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Monday, February 25, 2008




NO MORE COMMUNION IN THE HAND ?

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.


Here's the article...


If this is done without eliminating Eucharistic Ministers, I will not receive from anyone but the priest in the future. Which, given the usual dynamics in churches here, will mean that I might seldom be in a position to receive. Unless the EMs fade into the sunset, this will create a superior class of Catholic laity that is unwarranted and unprecedented in Church history. That is a scandal just as large as the scandal the priests and bishops have been giving us, in my opinion.

How ironic that this announcement is coming out of Turin.

Hat tip to Spirit Daily for the link.



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