National "Catholic" Reporter Readers Comment on the Pope & Eucharistic Adoration

Benediction is largely Romish
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Jun. 07, 2012.


Benediction is largely Romish tokenism. The east never adopted this practice and for good reason. It's so typical of the western pre-occupation with substitutes for the Real Presence found in Jesus's Word and the eucharistic oblation. Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, unfortunately. reduces the honoring of the presence to collecting trophies of Jesus, specimens of the angelic bread carried about in a grand display of golden and jeweled vessels. Grand displays and pageants can never be substituted for eating and drinking the Lord's Body and Blood in the Sacred Banquet.

I fear Benedict's Vatican is moving rapidly toward adopting a Jansenist approach to the Holy Eucharist. Only the worthy few receive, while the unworthy masses can be content to gaze upon an inert token of Jesus--the host only. The idea of participating in the Sacred Banguet, where Jesus Word has been proclaimed int he language and culture of the people, and the Banquet of Life is where He is more fully present in our lives, begins to fade more and more into the background.

I hear verbal support for Vatican II, but the Pontiff's actions bely any real support for the liturgical principles of the Council. We see retrenchment, archaism, and retrogression as the principles to be followed in his vision of the Church and its liturgy.
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"an inert token of Jesus--the
Submitted by Johannes de Silentio (not verified) on Jun. 07, 2012.


"an inert token of Jesus--the host only."

Yikes.
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While I in no way disrespect
Submitted by C.Lewis (not verified) on Jun. 07, 2012.


While I in no way disrespect adoration with the Blessed Sacrament (I've spent a kazillion hours in a darkened church over my long lifetime), I can't wait for the following headlines over the next year:

Vatican II says: Latin Mass is the only true way to worship and immediate changes will be made.
Vatican II says: Eating meat on Friday is a mortal sin for everyone over seven years of age.
Vatican II says: Our Eucharistic fast from both food and water must begin at midnight for all.
Vatican II says: All women must wear appropriate head coverings inside the doors of every Carholic church.
Vatican II says: Only the pipe organ is appropriate musical accompaniment for the Sacred Liturgy.
Vatican II says: Collegiality and subsidiarity are inappropriate concepts for true Catholics.
Vatican II says: All religious women will revert to wearing of their Founders' habits and to their original charisms, even though Rome herself is rumored to have asked them to review these issues (you misunderstood).
Vatican II says: The official calendar for the whole world will revert to 1955 as of 12/31/2012.
Vatican II says: All saints in the calendar erroneously removed due to lack of historical authenticity will be immediately restored.
Vatican II says: Indulgences go on half-price sale at midnight, 12/31/1955, the same time Limbo is restored.
Vatican II says: Ecumenism is a mortal sin, period.

Personally, I can't wait for this. Although I'm 70 now, in 1955 I was only 13...I'll look SO much younger.
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I can imagine Vin Scully
Submitted by Max Lindenman (not verified) on Jun. 08, 2012.


I can imagine Vin Scully shouting: "Mantle swings -- a scorching liner up the third-base line. Wait -- St. Philomena knocks it down, whips it to Campanella, and that's the end of the inning! Ladies and gentlemen, what a Series!"
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St. Theresa of Lisieux: "Our
Submitted by Jay (not verified) on Jun. 07, 2012.


St. Theresa of Lisieux: "Our Lord does not come down from heaven every day to lie in a golden ciborium. He comes to find another heaven which is infinitely dearer to Him - the heaven of our souls."

Jesus didn't say, "Take this and adore." He said, "Take this and eat."
There is absolutely no evidence in scripture of eucharistic adoration. It developed in the Middle Ages when clergy had convinced laity that they were unworthy to receive communion. At one point, communion for the people was not even offered during the Mass. Even members of religious communities refrained from communion.
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I do not believe this was the
Submitted by Chris Smith (not verified) on Jun. 07, 2012.


I do not believe this was the "intent" for the elements of the Eucharist. Using the body of Christ in a staged expression that some would even say borders on "sick" theology. It should be dropped entirely but since we have a Fundamentalist Pope he will promote it until people just walk away out of embarrassment. We need to move far away from this imperial form of being Church. It is not working.
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We are in the constant
Submitted by Chris Smith (not verified) on Jun. 07, 2012.


We are in the constant presence of Jesus without a monstrance and consecrated host. These practices have nothing to do with the discipleship of Jesus. If anything, many rightly believe "Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament" could be seen as an "abuse of the Eucharist" in that this is not the way Christ directed his apostles to gather in his name to break bread and drink wine, which are His body and blood.
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If you won't ordain women to
Submitted by BrooklynCatholic (not verified) on Jun. 07, 2012.


If you won't ordain women to have enough priests to celebrate the liturgy, I guess benediction will be a good second best. Will women be allowed to touch the sacred monstrance?
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Will women be allowed to
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Jun. 08, 2012.


