Secretary for the Congregation for Divine Worship, Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith, has been keeping a high profile lately, speaking out in a number of interviews about the rebellion of some bishops against Summorum Pontificum and the continued need to reign in the abuses that have taken place in the Novus Ordo liturgy. A recent interview with the Agenzia Fides may give us a clue to what could be next on the horizon(?)--an end to Holy Communion in the hand. In the excerpt translated into English below, note that Archbishop Ranjith does not condemn the New Mass (a common accusation made by "progressives") but is concerned about the loss of faith that certain abuses have caused:
"Let us distinguish carefully. The post-conciliar reform was not entirely negative; on the contrary, there are many positive aspects in what has been realised. But there are also changes introduced without authorisation which continue to be carried forward despite their harmful effects on the faith and liturgical life of the Church.
"I speak for example of a change that was brought about in the reform which was not proposed either by the Council Fathers or by Sacrosanctum Concilium, that is, communion in the hand. This contributed in a way to a certain loss of faith in the real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. This practice, and the abolition of the altar rails, of kneelers in churches, and the introduction of practices which obliged the faithful to remain seated or standing during the elevation of the Most Holy Sacrament reduced the genuine meaning of the Eucharist and the sense of profound adoration which the Church should direct towards the Lord, the Only-begotten Son of God."
Note that he stresses that the Vatican II document on liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, did not call for Holy Communion in the hand. The Council Fathers did not seek or envision Holy Communion in the hand. Holy Communion in the hand is not a result of Vatican II, but another "innovation" forced upon us in the ever-changing "Spirit of Vatican II".
There also seems to be a popular misunderstanding that the "modern popes" approved of Holy Communion in the hand. That is simply NOT TRUE. Pope Paul VI reluctantly gave approval to requests from bishops' conferences for particular indults (special permission) to grant Holy Communion in the hand, and most of those indults were obtained dishonestly.
Here's what our "modern popes" actually had to say about Holy Communion in the hand:
POPE PAUL VI (1963-1978). "This method [on the tongue] must be retained." (Apostolic Epistle Memoriale Domini)
POPE JOHN PAUL II (1978-). "To touch the sacred species and to distribute them with their own hands is a privilege of the ordained. (Dominicae Cenae, sec. 11)
"It is not permitted that the faithful should themselves pick up the consecrated bread and the sacred chalice, still less that they should hand them from one to another." (Inaestimabile Donum, April 17, 1980, sec. 9)
2 comments:
If Pope John Paul II REALLY believed what he said then he could have done something about it. After all he was Pope for over 20 years and if the Pope can't tell priests and bishops what to do or not to do to preserve Catholic teaching then who can?
So many of these abuses were tolerated for so long that it is impossible to stop them now.
I believe Pope John Paul II had a good heart. I also believe he will go down in history as one of the weakest popes (along with Paul VI) at maintaining discipline of his bishops and priests.
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