AD ORIENTEMPHOBIA AND COMMON SENSE ABOUT THE COMMON CHALICE COMING FROM THE ONE AND SAME BISHOP OF MANCHESTER, NEW HAMSHIRE

MY COMMENTS FIRST:  The good bishop is conflicted when it comes to "ad orientem" for the Ordinary Form of the Mass. But as primary liturgist for his diocese he rightfully requests that a priest who wishes to celebrate the OF Mass ad orientem have a discussion with him prior to implementing it and to make sure the parish is properly catechized prior to implementing it. This makes sense to me as I properly catechized my former parish on ad orientem years before I implemented it at one of our 5 Sunday Masses, our 12:10 PM Mass. But prior to that many in the parish had already experienced for years the EF Mass which is ad orientem of course.

I applaud the bishop on his comments on the common chalice and eliminating it during the flu season in his entire diocese. He acknowledges, as I have sounded the alarm for years and years, that there is a very real possibility of contracting a disease from the common chalice and that if we as a Church were under the health department, we would be shut down for this unsanitary procedure which liturgy ideologues continue to promote and in the most fundamentalist and Protestant way as it concerns the laity have a right to the chalice. 

I now know of two people with compromised immune issues who believe and for good reason, that they contracted a serious intestinal bacterial infection from the common chalice. One is a GI doctor who almost died from it and the other is a priest who became seriously ill with a bacterial intestinal infection while on a continuing education pilgrimage to Italy and the Holy Land. That priest is me!

At St. Joseph Church I seldom purified the common chalices as these were cleansed after Mass in the sacristy. At daily Mass I would do the first cleansing by diluting any remnant of the Precious Blood with water so that the Precious Blood was no longer present as the wine was no longer, just water. This was then poured into the sacraium which drains to a secure ground area.

Since arriving at St. Anne, at daily Mass I cleanse my chalice and the two common chalices at Mass after Holy Communion at the traditional time. I do so by pouring almost a chalice full of water in one of the common chalice and then pouring that into the other common chalice and that into my chalice which I then consume.

BINGO! My already compromised immune deficiency disorder which manifests itself in ulcerative colitus which I have been diagnosed for the past 20 years (and for the past four years in almost total remission with medication) came out of remission over night with a "stomach or indigestion issue" I had the Friday before I departed for Rome on the next Monday which caused my ulcerative colitus to come out of hibernation.  At first is was mild by difficult for me on the flight over but gradually beamed unmanageable by the last week of the program. 

In addition, I had fever with it (which I have never had with my disease) and I felt like a Mack Truck had run over me. I had severe pains in the my stomach. The day before our departure for home, I felt that I might not be able to go because the issues surrounding my disease were so severe that I needed to stay close to a restroom. But with the help of God and shear determination, I got back to Richmond Hill with my motto, "Come Hell or High Water!"

The next morning I was in a panic because my symptoms had increased! I called by GI doctor who sent me to a "immediate care" clinic and was told what antibiotic to get along with a strong steroid. He said my symptoms pointed to a serious bacterial infection that could lead to C-diff!

While there were signs of C-diff from some of the lab tests, it turned out that it wasn't and thanks be to God. I am on new medication for my ulcerative colitus which the intestainl infection reopened and on a month long steroid which usually treats only the colon.

I blame the manner in which I have to consume contaminated ablutions at our daily Mass for this infection that could have changed my life forever if it had led to C-diff!

PREPARING FOR ADVENT:

The Ordinary Form of the Mass Celebrated “ad orientem”


On July 5, 2016 Cardinal Robert Sarah, in speaking with priests during a retreat conference,
spoke of the Holy Season of Advent being an opportune time for those priests in attendance to begin celebrating Mass “ad orientem”. On July 11, 2016 the Vatican spokesman Fr. Frederico Lombardi, S.J. issued a statement declaring that there were no new liturgical directives being issued from the Vatican in this regard.

As some of you know, I have on a few occasions publically celebrated the Ordinary Form of the Mass “ad orientem”. Celebrating Mass “ad orientem” in the Ordinary Form means that the priest stands at the altar facing the same direction together with the people from the Preparation of the Gifts until the Communion Rite turning to the people when indicated by the rubrics. 

After some discussion I did support the proposal of one priest to celebrate the Ordinary Form of the Mass “ad orientem” in one of our local churches with the understanding that it would be done with proper catechesis. Even though the Ordinary Form of the Mass may be celebrated “ad orientem” the norm since the Second Vatican Council has been to celebrate this form of the Mass “versus populum” (facing the people).

My expectation is that our priests will continue to celebrate the Ordinary Form of the Mass “versus populum”. I would not expect or encourage a priest in our Diocese to begin celebrating Mass “ad orientem” at parish Masses without having a personal, in-depth conversation with me.

Even though there are many options in the Roman Missal some options do need and continue to be properly explained and implemented in order for the faithful to enter more deeply and participate more fully in the Church’s Liturgy. Which leads me to another option which is Distribution of Holy Communion Under Both Kinds.

Holy Communion Under Both Kinds

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal states with regards to “Holy Communion under Both Kinds”, that “whenever the opportunity for instruction is present, the faithful should be properly catechized...”(25). We all know that the flu and cold season raises all sorts of questions with regards to the transmission of germs when the faithful receive the Precious Blood from a chalice. I feel that it is most timely to address these concerns now.

There are two issues, as I approach this:

1. Health (the possible spread of contagion vis-à-vis the approach to the Sacred with an
   attitude of heroic faith. “Because it is Precious Blood, in Faith, I won’t get sick or
   transmit sickness to another.”)
   
2. The doctrine of concomitance (one never is denied reception of the Precious Blood when
   one receives Holy Communion under the appearance of Bread since the Body and Blood of Christ are both fully present as one under either Form) vis-à-vis the admonition that receiving Holy Communion under BOTH forms is a “fuller sign”.
   

These two discussions rest on both Faith and Reason and, as in most theological discussions, opinions can be strongly held on several levels.

It is my contention that our belief in the concomitant Presence of Body and Blood must be reiterated in these days. Our people need to know what we believe and hold as truth and, in this matter, the truth is greater than the “fuller sign”. Therefore to receive under ONE Form is a true reflection of our true doctrine. 

Traditionally the one form to be received is the form of Consecrated Bread, not the Precious Blood under the appearance of wine, though for one whose manner of obtaining nutrition is by liquid administered through a feeding tube, this stands to perfect reason and is acceptable.

For the seasons beginning with the First Sunday of Advent and, in fact, until Holy Thursday, Holy Communion is to be distributed only under the form of the Consecrated Host (except as noted for the special feeding need).

Prior to Holy Thursday a renewed catechesis on the practice of Holy Communion Under Both Kinds will be made available under my direction from the Office for Worship.

Liturgical Music and Environment

Music Directors, Musicians and Liturgical Art and Environment individuals and committees really need to work, as always, with their pastor’s input and pastors ought to be attentive to the General Instruction of the Roman Missal and diocesan guidelines. Particularly when decorating the church, please take special note of the altar itself, the free standing altar is freestanding so that the priest can walk around it. Displays of flowers or the Nativity or other decorations are not in keeping with the directive of the Second Vatican Council which intended the altar to be beautifully decorated but not obscured.

With regards to music, again, I leave it to the pastors to work with your liturgical music ministry to plan according to the Liturgical Seasons.

In the end we believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is of the utmost importance for us as Catholics. And so, we should be vigilant in ensuring that the dignity of our celebrations be enhanced. In promoting such dignity, the beauty of the sacred place, of the music, and of art should contribute as greatly as possible.