Glasglow Archbishop Conti interprets new Translation as a sign we should continue to Stand for Holy Communion

Friends!

Ever read 'The Last Battle?' If you have, then you know it is possible for people to misinterpret signs. In C.S. Lewis final book of the Narnia series, Shift, an ape, convinces a donkey to dress up as Aslan. The excerpt about interpreting signs is posted below.

Our Holy Father has mounted a single-handed battle for reverence. The new English translation is part of that. Kneeling for Holy Communion is part of that. The Vatican has even gone as far as to issue a statement to that effect ....

How does his Grace, Archb Conti interpret these signs?

Why, the Holy Father, or God Himself or somebody important must really wants us all to STAND for Holy Communion! Oh yeah, those genuflections? Let's lose those too! Just nod your head or take a bow and move on! Can't you see? It's so plain!.........Queuing up is so worhip! .........Next!!................................

((from C.S. Lewis' Last Battle) At that moment there came a great thunderclap right overhead and the ground trembled with a small earthquake. Both the animals lost their balance and were flung on their faces.
"There!" gasped Puzzle, as soon as he had breath to speak. "It's a sign, a warning. I knew we were doing something dreadfully wicked. Take this wretched skin off me at once."

"No, no," said the Ape (whose mind worked very quickly)."It's a sign the other way. I was just going to say that if the real Aslan, as you call him, meant us to go on with this, he would send us a thunderclap and an earth-tremor. It was just on the tip of my tongue,only the sign itself came before I could get the words out. You've got to do it now, Puzzle. And please don't let us have any more arguing. You know you don't understand these things. What could a donkey know about signs?" What could a donkey know about signs?" (Shift the ape)

see http://wdtprs.com/blog/2011/08/a-look-at-archbishop-contis-pastoral-letter-which-has-stirred-things-up/

Vatican statement on kneeling for Holy Communion

(I must say THANKYOU to Deacon ('s bench) Kandra, for tipping me off to this---I, k.c., was unaware that kneeling Catholics now have an actual document Vatican statement to lean upon! This all makes it more puzzling for me to see how people with good, careful, instincts, like Deacon Kandra [[see his post http://www.patheos.com/community/deaconsbench/2011/04/20/do-you-mind-if-i-kneel-for-communion/]] and James Akin, can still insist on playing the 'GIRM card' on kneeling Catholics. [the GIRM says kneeling Catholics must be pastorally admonished for kneeling] Fine! Play your little Amchurch GIRM card! We trump your GIRM with our King!

OFFICE FOR THE LITURGICAL CELEBRATIONS OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF

Communion received on the tongue and while kneeling
The most ancient practice of distributing Holy Communion was, with all probability, to give Communion to the faithful in the palm of the hand. The history of the liturgy, however, makes clear that rather early on a process took place to change this practice.

From the time of the Fathers of the Church, a tendency was born and consolidated whereby distribution of Holy Communion in the hand became more and more restricted in favor of distributing Holy Communion on the tongue. The motivation for this practice is two-fold: a) first, to avoid, as much as possible, the dropping of Eucharistic particles; b) second, to increase among the faithful devotion to the Real Presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

Saint Thomas Aquinas also refers to the practice of receiving Holy Communion only on the tongue. He affirms that touching the Body of the Lord is proper only to the ordained priest.
Therefore, for various reasons, among which the Angelic Doctor cites respect for the Sacrament, he writes: “. . . out of reverence towards this Sacrament, nothing touches it, but what is consecrated; hence the corporal and the chalice are consecrated, and likewise the priest's hands, for touching this Sacrament. Hence, it is not lawful for anyone else to touch it except from necessity, for instance, if it were to fall upon the ground, or else in some other case of urgency” (Summa Theologiae, III, 82, 3).

Over the centuries the Church has always characterized the moment of Holy Communion with sacredness and the greatest respect, forcing herself constantly to develop to the best of her ability external signs that would promote understanding of this great sacramental mystery. In her loving and pastoral solicitude the Church has made sure that the faithful receive Holy Communion having the right interior dispositions, among which dispositions stands out the need for the Faithful to comprehend and consider interiorly the Real Presence of Him Whom they are to receive. (See The Catechism of Pope Pius X, nn. 628 & 636).

