Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Liturgy of the Eucharist	Kay	Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Question: The past several Sundays ,when the priest distributes communion to the Extraordinary ministers,he is singing. Before he begins his solo, he points to the Body and says"Body of Christ",(still on the altar) and then pointing to the Blood he says "Blood of Christ", and of course they respond with "Amen". Now he is singing, and while he is singing, he distributes communion to them.Is there something wrong with this picture, or is it just me?
Question Answered by Mr. Jacob Slavek Dear Kay, Oh my goodness, this is the first time I've heard this one. Unbelievable. Well let's just forget for the moment that he's singing in the first place instead of performing his priestly ministry... Hasn't this poor man's mother taught him that pointing is rude? You aren't missing anything at all, there is definitely something wrong. Here's some cites from the GIRM: "160. The Priest then takes the paten or ciborium and approaches the communicants" It does not say "points to the Host while beginning the singing" "161. the Priest raises the host slightly and shows it to each, saying, The Body of Christ. The communicant replies, Amen, and receives the Sacrament either on the tongue or, where this is allowed, in the hand" Notice the the instruction does NOT say that the communicant "takes" the Host, but rather the word used is "receives". The only way the communicant can "receive" the host is if the priest "gives" the Host, rather than the communicant "taking" this host himself from the altar. Quite frankly as serious as these "abuses of the letter of the law" are, the more serious issue is the lack of reverence to the Blessed Sacrament and also to the ministry of the priest being displayed. Let me know if there are any other issues that need addressing. Mr. Slavek Footer Notes: (a) A Eucharistic Minister is clergy (Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion). Laity are *Extraordinary* Ministers of Holy Communion and should never be called Eucharistic Ministers. (b) There is no such Mass called the Novus Ordo. The Current Mass is the Roman Missal of 2000, or the Oridinary Form of the Mass. The Tridentine Mass is the Roman Missal of 1962, or the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Please refrain from using the term, Novus Ordo. Thanks. (c) The titles of Acolyte and Lector belong exclusively to the Installed Offices of Acolyte and Lector, who are men (only) appointed by the Bishop. These roles performed by others are Altar Servers and Readers, respectively.

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Liturgy of the Eucharist

Kay

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Question:

The past several Sundays ,when the priest distributes communion to the Extraordinary ministers,he is singing.
Before he begins his solo, he points to the Body and says"Body of Christ",(still on the altar) and then pointing to the Blood he says "Blood of Christ", and of course they respond with "Amen". Now he is singing, and while he is singing, he distributes communion to them.Is there something wrong with this picture, or is it just me?

Question Answered by Mr. Jacob Slavek

Dear Kay,

Oh my goodness, this is the first time I've heard *this* one. Unbelievable. Well let's just forget for the moment that he's singing in the first place instead of performing his priestly ministry... Hasn't this poor man's mother taught him that pointing is rude?

You aren't missing anything at all, there is definitely something wrong. Here's some cites from the GIRM:

"160. The Priest then takes the paten or ciborium and approaches the communicants"

It does not say "points to the Host while beginning the singing"

"161. the Priest raises the host slightly and shows it to each, saying, The Body of Christ. The communicant replies, Amen, and receives the Sacrament either on the tongue or, where this is allowed, in the hand"

Notice the the instruction does NOT say that the communicant "takes" the Host, but rather the word used is "receives". The only way the communicant can "receive" the host is if the priest "gives" the Host, rather than the communicant "taking" this host himself from the altar.

Quite frankly as serious as these "abuses of the letter of the law" are, the more serious issue is the lack of reverence to the Blessed Sacrament and also to the ministry of the priest being displayed.

Let me know if there are any other issues that need addressing.

Mr. Slavek

Footer Notes: (a) A Eucharistic Minister is clergy (Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion). Laity are Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and should never be called Eucharistic Ministers.

(b) There is no such Mass called the Novus Ordo. The Current Mass is the Roman Missal of 2000, or the Oridinary Form of the Mass. The Tridentine Mass is the Roman Missal of 1962, or the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Please refrain from using the term, Novus Ordo. Thanks.

(c) The titles of Acolyte and Lector belong exclusively to the Installed Offices of Acolyte and Lector, who are men (only) appointed by the Bishop. These roles performed by others are Altar Servers and Readers, respectively.