Who Can Open The Tabernacle?

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Thank you for your help. You have answered the question of weather or not lay people can open the Tabernacle outside of the mass but you have not answered the question of weather or not they can open the Tabernacle during mass with your quote. The the document you quote also contain the answer to this question also?
 
lancebermudez said:
Thank you for your help. You have answered the question of weather or not lay people can open the Tabernacle outside of the mass but you have not answered the question of weather or not they can open the Tabernacle during mass with your quote. The the document you quote also contain the answer to this question also?
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I could find nothing in Redemptionis Sacramentum or the GIRM to say that the EMHC couldn’t retrieve the ciborium and bring it to the altar for the priest. The GIRM assumes that there is no need to go to the tabernacle for the ciborium because an adequate number of hosts have been consecrated.

The GIRM is clear, though, that the EMHC cannot go to the tabernacle and retrieve the ciborium and start to give out Communion:
  1. The priest may be assisted in the distribution of Communion by other priests who happen to be present. If such priests are not present and there is a very large number of communicants, the priest may call upon extraordinary ministers to assist him, e.g., duly instituted acolytes or even other faithful who have been deputed for this purpose.97 In case of necessity, the priest may depute suitable faithful for this single occasion.98
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These ministers should not approach the altar before the priest has received Communion, and they are always to receive from the hands of the priest celebrant the vessel containing either species of the Most Holy Eucharist for distribution to the faithful.
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lancebermudez said:
Thank you for your help. You have answered the question of weather or not lay people can open the Tabernacle outside of the mass but you have not answered the question of weather or not they can open the Tabernacle during mass with your quote. The the document you quote also contain the answer to this question also?
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Case in point.

I recently attended a Mass where they ran out during Communion. The EMHC went to the tabernacle and got a ciborium of previously consecrated hosts, and came back to her line. Shortly after, the priest in the other line ran out, and the EMHC gave him some of those that she had gotten from the tabernacle a few minutes before…

problem, or not? not opinion, documented fact, please.
 
lancebermudez said:
This may sound rude but what is the document that you are speaking from that says only an ordained person such as a deacon or father may open the Tabernacle? I have read the postings and must have missed your document source. So far it only sounds like opion and not fact. How ever i do agree that is should be an ordained person for mass to open and close the Tabernacle. Outside of mass in my parish lay people open the Tabernacle to take comminoue to the home bound and sick. Also the sacrestins are lay people and they some time open the Tabernacle before mass to see how much bread to set out for Jesus through his preist to turn into his body.
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I am a woman sacristan for my parish’s latin Mass chapel. With the authority of a priest I am allowed to open the tabernacle. Just last week the priest asked me how many consecrated hosts were in the tablernacle. I told the priest I had no idea, I have never opened the tabernacle. He responded, “I need to know how many are in there.”, so I did it. I am sure it bothered some folks to see me do it, but my duty is to serve my priest. One of my friends asked me about it later because it bothered her. She didn’t know it was allowed.

I have a pre-1962 sacristan’s handbook and in it it says that only priest are allowed to touch the sacred vessals and open the tabernacle, but with the authority of the priest, the sacristan can be allowed to do this. Also pre-1962, there were woman as well as men sacristans.
 
OpusFan said:
At morning mass in this parish I visited, there was a need to get consecrated hosts from the tabernacle and instead of the Priest or Deacon getting them, two women walked over to the tabernacle, half genuflected, opened the tabernacle and removed the hosts placing them on the altar.

OpusFan
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OpusFan said:
Hi Buffalo,

The lack of reverence for the Holy Tabernacle was shocking. I was both angry and sad at the complete lack of reverence.

OpusFan
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I don’t understand what the lack of reverence was that was so shocking…how more “reverant” could they have been? Seeing as how you didn’t even know if they were allowed to open the tabernacle yet, yet you were “shocked”? What did they do that was so irreverant? you said “COMPLETE lack of reverance” I honestly don’t know what more they could have done to fit into your standard of “reverence”.
 
Don’t you find it interesting that God didn’t strike them dead? I know that in the old testament when someone laid their hands on the ark of the Lord without permission God struck them down dead.

The bible teaches that God’s spirit is now in US, not in the tabernacle or the Eucharist. Which is why they are probably still alive!

(that’s just the protestant in me talking… try not to be offended 😃 )
 
lancebermudez said:
This may sound rude but what is the document that you are speaking from that says only an ordained person such as a deacon or father may open the Tabernacle?
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Redemptionis Sacramentum has been both cited and alluded to several times during this thread.

Redemtionis Sacramentum came out two years ago (?), and is the governing document for behaviour around the Holy Eucharist.
 
agapewolf said:
I don’t understand what the lack of reverence was that was so shocking…how more “reverant” could they have been? Seeing as how you didn’t even know if they were allowed to open the tabernacle yet, yet you were “shocked”? What did they do that was so irreverant? you said “COMPLETE lack of reverance” I honestly don’t know what more they could have done to fit into your standard of “reverence”.
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In Response To AgapeWolf,

As a catholic that has always attended pretty conservative parishes, I never knew that anyone outside of a priest or deacon could approach the tabernacle.

In my upbringing and in my childhood cathechism training, the tabernacle for me was like the tabernacle in the old testament, veil and or curtain to boot.

In my personal opinion I can see the practical reasons for having EHMC’s but I feel that the tabernacle should be reverenced as a Holy Temple for our Lord. Inner temple access was reserved for priests in the old testament and I see the tabernacle in the same light.

