Posted on 07/22/2005 9:10:26 PM PDT by Coleus
Synod working document says Eucharist must be celebrated with dignity
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Because Christ is truly present in the Eucharist, the sacrament must be treated with dignity, shared only by those who hold the same faith and lead to efforts to spread the Gospel, said the working document for the Synod of Bishops.
The document, which will form the departure point for discussions at the Oct. 2-23 world Synod of Bishops, was released July 7 at the Vatican. The theme of the synod is "The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church."
Its observations about how Catholics around the world see the sacrament and celebrate it were drawn from contributions sent to the Vatican by 113 bishops' conferences, 11 synods of bishops of Eastern Catholic churches, 25 Vatican congregations and councils, and the Union of Superiors General.
In the introduction, Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, general secretary of the Synod of Bishops, said the working document "principally concentrated on the positive aspects of the celebration of the Eucharist that bring the faithful together and make them a community, despite their differences in race, language, nation and culture.
"Mention is also made of various insufficiencies and oversights in the celebration of the Eucharist which, thanks be to God, are rather contained," he wrote.
The document repeatedly called for balance in how the Eucharist is celebrated: times for song, verbal prayer and quiet; adherence to liturgical norms that are the same all over the world and the use of local cultural elements such as songs and gestures; and prayers and readings in the local language and in Latin, especially for international celebrations.
While experience varies around the world, the key problem identified was a decreasing awareness among Catholics of the obligation and benefits of attending the liturgy and receiving the Eucharist every Sunday.
In addition, it said, too many people seem to be unaware of the importance of receiving the Eucharist only when they are in a "state of grace," having received the sacrament of penance after having committed a serious sin.
"Belonging to the church is the basis for admittance to the sacraments," it said. "No one can approach the Eucharist without having first received baptism; no one can return to the Eucharist without first having received the sacrament of penance."
The document also reaffirmed church teaching that Catholics who are divorced and civilly remarried may not receive the Eucharist in most cases, but are encouraged to continue attending Mass and may even approach the priest at Communion to receive a blessing in parishes where that is the practice.
The synod's working document explained the Catholic Church recognizes the validity of the Eucharist in the Orthodox churches and the possibility of Catholics and Orthodox receiving Communion at each other's liturgies where circumstances permit.
However, it repeated church rules that in most cases eucharistic sharing with Anglicans and Protestants is not possible; Catholics and other Christians must pray and work for the full unity that would allow them to gather around the same altar and profess their shared faith by receiving the Eucharist together, it said.
The unity celebrated in the Eucharist also must be evident among all Catholics who approach the altar together, it said.
"Just as sharing an ordinary meal presupposes good relations, so the Eucharist is the sacrament of those reconciled," it said.
The document said bishops around the world felt the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council were overwhelmingly positive, although some misunderstandings and abuses have occurred in how the council's teachings were interpreted and put into practice.
Among the concerns, it listed the loss of a sense of the sacred and a diminished understanding of the Eucharist as Christ's sacrifice on the altar, with the result that many people think the community praying together makes Jesus present in the Eucharist rather than acknowledging that in the sacrament Jesus gives himself under the forms of bread and wine.
The bishops also had special praise for the lay people in their dioceses and parishes who teach children about the Eucharist, who fulfill various functions during the liturgy and who lead prayer services when a priest is not available to celebrate Mass.
The synod's working document said Catholics must understand that a validly ordained priest is absolutely necessary for the valid celebration of Mass.
Where a priest is not available, it said, "it would be better to speak of 'liturgies awaiting a priest' instead of 'priestless liturgies'" in order to keep clear in the minds of all the need for priests and the obligation to pray for vocations to the priesthood.
The working document dedicated one of its four sections to "the Eucharist in the mission of the church," particularly emphasizing that by receiving Communion and the grace of Christ it brings Catholics must live the faith once they leave Mass.
True faith in the Eucharist implies living a morally upright life, acting and even voting in accordance with church teaching, spreading the Gospel, promoting peace and working for justice, it said.
"An essential effect of eucharistic communion is a charity which ought to permeate social life," the document said.
"In a culture of death, the Eucharist is the culture of life," it said. "In an atmosphere of individual and societal selfishness, the Eucharist reaffirms total self-giving. Where there is hate and terrorism, the Eucharist places love.
"In response to scientific positivism, the Eucharist proclaims mystery. In desperate times, the Eucharist teaches a sure hope of a blessed eternity," it said.
BTTT!
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