The Western Church has established kneeling as one of the signs of devotion appropriate to communicants. A celebrated saying of Saint Augustine, cited by Pope Benedict XVI in n. 66 of his Encyclical Sacramentum Caritatis, ("Sacrament of Love"), teaches: “No one eats that flesh without first adoring it; we should sin were we not to adore it” (Enarrationes in Psalmos 98, 9). Kneeling indicates and promotes the adoration necessary before receiving the Eucharistic Christ.

From this perspective, the then-Cardinal Ratzinger assured that: "Communion only reaches its true depth when it is supported and surrounded by adoration" [The Spirit of the Liturgy (Ignatius Press, 2000), p. 90]. For this reason, Cardinal Ratzinger maintained that “the practice of kneeling for Holy Communion has in its favor a centuries-old tradition, and it is a particularly expressive sign of adoration, completely appropriate in light of the true, real and substantial presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ under the consecrated species” [cited in the Letter "This Congregation" of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 1 July 1, 2002].

John Paul II, in his last Encyclical, Ecclesia de Eucharistia ("The Church comes from the Eucharist"), wrote in n. 61: “By giving the Eucharist the prominence it deserves, and by being careful not to diminish any of its dimensions or demands, we show that we are truly conscious of the greatness of this gift. We are urged to do so by an uninterrupted tradition, which from the first centuries on has found the Christian community ever vigilant in guarding this ‘treasure.’ Inspired by love, the Church is anxious to hand on to future generations of Christians, without loss, her faith and teaching with regard to the mystery of the Eucharist. There can be no danger of excess in our care for this mystery, for ‘in this sacrament is recapitulated the whole mystery of our salvation.’”

In continuity with the teaching of his Predecessor, starting with the Solemnity of Corpus Christi in the year 2008, the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, began to distribute to the faithful the Body of the Lord, by placing it directly on the tongue of the faithful as they remain kneeling.

from

http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/details/ns_lit_doc_20100526_communion_en.html

James Akin and kneeling

James, a kneeling Catholic himself, seems to be trying to toe the USCCB's GIRM line. [GIRM says it. James believes it. That settles it!] Our GIRM still says: if you kneel for Holy Communion, then you are in need of catechesis....are you, Mr. Akin, somehow deficient in your understanding of the Holy Eucharist and in need of pastoral Cathechesis? Our American GIRM has said so since 2002! (This 'teaching' of the Amchurch has been in force for 9 years and still is in force for at least 3 more months, despite the impression you give on your podcast, that this statement was quickly edited out of the GIRM in a matter of moments, perhaps being written with disappearing ink!)

http://www.jimmyakin.org/2011/08/podcast-episode-007-is-michael-voris-right-about-kneeling.html

James, is there something wrong with admitting that this old GIRM is in conflict with this new Pope? You are being too much like Amchurch bishops who insist there was never anything 'wrong' with the current translation of the Liturgy, but it still needed to be 'corrected'! Will the universe "explode at the speed of light" if an Amchurch, establishment Catholic admits it when the Amchurch is wrong when it ignores and undermines the pope?

Mark Shea defends Communion in the Hand

Blogger Mark Shea, [my print is purple, his is black] has been conducting a one-man anti-Michael Voris campaign and has recently put in some good words for Communion in the hand. (American style Communion "any old way")

Why is Mr. Shea trying to defend this vestige of the 70's [and of the Protestant Reformation]? I guess because Voris opposes it.

Shea bases his rebuttal on the false axiom: liturgy is all a matter of taste like whether or not one likes 'chocolate'.....


[MARK SHEA]...................................
.....That Michael Voris really likes communion on the tongue? Duly noted. I like chocolate. [nice patronizing tone!!] Some gnostics felt that all gustatory pleasure was an evil snare because the body is evil. But does that mean that those who don’t prefer chocolate are somehow kindred spirits with gnostic enemies of our Incarnate Eucharistic Lord? No it doesn’t. And neither, in the end, are those who receive communion in the hand where Holy Church permits it.Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/in-criticism-of-michael-voris/#ixzz1WNLuZ7Du
.... >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

..note how Shea abides by the AmChurch 'gag rule' regarding the Holy Father's humble example. i.e. "Don't mention it!" Shea manages to lambast Voris' advocacy of kneeling Communion without ever mentioning the pope's or the head of the CDW's invitation to all Catholics to do the same.

