Thursday, November 26, 2009

Swine 'flu no bar to Communion on the Tongue


Writing to a British Catholic the CDW said a bishop cannot restrict peoples right to receive Holy Communion on the tongue despite the risk of an N1H1 epidemic.
According to Rorate Caeli.

11 comments:

Volpius Leonius said...

I did not for one moment think it could be. A disease serious enough to warrant this would be serious enough to stop all public masses completely.

And as one having had the swine flu I can testify it is milder than the regular flu just as my doctor told me.

Pablo the Mexican said...

All ilness comes from Original Sin.

It is sacrilegous and blasphemy to say anyone could become ill from the Blessed Sacriment.

You might get something from blessed water, but never from Holy Water.

How could a Catholic even think these things, that something sacred could cause harm?

Mother of Mercy, pray for us!

^

Norah said...

Have Orthodox church ceased giving Holy Communion by the spoon - the same spoon?

Victoria said...

We have no idea if the question asked about a bishop discontinuing distribution of Holy Communion on the tongue because of fear of infection. The reply doesn't mention swine flu. Even if the letter was in response to a swine flu question, and we don't know that, it is not good form to begin the practise of holding up every legitimate decision by a bishop to a 'higher court.'

If someone did contract swine flu and it could be shown that the person had received Holy Communion on the tongue or from the Chalice or shook hands for the sign of peace there is a law suit against the diocese in the making.

Fr Ray Blake said...

Victoria,
It is very important that a bishop does arrogate to himself an authority that does not belong to him, especially if it robs his subjects of their rights.
The Church is not a den of robber barons.

Fr Ray Blake said...

Pablo,
Remember, we believe in transubstantiation; the accidents of bread and wine presumable are not just taste and smell but also the ability to be contaminated and to harbour desease.

johnf said...

Father

I begin to wonder whether some Bishops have ulterior motives e.g. they prefer the faithful to take the Eucharist in the hand.

It's also a neat way of getting round the Holy Father's Motu proprio. I read recently that attendance at some EF Masses was down because of the ban.

Richard said...

Victora,

Read the letter. Communion on the tongue is a RIGHT we ALWAYS have.

In other words, this is not a "legitimate" decision of the Bishop. He has over-stepped his authority and denied his flock one of their rights given by the Church.

georgem said...

The Dirty Hands Study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, published in 2008, may give us pause for thought about the way we receive Our Lord
“Random swabbing of the hands of 409 commuters at locations across the UK shows that one in four had bacteria that come from faeces on their hands. . . .”
http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2008/10/dirty-commuters.html

George said...

The Americans have the answer, noticed the adverts for individually packaged communion wafers and grape juice on a website some details below.

How does this 'product' square with receiving Communion on the tongue in the Old Rite:

- Product Details -
Individual Communion Wafer & Juice sets contain 1/6 fl oz juice and 1/6 g wafer. Box of 100

Features:
Extended Shelf Life

More Cups for Less

New Push Up and Peel Back Tab

No Special Preparation Required

Sized for Standard Communion Trays

Packaged and Sealed for Purity

Unused Sets May Be Stored for Future Use

No Refrigeration Necessary


Utterly ridiculous as I see it! Their final 'up-beat' message in the advertising is that the plastic containers are fully recyclable!!!!

ARGHHHHHHHHHH......!!!

Volpius Leonius said...

The letter does not need to mention swine flu, its wording shows that it is never lawful to forbid receiving on the tongue for any reason. you can forbid receiving at all but not just in this one form.

If Rome decides that the Bishop was wrong then it was not a legitimate decision Victoria.

The "higher Court" as you rather disrespectfully refer to the Pope and his representatives is a fundamental part of the Catholic Church, one which preserves the Catholic and at the same time ensures that our rights as Catholics are respected.

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