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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Regulations	Ryan	Friday, September 2, 2011
Question: Brother, what are the true reasons for the small differences between the United States and the rest of the world? I am talking about, for example, the communion norm standing and (relative) norm receiving on the hand as well as dietary regulations for Fridays confined to Lent, etc. I am wondering about this for a couple reasons. The first is obvious, simple desire for knowledge. But for the second, to be completely honest, sometimes I believe that the United States more than anyone should be fasting extra, or receiving communion with more reverence. I don't say this just to be antagonistic, more so, because I sometimes ponder whether these provisions might have encouraged (of course, at the complete fault of the people and not the Holy See) a more "loose" interpretation of the faith. For example, sometimes I wonder to myself that perhaps the norm of receiving on the hand and standing has been abused. I do not think things such as, "what a mistake the Magisterium has made in declaring this" at all. I fully recognize before everything the importance of obedience and respect for whatever disciplinary or liturgical measure is either mandated or allowed by the Holy See. However, sometimes I really wonder how well people here in the U.S. actually deal with what was originally an act containing some kind of wisdom on behalf of the Holy See. There are so many problems here in the U.S., sometimes regarding outright heresy, that is of course on both the public and lazy bishops/priests for fault, but it makes me wonder what implications this holds for our society. When I speak of abuses, I am speaking of course regarding the fact that not only are some people chastised (depending, of course, on the priest) for things like kneeling for communion, but also that many seem to have taken the norm of standing and made it into a blase approach to the offering of the Eucharist, as if they were coming up to receive a wafer - without bowing and sometimes without even an "Amen," and just rushing up to receive and leaving.
Question Answered by Dear Ryan: Sometimes the Holy See, upon request of country's Counsel of Bishops, will allow modifications to the universal norms. Such modifications are supposed to be based upon pastoral reasons that may be present in one region, or one country, and not another. The Conferences of Bishops of the United States and Canada have made such modifications. For example, in Canada all but two Holy Days of Obligation and been transferred to Sunday. In the United States, only four to six (out of ten listed in the universal norms) Holy Days of Obligation are observed outside of Sunday. Supposedly, this decision was made because of the hustle and bustle of the American culture that results in a burden upon the people if they were to observe Holy Days of Obligation according to universal norms. Personally, I find that to be bunk. But that is me. The issue of communion in the hand, however, is a completely different matter. Parishes in the United States practiced communion in the hand illegally, and in rebellion to the Holy See, for many years. I believe the Pope gave his permission for communion in the hand, (which was given with the proviso that it be experimental, that the people properly catechized, and the risk of abuses dealt with) because United States is a big bunch of babies and it just wasn't worth the battle. Every father must pick his battles with his children. Since United States is without question the most profoundly immature culture on the planet, we present a pain in the backside to the Pope. As for receiving communion, the new norms in the United States is to remain standing by giving a slight bow. The Holy See, however, has affirmed that those who wish to give a profound bow, or to kneel, or to genuflect may do so and are not to be chastised for it. The same goes for receiving our Lord on the tongue. We have a choice to receive in the hand or on the tongue, and those who wish to receive on the tongue are not to be disrespected. I have met priests who gave me a dirty look because I presented my tongue, instead of my hand. Those priests were out of line. As far as the general irreverence that people display, that is another issue. We live in a culture that does not understand, nor does it respect, the sacred. We live in a profane and pedestrian society. Since Catholics grow up in such a society and if they are not willing to reflect upon themselves, learn the nature of the sacred, and deliberately practice acts of reverence, they will likely not display much reverence. Unfortunately, human beings tend to act "on default". That is, human beings tend to follow the path most traveled, path that is easiest, the path that requires the least amount of thinking or reflection. While that is the default culture of human beings Christians are called by God to be countercultural. We are called to rise above the default, and more the that we are called to excellence and not mediocrity. Billy Graham once said, "many people sacrifice the best on the altar of the good." Indeed that is true. We tend to settle for that which is good and are satisfied with that. But, what father want merely the good for his children. Any parent, rather, wants the best for their children. Our Father in heaven wants the best for us, he wants what is excellent for us. But most of the time we disappoint Him and settle for the mediocre, or only the good, and thus rob ourselves of the excellence that God has for us. We need to be in prayer for those people who do not understand the sacred, who may not even know how or do not think to practice proper reverence. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Regulations

Ryan

Friday, September 2, 2011

Question:

Brother, what are the true reasons for the small differences between the United States and the rest of the world? I am talking about, for example, the communion norm standing and (relative) norm receiving on the hand as well as dietary regulations for Fridays confined to Lent, etc.

