What do you do when the tabernacle is missing

[tcraig]

Also I’ve noticed that the lack of a visible tabernacle has led to people genuflecting to the altar, the grand piano or not at all. People are talking loudly after Mass in their pews to a point of distraction for those praying their prayers of thanksgiving.

I have attended many churches in Europe where the tabernacle is in a separate side chapel. For churches that receive a lot of tourist traffic, I actually think this is preferable than having the tabernacle in the main church. Our current church is a military multi-use chapel, with the tabernacle in a separate “Blessed Sacrament” room. While I don’t know who first agreed to Catholics and protestants sharing the same worship space (bad idea in my opinion ) I also think having a separate area for the tabernacle is good in this instance.

People genuflecting when there is no visible tabernacle is probably habit, ignorance, or both. Your priest could easily put a little blurb in the parish bulletin saying that it’s proper to bow to the altar now (perhaps you could suggest this?), while stating that those who visit the Blessed Sacrament room should still genuflect when entering.

As for people talking loudly after mass … I can assure you that in many churches a visible tabernacle does not discourage this at all.

I personally don’t have a beef with separate chapels for the tabernacle. What does bother me is when the tabernacle is present in the main church, but set off to the side with the presider’s chair front and center. That just seems a little pompous to me.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I notice that people bow to the priests or the empty altar before concecration, like when everyone gathers for Mass or when someone approaches the altar during the Liturgy of the Word.
I wonder - to whom are they bowing?

The altar represents Christ and is Consecrated by the Bishop with Holy Chrism. Which is why the priest and deacon kiss the altar before Mass begins. When the tabernacle is not located within the liturgical space itself, we bow to the altar.

 

[BobP123]

The Tabernacle is NOT the center focus of the Mass, the Consecration is. The Tabernacle should be the center focus when one enters the church only outside of Mass.

That is correct and I’m glad you made that distinction.

And if I may add this, that the Tabernacle is Scripturally-based (Exodus 25) and God devoted a lot of text to describe how He wanted His place for more intimate contact with Him. (Two cherubims, etc.) It really shouldn’t be relegated anywhere. It still belongs in an area which is visible and accessible to all.

 

[BobP123]

The religion I grew up in taught that if you were present during the Offertory, Consecration, and priest’s Communion you heard Mass. It taught that the Offertory, Consecration, and priest’s Communion were the three essential parts of the Mass.

And there was a tabernacle in the church. The religion was called Catholic and was headed by a man called a pope.

I feel sorry for you people you grew up after Vatican II and don’t have a clue what the Catholic Church teaches.

 

[BobP123]

We do have many people who attempt to cling to pre-Vatican II practices. One was personal devotions, like the Rosary, instead of paying attention and participating in the Mass. Another was not receiving Holy Communion except a few times a year. That has changed now.

Actually it was Pope Pius X who encouraged frequent reception. During the period after Trent, very few Catholics felt worthy enough to receive EVER. In fact, Trent encouraged spiritual communion to circumvent this “problem.”

Later, the Church required that we receive at least once a year, during the Easter season. As far as I know, that hasn’t changed, and in some cultures people still don’t go until after they’ve gone to confession. Vatican II changed nothing in this regard.

 

[BobP123]

And I feel sorry for you who thinks you can show up after all the prayers, readings and the homily, in other words about 3/5 of the way through mass and yet feel you have satisfied your obligation. You probably feel it is perfectly alright to bolt out of mass as soon as you receive communion too.

Not quite. If you arrived late, you were urged to stay for part of the next Mass. Of course, in those days you had one Mass following another and attendance was much higher as well.

 

[gvogt4]

The religion I grew up in taught that if you were present during the Offertory, Consecration, and priest’s Communion you heard Mass. It taught that the Offertory, Consecration, and priest’s Communion were the three essential parts of the Mass.

And there was a tabernacle in the church. The religion was called Catholic and was headed by a man called a pope.

I feel sorry for you people you grew up after Vatican II and don’t have a clue what the Catholic Church teaches.

Dear Chris,

The religion I grew up in teaches “the first precept (“You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor”) requires the faithful to sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord as well as the principal liturgical feasts honoring the mysteries of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the saints; in the first place, by participating in the Eucharistic celebration, in which the Christian community is gathered”.
It also teaches “In the earthly liturgy we share in a foretaste of that heavenly liturgy which is celebrated in the Holy City of Jerusalem toward which we journey as pilgrims, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God, Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle. With all the warriors of the heavenly army we sing a hymn of glory to the Lord; venerating the memory of the saints, we hope for some part and fellowship with them; we eagerly await the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, until he, our life, shall appear and we too will appear with him in glory.”

Why anyone would not WANT to fully participate in this…I “have no clue”.

Back to that religion I grew up with…It IS called The Catholic Church and it IS headed by the successor of Peter, and that man IS called the pope.

 

[lak611]

Actually it was Pope Pius X who encouraged frequent reception. During the period after Trent, very few Catholics felt worthy enough to receive EVER. In fact, Trent encouraged spiritual communion to circumvent this “problem.”

Pope St. Pius X also changed First Communion to the age of reason. Previously children did not make their First Communion until they were teenagers.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Actually it was Pope Pius X who encouraged frequent reception. During the period after Trent, very few Catholics felt worthy enough to receive EVER. In fact, Trent encouraged spiritual communion to circumvent this “problem.”

Later, the Church required that we receive at least once a year, during the Easter season. As far as I know, that hasn’t changed, and in some cultures people still don’t go until after they’ve gone to confession. Vatican II changed nothing in this regard.

You are correct Pope Pius X wrote on the Mass and the Eucharist pre-Vatican II. I believe that there are other pre-Vatican II documents that also mention frequent reception of Holy Communion. Many Eucharistic documents after Vatican II encourage the faithful to receive Holy Communion at any Mass they attend and are not aware of any unconfessed Mortal sins. I didn’t mean to imply that the Documents of Vatican II specifically changed this.

 

[Matas]

The altar represents Christ and is Consecrated by the Bishop with Holy Chrism. Which is why the priest and deacon kiss the altar before Mass begins. When the tabernacle is not located within the liturgical space itself, we bow to the altar.

Perhaps my church is unique. Our tabernacle stands on one side of the altar, not more than 20 feet away. If you come up from that side of the nave to approach the altar, the tabernacle is on your left and the altar is on your right. The sacremental presence of Christ resides in the tabernacle the same distance away as the altar. Most parishoners turn and bow to the altar, even though the altar is empty. I don’t understand this behavior, or why this behavior would be encouraged. On one hand, I have a representation of Christ, the altar, and on the other, I have the Real Presence of Christ as the Eucharist. So again I ask you, where should I bow? My heart tells me to bow to the tabernacle.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Perhaps my church is unique. Our tabernacle stands on one side of the altar, not more than 20 feet away. If you come up from that side of the nave to approach the altar, the tabernacle is on your left and the altar is on your right. The sacremental presence of Christ resides in the tabernacle the same distance away as the altar. Most parishoners turn and bow to the altar, even though the altar is empty. I don’t understand this behavior, or why this behavior would be encouraged. On one hand, I have a representation of Christ, the altar, and on the other, I have the Real Presence of Christ as the Eucharist. So again I ask you, where should I bow? My heart tells me to bow to the tabernacle.

At your parish as you describe it everyone should be turning toward the tabernacle and genuflecting. I have visited parishes where the tabernacle is located in the rear of the church but still in the church. I turn around and face the tabernacle and genuflect before entering or leaving a pew.

 

[Matas]

At your parish as you describe it everyone should be turning toward the tabernacle and genuflecting. I have visited parishes where the tabernacle is located in the rear of the church but still in the church. I turn around and face the tabernacle and genuflect before entering or leaving a pew.

Thank-you for the clarification. I’ve only once walked into a church where I could not immediately find the tabernacle (i.e. the red light). I was confused and felt funny about bowing to the altar. Most everywhere else, it’s a “no-brainer.” I believe in the Real Presence of Christ Jesus in the Eucharist, and your comments do mean a lot to me. Once again, thank-you.

 

[Miserissima]

At your parish as you describe it everyone should be turning toward the tabernacle and genuflecting. I have visited parishes where the tabernacle is located in the rear of the church but still in the church. I turn around and face the tabernacle and genuflect before entering or leaving a pew.

I second that. I was in a parish in East Lansing that did not have the tabernacle on the main altar, but people bowed to the altar. It took a me little while to get into that habit.

But as we were able to see the tabernacle in the adjoining chapel (through a glass partition), I would always genuflect toward that first, before I bowed. To me, it’s just awkward to not have the tabernacle in the main part of the church building.

I notice that people bow to the priests or the empty altar before concecration…to whom are they bowing?

If the two are separate, we are instructed to genuflect to the tabernacle and bow to the altar. The GIRM (2002) gives more directions about when to genuflect (#274) and. when to bow (#275).

The reasoning is as follows: first let me cite an article by Dennis Smolarski, SJ:

The GIRM (n. 298) reminds us of the ancient tradition of seeing the altar as representing Christ, the Living Stone (cf. 1 Peter 2:4). Because of this association, a bow of the body is prescribed as the normal gesture made toward the altar, as if toward Christ himself.

This is supported by the Guidelines of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops: The Church Building and the Sacred Rites Celebrated There: The Eucharist: § 57 § “…[the] mensa…represents Christ Jesus, the Living Stone (1 Pt 2:4). That is why we bow to it, although there is no one there."

So even if Christ (in the presence of the Eucharist) isn’t on the main altar, we are still required to bow toward the altar, because Christ, the “cornerstone,” is represented by the altar table, or mensa sacra.

On a separate note, I do not want to devolve into flaming, but I feel strongly compelled to reply to this post:

The religion I grew up in taught that if you were present during the Offertory, Consecration, and priest’s Communion you heard Mass. It taught that the Offertory, Consecration, and priest’s Communion were the three essential parts of the Mass.

The Mass is the Mass – the whole Mass. There is the holiest part of the Mass, the consecration, but it is an entire and total Mass. Incidentally, when I was in Catholic school in the 80’s, I was taught that one stayed from the first blessing to the last, period.

