I have been thinking and praying a great deal lately on some items of interest to Catholics. It is my hope that these questions will cause you to think about what has happened in the Church, maybe for the first time.Have you noticed a change in the way the Catholic Church receives and administers Holy Communion from the way it once was?
Do you remember when Catholics always knelt for Holy Communion?
Do you remember when Catholics received Holy Communion on the tongue only?
Do you remember when only the priest administered Holy Communion?
Do you remember our priests and sisters teaching us it was sacrilegious for anyone but the priest to touch the Sacred Host?
Discuss.
3 comments:
Oh and here I thought you were going to have a solution for the gluten dilemma! I suppose you should be glad they're being sticklers about that, though. So far from what I know they're not going to make a gluten-less host due to some tradition that it needs to be in there. I forget what exactly.
But anyway, pretty much 99% of the people I've always gone to church with took the communion in their hands first, not via the tongue. I never did the tongue thing. However, at least I am aware they used to. When my mom was growing up, she did I believe...or at least it was more common.
Hey at least we Catholics still treat it as sacred and aren't using oyster crackers and grape juice. And if it falls on the floor it can't be 'used' etc. And we're still suppose to genuflect to the tabernacle before entering and leaving the pews etc.
And within my lifetime, I've even seen a few rules added (or re-enforced? not sure). For example, when taking communion, we have to at least bow our heads and/or kneel after the person in front takes it, right before our turn. Also during the creed at certain points. etc.
I'm certainly not arguing w/ you and won't ever attempt to know as much about traditional Catholicism as you but....I guess I'm sayin', don't despair!
- L
Dear Rockin' Traddy,
I came to your blog through a Google search for an image I could use to depict Holy Communion for a pro-life project I'm working on.
After reading -L's comments posted above, I feel compelled to comment:
It is just so very, very sad that today's "modern" Catholics have lost their belief in Christ's REAL PRESENCE in the Holy Eucharist. Yes, folks ... He is present in that little wafer you receive. It's not a symbol -- it's not something the Church made up to make you be quiet during the Mass or injure your groin muscles when genuflecting. He gave Himself to us and becomes present to us - Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity - at the Consecration at every Mass. We actually should be throwing ourselves down on the ground before Him in love, adoration and worship each time we enter a Catholic Church! But because of the love that Holy Mother Church has for us, she has made it more practical for us to only kneel or genuflect in His presence.
I especially pray for all Catholics who teach that Christ is not truly present in the Eucharist, and for those Catholics who choose to believe He is not present in the Most Blessed Sacrament, and would hope that you do too, dear Traddy.
Keep the faith ... I am
In His service,
Judi V.
You are right to bee concerned about the changes concerning reverence to our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Is it better to stand before your God than kneel? Why have we taken away one act of reverence after another toward our Lord? People have lost their faith because we no longer treat Jesus like he's really God. Many Catholics who used to kneel now are just content to give him a simple bow. Easy. Please don't ask me to do too much for my Lord, it might strain me a little! I will be osting a blog on how the new Mass parallels the Protestant service more than the traditional mass. You can find it at www.MotherofGodlibrary.com hopefully in the near future. God bless. Larry
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