I am wondering about this for a couple reasons. The first is obvious, simple desire for knowledge. But for the second, to be completely honest, sometimes I believe that the United States more than anyone should be fasting extra, or receiving communion with more reverence. I don't say this just to be antagonistic, more so, because I sometimes ponder whether these provisions might have encouraged (of course, at the complete fault of the people and not the Holy See) a more "loose" interpretation of the faith.

For example, sometimes I wonder to myself that perhaps the norm of receiving on the hand and standing has been abused. I do not think things such as, "what a mistake the Magisterium has made in declaring this" at all. I fully recognize before everything the importance of obedience and respect for whatever disciplinary or liturgical measure is either mandated or allowed by the Holy See.

However, sometimes I really wonder how well people here in the U.S. actually deal with what was originally an act containing some kind of wisdom on behalf of the Holy See. There are so many problems here in the U.S., sometimes regarding outright heresy, that is of course on both the public and lazy bishops/priests for fault, but it makes me wonder what implications this holds for our society.

When I speak of abuses, I am speaking of course regarding the fact that not only are some people chastised (depending, of course, on the priest) for things like kneeling for communion, but also that many seem to have taken the norm of standing and made it into a blase approach to the offering of the Eucharist, as if they were coming up to receive a wafer - without bowing and sometimes without even an "Amen," and just rushing up to receive and leaving.

Question Answered by

Dear Ryan:

Sometimes the Holy See, upon request of country's Counsel of Bishops, will allow modifications to the universal norms. Such modifications are supposed to be based upon pastoral reasons that may be present in one region, or one country, and not another.

The Conferences of Bishops of the United States and Canada have made such modifications. For example, in Canada all but two Holy Days of Obligation and been transferred to Sunday. In the United States, only four to six (out of ten listed in the universal norms) Holy Days of Obligation are observed outside of Sunday.

Supposedly, this decision was made because of the hustle and bustle of the American culture that results in a burden upon the people if they were to observe Holy Days of Obligation according to universal norms. Personally, I find that to be bunk. But that is me.

The issue of communion in the hand, however, is a completely different matter. Parishes in the United States practiced communion in the hand illegally, and in rebellion to the Holy See, for many years. I believe the Pope gave his permission for communion in the hand, (which was given with the proviso that it be experimental, that the people properly catechized, and the risk of abuses dealt with) because United States is a big bunch of babies and it just wasn't worth the battle. Every father must pick his battles with his children. Since United States is without question the most profoundly immature culture on the planet, we present a pain in the backside to the Pope.

As for receiving communion, the new norms in the United States is to remain standing by giving a slight bow. The Holy See, however, has affirmed that those who wish to give a profound bow, or to kneel, or to genuflect may do so and are not to be chastised for it. The same goes for receiving our Lord on the tongue. We have a choice to receive in the hand or on the tongue, and those who wish to receive on the tongue are not to be disrespected. I have met priests who gave me a dirty look because I presented my tongue, instead of my hand. Those priests were out of line.

As far as the general irreverence that people display, that is another issue. We live in a culture that does not understand, nor does it respect, the sacred. We live in a profane and pedestrian society. Since Catholics grow up in such a society and if they are not willing to reflect upon themselves, learn the nature of the sacred, and deliberately practice acts of reverence, they will likely not display much reverence. Unfortunately, human beings tend to act "on default". That is, human beings tend to follow the path most traveled, path that is easiest, the path that requires the least amount of thinking or reflection.

While that is the default culture of human beings Christians are called by God to be countercultural. We are called to rise above the default, and more the that we are called to excellence and not mediocrity. Billy Graham once said, "many people sacrifice the best on the altar of the good." Indeed that is true. We tend to settle for that which is good and are satisfied with that. But, what father want merely the good for his children. Any parent, rather, wants the best for their children. Our Father in heaven wants the best for us, he wants what is excellent for us. But most of the time we disappoint Him and settle for the mediocre, or only the good, and thus rob ourselves of the excellence that God has for us.

We need to be in prayer for those people who do not understand the sacred, who may not even know how or do not think to practice proper reverence.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum