This is where liberal dissent leads: liberals give the Eucharist to a dog

WDTPRS ^ | August 6, 2012 | Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

[NYer]

Note in the second paragraph of the story that, at this blasphemous and sacrilegious “Mass”, the dissidents gave the Eucharist to a dog.

Let’s not be speciesist, after all. This is where dissent leads.

Note that this priest has already had his faculties removed. It could be that additional censures are now in order.

All creatures great and small: Father Greg Reynolds leads Mass at the Inclusive Catholics service in South Yarra, where one first-time visitor brought his dog along.

Dissidents preach a new breed of Catholicism
August 6, 2012
Barney Zwartz

FATHER Greg Reynolds wants his church of dissident Catholics to welcome all – ”every man and his dog”, one might say, risking the non-inclusive language he deplores – but even he was taken aback when that was put to the test during Mass yesterday.
A first-time visitor arrived late at the Inclusive Catholics service in South Yarra with a large and well-trained German shepherd. When the consecrated bread and wine were passed around, the visitor took some bread and fed it to his dog.
Apart from one stifled gasp, those present showed admirable presence of mind – but the dog was not offered the cup!
Father Reynolds, a Melbourne priest for 32 years, launched Inclusive Catholics earlier this year. He now ministers to up to 40 people at fortnightly services alternating between two inner-suburban Protestant churches.

The congregation includes gay men, former priests, abuse victims and many women who feel disenfranchised, but it is optimistic rather than bitter.

Yesterday a woman, Irene Wilson, led the liturgy and another, Emmy Silvius, preached the homily. Two more passed the bread and wine around.

Father Reynolds – his only clerical adornment a green stole around his neck – played as small a role as he could.
Inclusive Catholics is part of a small but growing trend in the West of disaffiliated Catholics forming their own communities and offering ”illicit” Masses, yet are slightly uncertain of their identities. [D'ya think?] The question was posed during the service: ”Are we part of the church or are we a breakaway movement?”

Father Reynolds was a thorn in the side of Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart when he preached in 2010 that it was God’s will to have women priests. He resigned as Western Port parish priest last August and had his faculties to act as a priest in Melbourne removed.

[...]

[NYer]

He now ministers to up to 40 people ...

[allmendream]

“All Dogs Go To Heaven”. ;)

[ArrogantBustard]

A first-time visitor arrived late at the Inclusive Catholics service in South Yarra with a large and well-trained German shepherd.

The happy couple are proud to announce their upcoming inclusive, non-speciesist wedding ...

[Joe 6-pack]

"When the consecrated bread and wine were passed around..."

I'm no Canon Lawyer, but I suspect that with his faculties removed, the so-called priest's "consecration" would not be valid; ergo, he gave the dog bread.

[null and void]

In many regards dogs are better than people.

[Buckeye McFrog]

As a Catholic I am shocked. All of us, particularly the clergy, are taught to treat the Eucharist with all dignity and respect due the literal Body and Blood of Christ. I know of no priest (or layperson for that matter) who would dare go along with this.

And for the record I am a dog lover too. Our church has an annual Blessing of the Pets. But we do not serve them Communion.

[napscoordinator]

Excuse me but I had to learn quite a few things before my First Communion in 1976 or 1977 (2nd grade) and also did the dog go to Confession before taking communion? I hope so because if the dog had any sins on his soul and then took communion, we are talking Mortal Sin here....Nope not venial sin no matter what the sin was...IT IS MORTAL SIN. Someone better get on this situation ASAP.

[andyk]

Prayers up to St Francis of Assisi.

[ArrogantBustard]

Since a woman, Irene Wilson, led the liturgy, I think there are at least no worries about the so-called "eucharist" being other than a piece of tasteless bread (to go along with the general tastelessness of the whole proceeding).

[null and void]

I'm no Canon Lawyer, but I suspect that with his faculties removed, the so-called priest's "consecration" would not be valid; ergo, he gave the dog bread.

Something like that, though not as elegant, was going to be my next post.

[the invisib1e hand]

bump.

[null and void]

Yes. I married a Catholic, spent a lot of Sunday mornings at mass, I never even tried to partake of the Eucharist. It wouldn’t have been proper.

[Stevenc131]

“In many regards dogs are better than people.”

Loyal pets already have the edge over many folks IMO, and the older I get the more the gap seems to grow.

[Jack Hydrazine]

What flavors does it come im?

[RichInOC]

Of course, the dog was probably the most morally sound creature in the room.

[RPTMS]

Once a priest, always a priest. The sacraments he does are valid, even if they’re illicit.

[rwa265]

“Once a priest, always a priest. The sacraments he does are valid, even if they’re illicit.”

This is true. From the Catechism

VII. THE EFFECTS OF THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS

The indelible character

1581 This sacrament configures the recipient to Christ by a special grace of the Holy Spirit, so that he may serve as Christ’s instrument for his Church. By ordination one is enabled to act as a representative of Christ, Head of the Church, in his triple office of priest, prophet, and king.

1582 As in the case of Baptism and Confirmation this share in Christ’s office is granted once for all. The sacrament of Holy Orders, like the other two, confers an indelible spiritual character and cannot be repeated or conferred temporarily.

1583 It is true that someone validly ordained can, for grave reasons, be discharged from the obligations and functions linked to ordination, or can be forbidden to exercise them; but he cannot become a layman again in the strict sense, because the character imprinted by ordination is for ever. The vocation and mission received on the day of his ordination mark him permanently.

1584 Since it is ultimately Christ who acts and effects salvation through the ordained minister, the unworthiness of the latter does not prevent Christ from acting. St. Augustine states this forcefully:

As for the proud minister, he is to be ranked with the devil. Christ’s gift is not thereby profaned: what flows through him keeps its purity, and what passes through him remains dear and reaches the fertile earth. . . . The spiritual power of the sacrament is indeed comparable to light: those to be enlightened receive it in its purity, and if it should pass through defiled beings, it is not itself defiled.

[Not gonna take it anymore]

In the article it reads that the recipient gave a piece to the dog not the priest.

Though the entire mass is illicit the Eucharist is still valid.

[Campion]

It's valid if the priest (not just the woman who was "leading the service") said the words of institution and they were using valid matter, not the brown sugar pancake/cookies that libs often attempt to consecrate.