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October 24, 2006
No indult for you
...not not that indult. Another one:
Catholic News Service reports:
At the direction of Pope Benedict XVI, extraordinary ministers of holy Communion will no longer be permitted to assist in the purification of the sacred vessels at Masses in the United States.
In an Oct. 23 letter, Bishop William S. Skylstad, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, asked his fellow bishops to inform all pastors of the change, which was prompted by a letter from Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.
The U.S. bishops had asked the Vatican to extend an indult -- or church permission -- in effect since 2002 allowing extraordinary ministers of holy Communion to help cleanse the Communion cups and plates when there were not enough priests or deacons to do so.
Bishop Skylstad, who heads the Diocese of Spokane, Wash., said Cardinal Arinze asked Pope Benedict about the matter during a June 9 audience, "and received a response in the negative."
Noting that the General Instruction of the Roman Missal "directs that the sacred vessels are to be purified by the priest, the deacon or an instituted acolyte," the cardinal said in his Oct. 12 letter that "it does not seem feasible, therefore, for the congregation to grant the requested indult from this directive in the general law of the Latin Church."
Update: I've pulled this from the comments, because it's an important point to make - from Fr. Totton:
..please realize that we are speaking here NOT about "cleansing" but about "purification"
Whatever "cleansing" is, "purification" involves using ordinary water to dissolve Eucharistic particles and any remnant of the precious Blood from the vessels - then consuming that "ablution" containing the remaining eucharistic fragments. The ablution is preferably not to be deposited in the sacrarium, but to be consumed.
If there is any washing (or cleansing) to take place after that, I think anybody - EMHC's, sacristans, servers, priests, etc. - would be welcome to do so.
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Posted by Amy Welborn | Permalink
Comments
Key words being "general law". My guess is, American exceptions from the general law of the Latin Rite are going to be few and far between.
Posted by: Joe Marier at Oct 24, 2006 4:30:26 PM
It seems the leaves are beginning to drop, and the season to change...
Posted by: Old Zhou at Oct 24, 2006 4:52:16 PM
At the direction of Pope Benedict XVI, extraordinary ministers of holy Communion will no longer be permitted to assist in the purification of the sacred vessels at Masses in the United States.
Interestingly, I recall only seeing this practice twice, and both times just recently. The first was last summer at a church in Pawley's Island, SC, and the second last month at my wife's childhood parish. And both times I recall thinking, "He [the priest, sitting in his presider's chair] looks bored, and she [the EM, fussing at the altar] like she's playing 'let's pretend'."
Posted by: Rich Leonardi at Oct 24, 2006 5:04:12 PM
What, pray tell, is an "instituted acolyte?"
I've know a couple of acolytes that I should should be institutionalized ... but I doubt that is the same thing.
Posted by: Jimmy Mac at Oct 24, 2006 5:09:04 PM
one of the former "minor orders." Not called that anymore, and only two remain - lector and acolyte. Seminarians are not "ordained" to these any more but I think it is said they "receive the ministry" or are installed as...or something like that.
The same correspondent also asked what is an "instituted acolyte," and how he differs from altar servers who are also sometimes called acolytes.
The ministry of acolyte, alongside that of instituted lector, is an instituted ministry of the Church. These ministries replaced the former minor orders (porter, lector, exorcist and acolyte) and the order of subdeacon. These minor orders were reserved to seminarians but rarely — or in the case of exorcist, never — exercised. Rather, they served as different stages leading up to the reception of major orders.
Pope Paul VI abolished the minor orders and the order of subdeacon in 1973 and replaced them with the two ministries of lector and acolyte.
All seminarians and candidates for the permanent diaconate receive these ministries before ordination to the diaconate, usually during the period of theological studies.
These ministries, however, are no longer reserved to seminarians, but in virtue of their connection to priestly formation, may only be received by laymen.
The rite of instituting a lector or acolyte is usually reserved to the bishop or to a major superior in the case of members of religious congregations.
Their functions are superficially similar to those of an altar server during Mass but with the important difference that when he exercises his ministry the acolyte is acting as a minister of the Church.
Posted by: amy at Oct 24, 2006 5:14:06 PM
Our pastor does not purify the vessels at all. The EME's take them behind a wall (which stands behind the altar and on which hangs the large crucifix) and no one sees what happens back there. The remaining hosts are taken in a small, wooden bowl to the Tabernacle, which is in a chapel that can be seen through a glass wall to one side of the church. No one does anything at the altar except for a couple of parishioners who come up and remove the corporals from the altar (which were put there just prior to the Eucharistic Prayer by the same two people). Once he is finished with distributing Communion to his line, Father sits in the presider's chair and waits for the altar to be stripped.
It will be interesting to see if this comes to pass here.
Posted by: gopsoccermom at Oct 24, 2006 5:14:10 PM
This could create problems of a practical nature in larger churches that like to offer communion under both species. I'm thinking of St. Matthew's Cathedral in DC. For the main Sunday masses, 4-6 cups may be used. Are the priest and deacon supposed to consume the remaining Precious Blood alone? That's a heavy requirement! Will this mean we will see far fewer cups being offered?
