Posted on 10/31/2006 8:52:29 AM PST by NYer
(Jimmy Akin)
The following is the text of the letter sent by Francis Cardinal Arinze to Bishop William Skylstad, president of the USCCB, concerning the liturgical change in America such that extraordinary ministers will no longer be permitted to purify the vessels used at Mass.
CONGREGATIO CULTO DIVINO ET DISCIPLINA SACRAMENTORUM
Prot. n. 468/05/L
Rome, 12 October 2006
Your Excellency,
I refer to your letters of 9 March 2005 and 7 March 2006, in which, in the name of the Conference of Bishops of which you are President, you requested a renewal of the indult for extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion to purify the sacred vessels after Mass, where there are not enough priests or deacons to purify a large number of chalices that might be used at Mass.
I have put the whole matter before the Holy Father in an audience which he granted me on 9 June 2006, and received instructions to reply as follows:
1. There is no doubt that "the sign of Communion is more complete when given under both kinds, since in that form the sign of the Eucharistic meal appears more clearly" (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no. 240; Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 390).
2. Sometimes, however, the high number of communicants may render it inadvisable for everyone to drink from the chalice (cf. Redemptionis Sacramentum, no. 102). intinction with reception on the tongue always and everywhere remains a legitimate option, by virtue of the general liturgical law of the Roman Rite.
3. Catechesis of the people is important regarding the teaching of the Council of Trent that Christ is fully present under each of the species. Communion under the species of the bread alone, as a consequence, makes it possible to receive all the fruit of Eucharistic grace (cf. Denzinger-Schônmetzer, no. 1729; General Instruction of the Roman Missal, nos. 11, 282). "For pastoral reasons", therefore, "this manner of receiving Communion has been legitimately established as the most common form in the Latin rite" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 390).
4. Paragraph 279 of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal directs that the sacred vessels are to be purified by the priest, the deacon or an instituted acolyte. The status of this text as legislation has recently been clarified by the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts. It does not seem feasible, therefore, for the Congregation to grant the requested indult from this directive in the general law of the Latin Church.
5. This letter is therefore a request to the members of the Bishops' Conference of the United Status of America to prepare the necessary explanations and catechetical materials for your clergy and people so that henceforth the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no. 279, as found in the editio typicatia of the Roman Missal, will be observed throughout its territories.
With the expression of my esteem and fraternal greetings, I remain, Your Excellency,
Devotedly yours in Christ,
+Francis Cardinal Arinze
Prefect
Monsignor Mario Marini
Under-Secretary
Just in time for the bishop's annual meeting.
I am a little unclear, as a new Catholic, on when this purification takes place. Is this done in front of the congregation after everyone has received the Eucharist, or is this something done after the Mass?
I do know that our church replaced their vessels because the originals were orginally made back in the 70's and weren't gold or silver. We now have gold vessels.
Hurray for excpetional sacred vessls made of precious and durable materials!
It seems not a few Catholic churches buy their wine off the shelf from liquor stores. The problem is that most commercial wine contains added sugar and/or preservatives that make it at least illicit and possibly invalid. There really isn't much excuse for this, since there are wineries that specialize in making valid sacramental wine.
Up until around 20 years ago, many priests found it difficult to explain why women were allowed to distribute the body and blood of Christ, but young women (i.e., girls) were excluded from being servers and handing the priest cruets filled with water and wine. Many priests today are likewise having a hard time explaining why Curia officials and the pope are insisting that extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, many of whom are women, can distribute the body and blood of Christ, but are unworthy of cleaning the chalices. If priests believed this regulation made theological sense, they would support the revised General Instruction of the Roman Missal 2000 that allows only men (i.e., priests, deacons and instituted acolytes) to purify sacred vessels after Mass. However, most priests cannot rationally explain why women are worthy of distributing the Body and Blood of Christ, but, at the same time, are excluded from helping the priest “do the dishes.” Instead of addressing the fact that the median age of priests in the U.S. is over 60 and there are more and more parishes without a resident priest, we have men in Curia offices publishing decrees reminiscent of the Pharisees who were preoccupied about “the washing of cups and pots and vessels of bronze.” (Mark 7:4) Why do you think some Curia officials want only men to cleanse the chalices? To what degree are women excluded from playing an important role in the Church based upon discriminatory theological formulations that “teach as doctrines the precepts of men”? (Mark 7:7)
Up until around 20 years ago, many priests found it difficult to explain why women were allowed to distribute the body and blood of Christ, but young women (i.e., girls) were excluded from being servers and handing the priest cruets filled with water and wine. Many priests today are likewise having a hard time explaining why Curia officials and the pope are insisting that extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, many of whom are women, can distribute the body and blood of Christ, but are unworthy of cleaning the chalices. If priests believed this regulation made theological sense, they would support the revised General Instruction of the Roman Missal 2000 that allows only men (i.e., priests, deacons and instituted acolytes) to purify sacred vessels after Mass. However, most priests cannot rationally explain why women are worthy of distributing the Body and Blood of Christ, but, at the same time, are excluded from helping the priest “do the dishes.” Instead of addressing the fact that the median age of priests in the U.S. is over 60 and there are more and more parishes without a resident priest, we have men in Curia offices publishing decrees reminiscent of the Pharisees who were preoccupied about “the washing of cups and pots and vessels of bronze.” (Mark 7:4) Why do you think some Curia officials want only men to cleanse the chalices? To what degree are women excluded from playing an important role in the Church based upon discriminatory theological formulations that “teach as doctrines the precepts of men”? (Mark 7:7)
Up until 40 years ago, only the priest could distribute communion and then, only on the tongue. The invention of EMHCs began a slippery slope towards where we now have women who ask why they should not be allowed ordination as deacons and priests. It led to confusion. The answer, of course, is obvious, but not to them.
In my Maronite parish, communion is by intinction, distributed by only the priest and, for obvious reasons, only on the tongue. There are NO exceptions.
To what degree are women excluded from playing an important role in the Church based upon discriminatory theological formulations that “teach as doctrines the precepts of men”? (Mark 7:7)
Christ entrusted the teaching authority to men, not women. Had He desired it to be otherwise, He would also have chosen women, especially His blessed mother.
Thanks for your 2 replies.
Also, I look for the day when EME's are activated only as their designation applies--EXTRAORDINARY Ministers of the Eucharist. (technically, it is not EM, or "Eucharistic Minister". The correct title is Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist)
I can't find coherent theological reasons for them to allow Altar girls, and to permit EEM of either sex.
They do have the right, as God has given them the authority.
I don't understand why you think it is important to make some point about women serving, but there are myriad other ways for women to serve besides at Mass.
BTTT!
** Is this done in front of the congregation after everyone has received the Eucharist,**
Yes, by the priest.
**or is this something done after the Mass?**
Yes, it has been done by EMHC after the Mass.
**Instituted Acolytes**
Those who might be preparing for the priesthood and are not yet a deacon?
This happened to me at a church in the Phoenix area, too.
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