Why not "Spiritual Communion" for most at mega-Masses?

And the priest said to the boy: "Tarcisius, remember that a heavenly treasure has been entrusted to your weak hands. Avoid crowded streets and do not forget that holy things must never be thrown to dogs nor pearls to pigs. Will you guard the Sacred Mysteries faithfully and safely?". "I would die", Tarcisio answered with determination, "rather than let go of them". (Pope Benedict, re-telling the story of St. Tarcisius to 55,000 altar servers in Rome in August of 2010)

In the third century, St. Tarcisius - an acolyte of about 12, died a brutal death, by beating and stoning, protecting the Eucharist that hung in a small linen bag around his neck as he took Communion to prisoners. It was in the third century - a period of intense persecution of Christians and the pagan boys who beat him to death, his friends, discovered he was Christian.

Do we believe in Our Eucharistic Lord enough to die for Him like St. Tarcisius, rather than allow Him to fall into the wrong hands or to even be handled inappropriately by those whose intentions are more benign?

Even less, are we willing to abstain from Holy Communion, and make a spiritual communion, when the sheer number of people at a Mass increases the likelihood of accidents, irreverent handling out of ignorance, and intentional profanation? Abstaining in such a way would surely be painful, but it is not without graces, especially under such circumstances.  St. Thomas Aquinas pointed out one benefit of abstention.

If someone knows from experience that daily Communion increases fervor without lessening reverence, then let him go every day. But if someone finds that reverence is lessened and devotion not much increased, then let him sometimes abstain, so as to draw near afterwards with better dispositions.

Even if we do have the fervor Aquinas speaks of, I wonder if he would think it reasonable for a one-time abstention at an event so extraordinary, it makes distribution of Holy Communion difficult without risks to the Sacred Species already mentioned?

There have been outcries over distribution of Communion since these large Masses began, but with regards to authentic dialogue with our hierarchy, it is largely an "un-discussible." At least, that is how I feel about it. Many acknowledge it's a problem, but nothing ever happens to mitigate it. There are no shortage of stories of people finding the Eucharist on the ground after Mass ends, or of sources trying to sell the Consecrated Hosts online.  "Black Masses" are cropping up with increasing frequency, and in public ways.  Since it is a mockery of the Catholic Mass, it is not a "Black Mass" without the Body of Christ in the Host because they desecrate it as part of the ritual.


It's not just the Hosts we should be concerned with, but the fragments, each of which are no less the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ than the whole.  The Church still requires Communion-plates but this is largely ignored (Redemptionis Sacramentum, 93).  I've seen particles on the Communion-plates used during Masses at my own parish.  Just think, most priests carefully sweep any remaining fragments from their own paten into the Chalice, and then drink what is left; yet, they don't use the plates when distributing. There are fragments of the Body of Christ all over our parish floors.  How can we not expect that a lot of handling of the Sacred Species during large open air Masses won't do the same?

If you think this is trivial, read the saints on it. These teachings don't change because we are in the "modern world."  They are timeless; it is we who need to change our thinking about Eucharistic reverence.

Here is St. Ephrem:

One particle from its crumbs is able to sanctify thousands and thousands, and is sufficient to afford life to those who eat of it. 

And, St. Cyril of Jerusalem, after discussing just how delicately we would treat gold-dust:

How much more carefully, then, will you guard against losing as much as a crumb of that which is more precious than gold or precious stones?  

A video US Bishops should study ahead of papal visit in 2015

What prompts my reflection is a situation you may already have learned about through other blogs or in social media.  I wanted to pray and reflect on it before deciding to post on it. When Pope Francis was in the Philippines, someone recorded part of Holy Communion where a chaotic situation resulted in people passing along the Eucharist over the heads of other people who could not reach the priest distributing, sometimes seemingly in stacks.  These are not bad people; they are badly informed people who are trying to be helpful without realizing the dangers of what they are doing with the Holy Eucharist. I think by-and-large, many would agree, that the Filipinos are among the most devout and faithful Catholics. So, this is not about them. It's a bigger issue that has been bubbling for decades.

We have time to act, here in the US, and find better ways to handle extremely large crowds with regards to Holy Communion.

