Papal Midnight Mass With No Communion in The Hand

What Does The Prayer Really Say ^ | 12/24/10 | Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

[marshmallow]

I was not able to watch all of the Papal Mass in the Vatican Basilica, but I have started to get interesting emails about something people noticed.

Among them was this email from a priest in Rome:

In a change to former practice, those distributing Holy Communion at the Holy Father’s Mass tonight were told that ‘at all Papal Masses Communion is to be given only on the tongue.’ The usual statement that Prelates receive in the same way as the Laity remained. thought you might be interested.

Yes, indeed.

One of the emails from people watched the Mass said:

Did you notice that during the communion of the faithful during Pope Benedict’s Midnight Mass at least one priest refused to give Holy Communion on the hand? Instead, the security guard near this priest motioned for each communicant to receive on the tongue. If the communicants didn’t get the hint, the priest still did not give them the Host in the hand, but rather held It near their mouth until they finally understood. Some of the people looked very surprised when they held their hands out and didn’t get the Host.

This was apparently noticeble during the broadcast.

[Salvation]

**No Communion in The Hand**

I long for this to happen everywhere. If you want proof — ask the sacristan for a non-consecrated host and have him or her put it into your black-gloved-hand. Then pick it up and see all the tiny fragments that remain on your black-gloved-hand. You will never receive Holy Communion in your hand again!!

Don’t believe me? Try it! But not with a consecrated host!!

[Salvation]

You need to try this. You will never receive the Lord in your hand again!!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2647674/posts?page=21#21

[verdugo]

“And at the last supper did Christ place the bread in each disciple’s mouth?”

We have no way of knowing exactly how he did it. HOWEVER, the question is moot, as the apostles were all priests.

[verdugo]

St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the greatest minds the Church has ever known, writes the following regarding the Blessed Sacrament: "Secondly, because the priest is the appointed intermediary between God and the people, hence as it belongs to him to offer the people's gifts to God, so it belongs to him to deliver the consecrated gifts to the people. Thirdly, because out of reverence towards this sacrament [the Blessed Sacrament], nothing touches it but what is consecrated, hence the corporal and the chalice are consecrated, and likewise the priest's hands, for touching this sacrament. Hence it is not lawful for anyone to touch it, except from necessity, for instance if it were to fall upon the ground, or else in some other case of urgency" (SummaTheologica, III, Q. 82, Art. 13).

[verdugo]

Communion in the hand, for the laity, is sacrilege!

There is an interesting working principle in Scripture. As a punishment for your sin, God will allow you to pursue, and be condemned by, what you sinfully desire. ... so God allowed them to do so, as a witness and judgment against them. He would allow those who would interpret Church teachings contrary to nineteen centuries of established Catholic practice, to lead themselves into sin, and ultimately into God's judgment.

[Melchior]

I was unaware that the term “priest” (which I suppose was the term used for Caiaphas, and the leaders of the Sanhedrin) was used in the Bible to describe the Apostles.

[verdugo]

re: I was unaware that .... was used in the Bible

You must be a Protestant. Many terms and teachings are not mentioned in the bible. In fact, what books constitiute the bible, are not in the bible. Neither is the term Holy Trinity. The apostles were the first bishops of the Catholic Church.