops of this country have chosen the posture of kneeling for the entire Eucharistic Prayer.

In addition to serving as a vehicle for the prayer of beings composed of body and spirit, the postures and gestures in which we engage at Mass have another very important function. The Church sees in these common postures and gestures both a symbol of the unity of those who have come together to worship and a means of fostering that unity. We are not free to change these postures to suit our own individual piety, for the Church makes it clear that our unity of posture and gesture is an expression of our participation in the one Body formed by the baptized with Christ, our head. When we stand, kneel, sit, bow and sign ourselves in common action, we given unambiguous witness that we are indeed the Body of Christ, united in heart, mind and spirit.

Email us at bcl@usccb.org
Secretariat for Divine Worship | 3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington DC 20017-1194 | (202) 541-3060 © USCCB. All rights reserved.

 

[Walking_Home]

You are the one doing free interpretation. I quoted the instructions on posture from the GIRM, and you are saying that the pope’s instruction for his Mass (where he is the celebrant) is to supercede the GIRM with USCCB adaptations which were approved by the Vatican.

Lux

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Lux et Tenebrae – it is disingenuous to keep denying the authority of the Pope and the CDWDS.

 

[Lux_et_Tenebrae]

---

Lux et Tenebrae – it is disingenuous to keep denying the authority of the Pope and the CDWDS.

I am not denying the authority of the Pope. I am pointing out that there are norms for the NO Mass. You may follow them or not as you choose.

I am speaking of what I feel is the better of two options. You disagree, and this is fine, but stop the accusations. I didn’t accuse you of denying the authority of the Bishops.

Lux

 

[benedictgal]

So according to you and Pope Benedict, the Eastern Catholics and Eastern Orthodox, who would never dream of kneeling in their liturgies, actually do have an inferior Christology to ours? Smacks of Latin-centrism or West-centrism (if I may be bold to coin sch a phrase) to me.

Please re-read my earlier post where I noted that Pope Benedict, in his book, and in the particular passage that I quoted, specifically addresses the Latin Rite Church. The discussion on this thread is specifically about the reception of Holy Communion in the Latin Rite. After all, the Papal Masses are celebrated in the Latin Rite.

 

[benedictgal]

I am not denying the authority of the Pope. I am pointing out that there are norms for the NO Mass. You may follow them or not as you choose.

I am speaking of what I feel is the better of two options. You disagree, and this is fine, but stop the accusations. I didn’t accuse you of denying the authority of the Bishops.

Lux

However, Luxe, the letter that I quoted from the Coingregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments was in answer to complaints by the faithful that bishops and priests in the United States were denying them Holy Communion simply because they chose to kneel to receive.

Inasmuch as the bishops’ conferences and the bishops have leeway, they cannot forbid someone from following the universal norm. The situation in the United States is an exception to the norm, an exception granted to other conferences, as well. However, as the Holy See indicated, episcopal conferences and individuals bishops and priests cannot deny a person Holy Communion simply because the person is kneeling.

Furthermore, episcopal conferences have been taken to the liturgical woodshed before for some real zingers. Recall that Pope John Paul II took the Australians to task because the bishops were using General Absolution on a wholesale basis. That is why the circular letter on the sacrament of penance was published.

Therefore, even conferences are prone to some real bloopers.

 

[Walking_Home]

Another instruction on posture—
Postures and Gestures at Mass

Email us at bcl@usccb.org
Secretariat for Divine Worship | 3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington DC 20017-1194 | (202) 541-3060 © USCCB. All rights reserved.

---

Seems the USCCB would fall in as one of those groups that want to talk us out of kneeling.

Now between the Pope Benedict XVI a theologian — and the USCCB — well I wouldn’t place my vote with the USCCB.

The theology of kneeling is explained by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in the following excerpt from a chapter, “The Body and the Liturgy”, in The Spirit of the Liturgy, published by Ignatius Press in 2000, reprinted with permission. This important work, by the Catholic Church’s chief official on Catholic doctrine, was reviewed for AB by Father Paul Scalia (“The Scandal of the Liturgy”, Dec.2000/Jan 2001). See also Jesuit Father James Schall’s column on the book.

adoremus.org/1102TheologyKneel.html

There are groups, of no small influence, who are trying to talk us out of kneeling. “It doesn’t suit our culture”, they say (which culture?) “It’s not right for a grown man to do this – he should face God on his feet”. Or again: “It’s not appropriate for redeemed man – he has been set free by Christ and doesn’t need to kneel any more”.

The kneeling of Christians is not a form of inculturation into existing customs. It is quite the opposite, an expression of Christian culture, which transforms the existing culture through a new and deeper knowledge and experience of God.

Kneeling does not come from any culture – it comes from the Bible and its knowledge of God. The central importance of kneeling in the Bible can be seen in a very concrete way. The word proskynein alone occurs fifty-nine times in the New Testament, twenty-four of which are in the Apocalypse, the book of the heavenly Liturgy, which is presented to the Church as the standard for her own Liturgy.