Here is the video, originally provided in a Facebook post by 100% KATOLIKONG PINOY! It was then subsequently uploaded by One Peter Five to YouTube.

There was also an eye-witness account by a young Filipino blogger who was otherwise very enthusiastic by the visit of Pope Francis.  He writes:

Some of the crowd — who were at least two meters away from the ministers — cried for Holy Communion. Two or three soon called out, “Pasa-pasa nalang! (Just pass Them [the Sacred Hosts] around!)”

At first the ministers did not hear them, or probably ignored it. But the people were beginning to be noisy. Some of crowd, fortunately, said, “Uy, hindi pwedeng pasa-pasa! Komunyon yan!”

But the ministers were rather oblivious to the “debate.” Soon they DID pass around — from one grubby hand to another — the Sacred Hosts to the people who were asking for Communion. I saw one broken Host being handed on. Did the minister break It, or was It broken as It was being passed around? Worse, even the ciborium containing the Hosts was soon passed around!

Too distressed to bear the sight, I looked away…..

Other reports I've read said Communion fell to the ground and was found in mud.

Can you imagine seeing the Infant Jesus laying in the mud? That is not bread; it is Jesus.   And how we treat the Eucharist is how we witness our belief in the Real Presence to others.  What kind of witness does this give to non-Catholics in attendance, and there always some.

Archbishop Villegas Responds

A major Filipino news outlet got a response from Archbishop Villegas on what is seen in the video. I'm going to quote from the One Peter Five post, which has a translation of what was partially in Tagalog.  He addresses the criticism saying:

“Under normal circumstances, this should not have happened, but the situation in the Luneta was extraordinary, six million people.” He added: “On this occasion, it was necessary to help each other receive communion.”

We read further:

Fr. Francis Lucas, executive secretary of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Social Communication and Mass Media, echoed this, telling GMA News Online: “For pastoral reasons since people can’t move during communion, mass passing of the host is okay.”

I'd like to know if the Congregation for Divine Worship would agree to these special "pastoral" situations and allow "mass passing of the Host" in large, papal Masses.

On what Archbishop Villegas said, as was pointed out at One Peter Five, we have to stop and reflect on the word, "necessary." We would infer from this that receiving Holy Communion at all in a gathering of six to seven million is necessary. Maybe that is what we need to discuss.  Is it really necessary for everyone to receive Communion at an extraordinarily large gathering for Mass?  We learn from the CCC:

1389: The Church obliges the faithful to take part in the Divine Liturgy on Sundays and feast days and, prepared by the sacrament of Reconciliation, to receive the Eucharist at least once a year, if possible during the Easter season. But the Church strongly encourages the faithful to receive the holy Eucharist on Sundays and feast days, or more often still, even daily.

At most we might be strongly encouraged to receive Holy Communion at a Papal Mass, if we were properly disposed, but it is not a requirement.  I return back to my original question: Are we willing to protect the Body of Christ, unto forgoing Holy Communion, if it was the most practical way to prevent what is seen in that video? Or worse, in the case of someone carrying It off for some other purpose?

Spiritual Communion

What is "spiritual communion?" Simply put, it is an interior movement in which we unite ourselves to the Eucharistic Lord when we are unable to receive.  This is something that can be done at any time and any place, but can also be done during Mass when we cannot receive for one reason or another.  Perhaps the Eucharistic fast isn't up, or you didn't make it to Confession and are aware of grave sin.  You don't skip Mass; you hear the Word of God, and when others go to Holy Communion, you make a spiritual communion. There was an excellent article in the National Catholic Register back in 2011 called, Follow the Saints: Make a Spiritual Communion. Do read it to understand it better.

Spiritual communion is not the same as Holy Communion, but it can still bring us graces when circumstances do not allow us to receive Our Eucharistic Lord.  I would think the graces would be in abundance if people accepted this on the basis that the risk was too great for accidents or profanation to distribute to such a large crowd.

