My old Grade 10 German is surely not sufficient and thanks to Google Translator; here is the latest from Bishop Athanasius Schneider from Kreuz and the Eponymous Flower. Communion in the hand was an error that must be corrected. You can start correcting it the next time you attend Mass--one person at a time and it begins with you.
Bishop Schneider: Hand Communion Must Go
(kreuz.net) The current form of hand communion stems from the Calvinists.
This
is what Auxiliary Bishop Athanasius Schneider (50) of Astana in
Kazakhstan said at the end of October for the videosite 'gloria.tv'."That was an abuse"
Calvinist self-communion was introduced in the 1960s by decadent Catholic Communities in the Netherlands.
This step happened in disobedience to ecclesiastical rules -- Msgr Schneider stressed: "That was an abuse and the Holy See forbid it in the 1960s."
Finally Paul VI († 1978) addressed hand communion in the Document 'Memoriale Domini' in May 1969 with a "heavy heart":
"In this document the Church said that this form is an exception and that kneeling Communion would remain the rule."
At hand communion the people would take the Host with their fingers and put it in their mouths themselves: "this particular gesture has never taken place in the history of the Church, never."
It was a kind of self communion.
The Lutherans adapted themselves to the Catholics
Msgr Schneider recalled the Episcopal Synod of October 2005 on the Eucharist.
During a recess Msgr Schneider asked an attending Norwegian Lutheran "Bishop" how his community gave the Lord's Supper.
The Lutheran answered that the Norwegian State Church had, up until about ten years ago, been giving supper only kneeling and on the tongue. Yet the influence of decadent Roman Catholics has caused hand communion to be introduced.
Liturgical Minimalism
The Auxiliary Bishop asks that hand communion be prayed and worked against:
"We must deeply desire that this form of current hand communion, which has never been practiced in the Church, be abolished" -- he said with feeling.
Handcommunion is a minimal form of reverence. On the contrary, the Church ought never to be satisfied with minimalism.
Particles of Host on the floor
Msgr Schneider warned that giving hand communion will cause many particles to be lost.
The Hosts are often flaky.
The particles could also adhere to the fingers or remain on the
palm. They would fall on the ground and be trampled.
In Kazakhstan, according to the Auxiliary Bishop, Communion is only given kneeling and on the tongue.
"It so often happens to me and also to other priests, that there are a few particles on the paten."
Without Communion patens, these particles would fall on the floor or in the clothing of the people.
Msgr Schneider also warned that hand communion simplifies the theft of Hosts as well.
3 comments:
Something to think about from our Holy Father before he was our Holy Father. In 1978, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger wrote that "We know that until the ninth century Communion was received on the hand, standing. That does not of course mean that it should always be so. For what is fine, sublime, about the Church is that she is growing, maturing, understanding the mystery more profoundly. In that sense the new development that began after the ninth century (i.e., kneeling) is quite justified, as an expression of reverence, and is well-founded. But, on the other hand, we have to say that the Church could not possibly have been celebrating the Eucharist unworthily for nine hundred years... If we read what the Fathers say, we can see in what spirit of reverence they received Communion... Anyone who reflects on this will recognize that on this point it is quite wrong to argue about this or that form of behavior. We should only be concerned only to argue in favor of what the Church's efforts were directed toward, both before, and after the ninth century, that is, a reverence in the heart, an inner submission before the mystery of God that puts himself into our hands" (God is Near Us: The Eucharist, The Heart of Life, p. 70; Ignatius Press, 2003).
More thoughts on Communion. Here, Communion in the hand would not be likely be contiplated.
The Diocese of London Ontario still has the Pandemic Plan initiated in 2009 in effect. This is the plan that banned communion-on-the-tongue to all the faithful, no exceptions made for the disabled using mobility devices which effectively meant they one had one free hand to partake of the Eucharist. This ban was implemented in November and continued until after Easter Sunday April 4. In other words, the faithful who elected to receive on the tongue were denied the Eucharistic Lord not only during Christmas but Easter too. Can you believe this plan is still in effect, albeit at stage 0. Is it any wonder this is the same diocese which has abolished kneeling after communion?
Phase 0
No restrictions in liturgical practices required
Parishes should promote Health and Safety Best Practices
Parishes should prepare for Phase 1
Phase 1
Temporary withdrawal of Communion from the cup
No Communion on the tongue
Hand sanitizers at the doors of the church
At the greeting of peace recommend a greeting and an acknowledgement but no shaking of the hands
Encourage parishioners to stay home if they exhibit flu-like symptoms
Parishes should prepare for Phase 2
Phase 2
Removal of Holy Water at the entrance of the church (to be replaced by rite of sprinkling at the beginning of Eucharist)
Sanitizing of pews and hymnals with appropriate sanitizer before/after each Sunday Liturgy
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