Posted by: Morning's Minion at Oct 24, 2006 5:23:30 PM
Morning's Minion is certainly correct that this will make communion under both species logistically more difficult.
Posted by: F. C. Bauerschmidt at Oct 24, 2006 5:28:22 PM
MM:
Read the whole story - EME's may continue to consume the rest of the Precious Blood, but only those stated may cleanse the vessels. They basically say, "Well, you might have to fogo Communion under both Species" - and intinction is mentioned.
Posted by: amywelborn at Oct 24, 2006 5:30:08 PM
What is the requirement for purification of the vessels during Mass? At one Mass in the Virginia Beach area they used "home-made" bread for communion. The remnant were simply placed on a table and covered with a cloth with the presumption they would be dealt with after Mass. At another parish in this same diocese, they also used "home-made" bread. The remnants of the Blessed Sacrament were carried on a large uncovered pottery platter out of the sanctuary. Again it was presumed they would be taken care of after Mass. Someone tried to explain to me that you don't do the dishes while the guests are still present, but these are not dishes we are talking about. We are talking about the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ here. Is "cleaning up" after Mass allowed?
Posted by: Catholic Mom at Oct 24, 2006 5:33:18 PM
The use of "home made bread", most likely using yeast, is an acceptable practice in the East. To do things properly, there is a guide book and additional requirements for those doing the baking. Good home made bread will do in a pinch. And if good home made bread is not available, we of the East are permitted to use western communion wafers in that order. For the use of home baked bread to be legitimate in the West, you'd have to have communion wafers be unavailable and the specially made Eastern stuff unavailable as well. If you're landing there on a regular basis, either you're in the catacombs, you don't plan ahead well at all, or you are violating the rules.
Over the years, I have assisted at lots of liturgies. I have only seen priests ever clean and purify the vessels. It is something that, in the Romanian Byzantine Rite at least, is done after the service. It also is why you don't see our priests glad handing out front as people leave. They're busy cleaning up at the altar for a good 5-10 minutes (I suspect that there are silent wind down prayers involved but never investigated), something that Roman Rite priests in the US may also end up doing.
Posted by: TM Lutas at Oct 24, 2006 6:00:48 PM
The use of "home made bread", most likely using yeast, is an acceptable practice in the East. To do things properly, there is a guide book and additional requirements for those doing the baking. Good home made bread will do in a pinch. And if good home made bread is not available, we of the East are permitted to use western communion wafers in that order. For the use of home baked bread to be legitimate in the West, you'd have to have communion wafers be unavailable and the specially made Eastern stuff unavailable as well. If you're landing there on a regular basis, either you're in the catacombs, you don't plan ahead well at all, or you are violating the rules.
Over the years, I have assisted at lots of liturgies. I have only seen priests ever clean and purify the vessels. It is something that, in the Romanian Byzantine Rite at least, is done after the service. It also is why you don't see our priests glad handing out front as people leave. They're busy cleaning up at the altar for a good 5-10 minutes (I suspect that there are silent wind down prayers involved but never investigated), something that Roman Rite priests in the US may also end up doing.
Posted by: TM Lutas at Oct 24, 2006 6:00:48 PM
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal at several points (old and newer editions) allows for the cleansing of sacred vessels after Mass .
"It is also permitted, especially if there are several vessels to be cleansed, to leave them suitably covered on a corporal, either at the altar or at a side table and to cleanse them immediately after Mass..." #163; also at #183...
At our parish, with a large church and congregation, communion under both forms involves 6 ciboria and 12 chalices at each Sunday Mass (priests, deacons, extraodinary ministers, all according to law). Long ago, our planning group thought about the possible end of laity doing the cleansing. It would be easy to cover the sacred vessels on the credence table until after Mass.
Posted by: Tom Ryan at Oct 24, 2006 6:15:01 PM
I think this clarification is a long time in coming, but I welcome it for the clarity it provides on these issues. Some here may label me a narrow-minded "neo-con" but the issues stated in the letter are precisely the trouble with Holy Communion offered under both species in the typical manner as it has been practiced in the United STates. My parish has not been in the habit of that practice, but I recently offered the Holy Sacrifice at the local high school. The vessels (too many to count) were left on a table until after Mass - by the time I went to purify the vessels, the precious blood had begun to gel or dry on the wall of the chalices - making the purification (which requires only tap water) somewhat more problematic.
Intinction seems like a reasonable plan in a smaller parish (one that requires only two ministers - read ORDINARY or 1 Ordinary and 1 extraordinary) but care must be taken to provide proper catechesis on the distribution / reception of both kinds under intinction - it would also require the vigilant and careful use of the communion patens - which is already called for by R.S.
Posted by: Fr Totton at Oct 24, 2006 6:32:06 PM
If this has the side effect of ending communion in both kinds, that's a good thing.
I've at least once heard "but then you haven't really received communion" with respect to receiving the Body alone. If one person blurts that out, how many are thinking it? So I think it's time to return to the practical catechesis of communion under one species for the laity, 365.25 days a year.