Some have been outright opposed to any kind of large outdoor papal Masses.  I don't think it's necessary to go that far.  All we need to do is limit Communion to those seated in certain areas (and ensure people of all classes have access, not just big donors and dignitaries); and, ask the rest to make a spiritual communion for that day.  If the Pope could hold Mass in a major Cathedral on a Sunday when traveling, and do any outdoor Masses on weekdays or Saturday mornings, it makes it all the more easier to ask people to make a spiritual communion since these Masses are not obligatory.

Offering up spiritual communion with the sacramentally famished

Until I read the book, Dominus Est – It Is the Lord! Reflections of a Bishop of Central Asia on Holy Communion, I had not given much thought to the plight of persecuted Christians who sometimes go for weeks, months, and even many years or decades without seeing a priest or having access to the Sacraments.  These are clandestine Catholics who risk life, liberty, and other things in order to continue practicing their faith under ground as Catholics did in the days of St. Tarcisius.  Bishop Athanasius Schneider, ORC, grew up in such a climate after his family was exiled to Kazakhstan from Germany. In the beginning of the book he explains how Catholics kept their faith during those long periods without a priest behind the Iron Curtain and the risks taken by priests and lay people alike.  This was the case for about two decades after World War II.  That gripped me at the beginning of his first book on the subject.  In the image here, we see the final moments of Blessed Miguel Pro of Mexico before he was shot for just being a priest, serving Catholics practicing clandestinely.  He is famous for shouting out before a hail of bullets hit him, "Viva Cristo Rey!" (Long Live Christ the King).

There are also people in prisons around the world without access to the sacraments, as well as in places like nursing homes.  I saw first hand when my mother was in one of those places in rehab.  Faithful Catholics whose children left the faith or became lukewarm don't always think to have a priest visit their loved ones. I saw some extraordinary faith in there, and even more suffering from this spiritual neglect.  If you think life is hard when you can go to Mass every Sunday, try being laid up in a nursing home for many months or years in the  midst of this priest shortage.

This had me thinking that the bishops, the Holy Father, and others could invite people to make a spiritual communion at these large Masses begging also for graces for these people who suffer in the  midst of a sacramental famine.  To go without Holy Communion for one Mass would certainly cause some suffering, but it would make us mindful of those around the world who suffer for long periods of time without the Eucharist, Confession, and other sacraments.  This too has graces.

In closing… 

I'll close with a quote from Bishop Schneider's latest book, Corpus Christi, which is published by Gracewing in the UK and sold through the Opus Angelorum site here in the US.  I've modified the English from UK to US and added white space.

Bishop Schneider makes the point earlier in the book how defenseless Jesus is in the Eucharist.  When you consider the Infant Jesus, who was also defenseless, He is even more defenseless under the appearance of the more lowly bread and wine. It is up to us to protect Him, and to come to his defense against mishandling and profanation.  We need to pray that our bishops will see the role they play in His defense.

A new Eucharistic star is indeed, urgently needed, for the Eucharistic Body of Christ is the weakest and most defenseless being in the midst of the life of the Church. Bravely defending this Divine Poor Body surely would not receive the eulogy and the applause of world, but undoubtedly it would be applauded by the Saints, and in particular th holy "Poverello" - or poor man of Assisi, attracting abundant Divine blessings. Indeed, the restoration of the visible honor due to the Eucharistic Body of Christ would be one of the most efficacious means for the renewal of His Mystical Body, the Church.  May God grant that the hearts and minds of the Shepherds of the Church in our days may be pierced by these words of Saint Francis of Assisi: 

"I conjure all of you, brethren, with all the love of which I am capable and kissing your feet: give as much as you can of all reverence and all honor to the most holy Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ!". 

Indeed, there is nothing else and no one else greater than the Sacred Host and each of even Its most minute fragments, for the Body of Christ is the Lord Himself: "Corpus Christi enim Dominus est!"

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UPDATE 1: I see Kat at the Crescat just posted on this today too.  She writes:

And then you got some Catholics, who treat the reality of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist like… well, like this.

Lookit. The only person that has to receive the Eucharist during mass is the priest. And the only time we, as lay people, are required to receive the Eucharist is once a year at Easter.
There’s nothing in the GIRM or CCC or anywhere else that says, “Hey, lets distribute the Eucharist to thousands of people all at once. What could possibly go wrong?” 