 

[Lux_et_Tenebrae]

---

Seems the USCCB would fall in as one of those groups that want to talk us out of kneeling.

Now between the Pope Benedict XVI a theologian — and the USCCB — well I wouldn’t place my vote with the USCCB.

The theology of kneeling is explained by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in the following excerpt from a chapter, “The Body and the Liturgy”, in The Spirit of the Liturgy, published by Ignatius Press in 2000, reprinted with permission. This important work, by the Catholic Church’s chief official on Catholic doctrine, was reviewed for AB by Father Paul Scalia (“The Scandal of the Liturgy”, Dec.2000/Jan 2001). See also Jesuit Father James Schall’s column on the book.

adoremus.org/1102TheologyKneel.html

There are groups, of no small influence, who are trying to talk us out of kneeling. “It doesn’t suit our culture”, they say (which culture?) “It’s not right for a grown man to do this – he should face God on his feet”. Or again: “It’s not appropriate for redeemed man – he has been set free by Christ and doesn’t need to kneel any more”.

The kneeling of Christians is not a form of inculturation into existing customs. It is quite the opposite, an expression of Christian culture, which transforms the existing culture through a new and deeper knowledge and experience of God.

Kneeling does not come from any culture – it comes from the Bible and its knowledge of God. The central importance of kneeling in the Bible can be seen in a very concrete way. The word proskynein alone occurs fifty-nine times in the New Testament, twenty-four of which are in the Apocalypse, the book of the heavenly Liturgy, which is presented to the Church as the standard for her own Liturgy.

You are really on thin ice here. You can kneel all you wish, but you really better rethink your position on other matters. (Now adoramus supercedes the GIRM)
Remember pride is the most deadly of the Capital sins, and the bishops are the successors of the Apostles.

(And speaking of the bible—
Ps40:7
sacrifice and offering you do not want; but ears open to obedience you gave me. Holocausts and sin-offerings you do not require;
8
so I said, "Here I am; your commands for me are written in the scroll.

And you might wish to check Canon law and the Catechism regarding obedience and respect for your bishop)

Lux

 

[benedictgal]

You are really on thin ice here. You can kneel all you wish, but you really better rethink your position on other matters. (Now adoramus supercedes the GIRM)
Remember pride is the most deadly of the Capital sins, and the bishops are the successors of the Apostles.

(And speaking of the bible—
Ps40:7
sacrifice and offering you do not want; but ears open to obedience you gave me. Holocausts and sin-offerings you do not require;
8
so I said, "Here I am; your commands for me are written in the scroll.

And you might wish to check Canon law and the Catechism regarding obedience and respect for your bishop)

Lux

I think that there is a lot of confusion here. First of all, the Holy See does not give the episcopal conferences nor the bishop carte blanche to do with as they please as far as the Mass is concerned.

Any proposed changes must be submitted by the episcopal conferences to the Holy See in order to secure the necessary recognitio (permission). Furthermore, while the Bishop is the Chief Liturgycal Steward of his diocese, he does not operate in a vaccuum. According to Redemptionis Sacramentum:

[21.] It pertains to the diocesan Bishop, then, “within the limits of his competence, to set forth liturgical norms in his Diocese, by which all are bound”.45 Still, the Bishop must take care not to allow the removal of that liberty foreseen by the norms of the liturgical books so that the celebration may be adapted in an intelligent manner to the Church building, or to the group of the faithful who are present, or to particular pastoral circumstances in such a way that the universal sacred rite is truly accommodated to human understanding.46

[22.] The Bishop governs the particular Church entrusted to him,47 and it is his task to regulate, to direct, to encourage, and sometimes also to reprove;48 this is a sacred task that he has received through episcopal Ordination,49 which he fulfills in order to build up his flock in truth and holiness.50 He should elucidate the inherent meaning of the rites and the liturgical texts, and nourish the spirit of the Liturgy in the Priests, Deacons and lay faithful51 so that they are all led to the active and fruitful celebration of the Eucharist,52 and in like manner he should take care to ensure that the whole body of the Church is able to grow in the same understanding, in the unity of charity, in the diocese, in the nation and in the world. 53

“Within the limits of his competence” is a very important statement because even the bishop’s authority has its boundaries, as noted by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in the letter they sent to the USCCB regarding distribution of Holy Communion.

Furthermore, RS notes that:

24.] It is the right of the Christian people themselves that their diocesan Bishop should take care to prevent the occurrence of abuses in ecclesiastical discipline, especially as regards the ministry of the word, the celebration of the sacraments and sacramentals, the worship of God and devotion to the Saints. 57

So, it is a two-way street. The bishop needs to both enforce and obey the liturgical norms.

 

[Walking_Home]

You are really on thin ice here. You can kneel all you wish, but you really better rethink your position on other matters. (Now adoramus supercedes the GIRM)
Remember pride is the most deadly of the Capital sins, and the bishops are the successors of the Apostles.

