Eucharistic Ministers: How Many is too Many?

Today I had the pleasure of reading an article on the UK Telegraph about the over-use of Eucharistic Ministers in their Catholic Churches… The army of distracting lay people who mob the altar during the Agnus Dei prayer has bothered me for a long time. As a Catholic we recognize that the climax of the mass is the Transubstantiation when the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ. So the reception of Jesus is to be a holy and meaning full event… while in many churches there are so many Eucharistic ministers that parishioners find themselves seeking the shortest line rather than meditating on the mystery of Christ in the Eucharist.
The reverence due to the Eucharist is something that cannot be ignored, and well meaning grandmas and sweatshirt wearing teens who want to feel included, while not needed, is not doing anyone a favor. In my home parish we witness the communion rush; people are in such a hurry to take their Jesus and go. I firmly hold that Eucharistic ministers add to this lack of reverence. Anything worth having is worth waiting for. In our instant gratification world it is difficult to think of communion as a means of worship rather than the fast food drive thru. The over-use of Eucharistic minister’s is clear when it is obvious that given a few extra moments the priest or an additional minister could amply suffice.
Catholic Femina Speaks… So my own reaction to the army of Eucharistic ministers is to walk respectfully and reverently to the priest or deacon for communion. I am not worried about hurting anyone’s feelings; I am just trying to live out my faith fully. I understand that in the case of large crowds ministers are needed and I respect that, but I have been to daily mass with twelve people and had three of them rise to be Eucharistic ministers. This is an abuse, and I hope by my cordially passing up the convenient minister for the duly ordained priest I may due reverence to the Blessed Sacrament and make less need for the unnecessary ministers.

Swine Flu Edict For Connecticut Catholics

The threat of Swine Flu is bringing change to Catholic masses in the Norwich diocese, in Connecticut, effective Sunday. Bishop Michael Cote has ordered pastors to discontinue the sign of peace and drinking from the same cup. Also, communion will be taken only by hand instead of by mouth and there will be no hand-holding during prayers. This is the first time the diocese has implemented mandatory swine flu precautions. The diocese says the changes are temporary, but will continue as long as the threat of Swine Flu remains. NBC Local News

Catholic Femina Speaks: So hand holding during mass has stopped when pigs flu… I find this practice of holding hands very distracting, and people get so offended when you don’t hold hands with them, and unnecessary. “Stopping the sign of peace” in mass is not possible, but prohibiting shaking hands is fine. People do not need to shake hands to express the exchange of Christ’s peace; shaking hands is just an add-on for people to make them feel good and serves no real purpose in the mass. Prohibiting receiving from the cup does not hurt anyone, the fullness of the body of Christ is found under both species and there is no need to receive from the cup. Not receiving from the cup does not lessen the individual’s holiness. The reception of communion on the tongue is important; furthermore there are more germs on your hands than in your mouth. The priest is not supposed to touch the tongue during the distribution of communion on the tongue, but when distributing communion on the hand they do touch the hand. I know a lot of people who are very scared of the swine flu but changing the most reverent form of receiving the Eucharist is not a valid means for protection. I hope that the faithful will understand that even though this has passed there is still a need for reverence in Church. If you cannot receive Communion on the tongue, then you must make a conscience effort to receive reverently on the hand. You are receiving Jesus not eating popcorn and this must be reflected in your actions. The swine flu scare is creeping into everything. Wash your hands and use germ-x keep the scare out of church.

Faithful Prefer Tridentine Mass!

A survey conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate has found that Catholics in the United States with an opinion on the subject favor the availability of the extraordinary form of the Mass by a two to one margin, with the majority having no opinion. When asked “Do you favor as an alternative to the newer Mass, bringing back the older Latin Tridentine Mass for those who would prefer this option?” 25% favor the option, 12% oppose it, and 63% have no opinion.
Support for the extraordinary form option is higher among older Catholics, those who attend Mass weekly, political independents, and those with graduate degrees.
A similar survey conducted in 1985 found that Catholics favored the option by a 40%-35% Catholic Culture
Catholic Femina Speaks: I enjoy the Tridentine Mass, when I have the option I attend mass in Latin. I attended mass as a child in Latin with the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. I believe that in many ways the Tridentine Mass is more reverent with the priest facing the altar, and ultimately God rather than the distracting congregation. I love the Communion rail! I know that the Latin language is more traditional and can be a universal mark of the church because it is at the heart of the faith. I know that the Latin language adds mystery to the mass and makes people pay attention because they have to follow along in their missals rather than dose off...

Perpetual Adoration In Boston!

After 40 Years perpetual adoration of the Eucharist will return to Boston! Two billboards will be seen one on Brighton and the other on East Boston each displaying the Eucharist in a monstrance with the words: “The Son’s rays for your soul.” St. Clement Eucharistic Shrine on Boylston Street currently has six hours of adoration a day and on August 15^th Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley will offer Mass on the feast of the Assumption, at the shrine and this mark the beginning of perpetual adoration, and the Eucharist will be in the monstrance for veneration anytime apart from during scheduled masses. The effort to return perpetual adoration to Boston is in response to the Pope’s year of priests. The idea is to create a place of prayer for vocations and the sanctity of priests. Tim Van Damm coordinator of the effort to return perpetual adoration has called it “a leap of faith” on the part of St. Clement Shrine. Van Damm has been on two radio shows and is going to be on “Catholic TV” August 4^th, at 10:30a.m. Van Damm is asking the people of Boston to spread the word and is hoping to get enough support to purchases advertising space on the MTBA. Catholic News Agency

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