Abuses, that’s what. 

We really need to get over this idea that we deserve to receive the Eucharist at every mass, whether it’s out of a sense of entitlement or belief that we aren’t “actively participating” if we don’t. 

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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski

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Bishop Schneider returns to US; discusses reception of Holy Communion {Update 2}

Bishop Athanasius Schneider distributes Holy Communion at Assumption Grotto in 2008

On EWTN this past week was His Excellency, Bishop Athanasius Schneider, ORC - an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Maria Santissima in Astana, Kazakhstan. Bishop Schneider sat down with Fr. Mitch Pacwa to discuss a topic he has become well known for: Reverence for Our Eucharistic Lord, especially during reception of Holy Communion.

In the first half hour of the video, we hear how his German family ended up in that part of the world and how growing up behind the Iron Curtain affected understanding of the faith, especially the Eucharist. At a time when religious freedom is threatened here in the United States, it is good to see how other Catholics have struggled to practice the faith in the face of government oppression.  It gives us an appreciation of the freedoms we do have, and hopefully a desire to take full advantage of them in living out our Christian lives, and working to protect our liberties.

Bishop Schneider knows many languages. As a patristics scholar, this has given him access to texts that many others would not have.  He used these language skills to understand how Holy Communion was received in the early Church, since it is often brought up in discussions.  For example, people argue that early Christians received Communion in the hand, but His Excellency goes into greater detail on how they received in the hand.  It is very different from how we receive today.  In fact, kneeling and receiving on the tongue is a much simpler process than what occurred in the early Church.  He discusses this, and other things in the interview.

His Excellency spent time at Assumption Grotto in 2008 where I had opportunities to photograph him and converse briefly with him.  In 2009, the opportunities would present themselves again when he spoke at the Call to Holiness conference, an apostolate of which I am now a board member.

Bishop Athanasius Schneider is an interesting subject worth careful study. He is not dynamic, but his passion comes through loud and clear.  Students of virtue, which is hopefully all of us, should observe how he discusses the most sensitive subject of reception of Holy Communion.  This is a man who underwent culture shock when he went to Germany as a teen and witnessed people receiving Communion in the hand.  It crushed him, and his mother wept at the sight of the casual way in which the Eucharist was handled.   He was shielded from this practice in Kazakhstan where Communion was often received infrequently, and in secrecy.

Bishop Schneider is very devoted to Our Lady.
His episcopal ring contains the Miraculous Medal.

How does he discuss the subject?  Bishop Schneider knows people do not have the understanding he does.  When he talks about the issue he does not mock, ridicule, speak condescendingly, or joke at the expense of those who receive Holy Communion in the hand. Some have argued: He can't because he's a bishop, so we will argue this way on his behalf. These people do not understand the bishop, nor the virtues he exemplifies.  He uses his deep knowledge to reason, calmly, and in a way that is inviting for others to listen and learn.  He gives us that knowledge so we may reason calmly with others.

I have never been able to reconcile defending the Eucharist while attempting to verbally beat others into submission on this subject.  What Bishop Schneider gets, that others do not, is that people were born into this practice, and it is all they know. Or, people desiring to be humbly obedient were forcefully pushed into receiving in the hand against their own sensibilities, eventually embracing it unaware that it came into it's own through illicit means.   Reverence for the Eucharist should lead us to be mindful of the dignity of others.  Harsh rhetoric and demands only cause damage and make people defensive against the desired practice.  We would do best to pray for people to be enlightened and be patient as God works on their minds and hearts with what we present.

Some reject these things out of hand, but we must remember that once the seeds have been planted they take time to sprout.  Our job is not to force germination as this is against nature (God gives to all, free will).  We can keep the soil moist, taking care not to let it dry out; and take care to not oversaturate it (sometimes it's best to present things to people, encourage them to pray on it and let them ponder it over time).

Hopefully, more bishops will follow the lead of the Holy Father, who now places a kneeler out for those in his Communion line.  Bishop Schneider mentions in the interview that other bishops have set this practice up in their cathedrals. Here again, a gentle example is being set with some bishops and priests following, but not without catechesis.