UPDATE:
Comments: by "Censor Librorum" (apparently Mr. Shea bans people from commenting on his blog ) sorry, Censor, I'm not banning you, but I am 'bleeping' your post!censor....Ib......http://www.facebook.com/groups/bannedbymarkshea/

Corpus Christi Diocese Schools teach Communion in the Hand

(His Excellency Bishop Mulvey distributing Holy Communion)

Want to know the best predicter of whether or not a child in the Corpus Christi Diocese will take Communion in the hand -any old way- ....or receive it, reverently, on the tongue?

The answer is: whether or not you send them to a Catholic school in the City of Corpus Christi. From observing the 'Catholic schools Mass', (see photos) there seems to be only one school in the Diocese, St. Anthony's in Robstown, which instills simple, reverent reception. (see the pictures on the website--http://www.facebook.com/pages/Diocese-of-Corpus-Christi/206887427083-- of the two girls in plain white blouses. Note their hands folded in prayer and their worshipful demeanor!)

Additionally, if you travel the diocese to small towns which have no Catholic schools, you will certainly see much less hand Communion. From this, it is logical to conclude that it is the Catholic schools themselves that promote hand Communion.

This fits in with a theme I see as a simple fact: the "spirit of Vatican II" reforms have been imposed on the little people, by the "people that run things". Therefore, the farther you go from "power centers", like out to little towns or to Latvia!, the more you will see traditional Catholic customs. People that run things like to be around power centers, [like fire ants like to be around dirty laundry!] Generally they have little interest in rural areas.

This is not to say that 'hand Communion' is part of the diocese's official curriculum, but only that the atmosphere of the schools, the examples set by teachers, principals, religion teachers--actively counteracts the 'reverency initiatives' ofthe Holy Father himself!

The last photo is from the 2010 graduation Mass for Corpus Christi's John Paul II High School.

Kneeling Catholic had hoped that this photo was a glimpse of things to come. A simple imitation of the Holy Father's example. Now it just seems to have been only a brief respite from our Diocese's downward spiral, i.e. its turning a deaf ear to our Holy Father's cri du coer*.

Deacon Greg Kandra of 'Deacon's Bench' Speaks against the Pope's Initiative

YIMCATHOLIC / "Why I am Catholic" is a new blog out which lately has tried to up its readership/hits by piling on Father Corapi and now, Michael Voris.

YIMC has a tendentious posting policy...i.e. if you challenge YIMC and show them to be irrational or disingenuine, they will not print your post. period

[[thanks to Father Ray Blake for the nice picture http://marymagdalen.blogspot.com/2011/08/kneeling-or-standing.html]]

I know a poster who was recently censored for simply pointing out that Karl Rahner, a hero for YIMCATHOLIC, was a public dissenter from Human Vitae. That post never saw the light of day on YIMCATHOLIC.

I know a poster who pointed out how 'Frank', YIMCATHOLIC's editor--claiming to love the fact that the Pope was INVITING people to receive Communion kneeling and how he loved that style of leadership ---then turning around within a paragraph or two and saying he would prefer a directive from the Holy Father -- was trying to have it both ways.......That post never saw the light of day on YIMCATHOLIC.

Apparently YIMC just loves invitations -rather than directives- because they are so easy to ignore!? Maybe Paul VI should have just put Humana Vitae out as a suggestion?

Now that YIMCATHOLIC has gotten in on attacking the Pope's "Kneeling during Communion" invitation the blog has attracted a new cheerleader: Deacon Greg Kandra... [Deacon's Bench blog]
Kandra, not being up to directly attacking the Pope for inviting people to kneel, instead attacks Voris for drawing attention to the Pope's invitation........

>Deacon Greg Kandra said...
>Michael Voris has also stated that the preferred method for receiving communion is kneeling >and on the tongue -- a notion that is not only incorrect, but patently false, as anyone can >discover by a quick scan of the GIRM. He's got strong opinions. But he's not the most >authoritative or reliable of teachers.
>August 21, 2011 10:50 PM

http://yimcatholic.blogspot.com/2011/08/want-to-fight-truthiness-come-to.html

Too bad for you, Deacon Kandra, some of us still believe that 1 + 1= 2!! If you condemn kneeling when the Pope invites us to kneel, then you are setting yourself up against the Holy Father. Most American clerics have the cunning to ignore the Pope, rather than trying to explain why they think he is wrong and they are right. Most, but not you!