I feel sorry for you people you grew up after Vatican II and don’t have a clue what the Catholic Church teaches.

No one has “a clue” unless one does research and prays for understanding. Both of which I have found on this forum: people seeking, people answering, people supporting.

That is why I will say this: how dare you undermine this forum and the Catholic community at-large with your verbal assault. People are here to learn, grow, and build each other up spiritually. We are an online community united by our love of the Eucharist.

There are many of us in the Church who have been shaken by a change in the liturgy and its implementation, but your insults do nothing but alienate others and cause discord, rather than educate, enlighten, or inspire. Your comments lead to further disunity among the Church’s own members, undermining the concept of the Body of Christ.

Fortunately, I have found that people here, regardless of which era of the Church in which they were raised, are here to engage in the following Catholic behavior:

to build each other up (1 Thes 5:11; Heb 3:13); to look out for each others’ best interest (Phil 2:4); to offer support (Gal 6:2); in a kind manner (1 Pet 4:9); honor and respect one another (Rom 12:10); serve each other (Gal 5:13); admonish each other (Col 3:16; Rom 15:14); think of one another (Heb 10:24); not to judge each other (Rom 15:13); and accept each other (Rom 14:1, 15:7).

If you are serious about being in this Body of Christ, act like it.

 

[Rocky8311]

Don’t worry about Mr. Jacobson. He couldn’t possibly have anything to cite that would support his words. His behavior was antisocial at worst, holier-than-thou at best. Deciding that a whole church despises Christ based on some individual’s decision on Tabernacle placement is a grave sin against charity. Is the Pope as “catholic” as you, Mr. Jacobson?

What his momma or some random nun said about how little of the Mass he really has to attend didn’t have any teaching authority back in the day any more than it does now.

 

[kaimpls]

From the talk we are hearing around here, the tabernacles are slowly moving back to the sanctuaries in the churches.

For years, ours was hidden in a corner of the crying room. A visitor to the church would never know where it was without some help. I have been on our parish council for nearly 6 years and will leave the council in July. I and others have been harping on this issue for all of those years. We were in the minority on the council and our Pastor(s) did not seem to help. Last fall, we received a new Pastor just 3 years out of the seminary. What was the first decree he made? Tabernacle - back in the sanctuary!

God, indeed, answers prayers!

Richard

 

[jc-servant]

Inaestimabile Donum states:

The tabernacle in which the Eucharist is kept can be located on an alter , or away form it, in a s pot in the church which is very prominent, truly noble, and duly decorated, or in a chapel suitable for adoration by the faithful. [ID 24]

The Code of Canon Law:

Canon 938

1. The Most Holy Eucharist is to be reserved regularly in only one tabernacle of the church or oratory.
2. The tabernacle in which the Most Holy Eucharist is reserved should be placed in a part of the church that is prominent, conspicuous, beautifully decorated, and suitable for prayer.

That seems to leave some room for debate but a side Chapel hardly sounds prominent.

I’m also not sure if this would effect the licitness of the Mass or not.

I think a lot of people have different definitions of what a “side chapel” is. My parish has the tabernacle in the “side chapel” that seats 300 and which is entirely glass in the back. It sits at a right angle from the main church which is also glass in the back. If one stands in the narthex the tabernacle is clearly visible on one hand and the altar in the main church is visible on the other.

If someone entered our main church from one of the side doors closer to the main altar, they might get upset and think we had relegated the tabernacle to somewhere awful unless they took the time to walk toward the baptismal font. I think our tabernacle is more prominently and proudly placed than the one off to the side in the main church of our cathedral. I had to really look around to find it on my first visit there even though it was at the front of the main church. The red candle was way too high hung from the ceiling.

stannparish.org/ctour/categories/category.html?id=1&imageid=7&mode=thumb&rank=11

stannparish.org/ctour/categories/category.html?id=1&imageid=17&mode=thumb&rank=27

A huge consideration for us in placement of the tabernacle is that while one of our 6 Sunday liturgies (not including anticipatory) is happening, people can have quiet prayer in the chapel before the tabernacle. Masses are scheduled so closely together that there is no real “quiet” time in the main church before anything but the 8am mass due to the tramping of feet exiting and entering simultaneously on stone floors.

We now also have a smaller PEA chapel that I think may hold 50 people or so. It is in another building in the complex with Jesus visible in a monstrance on the altar 24/7. We use a coded door and always have at least 2 scheduled adorers (male at night) for security. There are also panic buttons inside in case of emergency. It was started in part because people got tired of being tossed out of adoring in the “side chapel” for the numerous weddings, funerals, etc. It was not good having to frequently repose the Eucharist.

I would hope that people would ask someone in a parish before jumping to any rash conclusions about their set up.

 

[ocdsmom]

I found a problem related to this…
While visiting a church where the tabernacle was in a separate room closed from the view of the sanctuary i witnessed Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist come to take hosts to the sick. The tabernacle key was kept right next to the tabernacle for anyone to use. Since there had been a desecration in my parish church 18 years ago, i was alarmed by this action. I did mention it to the priest on my way out of the church. I hope this isn’t common practice in other churches. ?
ocd(name removed by moderator)