Posted by: Mac in Alberta at Oct 24, 2006 6:40:48 PM
Our parish began using Acolytes - instituted guys and commissioned gals - a few months ago at our Masses. They act as MC's, basically, juggling the servers, the priest, the deacon, the swarm of Communion Ministers (we have an 1100-seat church which is packed on the weekends). Looks like our next Worship meeting will be very interesting!!
Posted by: marco frisbee at Oct 24, 2006 6:42:07 PM
Tom Ryan: "Long ago, our planning group thought about the possible end of laity doing the cleansing."
Long ago was before this clarification was handed down. It is my hope that such parishes will re-evaluate their situation in light of this latest clarification. Furthermore, please realize that we are speaking here NOT about "cleansing" but about "purification"
Whatever "cleansing" is, "purification" involves using ordinary water to dissolve Eucharistic particles and any remnant of the precious Blood from the vessels - then consuming that "ablution" containing the remaining eucharistic fragments. The ablution is preferably not to be deposited in the sacrarium, but to be consumed.
If there is any washing (or cleansing) to take place after that, I think anybody - EMHC's, sacristans, servers, priests, etc. - would be welcome to do so.
Tom Ryan further states:
"It would be easy to cover the sacred vessels on the credence table until after Mass."
See the point in my post above about the Precious Blood drying on the wall of the chalice.
No doubt, many people are going to be dimayed by this recent development - they will make fun of the pope for "telling us we can't do the dishes" - a good indicator of the lack of understanding which is precisely why such a clarification was needed.
Posted by: Fr. Totton at Oct 24, 2006 6:44:13 PM
"Commissioned gals"?? Sounds a bit dodgy, doesn't it?
Posted by: Ephrem at Oct 24, 2006 6:46:08 PM
You know my initial response to this was: < Borat voice > Nice! < /Borat voice >
It wasn't a particularly Christian response. More like, "Boo-yah. Score one for the good guys. This will make the right people mad."
So I know that's not exactly the right attitude but at the same time announcements like this are sort of cathartic. I mean in the scheme of things this particular issue isn't that big a deal to me but it seems like over and over, every time a Roman directive is intrusive the American bishops send a request for an indult and then invariably get it (of course if I remember correctly, one of those indults is kneeling after the Agnus Dei which conservatives like myself approve of). In any case, it's just sort of nice to hear Rome say "No. Maybe it's inconvenient. Maybe it's not how it's been done. But just deal with it."
Posted by: Mark Adams at Oct 24, 2006 6:49:55 PM
Marco,
Unless you are in the diocese of Lincoln, NE, I would be that you don't have instituted acolytes (whatever the guys may be). Your comment about the "commissioned gals" gives me a moral certainty that you are NOT in the diocese of Lincoln, NE. I have been told that Bp. Bruskewitz is the only bishop in North America who actually institutes acolytes and lectors apart from those in formation for the priesthood.
Posted by: Fr. Totton at Oct 24, 2006 6:51:26 PM
What constitutes "instituted"? I have recently begun to fill in as a back up Sacristan. The Sacristan's purify the vessels. Should we revisit this policy?
Posted by: chris-2-4 at Oct 24, 2006 6:51:36 PM
At my home parish at least eight vessesls are used for the Precious Blood. I'm thinking it's more like twelve. This should be real interesting to watch to see if the parish complies.
In general the parish does a good job of following the GIRM (with the exception of widespread usage of EMHCs.)
I have no problem with communion under a single species but the "spirit of V2" fanatics will go nuts. With communion under a single species we would cut the need for EMHCs down to about four or so. As it is now a huge crowd of EMHCs goes first for communion while the rest of us wait for them to receive and then get situated to serve.
I'm liking this single species idea more and more. :-)
Posted by: Russ at Oct 24, 2006 6:56:52 PM
I am greatly pleased to see this. The Eucharist has been becoming too pedestrian, too commonplace, too ordinary to the great many pew folk. The sacred mystery and true presence in the Eucharist is becoming misunderstood, lost or ignored. The misunderstandings and mis-teachings of V-II are still alive and kicking. (I just went to a Catholic Scout Camporee/Retreat where the Priest told all attendees that since they were camping and did not have clean hands, that Communion would only be given on the tongue...He preserved the proper sacred dignity of the Eucharist and taught a valuable instruction - Praised be Jesus Christ !!!!)
I have heard of a particular Diocese in the mid-west where the Bishop has ONLY instituted Acolytes (vested in Cassock & Surplice) fucntion as Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion...
Posted by: Steve Burdick at Oct 24, 2006 7:04:12 PM
Good! Message to to lazy liberal priests: Your mama don't work here. So clean up after yourself and do your own damned dishes!
Posted by: Patrick Rothwell at Oct 24, 2006 7:25:55 PM
Another dreary skirmish in what promises to be a long and bloody war as the ordained clergy defends its turf. Someday you will come to see that the real problem is ordination.
Posted by: Tom Kelty at Oct 24, 2006 7:26:25 PM