News about the film Cristiada!

Hey you Spanish speakers!! give me a synopsis of these!

Producer Pablob Barroso speaks here of the importance of 'fighting for your Faith'....
(He considers this film to be a big salvo in the battle for truth)
http://youtu.be/pigvQLXAAFw

And child-actor Mauricio Kuri speaks here

and here!

http://youtu.be/FxKjhY0QaeM

(This is a very moving testimony of how this experience has opened the young man's eyes to the great fire which should burn in each Catholic's heart -- having such heroes as the Cristeros)

Queen Sofia of Spain can kneel!

A while back,

http://kneelingcatholic.blogspot.com/search?q=queen ,

k.c. published a photo of her Highness, Queen Sofia of Spain, --breaking convention--refusing to kneel and then taking Communion in the hand from the Pope. K.c., and others who were scandalized, got chided for jumping conclusions and being un-charitable "Is it possible that the woman has a bad knee and is unable to kneel? I’m just askin’" more charitable commentators opined.

Gloria.tv has video of her greeting the Pope earlier today. k.c. is thankful that her Highness has gotten over her stiff joints!! k.c. will also 'look the other way' when her Highness receives Jesus this time around..............NOT!!!!!!!

Bishop Athanasius Schneider Stays on Message

Friends! On the 19th of last month his Excellency, Athanasius Schneider spoke on Radio Maria SudTirol, [Region on the Swiss/Italian border].

His topic--as it often is- was Hand Communion. An article from kreuz.net is copied below. In it Bishop Schneider says:

1) the post Vatican II 'historians'--who claimed they were re-instituting an earlier form of Communion by introducing Hand Communion-- were wrong.

2) the current practice of Hand Communion is a crass imitation of the Hand Communion invented by Calvinist Congregations of the 16th CTY who saw it as a way to destroy Faith in the Real Presence. Not even Martin Luther would have allowed such a casual reception.

This man, Schneider, has the Holy Father's ear! And the Holy Spirit has Bishop Schneider's ear! Please listen to his message. If you believe the Holy Eucharist is the Center of our Faith, then reverence and adoration for It are paramount! We cannot progress, we cannot build, we cannot win, if we do not hear this simple message!

[[thanks to Eponymous Flower for this tip-off]]

.....use Google Translate!!

Handkommunion
Das hätte es nicht einmal bei Luther gegeben
Im letzten Jahrhundert ertrotzten altliberale Bischöfe die Handkommunion. Sie benützten dazu eine Geschichtslüge.

Weihbischof Athanasius Schneider© Marko Tervaportti, Wikipedia, CC
(kreuz.net) Die heutige Handkommunion hat keine urkirchlichen Wurzeln.Das betonte Weihbischof Athanasius Schneider (50) von Astana in Kasachstan am 19. Juli vor dem Radiosender ‘Radio Maria Südtirol’.Mons. Schneider ist promovierter Patristiker.Die Handkommunion wurde nach dem Zweiten Vatikanum „ganz neu“ erfunden – stellt der Weihbischof fest.Die Handkommunion hat mit der frühen Kirche nichts zu tun

Cardinal Wuerl says nothing wrong with current translation

Cardinal Wuerl and Scott Hahn's 2nd in Command, Mike Aquilina, have teamed up for a Book promoting the new translation of the Liturgy. http://www.ewtnnews.com/catholic-news/US.php?id=2550

Some of the Cardinal's former progressive allies-- e.g. Praytellblog-- are disappointed that a Cardinal, of the progressive camp, is not standing with his old friends, e.g. Bishop Trautman. Trautman opposes the new translation and wants to stay with the current translation of the Liturgy.

[For posts regarding the Cardinal Wuerl's "progressive" credentials, like his defending pro-abortion politicians' right to Communion see http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/05/06/archbishop-wuerl-why-i-won-t-deny-pelosi-communion/ and see this for Wuerl's refusal to discipline pro-choice Catholic pol William Coyne http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06141/691909-85.stm#ixzz1UwouxaJP]





Despite Cardinal Wuerl's coauthoring a book promoting the new translation, in an (Feb 2011) EWTN interview discussing his book, the Cardinal did display some talent for straddling both opposing sides' position

.......The cardinal said there is nothing “wrong” with the current translation. “It’s just that now we have a fuller, and I believe richer explanation of, and proclamation of, our faith.”Catholics uncomfortable with the changes should realize nothing essential is being changed, he said.“I’m very sympathetic to people who say ‘I prefer we don’t have any changes at all.’ But change is a part of life even in the unfolding of the liturgy, where we deal with the non-essential items.”.........

