Look Ma! No Hands!
In interesting piece in Father Z's blog today. Here (in part) it is (emphasis not mine)...
"I’m in a Novus Ordo Parish . Our assistant pastor recently announced that he would only give communion on the tongue and his extraordinary minister was instructed to do the same.
A woman insisted on the hand and she went back to her pew without receiving because the priest (or extraordinary minister, don’t know which) the priest had announced (or EM, told) that ONLY on the tongue at his masses. Somebody complained (perhaps, herself) to the Pastor and he did not back up the assistant pastor."
What led to this (I just found out from the man that assists with the paten at his masses) was that the priest saw a woman place the Blessed Sacrament in her purse and the priest had the man assisting him to follow her and make her receive or bring back the purse. She told the man that she was sending the Host to her son in Pakistan. Also Hosts have been found on the floor and stepped on and Hosts have been found between the pages of the missals."
Father Z responds:
"First, this pertains to the Novus Ordo, the Ordinary Form. Communion in the hand is not allowed at the Extraordinary Form. (Yet another reason for more Masses in the Extraordinary Form…. but I digress).
(I)n the authoritative document Redemptionis Sacramentum 92 we read:
"Redemptionis Sacramentum is a juridic document, it lays down the law, it is in AAS 96/9, pp. 549ff, and it was approved by the Supreme Pontiff who ordered that it be obeyed. It has not been superseded.
In individual circumstances, if the priest (or Extraordinary minister, I suppose) believes there is a real danger of profanation, it the Holy See would surely back him up in prohibiting someone from receiving in the hand.
I can see refusing to give Holy Communion in the hand to a woman whom Father has seen put a Sacred Host in her purse. He would be within his rights (and it is, in fact, his responsibility) to make sure any and all who receive Holy Communion in the hand consume the host in his presence. The law backs him up. But he needs prudence and knowledge to deal with the situation.
That said, an associate should have spoken with the pastor before announcing a “policy” that he doesn’t have the authority to implement."
"I’m in a Novus Ordo Parish . Our assistant pastor recently announced that he would only give communion on the tongue and his extraordinary minister was instructed to do the same.
A woman insisted on the hand and she went back to her pew without receiving because the priest (or extraordinary minister, don’t know which) the priest had announced (or EM, told) that ONLY on the tongue at his masses. Somebody complained (perhaps, herself) to the Pastor and he did not back up the assistant pastor."
What led to this (I just found out from the man that assists with the paten at his masses) was that the priest saw a woman place the Blessed Sacrament in her purse and the priest had the man assisting him to follow her and make her receive or bring back the purse. She told the man that she was sending the Host to her son in Pakistan. Also Hosts have been found on the floor and stepped on and Hosts have been found between the pages of the missals."
Father Z responds:
"First, this pertains to the Novus Ordo, the Ordinary Form. Communion in the hand is not allowed at the Extraordinary Form. (Yet another reason for more Masses in the Extraordinary Form…. but I digress).
(I)n the authoritative document Redemptionis Sacramentum 92 we read:
Although each of the faithful always has the right to receive Holy Communion on the tongue, at his choice, if any communicant should wish to receive the Sacrament in the hand, in areas where the Bishops’ Conference with the recognitio of the Apostolic See has given permission, the sacred host is to be administered to him or her. However, special care should be taken to ensure that the host is consumed by the communicant in the presence of the minister, so that no one goes away carrying the Eucharistic species in his hand. If there is a risk of profanation, then Holy Communion should not be given in the hand to the faithful. "
"Redemptionis Sacramentum is a juridic document, it lays down the law, it is in AAS 96/9, pp. 549ff, and it was approved by the Supreme Pontiff who ordered that it be obeyed. It has not been superseded.
In individual circumstances, if the priest (or Extraordinary minister, I suppose) believes there is a real danger of profanation, it the Holy See would surely back him up in prohibiting someone from receiving in the hand.
I can see refusing to give Holy Communion in the hand to a woman whom Father has seen put a Sacred Host in her purse. He would be within his rights (and it is, in fact, his responsibility) to make sure any and all who receive Holy Communion in the hand consume the host in his presence. The law backs him up. But he needs prudence and knowledge to deal with the situation.
That said, an associate should have spoken with the pastor before announcing a “policy” that he doesn’t have the authority to implement."
Labels: sacraments
posted by jope @ January 24, 2014
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