Will women be allowed to touch the sacred monstrance?
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Touch the eucharist? The reactionary weirdos flocking to sit around Benedict's throne don't even want young girls or any women to serve as acolytes for his precious Tridentine Mass, or any other form of the liturgy.

People in my parish, some of the wealthiest and best educated, have left taking their girls and boys with them. That's how popular this pope's crackpot ideas are right now.
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"Will women be allowed to
Submitted by Henry (not verified) on Jun. 08, 2012.


"Will women be allowed to touch the sacred monstrance?"

God forbid. Didn't he? (Cf. St. Paul)
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No, women will not be
Submitted by Rev. W.T. Suarez (not verified) on Jun. 08, 2012.


No, women will not be permitted to touch the sacred monstrance! Once the SSPX sets up shop we will have more than enough priests--everyone--each and everyone male of course.
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I was not aware of Vatican II
Submitted by Joseph Jaglowicz (not verified) on Jun. 07, 2012.


I was not aware of Vatican II downplaying eucharistic adoration.

On the other hand, I know that Catholics since Vatican II have not participated in this practice to the degree they did before this council.

Times change, however, and no pope is going to be able to revive widespread adoption of a practice that "came into its own", so to speak, during the Middle Ages when the sacred liturgy finally became the virtually exclusive domain of the "priest" and the laity became passive spectators (indeed, it reached the low point of the laity not receiving holy communion during the liturgy itself but only --- if at all --- afterwards).

One can only hope that Catholics are beginning to see the consecrated bread as spiritual food rather than as religious bread in the pantry.

The first eucharists, after all, were meals of thanksgiving to God, not formal religious services with "priests" and lay spectators.

Good try, Pope.

But no cigar.
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What makes the Eucharist
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Jun. 07, 2012.


What makes the Eucharist displayed in a monstrance any different than the Eucharist present in the person who has just participated in the Mass? Why is it so important to worship the Eucharist? Shouldn’t we be celebrating and pondering what reception of the Eucharist does for us and demands from us?
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Sacrosanctum Concilium:
Submitted by Craig B. McKee, Hong Kong (not verified) on Jun. 08, 2012.


Sacrosanctum Concilium: #48
48. The Church, therefore, earnestly desires that Christ's faithful, when present at this mystery of faith, should not be there as strangers or SILENT SPECTATORS; on the contrary, through a good understanding of the rites and prayers they should take part in the SACRED ACTION conscious of what they are doing, with devotion and full collaboration. They should be instructed by God's word and be nourished at the table of the Lord's body; they should give thanks to God; by offering the Immaculate Victim, not only through the hands of the priest, but also with him, they should learn also to offer themselves; through Christ the Mediator, they should be drawn day by day into ever more perfect union with God and with each other, so that finally God may be all in all.
http://www.intratext.com/IXT/ENG0037/_IDX003.HTM

CORPUS CHRISTI is a Medieval liturgical accretion (aberration?) based on popular piety designed to centralize the POWER of the priest, as well as being highly symbolic of a greater and greater OBJECTIFICATION of the Eucharist as THING to be worshiped from afar with heads down, on your knees, please! It remains to this day, not "the result of a certain SECULARIZING MENTALITY of the 1960's and 70's" your holiness, but rather a ceremonial disassociation (RUPTURE?) with the foundational ACTIONS of BREAD, blessed, broken and shared along with WINE, blessed poured and shared which were re-emphasized once Vatican II opened the windows and blew the dust of the Middle Ages and Renaissance off the books in an attempt to get back to the REAL basics of Roman Catholic sacramental life.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-says-vatican-ii-did-not-reje...catholicnewsagency/dailynews
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Arguing that His Holiness
Submitted by ChildofGod (not verified) on Jun. 08, 2012.


Arguing that His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI is moving towards a Jansenist approach seems unfounded. The Holy Father is not placing new impositions on who can receive the Eucharist, rather it seems he is enforcing rules that have been in place since the time of Christ, to preserve and perhaps to some extent restore the dignity due to the Sacred Species. It has always been required that one must be must be in a state of grace and prepare spiritually (e.g. fasting) to receive the Eucharist. Thank God for the holy ones who defend the glory of our Lord!
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I think there is much value
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Jun. 08, 2012.


I think there is much value in "Being Present" to the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. The word "Adoration" may have inappropriate connotations. That is, I don't believe Jesus is hovering over us saying "Adore Me! Adore Me!”. Rather the opportunity to sit /kneel quietly in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament is a great gift and a wonderful occasion for "heart to speak to heart". I believe it was the Cure of Ars who is imputed to have made the famous quote about what goes on when being in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament: "I just look at Him and He just looks at me." I for one welcome opportunities for that kind of contemplative presence in the whirlwind of our busy world. Unfortunately, in most communities today, the church doors are typically locked except at the time of mass. The days of stopping in for a visit, both before the tabernacle or before the exposed Blessed Sacrament, are long gone... and missed.
Anonymous
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I believe it was the Cure of
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Jun. 08, 2012.


