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.
Those of us who love Christ usually capitalize His Holy Name.
I personally would support your arguments on this thread if you stayed on topic. But by attacking the Catholic Church and claiming that she is evil, well, can’t you go start your own thread?
This thread really is to discuss the possible changing of the rubrics of the Mass. I have been on Prot. threads where I have given my opinions in a polite and respectful way. It’s really not that difficult!
Take it up with Christ, it is His teaching.
LOL! Our priest who passed a couple of years ago was 87 and still kneeling on the tile floor and getting up after each Station of the Cross like a teenager while the rest of us “youngsters” looked like we were struggling!
I don’t assign essays about feelings. I assign the Catechism. With the time left over, we talk about incarnation, sacramentals, tradition, liturgy, and in general how becoming a Catholic means you’ll be getting fitted for new eyes and ears to encounter the world in a whole new way.
Go ahead and post the link to the video. For "extra credit," do a little research, if you should you happen to come up with this video, and see if it wasn't from some kind of parody. The practice of having laypeople routinely distribute the Eucharist (which I'm generally opposed to, BTW, but that's besides the point) is extremely widewspread, and presupposes it's perfectly okay for the laity to touch the Host many, many times over. Moreover, the extraordinarily widespread practice of receiving Communion in the hand (which I'm also opposed to, but, again, that, too, doesn't matter) merely reinforces the fact that the Church doesn't hold to the "exclusivist" mentality you allege, and speaks volumes about the fraudulent purpose of this video, or, more likely, to its non-existence. Sorry, this whole business is a non-starter.
If you are any sort of Christian at all, you should be ashamed that, in defending what you perceive to be Christianity, you stoop so low as to besmirch something that is identified with Jesus Himself, even if you don't agree with us about the actual nature of the Eucharist. It still is known universally to at least reference Jesus, and twitching at the chance to use gutter references and implications, as you seem to do here, implies a great disrespect for Him on your part, since you are eager to associate Him, even indirectly, with the sordid and scandalous. Shame on you!
the stuff about the satanic rituals
With God, all things are possible.
ROFLMAO!!!!
That is great, especially near the end when that woman slaps that man’s hand.
Prayer is always good, particularly as it also helps the one who prays. It’s hard to beat that. :)
Oh, OK.
Thanks for clearing up that point for us.
I truly believe that members of the catholic church are trapped in a religion that not only does not save them, but will ensure their destiny to hell.
All Catholics go to hell?
Day-um!!
Don’t worry. No offense taken. You might be interested in the fact that one mile from my parish on L.I. is a tarditional (as in Fr. Depauw) Ave Maria traditional Tridentine Chapel.
Not just 80. Pretty much all of the ones from that person.
DallasDeb, I worship and glorify God in my own way. I participate in the Mass by being a Eucharistic Minister and currently I am Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus. I read the Bible and pray daily and when I can get to Mass during the week. Long Masses are not helpful to the majority of Catholics, because it drives many people away. Our parish has had the fastest growth of new members in NJ, yet is in a town that celebrated its 100th anniversary several years ago, the parish is over 40 years old and there is little new housing growth in the area, yet the short thoughtful Masses work. We also have Masses with choirs, including a bell choir and a Youth choir that play guitars, violins and other instruments for the people that want that. I prefer short and sweet and singing only for holidays, especially Christmas.
Spending more time in Mass and singing does not make for a more worshipful experience. We had a priest several years ago that was known for his “quick” Masses and even quicker sermons. He would have sermons that were less than 5 minutes (I remember one particularly hot summer day that he said “It is very hot and the place that the Devil is is even hotter. Don’t go there”). His sermons were always very thoughtful, related to the Gospel and memorable, which I couldn’t say for other priests who seem to like to hear their own voices.
We are truly blessed as we get to choose the way we want to worship and I truly enjoy the early short Mass at 7:30.
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I do agree.
Our 10:30 mass is heavy on the singing. I’m an EMHC and it’s my favorite mass. It might run a little longer than the other. I feel cheated if each song isn’t sung through to the last verse.
But there are some days when direct and to the point is what I’m in the mood for... so YES - I agree with you - it’s a blessing to have that choice.
There are so many errors in this article, I’m not sure where to begin....
You’re not a Eucharistic minister unless you’re a priest.
I used to kneel all the time without worrying about it a bit. But when we went to a Tridentine Mass at the Cathedral and they had no kneelers, just cold stone floor, I thought I was going to DIE!
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