With the flu and worse yet, the coronavirus, shouldn’t parishes take more precautions to prevent an epidemic? Isn’t the most dangerous practice, totally unnecessary in the Mass the common chalice where communicants voluntarily places their entire mouth on the rim of the chalice leaving saliva that could include blood particles and other potential disease carrying germs? Isn't the simplest precaution to eliminate the unnecessary common chalice?
I wonder if an SSPX Mass is healthier as these congregations are more reserved; there isn’t a lot of hugging, hand shaking or other such things during the liturgy, like hand-holding and certainly no common chalice. More than likely a keener sense of mortal sin and the necessity to make a worthy Holy Communion prevents the entire congregation from going the the railing to receive Holy Communion unlike the hoards who do at an Ordinary Form Mass, not the railing of course, the Communion stations scattered about. Ordinary Form Catholics, for many, not all, think that going to Holy Communion is just something you do and get no matter what.
I happen to think a priest touches more hands accidentally when distributing Holy Communion to the communicant’s hands. I know I do. Not so with Communion on the tongue, although accidentally touching a communicant's lips or tongue occurs, but less frequently, if not at all, if the communicant kneels at a railing; thus the priest reaches down to the tongue not up to the tongue with a standing communicant.
And what about this? In an EF Mass no one would mind if only the priest received Holy Communion on behalf of the congregation. Technically communion to the laity isn’t in the EF Roman Missal! Did you know that?
Weekly Communion to the laity is a luxury and could easily be dispensed at an EF Mass packed with Catholics during an epidemic. And no one would complain.
Not so in an Ordinary Form Mass.
Interesting, no?
News channels are saying that we will soon see Americans wearing face masks as they do in Japan. Are Japanese germ freaks? Evidently. And for good reason.
In fact I heard on the news that face masks are in short supply in the USA as Americans are buying them up in anticipation of the Coronovirus becoming a worldwide pandemic! Tigers, lions and bears, o my!!!!
Will we pass out face masks to parishioners entering our churches for Mass and forgo passing out Holy Communion?
What do you think?
News channels are saying that we will soon see Americans wearing face masks as they do in Japan. Are Japanese germ freaks? Evidently. And for good reason.
In fact I heard on the news that face masks are in short supply in the USA as Americans are buying them up in anticipation of the Coronovirus becoming a worldwide pandemic! Tigers, lions and bears, o my!!!!
Will we pass out face masks to parishioners entering our churches for Mass and forgo passing out Holy Communion?
What do you think?
11 comments:
"What do you think?"
I think describing the reception of communion by the laity as a "luxury" is a fallacious notion, unsupported by the Church's teaching, and detrimental to the spiritual health and well-being of the congregation.
So you prefer canceling Mass altogether, like in China, rather that Catholics coming to Mass in hazmat dress and not receiving Holy Communion? Interesting!
In this country we're nowhere near cancellation or hazmat status.
I'm in favor of not getting hysterical over the possibility of contagion.
But more the my point, describing the communion of the laity as a "luxury" is a fallacious notion, unsupported by the Church's teaching, and detrimental to the spiritual health and well-being of the congregation.
So long as we're protestantizing the church, how about little disposable plastic (recyclable of course) 'chalices' for individualized reception?
Also a plus, more EMHC will be needed to pour out the wine and collect the used 'chalices.'
Plus since the humble and holy Francis is on such good terms with the Chinese government, maybe they would give the Church a discount on the cost for manufacturing. The additional prisoners from the former underground Catholic Church will help to offset the costs in the slave labor camps.
It's a win, win, WIN situation.
No offense Father, but as soon as I saw the headline, my first thought was that you were trying to kick sand in Fr Kavanaugh's face.
While I agree with you far more often than I do with Fr. K, come on. How much is enough?
Interesting but not surprising. The TLM goer attends Mass to give adoration, worship, joining himself to the priest's offering the Son's sacrifice to the Father. The NO goer goes to hobnob with each other and the "Presider" of the liturgy before, after and even during Mass, and to get communion because it is due him. I admit, this view is somewhat incomplete. And as all generalizations imply the existence of exceptions . But to one who is at all observant this picture will not be untrue in the main.
Anon 1:20
I don't think Allan was kicking sand. He really DOES have a germ phobia and the news from China is pushing him to the edge.
Oh, did you hear what they're going to call this virus?
Kung Flu.
Face masks might help prevent a sick person sneeze or cough from infecting others when worn by the sick person....which is the purpose of surgical masks, to prevent surgeon from infecting patient.
Asians wear them out of consideration to others in that above regard, and also due to help filter out some of the heavier particulate pollution in the air, for which they are not that great...neither do they protect against much else.
If you don't wish to become sick, do as sweet old granny used to say, "and keep your damned hands off your face!". Touching eyes, mouth and nose with contaminated hands is how most infections are spread, or being contaminated by direct contact or catching an infected person's droplet spew when they sneeze or cough.
Wash hands with warm soapy water for at least 20secs before touching face, or touching anything else which touches face, such as eating utensils. And do not use utensils touched by others of unknown health.
I am all for Communion kneeling and on the tongue for the reasons you cite, and even more so in favor of doing so to show my Lord some small token of my faulty love for him.
They know it is of Chinese origin because when you wake up feeling bad you know Sum Ting Wong.
Amen to Bob’s comment.
I’ve taught my kids and grandkids that hand washing should last for two well-prayed Hail Marys. No rushing allowed... No opening public facility doors with bare hands (including church doors)—we use alcohol wipes, or at least clean paper towels to open doors. And during bad cold/flu season, we genially offer a sign of peace without shaking hands.
The one time i was not careful about the sign of peace this year was back before Thanksgiving. I came down with a viral URI 3 days later that turned into a nasty bronchitis. Church was the only place I had gone out of the house that week. I have FINALLY (just last week) lost the residual cough. Debilitating winter.
As for the luxury of frequent reception of the Blessed Sacrament, that is exactly what it is, even by modern precept of receiving at minimum of once per year, preferably during Easter, and how millions upon millions upon millions receive to this day.
Anything over and above minimal requirements is a luxury by definition, of either term. Above what is required/needed.
At the turn of the last century we were encouraged to frequent reception by the Pope, which was a huge about face from prior practice.
The point of Holy Mass is NOT reception of the Blessed Sacrament. The point of Holy Mass is the priest confecting the Body and Blood of Christ and offering it up as a sacrifice.
Our main reason for attending this sacrifice is not to shag leftovers, but to participate mentally and spiritually in the offering, to include rightly returning to God what belongs to him....our very selves in love and service to him.
Receiving the Body and Blood is a privilege and honor...and always should be.
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