Who to go to if one sees a problem with the Mass?

[Asillia]

Hey…

My good friend Mike has asked me to ask you guys this, since he does not have access to a computer right now.

He recently moved to Cincinnati for a few months to do some volunteering…he went to his first Mass out there Sunday and told me he was angered by what he saw in the Eucharist…the church had baked its own bread, but instead of it being in small peices, he described it as being almost like pita bread and crumbly. He said he even saw one of the extraordinary ministers licking her fingers to get rid of the crumbs! (I cringed at this!)…to make it worse, the priest only broke the bread into large chunks before giving it to the other ministers, leaving them to rip off peices to give to the peoeple in line.

He found this disrespectful and irreverent; however, this is the first time he’s ever been to the church so nobody knows him. He wants to know what he should do…should he go to somebody about this, and if so, who?

 

[Genesis315]

Asillia:

Hey…

My good friend Mike has asked me to ask you guys this, since he does not have access to a computer right now.

He recently moved to Cincinnati for a few months to do some volunteering…he went to his first Mass out there Sunday and told me he was angered by what he saw in the Eucharist…the church had baked its own bread, but instead of it being in small peices, he described it as being almost like pita bread and crumbly. He said he even saw one of the extraordinary ministers licking her fingers to get rid of the crumbs! (I cringed at this!)…to make it worse, the priest only broke the bread into large chunks before giving it to the other ministers, leaving them to rip off peices to give to the peoeple in line.

He found this disrespectful and irreverent; however, this is the first time he’s ever been to the church so nobody knows him. He wants to know what he should do…should he go to somebody about this, and if so, who?

Go to the priest first with a copy of the GIRM. If things don’t change then, write the bishop.

 

[demolitionman65]

And document everything, so that if and when the bishop does nothing you can then go to the Papal nuncio and complain to him.

 

[theMutant]

I would only make a couple ammendments to what was previously posted.

First: Make sure that you are absolutely sure that you are right.

Second: If the priest in question is not the pastor, go to the pastor before you go to the bishop.

Third: At each stage, exercise patience!!! Give some time for the priest to reflect on what you say to him before going to the pastor (or the bishop). Use this time to offer prayers on their behalf. Do the same at the next level before proceeding to the one beyond that.

 

[otm]

And considering the fact that by law the host must be made out of unleavened bread, and the description fits unleavened bread, maybe you might want to rethink going to anybody but the priest, and maybe not even that.

Christ didnt have wafers; as a good Jew, he would have used something very similar at the Last Supper. Licking finger is not the best that anyone could do, but I have half a suspicion that Christ tore off pieces of bread and handed them to the apostles.

While crumbly bread makes things more difficult when distributing the host, and the EMHC could use a dose of common sense, what is wrong other than the offense to his sensibilities?

Part of the instructions concerning the Eucharist is that the host should more resemble bread than some super thin wafer that has almost no resmblance to bread.

Granted that sloppiness has no place in the Mass, neither does a hypersensitivity that over reacts in the opposite direction. People who would criticize how Christ performed the sacraments need to do some serious reflection on what Sacraments are all about.

 

[Asillia]

Thank you for advice.

otm, in my gut I do agree with you…and I don’t think it was the bread itself that has offended him, I think it’s just that there is the possiblity to spill crumbs and stuff.

Thanks again

 

[gelsbern]

I live in Cincinnati, which parish did he go to.? If he doesn’t get any response from going to anyone about these abuses, I can recommend a couple of parishes that are very strict in the following of the GIRM.

 

[Tietjen]

Asillia:

Hey…

My good friend Mike has asked me to ask you guys this, since he does not have access to a computer right now.

He recently moved to Cincinnati for a few months to do some volunteering…he went to his first Mass out there Sunday and told me he was angered by what he saw in the Eucharist…the church had baked its own bread, but instead of it being in small peices, he described it as being almost like pita bread and crumbly. He said he even saw one of the extraordinary ministers licking her fingers to get rid of the crumbs! (I cringed at this!)…to make it worse, the priest only broke the bread into large chunks before giving it to the other ministers, leaving them to rip off peices to give to the peoeple in line.

He found this disrespectful and irreverent; however, this is the first time he’s ever been to the church so nobody knows him. He wants to know what he should do…should he go to somebody about this, and if so, who?

Yes, first to the Priest and if the situation isn’t corrected, to Bishop Moeddel. If that does not put a stop to it, he should go to Archbishop Pilarczyk. He should continue with this even if it means going all the way to the Vatican. I have seen similar things happen here in Tennessee. It saddens me very greatly. It sounds as though there MAY BE two issues here. One being the ingredients used to make the bread (I believe that it is ONLY supposed to be made of wheat and water - NOTHING else) and it should NOT be crumbling. The second is that ONLY the Priest can self-administer the Holy Eucharist. It is NOT to be licked off ones fingers!
God bless.

 

[rcn]

Tietjen:

The second is that ONLY the Priest can self-administer the Holy Eucharist. It is NOT to be licked off ones fingers!
God bless.

Licking a crumb (no matter the source) from one’s hand is in no way “self-administrating”. Some people that receive in the hand will “lick” the host into their mouth without picking it up. I think it looks silly but clearly it is not wrong.

Let’s think a little bit before we start capitalizing words and hopping onto the soapbox.

 

[Tietjen]

rcn:

Licking a crumb (no matter the source) from one’s hand is in no way “self-administrating”. Some people that receive in the hand will “lick” the host into their mouth without picking it up. I think it looks silly but clearly it is not wrong.

Let’s think a little bit before we start capitalizing words and hopping onto the soapbox.

Pardon me for again voicing my concern. Perhaps someday I will learn, but today is not that day. Extraordinary Ministers who get “crumbs” on them while handing out Holy Communion are not being given those “crumbs” (the body of Christ). If they in turn eat the Holy Eucharist (“crumbs”) that were not intended for them, they are self-administering the Eucharist. Now stay off my soapbox! (Look ma, no capitalizing)
God bless.

 

[otm]

Tietjen:

Pardon me for again voicing my concern. Perhaps someday I will learn, but today is not that day. Extraordinary Ministers who get “crumbs” on them while handing out Holy Communion are not being given those “crumbs” (the body of Christ). If they in turn eat the Holy Eucharist (“crumbs”) that were not intended for them, they are self-administering the Eucharist. Now stay off my soapbox! (Look ma, no capitalizing)
God bless.

It wasn’t clear from the first post whether the EMHC licked her fingers afer having been given Communion (prior to her distributing Communion) or during (urk) or after distributing Communion. I would assume that it was either at the beginning or the end. If it was at the beginning, self-communication would not apply. If it was at the end, it may or may not apply, as the EMHC’s can receive, for example, the remains of the Cup, and if that, then by lo\gical extension, the crumbs. and since it had been handed to her by the priest (presumably), it is arguable that there is no self communication as it was presented to her prior to her distibuting.

It is still lacking in common manner and good sense (in other words, slightly gross).

 

[otm]

Tietjen:

Yes, first to the Priest and if the situation isn’t corrected, to Bishop Moeddel. If that does not put a stop to it, he should go to Archbishop Pilarczyk. He should continue with this even if it means going all the way to the Vatican. I have seen similar things happen here in Tennessee. It saddens me very greatly. It sounds as though there MAY BE two issues here. One being the ingredients used to make the bread (I believe that it is ONLY supposed to be made of wheat and water - NOTHING else) and it should NOT be crumbling. The second is that ONLY the Priest can self-administer the Holy Eucharist. It is NOT to be licked off ones fingers!
God bless.

From the description, it sounds as if the ingredients were ok. Pita bread is often made witho0ut yeast - only water and flour.

 

[Inkling]

We were recently visiting our home town and were surprised to see the host and wine consecrated in glass containers. I had recently heard on C.A. Live that it is not in good practice to use glass since there’s the possibility of breaking. Wondered if anyone else has come across that and how you handled it, or doesn’t it bother anyone but me? Thanks.

 

[otm]

Inkling:

We were recently visiting our home town and were surprised to see the host and wine consecrated in glass containers. I had recently heard on C.A. Live that it is not in good practice to use glass since there’s the possibility of breaking. Wondered if anyone else has come across that and how you handled it, or doesn’t it bother anyone but me? Thanks.

The last I heard, there was a dubium (a formal question) to Rome concerning whether or not crystal goblets could continue to be used. While perhaps not unbreakable, they do hold up better than the run of the mill wine glass or water glass. The reference was to glasses such as Waterford crystal; not what you would call a cheap water glass.

I have not heard that the dubium has been answered (although I would assume it may have been).