This interview on Communion in the hand is powerful. Bishop Athanasius Schneider tells how his family moved to Germany when he was a little boy. They tried to find a church where Communion was NOT given in the hand. They attended every church in town and all dispensed Communion in the hand. He describes coming home after attending Mass at the last church. "My mother began to weep....This profoundly impressed my soul." He gives the history of Communion and emphasizes the importance of reverence.
The loss of reverence is reflected in the way our churches turn into a social halls after Mass. This happens in almost every Catholic church these days. There is little reverence for Jesus in the tabernacle. Do those who laugh and chat ignoring the Lord of Lords really believe He is present there?
Pray for a return to reverence. If you receive in the hand, consider returning to Communion on the tongue. Jesus calls us to be like little children. What more graphic image of our relationship to God our Father than to open our mouths like little children waiting to be fed with the bread of life.
I can fathom, at least, Eucharistic Ministers helping the priest when there are so many parisioners at a Mass, but why when there are so few at a daily Mass? And why does the priest wash his hands with holy water, but these folks not? Sorry Jesus.
ReplyDeletePriest are also human that makes mistakes.Reverence for the Holy Eucharist should be first and foremost in the minds of the servants of God.The problem is ..lots of them lost the sense for holiness,what is sacred,and what is not sacred,Due mostly perhaps to lack of prayers,fasting and self denials....
ReplyDelete"And why does the priest wash his hands with holy water, but these folks not? Sorry Jesus."
ReplyDeleteC'mon, Paul!
Dontcha know that the (unecessary - in most cases) EMoHC have been commissioned at the parish level to "wash" their hands with hand sinitizer?
I am sure the bishops will appeal to Rome soon for approval in the GIRM.
Mary Ann,
ReplyDeleteIf you can, get a copy of Bishop Schneider's incredible little book titled, "Dominus Est!" ("It is the Lord!") - do so.
In it he gives ample reasons why we need to return to the posture of receiving on the tongue while kneeling. The book was published by Fr. Stravinskas' Newman House Press - but it is very rare and - unfortunately - expensive (off of Amazon or E-bay).
You may be able to find a copy via a distributor for the normal price of $7-9. Do a google search for it - good luck.
Kevin Lents
""wash" their hands with hand sinitizer?"
ReplyDeleteSorry! I meant "SANitizer."
My fault - I was not trying to imply those good and holy EMoHC are sinners.
Mea Culpa.
can get Dominus Est through the Opus Angelorum site for $7
ReplyDeletehttp://www.opusangelorum.org/Books/Books.html
It has been stated in a Communist Manisfesto from the early 1900's that what better way to destroy the Catholic Church then having the people receive communion in the hand. Just read old catechism books pre Vatican II-the Eucharist should be received on the tongue (with a paten under our chins) and kneeling. Receiving communion in the hand takes the sacredness out of the Eucharist and makes it as common as eating a piece of candy due to the manner in which it is received.
ReplyDeleteThere are reasons why the priest washes his hands and why it is priests, and priests alone, who should be dispensing the Eucharist. Just go read the scriptures and ask yourself when Christ met Thomas why did he let Thomas touch him and not Mary Magdelen? And I am sure there will be arguments galore on that statement and how ignorant it is but go read the history of the Church, dogmas, Papal Bulls, Council of Trent, lives of Saints, and anything by Pius X and it will make sense. When we go to Adoration, we kneel, when we are at our judgement I am pretty sure that I will be on my knees and not standing before the throne of The Almighty . And who are we, sinners, to touch the Divine and sacred?