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To: FourtySeven

At some masses of the ecclesial movement Miles Jesu (not "Mr. Miles Jesu" as a certain left-leaning diocesan chancery let on recently), sometimes they have a priest with an ablution bowl standing next to the priest who is administering the Host, so that those who must take communion in the hand can at least rinse the Particles off into the bowl. I think it is a refined sign of the honor to be shown to Our Lord in the Host.

Recognizing that in those areas where communion in the hand is permitted, it is licit, I nonetheless think it is a really bad idea for other reasons, having mostly to do with the bad symbolism of the communicant giving himself communion, rather than the priest, who is alter Christus, giving communion to the communicant. Communion in the hand becomes, like receiving communion standing rather than kneeling, and singing Catholic karaoke music at Mass, just another expression of the democratic exaltation of self over any higher Person or power.


16 posted on 10/13/2005 8:22:18 AM PDT by Theophane
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To: Theophane; Pyro7480

A couple of observations; the fans the author refers to represent the Seraphim together with whom we are joining in the Liturgy. The center of the fans, usually metal, are embosed with the face of an angel and the many vanes around the edge of the fans represent the many wings of those angles. It s the wings of the Seraphim which are fanning the Holy Gifts for the Holy People of God.

Standing at the reception of communion is the ancient way of the Orthodox Church. This is not a sign of disrespect among Orthodox people, but rather a sign of joy because as a general rule (except at the consecration for most of the year) we do not kneel during the Divine Liturgy on Sundays because Sunday is the "Eighth Day", the Eternal Resurrection Day. In the West, the tradition of kneeling for reception of communion is likewise very ancient and I certainly can see how a people who were not accustomed by tradition to stand for the reception of communion might, by no longer kneeling, come to the conclusion that standing somehow, on the one hand, was disrespectful to Christ and on the other that that was OK because Christ isn't "really there".


17 posted on 10/13/2005 8:41:51 AM PDT by Kolokotronis (Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!)
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To: Theophane
I nonetheless think it is a really bad idea for other reasons, having mostly to do with the bad symbolism of the communicant giving himself communion, rather than the priest, who is alter Christus, giving communion to the communicant. Communion in the hand becomes, like receiving communion standing rather than kneeling, and singing Catholic karaoke music at Mass, just another expression of the democratic exaltation of self over any higher Person or power.

In the Latin West this is all entirely true and well said. However, it is not quite true of the Eastern tradition which I believe is also embraced by Miles Jesu - a very fine ecclesial movement in my opinion that would be enhanced if they embraced better music.

27 posted on 10/13/2005 11:45:21 AM PDT by Maeve (Remember Lepanto!)
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