"They "Served" My Lord... Like An Appetizer:" Liturgical Abuse at Villanova U.

On 21 May 2005, I attended the bacculareate Mass at Villanova University in southeastern Pennsylvania. My sister was graduating from this school, which was founded by Augustinian priests in the mid-19th century.

The Mass took place in the early evening at the university's stadium, and other than a brief shower, the liturgy started well. A choir sang Palestrina's Tu es Petrus prior to the beginning of the Mass. I was delighted to hear that particular piece of music. However, I should have a heeded a warning of sorts that was right in front of my eyes. There was a table close to the stage were the Mass was going to be offered, and sitting on top of the table were glass chalices, which obviously were going to be used during the Mass.

The atmosphere of the Mass shifted quickly as the processional hymn began. The line-up of the ministers began in a normal fashion. At the very beginning of the procession was a graduate in academic garb carrying a censor. However, not far behind were other graduates carrying multi-colored banners. They were the oddest things I had ever seen processed in during a Mass. It wasn't clear at all what their point was. The colors used weren't Villanova's colors. In fact, they used bright pastel colors. But they didn't have much to do with the Mass itself, so it was a forgiveable error.

The banners, however, was just the beginning of events that could be described as the results of lapses in judgement. The music during the Mass itself belonged to typical post-1970's composing, so that wasn't exactly unexpected either. But when the time for the offertory came, my heart began to sink. The hosts that were to be consecrated were brought in to the stage where the altar was in large wicker baskets. It wasn't immediately clear at that point but inside the larger wicker baskets were smaller wicker baskets, lined with white cloths of some sort, which actually contained the hosts. The wine that was going to be consecrated were brought in large glass/crystal containers.

Both the hosts and the wine were left in their containers during the entire Eucharistic prayer. When time came for communion, baskets containing consecrated hosts were brought to each side of the field. The smaller wicker baskets containing the hosts were taken out of the larger baskets, and most of the distribution of the Blessed Sacrament was taken care of by lay people, most of whom were college students.

When one of them came with the basket, the rest of my family went for Communion, but I decided not to go. I prefer to receive Our Lord's Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, from the hands of a priest or deacon. Anyway, at that point, I was feeling rather offended by the manner Communion was being distributed. They were treating Our Lord as if He were an appetizer that was being served at a restaurant. When my dad sat back down next to me after receiving Communion, I told him what was wrong about what was taking place.

As the distribution was winding-down, I noticed that some of the students who were distributing Communion were committing more abuses. I saw one of them self-communicate. Some of them stacked the baskets on top of each other, and it was probably the case that on top of the clothes, there still rested small fragments of the consecrated hosts.

After the Mass concluded, my family went to a nice Italian restaurant nearby. I brought up the issue of the Mass. My mom seemed to understand why I was feeling offended. My sister on the other hand, said in response to my complaint (in a rather sarcastic manner), "I'm sorry my liturgy offended you." She couldn't understand why it was wrong to serve the Blessed Sacrament in that manner.

My final thought on this issue: If it is possible for papal Masses to accomodate hundreds of thousands of people during Communion, and do it properly, then an American institute of higher learning which has Catholic roots can afford to do take the proper steps to accomodate a few thousand during a bacculareate Mass.

I often find myself, when serving as EMC to be overcome by the awesome presence of that which I hold in my hand. It usually manifests itself physically in tears, or sharp pains in the palms of my hands. I mentioned this to be, what I consider the highest honor bestowed on a living layperson. I truly believe that. I feel the Church agrees.

With all due respect, the honor and pleasure you get from being an EM is not a guarantee that God is honored or finds pleasure with it. In addition to the Tabernacle being cast aside or into another room, Communion under both species and other things, I believe the common use of EMs have also played a part in the loss of belief in the Real Presense in 70% of Catholics. Something which must offend Him greatly.

In the Traditional Mass just prior to the Consecration the priest will wash his fingers. In a few moments his fingers will touch Our Lord. From that moment on, he keeps the index finger and thumb on both of his hands joined together to keep even the smallest Particle safe with him.

Communicants receive on the tongue only. There is no risk of particles left on hands.

After Holy Communion, he returns to the Altar where he will scrape the paten over chalice, the server will pour water over his joined fingers so that any Particle will be washed into the chalice. He will then consume the water with any Particle(s) which may have remained between his fingers and/or the paten.

All of these acts demonstrate and reinforce the Real Presence. They clearly express our belief that Christ is present even in the smallest Particle and therefore all possible measures are taken to protect Him from every possible insult/injury.

I have not received Communion in the NO in a decade and have attended the NO only a few times in between (weddings, funerals.) IIRC, the EMs did not have to cleanse their fingers either before touching the Hosts or after distributing Communion. Obviously the faithful receiving in the hand aren't required to do anything before or after. What is one supposed to think of this? If one says the precautions taken at the Traditional Mass are obsessive or fanatical, than one can conclude that the lack of precautions with EMs and those who receive in the hand demonstrates an "Its no big deal" attitude with regard to the Holy Eucharist.