If you want to learn more from Bishop Schneider, I suggest getting his little book, Dominus Est – It Is the Lord! Reflections of a Bishop of Central Asia on Holy Communion.  Even if you feel strongly about receiving Communion in the hand, read the book any way. I've not met anyone who didn't walk away feeling closer to Jesus in the Eucharist by learning this man's life story and the struggles Catholics endured to live the faith behind the Iron Curtain.  It can only make you appreciate how easy we can practice our faith here in the United States. In his homily at EWTN on the same day as the interview below, Bishop Schneider spoke on the effects of persecution on people's faith.

I also have a blog which is intended to collect things from, and on, Bishop Schneider, but it is in need of updating.  Many videos and texts have come out since I last updated it.  If you are aware of something that is not in that blog, drop a link in the comment box here.

Bishop Schneider was in New York, as well, during this visit.  People may feel free to drop in links for those events in the comment box here, as well.

UPDATES

Update 1: In this post. Fr. George David Byers discusses how he was traumatized by the changes in the 60's - something I have heard from others who were taught never to touch the Eucharist as had been the case for centuries, only to be told he now had to receive in the hand.

Update 2: Deacon Greg Kandra also has a post on the subject of reception of Holy Communion.  Go read: I've changed my mind; It's time to bring back the altar rail. 

Update 3: Fr. Jay Finelli offers a testimonial from his own parish where he installed an altar rail, then gave people a choice to use it... or not.

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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski

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Altar rails are making a comeback....

The altar rail, long in use at Assumption Grotto, saw the comeback of the altar rail cloth
on Holy Thursday, 2011

The other day, the National Catholic Register had an article up about the return of altar rails.  It seems they are gaining in popularity as people desire to kneel to receive Holy Communion.

The altar rail is so called, because it is an extension of the altar.  Assumption Grotto has gone one step further during most Masses using the 1962 Missal (when there are enough servers).  That is, the use of an altar rail cloth was re-introduced on Holy Thursday this year.  People fold their hands in prayer and put them under the cloth, leaning against the rail, not on top of it. 

Go read this interesting, and detailed article about the altar rail, and it's new surge in popularity.  It includes some interesting history. 

• Altar Rail Returning to Use

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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

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Bishop D'Arcy and his new NORMS for TABERNACLE placement

This is awesome news....(h/t to Fr. Z)

Bishop D'Arcy, who heads the Fort Wayne - South Bend, Indiana Diocese has issued new norms to better align Tabernacle placement with universal norms, and the sentiments of the faithful. The people have been heard by their bishop and he responded.

Here is his lead in, with my emphases in bold and comments bracketed in red.

July 19, 2009
Bishop promulgates norms for tabernacle placement

To Priests, Deacons, Religious, and to All the Faithful,

The presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament is at the center of our faith and of the devotional life of our Catholic people.

In recent years, the place of the tabernacle in our churches has become a source of controversy. This should not be. The Eucharist, whether we are referring to its celebration or to the place of reservation, should always be a means of unity and communion, and never of division [and he is putting an end to that division in his diocese, God bless him!]

The place of the tabernacle in our church should reflect our faith in the real presence of Christ, and should always be guided by church documents.

[Here is the kicker] My experience is that our people, with their instinct of faith, have always desired that the tabernacle be central and visible. They find it confusing when the tabernacle in their churches is not visible, and if possible, central. [He went by his experience, but somewhere along the line people were communicating to him what they wanted. If you want your bishop to follow suit, write him a letter and refer to Bishop D'Arcy's norms, or even send him a copy. Always be courteous, keep it brief (1 page), let him know you are praying for him and then be sure you follow through!]

Because of my responsibility to foster the devotional life of our people [Eucharistic devotion is back from the abyss where it was stuffed for the last few decades], and to keep it sound, I have asked our Office of Worship to prepare norms for the placement and design of the tabernacle in this diocese. These norms were brought before the Presbyteral Council, the Liturgical Commission and the Environment and Arts Committee. Suitable refinements and improvements were prepared [read that, "everybody's on board so lets implement this smoothly].

