Sunday, February 9, 2014

ANOTHER ABUSE. THIS TIME BY THE CELEBRANT.

We have had an interesting discussion with a neo-defender on WHY WE REJECT YOU. The defender begins as Anonymous and seems to identify herself later as "Diana". 





In defending the neo practice of not consuming the Eucharist immediately upon reception as required by the GIRM par. 161, Diana clues us in to another abuse, and this time by the priest:
Members of the Way cannot consume the Body of Christ, not because they had to wait until everyone receives it. They wait because the priest himself did not receive Holy Communion. To consume the Body of Christ BEFORE the priest would be very grave and inappropriate.
However, here is what the GIRM requires:
158. After this, standing and turned toward the altar, the priest says quietly, Corpus Christi custodiat me in vitam aeternam (May the Body of Christ bring me to everlasting life) and reverently receives the Body of Christ. Then he takes the chalice, saying quietly, Sanguis Christi custodiat me in vitam aeternam (May the Blood of Christ bring me to everlasting life), and reverently receives the Blood of Christ. 
159. The Communion chant begins while the priest is receiving the Sacrament (cf. no. 86). 
160. The priest then takes the paten or ciborium and goes to the communicants, who, as a rule, approach in a procession.
So apparently "Father" himself feels free to violate the liturgical books, truly a fine example to the members of the community. This would explain why the members of the community feel free to ignore the church on matters they disagree with. Father does. (And in our case, even the bishop!)

There is no allowance for this departure from the GIRM. Once again, if you have other permission, please produce the document. And we do not mean oral instructions from Kiko. 

Shall we all stand reminded about what Jesus said should happen to those who would lead the little ones astray?

But Diana isn't done. In justifying the practice of the communal consumption of the host, she references the GIRM 242-244 where in the communal reception of the sacred species, standing around the altar, is described. 

The problem is that the section is an instruction addressing concelebration and the required actions of the concelebrants. Perhaps here we see the real issue: the neos see themselves as "concelebrants". 

This is not surprising. 

We do want to note however, that "Diana" has been perhaps the most civil of the neo-defenders, and judging by her use of grammar, sentence construction, and even correct spelling, that she is an intelligent person. What's more, she is even capable of "standing corrected", something not often encountered with other neo-defenders. We will pray for you Diana, to use this same intelligence to see that despite the many good things that may have come from the neo, its leaders are intent on separating you from the one, true, church.

6 comments:

  1. Well stated Tim, why would anyone even wish to ignore the GIRM. It ca only be pride that leads to such action.

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  2. Yes, we are considered "concelebrant." The purpose of the Neocatechumenal Way is to celebrate the Eucharist in small communities as in the Early Church. In those times, the word "concelebrant" is used differently as today. According to the weblink I provided below:

    "The word concelebrate in the Early Church had a somewhat different meaning than the present, more technical understanding. In Christian antiquity, all Christians "concelebrated" according to their role or liturgical order in the Church....In the Middle Ages, this term came to mean exclusively the celebration by bishops and priests together (or just priests) of one Mass and that is how this term is technically used today (See weblink below).

    http://books.google.com/books?id=vJ78Vd4O9d4C&pg=PA261&lpg=PA261&dq=Early+Christians+were+concelebrants&source=bl&ots=n1HLNyVx7C&sig=NHufPHA-uNwXlOKZe76niR_NzIY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=0sH2UoyuJIeJogTq-IHQCQ&ved=0CGsQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=Early%20Christians%20were%20concelebrants&f=false

    According to the approved Statutes of the Way Chapter III, Art. 13, Section 3:......Regarding the distribution of Holy Communion under the two species, the neocatechumens receive it standing, remaining at their place.

    In a regular mass, the people can receive communion either under one or two species, but in the Way, it is received under two species.

    161. If Communion is given only under the species of bread, the priest raises the host slightly and shows it to each, saying, Corpus Christi (The Body of Christ). The communicant replies, Amen, and receives the Sacrament either on the tongue or, where this is allowed and if the communicant so chooses, in the hand. As soon as the communicant receives the host, he or she consumes it entirely.
    If, however, Communion is given under both kinds, the rite prescribed in nos. 284-287 is followed.

    Because our Statutes says that we can receive it under two species, nos. 284-287 is followed, which says that the chalice must be big (which is what the Way has). It also describes the size of the bread, which must be neither too thick or too thin,

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    Replies
    1. You're making yourself famous: http://junglewatch2.blogspot.com/2014/02/diana-gives-us-more.html

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    2. @ Diana: How does the quote from the Catholic Encyclopedia help your argument at all? If you read the entire quote, including the parts that you cut out, it is clear that during the early Church the consecration and distribution of the Eucharist was carried out strictly and exclusively by the bishop and only later by priests. Thus, this quoted language does not all support the notion that there was a time in the Church's history when all of the congregants acted as concelebrants as the word is used today in the GIRM. Put another way, based upon the quoted language, the NCW's current practices -- as you describe them -- would also be condemned by the early Church.

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  3. You might also want to take a look at the beginning of Chapter IV in GIRM which stated the following:

    114. Moreover, among those Masses celebrated by some communities, a particular place belongs to the Conventual Mass, which is a part of the daily Office, or the “community” Mass. Although such Masses do not involve any special form of celebration, it is nevertheless most fitting that they be
    celebrated with singing, especially with the full participation of all members of the community, whether of religious or of canons. Therefore, in these Masses all should exercise their function according to the Order or ministry they have received. Hence, it is desirable that all the Priests who are not obliged to celebrate individually for the pastoral benefit of the faithful concelebrate in so far as possible at the conventual or community Mass.

    According to this, "these Masses (referring to community masses) do not involve any special form of Masses, they nevertheless should exercise their function according to the Order and ministry they received. It also says refers to the "faithful concelebrates in so far as possible at the community Mass.

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  4. Diana, Dear...read the whole sentence_Hence, it is desirable that all the Priests who are not obliged to celebrate individually for the pastoral benefit of the faithful concelebrate in so far as possible at the conventual or community Mass. A CONVENTUAL MASS refers to Masses in religious houses. For Priests, Brothers, Nuns, Sisters. Not the "community Mass" of the Neo. What are you talking about? Please explain.

    ReplyDelete