It is IMPRACTICAL for us to limit the reception of both forms of Communion to the ordained alone.

Why is impractical? Christ is present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Host. There is no need for the faithful to take from the cup as well.

I consider it the greatest honor possible to assist the ordained at mass.

Yet you think its "impractical" for certain things to be granted exclusively to them. IMO, we should seek to honor the ordained rather than want to share in the honor which should go them alone. The best way one can honor the Ordained is to graciously accept that theirs is an elevated status - so much so that it would be an insult to want to share in their awesome privilages.

In the Traditional Mass just prior to the Consecration the priest will wash his fingers. In a few moments his fingers will touch Our Lord. From that moment on, he keeps the index finger and thumb on both of his hands joined together to keep even the smallest Particle safe with him....

St. Isaac Jogues (1607-1646):

Isaac was born at Orleans, France, 10 January 1607. He was martyred at Ossernenon (Auriesville), in the present State of New York, 18 October 1646. He was the first Catholic priest who ever came to Manhattan Island (New York). He entered the Society of Jesus in 1624 and, after having been professor of literature at Rouen, was sent as a missionary to Canada in 1636. He came out with Montmagny, the immediate successor of Champlain. From Quebec he went to the regions around the Great Lakes where the illustrious Father de Brébeuf and others were laboring. There he spent six years in constant danger. Though a daring missionary, his character was of the most practical nature, his purpose always being to fix his people in permanent habitations. He was with Garnier among the Petuns, and he and Raymbault penetrated as far as Sault Ste. Marie, and "were the first missionaries to preach the gospel a thousand miles in the interior, five years before John Eliot addressed the Indians six miles from Boston Harbor". There is little doubt that they were not only the first apostles but also the first white men to reach this outlet of Lake Superior.
Jogues proposed not only to convert the Indians of Lake Superior, but the Sioux who lived at the headwaters of the Mississippi. His plan was thwarted by his capture near Three Rivers returning from Quebec. He was taken prisoner on 3 August 1642, and after being cruelly tortured was carried to the Indian village of Ossernenon, now Auriesville, on the Mohawk, about forty miles above the present city of Albany. There he remained for thirteen months in slavery, suffering apparently beyond the power of natural endurance. The Dutch Calvinists at Fort Orange (Albany) made constant efforts to free him, and at last, when he was about to be burnt to death, induced him to take refuge in a sailing vessel which carried him to New Amsterdam (New York). His description of the colony as it was at that time has since been incorporated in the Documentary History of the State. From New York he was sent; in mid-winter, across the ocean on a lugger of only fifty tons burden and after a voyage of two months, landed Christmas morning, 1643, on the coast of Brittany, in a state of absolute destitution. Thence he found his way to the nearest college of the Society. He was received with great honor at the court of the Queen Regent, the mother of Louis XIV. Pope Urban VII allowed him the very exceptional privilege of celebrating Mass, which the mutilated condition of his hands had made canonically impossible; several of his fingers having been chewed, cut, or burned off. He was called a martyr of Christ by the pontiff. No similar concession, up to that, is known to have been granted.
In early spring of 1644 he returned to Canada, and in 1646 was sent to negotiate peace with the Iroquois. He followed the same route over which he had been carried as a captive. It was on this occasion that he gave the name of Lake of the Blessed Sacrament to the body of water called by the Indians Horicon, now known as Lake George. He reached Ossernenon on 5 June, after a three weeks' journey from the St. Lawrence. He was well received by his former captors and the treaty of peace was made. He started for Quebec on 16 June and arrived there 3 July. He immediately asked to be sent back to the Iroquois as a missionary, but only after much hesitation his superiors acceded to his request. On 27 September he began his third and last journey to the Mohawk. In the interim sickness had broken out in the tribe and a blight had fallen on the crops. This double calamity was ascribed to Jogues whom the Indians always regarded as a sorcerer. They were determined to wreak vengeance on him for the spell he had cast on the place, and warriors were sent out to capture him. The news of this change of sentiment spread rapidly, and though fully aware of the danger Jogues continued on his way to Ossernenon, though all the Hurons and others who were with him fled except Lalande. The Iroquois met him near Lake George, stripped him naked, slashed him with their knives, beat him and then led him to the village. On 18 October 1646, when entering a cabin he was struck with a tomahawk and afterwards decapitated. The head was fixed on the palisades and the body thrown into the Mohawk.

SOURCE

My mom told me this story, this had been told to her as a child. It made quite an impression on me regarding the proper reverence due the REAL PRESENCE of Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist. My things sure have changed. This priest needed special permission to consecrate and hold the Body of Our Lord with different fingers, now any ole person can hold the Body of Our Lord in their own unconsecrated hands. What's different? Is His real presence due less reverence now?

St. Isaac Jogues, pray for us.

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