During the reign of the original Innocent III, the pope not the Catholic Answers poster, the church didn’t have altar rails at all.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Paragraphs 1546, 1547, 1273, as well as others) the former is true but the latter is not. Through bastism, we do enter into a common priesthood. But a distinction (a chasm, really) exists between that and the ministerial priesthood that one enters through the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
During the reign of Innocent III however thesanctuary was clearly marked off and often separated by a screen. The priest would come out of the sanctuary into the nave to distribute holy communion. I do not think we want to go back to hiding the asnctuary away from the people but I do think the sactuary needs to be clearly demarcated. I was responding primarily to the claim that the absence of altar rails somehow involved the laity in the mass through linking us with the priest more closely. To me this comes perilously close to the protestant heresy of the priesthood of all believers. The catholic priesthood is a sacramental priesthood called and set apart by Christ. No-one can substitute for a priest or act in concert with him unless he be another priest. Altar rails are not necessary although I believe they are desirable, but clear distinction between laity and priesthood is.
Might I suggest a quick review of Church history? I believe there were altar rails as early as the fourth century, perhaps even earlier.
I think you are correct here, although I do not see how this relates to the topic of discussion. Nevertheless, one can sit without a pew and kneel without a kneeler.
As InnocentIII (CA poster, not the 12th Century Pope) stated, altar rails are not necessary. Furthermore, your cute classification of altar rails as innovations may as well be extended to priestly attire. Maybe all the priests should wear common clothing during Mass to further blur the lines between them and the laity! That would save some money, too!
next, the PostVatII inovators will want to remove the tabernacle veil, and perhaps the tabernacle door…
Where was His Eminence Francis Cardinal Arinze when we needed him?
Some people think that liturgical renewal means the removal of kneelers from church pews, the knocking down of altar rails or the positioning of the altar in the middle of the sitting area of the people. The Church has never said any such thing. Nor does liturgical restoration mean iconoclasm or the removal of all statues and sacred images. These should be displayed, albeit with good judgment. And the altar of the Blessed Sacrament should be outstanding for its beauty and honored prominence, otherwise in some so-called restored churches one could rightly lament: “They have taken my Lord away, and I don’t know where they have put Him” (Jn 20:13).
A quick comment as I must rush over the road to Adoration. We are called to a common priesthood yes, but the priesthood of all believers was a protestant innovation to deny the sacramental priesthood. Anyone could lead the service, holy communion whatever. There is always the danger in stressing the participation of the laity in tipping over into this heresy much promoted by the calvinists during the Reformation.
definately not
Why?
TOME,
The principal reason why they were removed or not installed in new churches is that the usual method of receiving communion has changed from kneeling at the rail to standing in lines.
Perhaps we should not use so many Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion! That would simplify things immensely.
That would indeed, but that leads into a question of how long the communion of the faithful ought to be in relation to the rest of the mass. That would provoke other changes as far as music selection for communion, a longer rite would mean longer music
I think we can all agree on this point. Proper catechesis would be essential for such an action to bear good fruit.
I don’t think its really catechesis, but more like rehearsal and choreography. Its certainly beneficial for catechesis (knowing why the changes are being made), but the coordination of the effort to make sure everyone knows where they are supposed to do and supposed to be at should be carefully thought out.
Whats wrong with intinction? As far as I am concerned, the chalice needs to be abolished, and intinction should be the norm for communion under both species.
The parish I attend has and uses altar rails, its not a TLM parish either, and 2 priests can distribute communion to 500 communicants in 10-15 minuites using the rail. It is not rocket science.