This is not a good story but it does have a moral.
A South Korean priest was celebrating Mass outside the site of a proposed new naval base (presumably, in protest).
Police moved in and, in a brutish sort of way, knocked the priest to the ground and then proceeded to trample over all and sundry including hosts.
We can assume that the hosts were consecrated as this violent act took place as communion was being distributed.
The Diocesan spokesman stated that to wilfully tread on the Eucharist was an insult to Catholics.
What he meant was that it is an act of sacrilege against Our Blessed Lord; an insult to God but not, per se, to Catholics.
This was a bad act, poor procedure on the part of the police.
The celebrant should not have been knocked to the ground but then......
.....Holy Mass should not have been celebrated on a makeshift altar in front of a building site; the proper place for the celebration of Mass is inside a church.
The Body and Blood of Christ were put at risk needlessly.
What they should have done is either offer up a Mass in their local parish church (not so attractive to the media and subsequent publicity) or, recited the Rosary at the site.
I can remember my older siblings returning from a meeting outside the local town hall (I cannot recall the cause).
They had prayed the Rosary silently, yes, silently - even more effective (in terms of impact upon those around them) than saying the Rosary out loud.
Something to think on.
Silence often has more impact than words and it does not put at risk the Blessed Sacrament.
A picture of the poor priest on the ground, trying to recover the hosts is here (UCA News). It is shocking.
Also shocking is the official police statement:
“There was no violent force throwing Father Mun to the ground or stepping on the Eucharist,” the police agency said in a statement.
Oh well, that's OK then.
A South Korean priest was celebrating Mass outside the site of a proposed new naval base (presumably, in protest).
Police moved in and, in a brutish sort of way, knocked the priest to the ground and then proceeded to trample over all and sundry including hosts.
We can assume that the hosts were consecrated as this violent act took place as communion was being distributed.
The Diocesan spokesman stated that to wilfully tread on the Eucharist was an insult to Catholics.
What he meant was that it is an act of sacrilege against Our Blessed Lord; an insult to God but not, per se, to Catholics.
This was a bad act, poor procedure on the part of the police.
The celebrant should not have been knocked to the ground but then......
.....Holy Mass should not have been celebrated on a makeshift altar in front of a building site; the proper place for the celebration of Mass is inside a church.
The Body and Blood of Christ were put at risk needlessly.
What they should have done is either offer up a Mass in their local parish church (not so attractive to the media and subsequent publicity) or, recited the Rosary at the site.
I can remember my older siblings returning from a meeting outside the local town hall (I cannot recall the cause).
They had prayed the Rosary silently, yes, silently - even more effective (in terms of impact upon those around them) than saying the Rosary out loud.
Something to think on.
Silence often has more impact than words and it does not put at risk the Blessed Sacrament.
A picture of the poor priest on the ground, trying to recover the hosts is here (UCA News). It is shocking.
Also shocking is the official police statement:
“There was no violent force throwing Father Mun to the ground or stepping on the Eucharist,” the police agency said in a statement.
Oh well, that's OK then.
Offense to God, yes; but also to his Church and her body of believers.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I was offended when I read that the police callously trod on the Holy Eucharist...