Well, I'm going to take a risk and write about this online for all to see (I wrote about it on livejournal the other day, but I have it set up so only my friends can see it).
The first week we had our new pastor and associate they wrote in the church bulletin that they would not be changing the traditions of our parish, but that they would like to add some ministries like outreach to the homeless, prisoners, and have Eucharistic Adoration every week. This all sounded good to me, and with our traditions safe and sound I was happy. I think I even wrote on here how happy we were, and how the new priest does a beautiful consecration.
The second week we had been disarmed and walked into something we didn't expect. In the church bulletin it was written that the pastor would like us to stop kneeling at the communion rail for communion, and that he would like us to recieve in the hands and not on the tongue as we normally do. He added that he couldn't force us to stop (which is true, according to what I heard first hand out of the mouth of Cardinal Arinze), but that it would be greatly appreciated because he has a backache.
All last week we were sad and upset about this. One of the things that we love about the parish is how the communion rail is used, and how traditional it is, and now that was being taken away. We're also concerned at whether or not the parish can survive the change since many of the people who go to that parish are not from the immediate area - we know several families who come from an hour's drive away. If its not going to be traditional any more then those people may stop coming and go to a parish closer to them.
So this last weekend we went to mass and they had a third line (usually it was two communion lines, one for each side of the church) in the middle for people who wanted to stand, and it was just a mess. People on the other side of the church didn't seem to have much trouble getting to kneel at the rail, but people on our side did and very few ended up kneeling. It was a sad sight to see.
After mass Mom caught up with the pastor and gave him a box of ThermaCare back relief, so that he would be able to bend over to give us communion at the altar rail. They had a party for the new priests after mass, but we decided not to go to it because we were still sad about what was going on.
What are your thoughts on this?
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About Me
- catholicandgop
- Catholic and politically conservative, I graduated with a BA in History (concentration in American) and Political Science. I'm between two parishes; one in Wisconsin that is fairly traditional, and one in Illinois that is fairly liberal. I teach CCD. I work in the food service industry, which basically means I'm working in fast food until I find a better job. I'd like to work for the church somehow. Right now I'm working on getting my teaching certification, although I'm unsure thats the correct path for me. This blog is as random as I am. I hope you enjoy.
4 comments:
Oh Sunny!! No wonder you were bothered about what was happening at your parish. I didn't know some parish still used the Communion rail. I like what your mom did though ;-)
Do most of you received kneeling down?
Well before this everyone received kneeling at the rail - well a couple people would stand in front of the rail to receieve if they couldn't kneel or people in wheelchairs would receive down the center aisle. But now its all confused.
This is so interesting. The first time ever in my life that I ever saw a communion rail was when I was in another country earlier this year. I've been in countless churches throughout the U.S. and had never seen this, but I thought it was beautiful when I saw this.
I don't know, catholicandgop. It's not a tradition that I'm personally used to. I'm used to walking up and receiving communion in my hands.
I don't think I can really opine then.
P.S. Funny story about your Mom.
I'm so very, very sorry! Yours must be one of the very last parishes still to receive our Lord properly. As a pastor myself, in the UK, I would LOVE to be able to restore the proper reception of Communion, but I know that I would cause such a stink. Isn't it ludicrous that people should find it so easy to pay less respect to our Lord, and those who wish to encourage more should find it so difficult?
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