These norms are promulgated to the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend on June 14, 2009, the feast of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of the Lord. They will be effective on Aug. 4, 2009, the feast of St. John Mary Vianney, the patron saint of priests, in whose honor the present Year for Priests has been dedicated by the Holy Father Benedict XVI.

I urge all priests to follow these norms carefully and completely, and most importantly — to foster devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.

Sincerely yours in our Lord,

Most Reverend John M. D’Arcy

Fr. Z has extracted a couple of interesting points from the actual document. I provide them here, as well. I have a link to the FWSB Diocese webpage which has the full text of the document.

4. In the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, the Bishop has judged that the tabernacle is normally to be prominently located in the sanctuary of the church, along the central axis behind the main altar. Under this arrangement, the tabernacle should be at an elevated, open location in the apse area, or in another central place in the sanctuary that is equally conspicuous. Where a high altar with a tabernacle remains in place, it is appropriate to continue using this noble structure for the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament

5. This prescription is to be observed in all future construction or restoration projects involving places of sacred worship (including all churches, oratories, and private chapels) in the Diocese. Any exception to this norm must be approved by the Diocesan Bishop, and must clearly demonstrate itself as a worthy alternative that would accentuate the sacramental nature of the church building and contribute to the spiritual life of the worshiping community.

6. In those existing places of sacred worship where the tabernacle is currently located elsewhere in the sanctuary or the main body of the church, a liturgical consultation with the faithful and with the Diocese should begin, regarding the possibility of moving the tabernacle to a central position in the sanctuary. Especially if the tabernacle in a particular church was central at one time and then was moved, it should be returned to its original location.

[snip]

24. Aside from tending to the tabernacle itself, we must ensure that the faithful receive proper guidance and formation with respect to reverence before the Blessed Sacrament.Today there are many of all ages who inadvertently do not genuflect or bow in the correct situations.

Care should be taken to instruct the faithful that genuflection is the appropriate sign of adoration in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, “whether reserved in the tabernacle or exposed for public adoration.” Before or after Mass, when the tabernacle is visible somewhere in the church, genuflection should be directed towards it. Although those who genuflect when a tabernacle is not present or when the Blessed Sacrament is clearly removed from the tabernacle (for example, during much of the Sacred Triduum) typically do so out of a commendable pious habit, they should instead bow out of reverence towards the altar.

25. Every church should strive to make the tabernacle accessible for prayer during the day, and to preserve a peaceful setting favorable to prayerful visits. Meetings and other activities without a strictly spiritual purpose should therefore be held elsewhere on the church premises whenever possible. Under extraordinary circumstances, such as if it became necessary for a church to host an event of a purely secular nature, the Blessed Sacrament may be removed from the tabernacle and transferred to the sacristy or another suitable place. The location should be secure, with the ciboria veiled and the Lord’s presence clearly marked.

As I said, if you like what Bishop D'Arcy has done, print out a copy of the document and cover letter and send it with a kind note to your own bishop.

Go to this page at the FWSB Diocese website to read the entire document in several formats. I recommend the PDF in Sequential Order, which has nice formatting and pictures.

Pray for our bishops and our priests!

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Bp Athanasius Schneider will celebrate Mass at Grotto this weekend and will hold two talks next Sunday

**Udpated July 21st (see link below to photos taken July 20th. More next week).

Bishop Athanasius Scheider, an auxiliary of Karaganda, Kazakhstan will be in the US and is spending time at Assumption Grotto this Sunday, July 20th and next - July 27th. You may recall an article discussed in many Catholic blogs some months ago that appeared in L'Osservatore Romano: Historical-Liturgical Notes on the Rite of the Eucharist by Bishop Athanasius Schneider (full length article, translated from the original in Italian, in the L'Osservatore Romano). The article was about Bp Schneider's book, Dominus Est, which was published in Italian by the Vatican’s own publishing house, Libreria Editrice Vaticana

In it, the Bishop carefull lays out the case for a return to reverent reception of the Eucharist. In a previous interview, I had heard him talk about several common objections we might hear about reception of Communion kneeling, and on the tongue. His Excellency has a PhD in Patristics and draws in his knowledge to deal with these objections. We commonly hear about reception in the hand taking place in earlier centuries. But, Bishop Schneider explains just how that was carried out, for example, with hands having to be purified afterwards much like sacred vessels are today. Not everyone could receive in the hands.

