[narses]

Ping

[Salvation]

Additional information on this thread: Eucharistic Ministers

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

I always wondered how the new practice came about. I like the idea of Communion rails and ringing of the bells at the time of consecration. Those are two things I missed and two reasons I like the Latin Mass.

[NYer]

In 1976 Call to Action, an influential group of Catholic dissenters (recently condemned in Nebraska by Bishop Bruskewitz), added to their agenda the promotion of communion-in-the-hand.

That about says it all! I'm with you, narses. The reverence, aura and respect for the Eucharist is missing today. Oh, yes, one can make the liturgical arguments that the others on this thread, have already made. My guess is that they weren't around before Vatican II. The first time I took the host in my hands, it seemed wrong and out of place.

Surprisingly, no one has bothered to question the hands of the Eucharistic Minister! The priest washes his hands during the mass. What about the Eucharistic Minister? What were their hands doing before arriving at church? How often have I taken the host, only to taste perfume on it.

[FormerLib]

I think you'll find that this is one of those points upon which West and East will disagree! We, the Orthodox and your Byzatine Catholics, will only recieve the body and the blood of Christ directly, never in the hand.

[Bellarmine]

Good post narses.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned in the discussion is that the practice of communion in the hand leads to tiny particles of Our Lord being strewn across the floor of the church. This does not happen when communion is administered at the communion rail with an alter server holding the pan under your chin. I know I wouldn't be afraid of shaking hands with Jesus were he to appear before me, but would I stomp him under my foot?

[Dajjal]

It boggles my mind how anyone can argue that faith in the Real Presnce is not weakened, or that lack of respect for the Blessed Sacrament is not common, as they "deal with" fragments of the Host strewn all over the floor of the Church. I guess just blocking it from your mind is not the same as denying that Christ is now Really Present under your feet.

[Charles_Bingley]

I'm wondering if the use of lay persons as Extraordinary Euchartisiic Minister has weakens faith in the Real Presence among the Faith communities.