Posted on 02/25/2008 5:48:28 AM PST by NYer
Rome - The Vatican is poised to introduce stricter norms on Roman Catholic mass, including halting the taking of communion in the hand and setting a time limit for homilies, an Italian newspaper reported Monday. Turin-based daily La Stampa quoted senior Vatican official, Archbishop Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don saying the move was necessary to eliminate "extravagancies" that have crept into Mass celebrations.
Provisions include restricting to 10 minutes homilies and sermons and ensuring that they be exclusively based on the Gospel readings, said Ranjith who is Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship.
The practice of allowing the faithful to receive Communion - the bread host which Catholics believe represents the body of Christ - in their hands would also be "urgently reviewed", Ranjith was quoted as saying.
The Vatican wants the host "placed directly into the mouths of the faithful so they don't touch it (with their hands)... because many don't even realize they are receiving Christ and do this with scant concentration and respect," Ranjith said.
The distribution of communion on the hands of those attending mass has been widespread since the so-called Vatican II Council - a series of reforms introduced in the 1960s aimed at making church celebrations more accessible to the world's 1.1 billion Catholics.
But according to Ranjith the practice was "illegally and hastily introduced by certain elements of the Church immediately after the Council".
"Some people keep hosts with them as a sort of souvenir, others sell them while in some cases the hosts have been taken away to be used in blasphemous Satanic rituals," he said.
Ranjith said the measures to bring back "dignity and decorum" to mass celebrations were in line with Pope Benedict XVI's wishes, but he did not specify when they would be introduced, nor if they would be issues as an order or a set of guidelines.
Benedict, who earned a reputation as a conservative before being elected pontiff in 2005, last year eased restrictions introduced by Vatican II on the celebration of the traditional Latin mass.
The move which has included softening a prayer for the conversion of Jews contained in the Latin liturgical text, has drawn criticism from Jewish groups who resent what they say remains a singling out of members of their faith.
Meanwhile hard-line traditionalist Catholics have expressed anger over what they say is Benedict's tampering of the original Latin mass which they regard as sacred.
Well, the “American Church” is special...didn’t you get the memo? I’m sure BXVI rolls his eyes every time he hears that phrase
It is unfair of you to pull a post because you don't like what it says.
I apologize for the few instances that I might have been "personal"
However, very few of my posts were "personal" I did attack the CC and her false doctrines, but shouldn't that be permissible.
Shall we just keep our mouths shut because others may not like it?
I say again, I shall refrain from being personal, but I cannot refrain from discussing the CC and her horrible doctrines.
Anti-Catholic troll on board.
Anti-Catholics please "minister" somewhere else!
Click on my profile page for all the Religion Forum guidelines. Generally, don't make it personal (and that includes attributing motives or otherwise reading minds) - and don't monger hatred - and you'll get along fine on the open threads.
“For a bunch of conservatives who seemingly love the truth, it amazes me how easily misled and manipulated you are by the catholic church.”
Yeah, unlike liberals who interpret the Bible literally, except when they do not like what it says. “...for this is my Body...”
Would that appply to posts such as #103 or is roasting heretics all in good fun?
We had to write essays on our faith journeys, and why we wanted to be Catholic. Nothing about Sacraments, Graces, doctrine, Tradition v. tradition, any of that. I did drop out of that program and went to another parish's program, where the pastor worked with me intensively to get me ready for Easter.
You reject the doctrine that His Church has right.
Shouldn't that statement have included a sarcasm tag?
I'm surprised that catholics don't see the silliness of the whole transubstantion doctrine.
It adds nothing and really makes the church look ludicrous.
Exactly - it's not the kneeling, it's the GETTING BACK UP. You should have seen Steve0113 and me one Good Friday - we were too late to get seats for the Stations, so had to stand in the back. We had to help each other back up after every kneeling. Pitiful.
Because it is impossible for every faithful catholic throughout the ages to ingest the literal body and blood of christ that the CC had to invent the doctrine of transubstantion.
The brunt of that apparent joke cuts both ways. So I shall let it stand ... for now.
Well Gee, I never said I would roast you.
Do you consider yourself a heretic?
It was also impossible for the Apostles and early Christians to read the Bible...what were they to do?
Memo to Benedikt XVI: “Ausgezeichnet und fabelhaft!”
Distinguishedly and marvelously. Babelfished it!
I’m going to pray for Mercy tonight for Christians who have malice in their hearts, and that they read and pray on these things and come into Fullness with Christ.
You’re entitled to believe whatever you want, but that won’t make it right.
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