Fr. Perrone is out on vacation (andvery aware of this special visit), but I received this from another parish priest at Grotto:

Bishop Athanasius will preach tomorrow (July 20) at the 9:30 AM Holy Mass (TLM) and will celebrate the Noon Holy Mass.

He is scheduled to talk after the Noon Holy Mass next week, July 27. The topic will be his book, Dominus Est. Fr. Perrone said we should schedule the talk at 1:30 to make sure it is as soon after the noon Mass as possible. There will then be a second talk afterward, probably around 3:00 PM on the Bishop’s work and other issues related to the Church in that area of the world.

Thanks be to God that I got this in time. I was planning on going to 6:30am tomorrow, but instead I will be there at the 9:30 and Noon Masses, with camera. I also plan on attending the talks next Sunday.

EDIT JULY 21ST: Photos of Bishop Schneider's visit on July 20th. More next week.

I'll provide whatever coverage I can these next two weeks. I don't know if the talks he has will be in written form where they can be uploaded. Typically, talks of this nature are recorded. If they are made available, I'll make a post on it and link back to this post.

STATUS OF THE BOOK IN ENGLISH

Newman House Press was awarded the contract to translate and publish Dominus Est into english. I asked for the status of the work last week and received an answer from Fr. Stravinskas who is translating with Fr. Gregoris. They are 2/3 complete. Translating is one thing. Getting funds for the initial publication (the most expensive segment of the process), is another. If anyone wants to assist Newman House Press, contact them here.

TIPS IF YOU PLAN TO COME TO ASSUMPTION GROTTO

• Google Map of Grotto



• 9:30 Mass is the extraordinary form, according to the 1962 Missal. There are booklets available from the ushers if you do not have a missal. The bishop will preach at this Mass. The choir is off for the season, but there may be a few men singing Gregorian chant.



• Noon Mass is the Novus Ordo, or ordinary form, typically in the vernacular, with some Latin (some priests will do the Canon in Latin). Following the Noon Mass is Benediction. Weather permitting this takes place outdoors at our Grotto following a procession and brief adoration.



• Food: All but a few Sunday's out of the year, there is food provided in our gym (hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages, donuts, drinks). While this is likely to be available after the 9:30 and Noon Masses, I will have to check for the following week to see if it will be necessary for people to pack a lunch. EDIT 7-21: I will post mid-week whether people should pack a lunch. The family that does weekly BBQ'ing at Grotto will be out of town at their son's wedding, but some volunteers are being rounded up. If that falls through, I'll let you know so you can pack something to eat.



• Attire: Grotto is not air-conditioned, but please don't use this as a reason to come in shorts or immodest clothing. As the priests have often pointed out, no one could be hotter than they with all the vestments, so offer it up! With regards to modesty: Let me simplify it....For everyone: No shorts or tank tops. Women: Men going to Mass don't want to have to deal with temptations of lust with your cleavage showing or because of clothing that is overly form-fitting, or transparent. While it is nice when we put on our Sunday best, what is most important is that we come with modest attire. This shows the most respect not only for our Lord, but for our neighbor. Mantilla's (chapel veils) are a discpline of the Church, not a requirement.



• In Church: You will notice something very special about Assumption Grotto if you are visiting the first time: Silence. Regular Grotto-goers don't talk to each other before or after Mass. Rather, they are talking to God and listening to Him. Don't feel offended if you are not greeted with a smile by everyone passing by - they aren't being rude to you, but are working at not being rude to the Lord in His house. If you want to see how sociable and charitable we are with our neighbor, then stop by in the gym one Sunday during our socials for some BBQ.

Please see the section in my sidebar for more events forthcoming at Grotto including our Assumption Day celebration (devout), and the Vatican Exhibit on Eucharistic Miracles which will be with us in August, as well.

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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!