(And speaking of the bible—
Ps40:7
sacrifice and offering you do not want; but ears open to obedience you gave me. Holocausts and sin-offerings you do not require;
8
so I said, "Here I am; your commands for me are written in the scroll.

And you might wish to check Canon law and the Catechism regarding obedience and respect for your bishop)

Lux

---

I am sure the Church is aware of Canon Law.
No adoremus does not superceed the GIRM —but the Pope and the CDWDS does. Pope Benedict XVI then Card --prefect of the CDWDS is the one being quoted. Adoremus is an avenue that keeps people informed.

By the way — I’ve seen it before. When ones argument is found lacking --the next step is to to attribute some sin to the other. So I do not find your comments above surprising.

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html

HE REGULATION OF THE SACRED LITURGY

[15.] The Roman Pontiff, “the Vicar of Christ and the Pastor of the universal Church on earth, by virtue of his supreme office enjoys full, immediate and universal ordinary power, which he may always freely exercise”[35], also by means of communication with the pastors and with the members of the flock.

[16.] “It pertains to the Apostolic See to regulate the Sacred Liturgy of the universal Church, to publish the liturgical books and to grant the recognitio for their translation into vernacular languages, as well as to ensure that the liturgical regulations, especially those governing the celebration of the most exalted celebration of the Sacrifice of the Mass, are everywhere faithfully observed”.[36]

[17.] “The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments attends to those matters that pertain to the Apostolic See as regards the regulation and promotion of the Sacred Liturgy, and especially the Sacraments, with due regard for the competence of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It fosters and enforces sacramental discipline, especially as regards their validity and their licit celebration”. Finally, it “carefully seeks to ensure that the liturgical regulations are observed with precision, and that abuses are prevented or eliminated whenever they are detected”[37]. In this regard, according to the tradition of the universal Church, pre-eminent solicitude is accorded the celebration of Holy Mass, and also to the worship that is given to the Holy Eucharist even outside Mass.

 

[Walking_Home]

I think that there is a lot of confusion here. First of all, the Holy See does not give the episcopal conferences nor the bishop carte blanche to do with as they please as far as the Mass is concerned.

Any proposed changes must be submitted by the episcopal conferences to the Holy See in order to secure the necessary recognitio (permission). Furthermore, while the Bishop is the Chief Liturgycal Steward of his diocese, he does not operate in a vaccuum. According to Redemptionis Sacramentum:

“Within the limits of his competence” is a very important statement because even the bishop’s authority has its boundaries, as noted by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in the letter they sent to the USCCB regarding distribution of Holy Communion.

Furthermore, RS notes that:

So, it is a two-way street. The bishop needs to both enforce and obey the liturgical norms.

---

Exactly.

 

[Lux_et_Tenebrae]

"Walking_Home:

By the way — I’ve seen it before. When ones argument is found lacking --the next step is to to attribute some sin to the other. So I do not find your comments above surprising.

---

Lux et Tenebrae – it is disingenuous to keep denying the authority of the Pope and the CDWDS.

Need I say more? I never disrespected nor disobeyed anyone, yet you accused me falsely. Perhaps you might want to re-read your comments about the USCCB.

Lux

 

[Walking_Home]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Walking_Home
By the way — I’ve seen it before. When ones argument is found lacking --the next step is to to attribute some sin to the other. So I do not find your comments above surprising.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Walking_Home View Post
Lux et Tenebrae – it is disingenuous to keep denying the authority of the Pope and the CDWDS.

Need I say more? ** I never disrespected nor disobeyed anyone, yet you accused me falsely**. Perhaps you might want to re-read your comments about the USCCB.

Lux

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Lux et Tenebrae – When I started by debate with you I was going under the assumption that you were grossly misinformed as to the authoritative structure of the Church–but it has become quite obvious that you are ignoring the authoritative statements by the CDWDS.

Perhaps you may want to read the statements by Pope Benedict XVI when he was prefect of the CDF (which I quoted in reference to the quote from the USCCB) --and what he has said now as Pope.

 

[benedictgal]

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Lux et Tenebrae – When I started by debate with you I was going under the assumption that you were grossly misinformed as to the authoritative structure of the Church–but it has become quite obvious that you are ignoring the authoritative statements by the CDWDS.

Perhaps you may want to read the statements by Pope Benedict XVI when he was prefect of the CDF (which I quoted in reference to the quote from the USCCB) --and what he has said now as Pope.

If there is anything to be said about Pope Benedict, it’s that he remains consistent. Whatever Joseph Ratzinger believed prior to April 19, 2005 at 5:30PM CST (our time) has not changed one iota since April 19, 2005, 5:31PM CST (our time) when he became Pope Benedict XVI.

Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for episcopal conferences and certain ordinaries and metropolitans. That is why the Holy See has to regulate and re-regulate to clean up errors and abuses.

The fact that Pope Benedict is leading by example on the issue of proper distribution of Holy Communion should have a ripple effect on the universal Church. After all, he is using the norm and not some indult.