Posted on 02/12/2010 4:23:14 PM PST by NYer
.- Catholics in Costa Rica continue to express disgust following the actions of Deborah Formal, the girlfriend of presidential candidate Otto Guevara. Last Sunday, Formal broke off a piece of the Eucharist and placed it in her boyfriend's pocket.
The Costa Rican media has continued to air footage of the Mass which shows Formal receiving Communion, bringing a piece of it back to her seat, and giving it to Guevara.
Being divorced, Guevara did not present himself for Communion.
The video shows that as she approached the archbishop to receive Communion, the two briefly exchanged words. Formal said later she had requested permission from the archbishop to “share the blessing” of Communion with Guevara. She said she misunderstood the archbishop and thought that he had given her permission.
“It was never my intention to disrespect the Catholic Church,” she said.
Formal is seen receiving Communion in the hand, consuming a portion and carrying what was left back to her pew, where she leaned over and put it into Guevara’s shirt pocket.
“I tried to do something that would allow Otto to carry a part of God in his heart,” Formal explained.
After priests were notified of Formal's actions, they asked the presidential candidate to return the consecrated host. He returned it and it was immediately consumed by one of the concelebrating priests.
Numerous Catholics interviewed by the media expressed outrage over the actions of Formal, saying she displayed not only ignorance in describing the consecrated host as a “blessing” instead of as the Real Presence of Christ, but also complete disrespect for Communion and for the Eucharistic Host.
Archbishop Hugo Barrantes of San Jose called her actions “inappropriate and disrespectful,” although not sacrilegious.
Video at link!
The indult permitting reception of Holy Communion in the hand needs to be revoked ASAP.
The problem is that the Ordinary Form is designed for reception in the hand, due to the need for the communicant to respond “Amen.” This makes it slightly awkward to receive in the normal way.
Another reason to just return to the Traditional Mass.
Yup, yup and yup.
“...Holy Communion in the hand needs to be revoked ASAP.”
.
Amen. And communion under both species for the faithful is not necessary. The Church didn’t do it for centuries until after Vatican II.
Unbelievable. This woman disrespects Holy Communion — and it seems all some Catholics can do is argue over the cermony, the “errors” of Vatican II, The offering of Communion in one kind (an error, by the way, which was the product of the Council of Trent), etc...
It is NOT about the hoops one jumps thru, the rules one follows, or the rituals one observes — it’s about reverence and rememberance of the Holy One who gave Himself for our salvation!
Respect of Jesus Christ, fear of the Lord, awe for His sacrificial death and victorious resurrection are at issue here. Blessings be upon all those who know this truth, and who observe it!
To an extent I agree. Every time one of these stories surfaces, the major complaint is communion in the hand, not respect for it. It wouldn't be the end of my world to revert to the tongue, but there's such a thing as missing the forest for the trees.
The concept of handling the Eucharist like some kind of object creates an atmosphere of prosaicness which leads to disrespect.
This is not about hoops or rules: it is about pastors setting a poor example.
I discussed the lax attitude about reception of the Body and Blood of Jesus in my 9th Grade Confirmation Class a couple of weeks ago. I recounted what I'd seen done by some Communicants, as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, and told the kids I hoped I never saw any of them disrespecting Jesus in such a manner. Jesus instituted the Sacrament for us, and it was the most awesome physical gift He left to us, through His Disciples.
Are you Catholic? This is a caucus thread.
I agree with you. Every week in our bulletin there is a blurb about how to receive in the hand - with clean hands, no keys, no gum, etc. It’s more than just communion in the hand. It’s a matter of respect all the way around. In the hand may have contributed to the laxness, but it started with disrespect, and that’s what really needs to be addressed.
On the other hand, I see people sometimes receive on the tongue, and they seem to be nothing if not awed by their being able to receive Jesus directly into their bodies and their hearts.
It's not about the manner of reception, it's about the attitude of the receiver.
Are you Catholic? This is a caucus thread.
________________
This thread was posted in the News & Activism forum. Had it been in the caucus forum I would not have commented. My apologies.
The Bible is not kind to those who would corrupt the Eucharist. I hope she considers the consequences of her actions.
Yep. In the Byzantine Rite, we receive from a spoon, with our hands crossed over our hearts. Then we kiss the chalice before departing to our places.
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I approach for Communion with the palms of my hands together, which gives the Minister sufficient clue that I intend to receive on the tongue. I respond Amen and open my mouth. Works every time.
There are two basic reactions here, and I don’t think they are really incompatible. Part of the problem is that there has been considerable laxness in catechizing and in teaching respect for the Eucharist since Vatican II.
But part of the problem is the behavior of this particular woman and her boyfriend. Such behavior has been encouraged by the lack of respect for the host shown by all too many teachers in the Church, although certainly there were always people who seemed not to understand the meaning of Communion earlier. But I think fewer of them.
Much depends, of course, on the parish priest and the previous backgrounds and experience of parishioners.
I receive on the tongue, and have had no difficulty in my current parish.
I’m an old-fashioned Catholic. I want Communion given as it was, pre-Vatican2 and the Mass in Latin.
I understand, and, yes...it can of course be done. What I’m saying is that in the Extraordinary Form, one can kneel at the altar rail, and prepare one’s mouth for reception as the priest approaches. In the Ordinary Form, even at an altar rail, which is used where I attend Mass, one must reply “Amen,” and then open one’s mouth, which is just a bit more awkward, and slows down the process, as well.
I understand what the designers of the new Mass were trying to do with the response, but I think that they clearly had in mind that people would be receiving in the hand.
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