I believe it was the Cure of Ars who is imputed to have made the famous quote about what goes on when being in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament: "I just look at Him and He just looks at me." I for one welcome opportunities for that kind of contemplative presence in the whirlwind of our busy world.
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What you propose here never goes beyond mere bread worship. A rite for worshiping the inert and a token of a larger Christian Presence which transcends the mere adoration of an earthly species. The mature Catholic needs to move beyond these childish gestures and embrace Jesus' Word, see Jesus in others, and throughout humanity. The eucharistic species were given to us for eating and drinking not for adoration. Melt down the golden and jeweled monstrances and give the money to the poor, the uneducated, the aged, and to the sexually abused and their families. There you will find Jesus amongst us.

Those who see themselves as unworthy to receive the holy eucharist may satisfy some deeper longing by viewing the host, but those who receive Him regularly should have no reason to be satisfied with Jesus propped up in a display case.
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I believe it was the Cure of
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Jun. 08, 2012.


I believe it was the Cure of Ars who is imputed to have made the famous quote about what goes on when being in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament: "I just look at Him and He just looks at me." I for one welcome opportunities for that kind of contemplative presence in the whirlwind of our busy world.
----------------------------------------------------------------
What you propose here never goes beyond mere bread worship. A rite for worshiping the inert and a token of a larger Christian Presence which transcends the mere adoration of an earthly species. The mature Catholic needs to move beyond these childish gestures and embrace Jesus' Word, see Jesus in others, and throughout humanity. The eucharistic species were given to us for eating and drinking not for adoration. Melt down the golden and jeweled monstrances and give the money to the poor, the uneducated, the aged, and to the sexually abused and their families. There you will find Jesus amongst us.

Those who see themselves as unworthy to receive the holy eucharist may satisfy some deeper longing by viewing the host, but those who receive Him regularly should have no reason to be satisfied with Jesus propped up in a display case.
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How about just looking at
Submitted by Helen Welter (not verified) on Jun. 08, 2012.


How about just looking at your neighbor and recognixing God? It appears to me that eucharistice doration is "cheap grace" because it is easier and less demanding to look at a monstrance rather than to look at your neighbor and have to be aware of that neighbor's needs.
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Most curious it is that the
Submitted by Petrus Romanus (not verified) on Jun. 08, 2012.


Most curious it is that the pope did not mention the prace in his homeland (and elsewhere) of the "Aussetzungskirche" -- typically a former parish church whose congregation had moved, died or joined another church, which was kept open as a "perpetual adoration" church for the "convenience" of the faithful.

Actually, the "Aussetzungskirche" prevented the stats for closed churches from appearing as large as they really were, and thus were intended as well to reassure the faithful that "all was well" even as the bottom was beginning to fall out of church life.

This practice, not of recent origin, was already occuring during Vatican II, and in some of Germany's most Catholic areas, such as Westphalia. While it had the merit of avoiding intense public outrage (at least in theory), the deeper significance spoke of a hierarchy already in denial about the state of their church. Thus, popular piety and devotion is but one edge of the two-edged sword, the other being the bald-faced lie about the church's deteriorating health.

Papst Ratzinger has reopened some old wounds with his sword. Surely he was not ignorant of what was going on in Catholic Germany during his priesthood and ministry there.

Or was he?
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The question I hear most
Submitted by Chris Smith (not verified) on Jun. 08, 2012.


The question I hear most often from Lay Catholics in my community are: How do we depose a Bishop of Rome and the College of Cardinals when they are doing every possible thing that moves us away from hearing the voices of The People of God? People really feel this is a "rogue" Pope and Cardinals who are declaring themselves "The Church" and ignoring the voices of the vast population of women, the glbt communities and the disenfranchised. This is not the Church Jesus had in mind. This is an imperial Church that ignores its' members. It must have radical reform, including the doctrine of Papal Infallibility.
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The way you depose the pope
Submitted by Rev. W.T. Suarez (not verified) on Jun. 08, 2012.


The way you depose the pope is by turning your back on him. Do what you want. Ordaine your own priests and bishops, celebrate your own masses, set up your own structures and never look back. Heck get together and elect your own pope if you like. Nothing is stopping anyone from turning away from Benedict XVI. But what I suspect you really want is to deprive those who love the pope of the pope. Some of us want to be subject to Pope Benedict--we love him, and see in him not a problem to ecclesial union but the principle authenticity to Christian discipleship, and that drives you crazy. Be good to yourself and to us folk who love the Pope--move on to something else. What you seek is not here. Take the money and the buildings if that's what is holding you back, but please just shut-up and move on. We will do just fine without you, in fact we will do better.