http://www.marysdowryproductions.org/
Sisters and Brothers!
I wish you a sober and holy Triduum!
St. Edmund Campion, martyred in 1581, died to give hope to persecuted Catholics. I am not exaggerating. The new Anglican faith which was imposed on the little people by Elizabeth the 1st and the spineless Catholic bishops of her realm, made it possible for her spies to distinguish between believers in the new faith and those who clung to the old Faith. What was one of those ways that they spotted Catholics? --According to Cambridge historian and expert Eamon Duffy, they watched for people who refused to take the Eucharist in their hands! Indeed, Elizabeth's leading preachers even insisted that no one should kneel during Communion! Sound familiar?
Too bad those poor benightted Catholics didn't know they didn't need to kneel to receive! If they had only followed the USCCB guidelines they might have lived longer!
Where did Duffy mention this? I have the second edition of Stripping of the Altars; if it happens to be in there, I'd love a page number. Thanks, the blog is great!
ReplyDeleteThanks for paying attention, Carl! the 1992 edition p. 579, top of the page lists "refusing to receive the bread in their hands but insisting that the priest place it in their mouths.
ReplyDeleteK. C.
Thanks for the page number, I see it. Duffy is always a great read.
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