I personally feel that access to the tabernacle should be limited to an ordained priest/deacon. Call it old fashioned, I like to think of it as respect. Just my 2 cents…

God’s Blessings To All

OpusFan
 
ethelzguy said:
Case in point.

I recently attended a Mass where they ran out during Communion. The EMHC went to the tabernacle and got a ciborium of previously consecrated hosts, and came back to her line. Shortly after, the priest in the other line ran out, and the EMHC gave him some of those that she had gotten from the tabernacle a few minutes before…

problem, or not? not opinion, documented fact, please.
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In that case the priest should have retrieved the ciborium and given it to the EMHC to continue giving Communion. That’s based on GIRM # 162 that I quoted in post # 22.
 
myredeemerlives said:
Don’t you find it interesting that God didn’t strike them dead? I know that in the old testament when someone laid their hands on the ark of the Lord without permission God struck them down dead.

The bible teaches that God’s spirit is now in US, not in the tabernacle or the Eucharist. Which is why they are probably still alive!

(that’s just the protestant in me talking… try not to be offended 😃 )
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Actually, what you speak is heresy. Jesus spent a great deal of time in the sixth chapter of St. John’s Gospel explaining how his Body and Blood were real food and drink. In the Last Supper, He said, “Take and eat, this is MY BODY. Take and drink, this is MY BLOOD.” It’s interesting how the protestants will take the stranger parts of the bible literally, but, when it comes to Jesus’ own words, they dismiss them as symbolic.

Jesus is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity are contained in that Sacred Host.

Incidentally, Mary is the new Ark of the Covenant, the new Tabernacle, if you will. The OT Ark held symbols that foreshadowed what was to come. The Ark held the Manna, the Law and the Rod of Aaron. In her womb, Mary held the Bread of Life, the Author of the Law and the Eternal Priest. Mary was not struck dead because she held God within her.

For a person to say that Jesus is not in the Tabernacle is to have a gross misunderstanding of the faith of the Church.
 
OpusFan said:
I went to a new parish this morning for morning mass and was truly in shock. I am a Cradle Catholic and I remember the reverence that there was for the tabernacle behind the main altar.

As a child I remember always seeing the tabernacle covered with a curtain and the tremendous reverence there was whenever a priest opened the tabernacle to obtain or store consecrated hosts.

At morning mass in this parish I visited, there was a need to get consecrated hosts from the tabernacle and instead of the Priest or Deacon getting them, two women walked over to the tabernacle, half genuflected, opened the tabernacle and removed the hosts placing them on the altar.

It was the first time in my life I ever saw a non religious person ever open the tabernacle and it threw me for a loop. Forgetting about gender issues and the priesthood, is it correct for a layman to open the tabernacle and handle the hosts?

Thanks for the forum.
God’s Blessings to All

OpusFan
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If you truly were in “shock” over this, you need some professional help. I suggest contacting your pastor for a private meeting.
 
OpusFan said:
In Response To AgapeWolf,

As a catholic that has always attended pretty conservative parishes, I never knew that anyone outside of a priest or deacon could approach the tabernacle.

In my upbringing and in my childhood cathechism training, the tabernacle for me was like the tabernacle in the old testament, veil and or curtain to boot.

In my personal opinion I can see the practical reasons for having EHMC’s but I feel that the tabernacle should be reverenced as a Holy Temple for our Lord. Inner temple access was reserved for priests in the old testament and I see the tabernacle in the same light.

I personally feel that access to the tabernacle should be limited to an ordained priest/deacon. Call it old fashioned, I like to think of it as respect. Just my 2 cents…

God’s Blessings To All

OpusFan
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I understand this, but at the time, you didnt know if it was allowed, and if it was allowed, then nothing was wrong. NOTHING.

Again, how was there COMPLETE IRREVERANCE?!?!?! I think it is quite a judgement, presumptious, and at the very least a huge overstatement to say they were being irreverant.
 
OpusFan said:
Whatever 👍
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That’s a very poor answer; no wonder agapewolf gets frustrated by the tone and demeanor of many of the more traditionally-minded people on this forum.

Please answer questions with charity… and actually answer them.
 
Shoshana said:
I am an EMHC and for the past ten years have not opened or closed the Tabernacle. I also bring Communion to the sick but it is only the pastor that can go to the Taberncale to get Jesus.
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I believe during the Mass if possible the priest should always be the one to approach the tabernacle unless it’s physically impossible for him to do so.

However, outside the Mass is a little bit different. My Parish Priest runs 5 Parishes. He has two retired priests help him [One more frail than the other], we have no deacons and no instituted acolytes. Our PP also has diocesan responsibilities.

He relies very much so on the EMHC to take our Blessed Lord to the Sick of the Parish.

It is a case of - the EMHC HAS to remove the Blessed Sacrament when going to visit the sick - we just don’t have the Priests to do it, it’s as simple as that.
 
ddd86 said:
I believe during the Mass if possible the priest should always be the one to approach the tabernacle unless it’s physically impossible for him to do so.
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If there is a deacon, the GIRM makes returning the remaining hosts to the tabernacle specifically the duty of the deacon. (2005, GIRM, Instruction #183)

If not, the priest does so. (instruction #163)
 
It should be priest or deacon at mass or if present outside as well.
A lay can only if an instituted acolyte or ext.ord. min. of Communion. Now that it is a woman…well that is unfortunate.
Another thing is that an alb and cinture should be used.
 
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