Really!!? There is nothing wrong with the current translation, your Emminence?
Actually there is lots wrong with the current translation!! Even praytellblog admits there are severe deficiencies in the " current translation"! If, his Emminence sees nothing wrong with the current translation, then why is it being tossed aside and replaced with something strikingly different? Why is our current ICEL English translation being singled out by the Vatican's CDW as the one translation out of a thousand most in need of replacement? Why is the CDW demanding that the American Church stop using it?

Cardinal Wuerl's self-contradiction reminds me of the absent-minded surgeon who had to schedule a second operation for a patient after he accidentally removed the man's only good leg, but who then still insisted that his first surgery a smashing success!

I won't be buying this book.

Cristero film to be released in Madrid during World Youth Day?

[[not a rumor anymore!! Director Wright let's us in on the fact that the World Youth Day attendees will witness selected scenes. The release is yet to come, but soon we will hear the prospective date for a SIMULTANEOUS WORLDWIDE RELEASE!]]
Dean Wright>>>>>CRISTIADA in Madrid, Spain!There will be a special presentation of selected scenes from CRISTIADA on 17 Aug., as this year's "World Youth Day" kicks off with a "Day of Cinema". As Director, the hosts have invited me to speak about the movie & my experiences making it. I'll also be speaking about NARNIA. <<<<

Thank you, Dean Wright!!!


Oh, wouldn't it be nice WHEN our young people at World Youth Day ARE inspired by genuine models traditional Christian piety and chivalry and not by some poor imitation of the Woodstock experience!

Those of us --not familiar with how long a film usually sits before it is released-- are getting impatient! I have no doubt that no matter how long we must wait to see the film, it will be worth it. The world has already waited 80 years to learn this story! What's another few months?

John Allen vs. Conservatives on Archbishop Sambi

'Sambi was at times put off by the seemingly monolithic focus of some American Catholic leaders on the "life issues"'
says NCR's Allen

from
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2011/07_08/2011_07_29_Allen_VaticanCritics.htm




......One cornerstone of a nuncio's job, of course, is to shape the appointment of a country's bishops. It's well known that Sambi didn't always get his way, but his influence was nevertheless considerable. Over the last six years, (Sambi was at times put off by the seemingly monolithic focus of some American Catholic leaders on the "life issues". has been someone who's unquestionably orthodox, but not a cultural warrior or an ideologue. [[Permit me to comment! This seems to be a search for the kind of Bishop who will have
'the faith' but no 'works' with which to back it up.]] ( (Sambi was at times put off by the seemingly monolithic focus of some American Catholic leaders on the "life issues". He once told me, "You have to be pro-life to be Catholic, but to be Catholic it's not enough to be pro-life.")
Ever the creature of the Accademia, the Vatican's elite school for diplomats, Sambi was the kind of guy who always hated to tip his hand. One of my last conversations with him came this spring, talking about the appointment of a new archbishop in Philadelphia. In typical fashion, when I asked him off the record what he was hearing about who might wind up in Philadelphia, he turned it around and asked: "Tell me, what are you hearing?"
Sambi, of course, was not without his critics. Like most diplomats, he was adept at shifting with the wind, and his penchant for answering questions with questions could leave people puzzled about what he was trying to say (which, in some cases, was probably intentional). It was also sometimes hard to figure out exactly where Sambi stood with the home office in Rome, and whether what he was telling you truly reflected the thinking either in the Secretariat of State or the papal apartment......

Allen's article is not written "to trash" the Nuncio but to explain a much admired friend. In this, Allen probably comes closer to presenting a clear picture of what the Archbishop was all about, than some of the eulogies delivered by conservatives.

Some conservatives credit the Nuncio with having been a straight talker, and/or a willing booster of the Church's pro-life activists. John Allen says Archbishop Sambi was neither.

k.c.


http://www.catholicsforobama.blogspot.com/