I am just back from a shattering five days in Rome, more of which, in future posts (as soon as I can get my Technical Director aka Wife, to download the pics).
We attended the Papal Mass on the Feast of the Epiphany a very wonderful and interesting experience it was indeed.
I do not know how many people St Peter's can accommodate but it was close to being full for the 10am Mass.
As we waited for Mass to begin (a 70 minute wait as we had arrived early to ensure a decent vantage point) we watched the Cardinals, Bishops and Monsignori of the faith as they busied up and down the aisle.
But the real ground breaking event (after the Mass itself) was that, at Communion, some 60 or 70 priests processed down the nave, each accompanied by an acolyte. They positioned themselves along the nave on both sides and began to distribute the Blessed Sacrament. Due to the crush of people, it was impossible to kneel but what immediately became apparent was the fact that no one, no one in that crowd of many thousands, was allowed to receive by hand. If anyone tried to place their hands in front of their mouths (blocking the priest's hand) they were told off in no uncertain terms by the acolytes. Wonderful to behold!
And so, the message is pretty well clear for all to see and comprehend........
THE HOLY FATHER WOULD LIKE ALL BISHOPS TO INSTRUCT THEIR PARISH PRIESTS TO DO THE SAME. IT IS NOT AN ORDER BUT IT IS A VERY OBVIOUS STEER AS TO HOW HOLY COMMUNION SHOULD BE DISTRIBUTED.
All of those priests who distributed the sacrament must feel compelled to go back to their parishes and commence implementing the practice....or am I just too much of an optimist?
IF the Holy Father wanted reception of communion on the tongue to be the norm, he would do something about it. Likewise if he wanted to promote the EF as a norm rather than as an alternative, he would celebrate EF himself> He would begin by instructing it in his own diocese, the diocese of Rome; he has not. You are entitled to your own preferences but please do not claim that they are more reverential than the preferences of others. They are not.
ReplyDeleteFintan - the Holy Father leads by example and expects, in time, his faithful to follow. He knows that there is a slab of disobedient malcontent Bishops and others who would openly split with Rome if he made such rulings mandatory.
ReplyDeletePlease indicate to me where I have claimed that my preferences are more reverential than the preferences of others.