Overheard in the Sacristy

Two hours of confessions tonight for two confessors.

Considering my last post, The New Liturgical Movement’s, Shawn Tribe offers a timely translation of Archbishop Malcomb Ranjith’s (Secretary of the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments) forward to the book Dominus Est by Bishop Athansius Schnedier, who analyzes the question of communion received kneeling and on the tongue.

Of note is the following statement by Msgr. Ranjith:

Then there are those who abuse takes away the sacred species to keep them as souvenirs, those who sell, or worse yet, who take them away to desecrate it in Satanic rituals. Even in large concelebrations, also in Rome, several times the sacred species has been found thrown onto the ground.

He goes on to say:

Now I think it is high time to review and re-evaluate such good practices and, if necessary, to abandon the current practice that was not called for by Sacrosanctum Concilium, nor by Fathers, but was only accepted after its illegitimate introduction in some countries. Now, more than ever, we must help the faithful to renew a deep faith in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharistic species in order to strengthen the life of the Church and defend it in the midst of dangerous distortions of the faith that this situation continues to cause.

I am certain that most Catholics are unaware of the false notion that Vatican II ordered Holy Communion in the hand and other ridiculous modernist innovations. What follows is a very small portion of an interview of 11/28/07 of Archbishop Ranjith of the Congregation of Divine Worship (who is rumored to be Cardinal Arinze’s replacement.)

I mention for example, a change not proposed by the Council Fathers or by Sacrosanctum Concilium, Holy Communion received in the hand. This has contributed to some extent to a weakening of faith in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. This, and the removal of altar rails and kneelers in church and the introduction of practices which oblige the faithful to sit or stand at the elevation of the Sacred Host, weakens the genuine significance of the Eucharist and the Church’s profound sense of adoration for the Lord, the Only Son of God. Moreover in many places, the church the ‘house of God’, is used for meetings, concerts or inter-religious celebrations. In some churches the Blessed Sacrament is almost hidden away in a little chapel, hardly seen and little decorated. All this obscures a belief so central in the Church, belief in the real presence of Christ. The church, for Catholics, is the ‘home’ of the Eternal One.

I baptized six little ones this morning according to the traditional rite. 21 are scheduled for next Saturday in the revised rite.

I was asked today to baptize five little souls according to the Traditional Rite. The baptisms are scheduled for Saturday morning, October 20. Deo gratias.

I was also approached by an elderly gentlemen for a Requiem Mass when his time comes.

Nearly 140 young people were Confirmed at two Masses this weekend. About three-quarters of them received Holy Communion for the first time. Many thanks to Vicar of Stewardship, Fr. Bud Pelletier for representing Bishop Olmsted.

I was blessed today as I celebrated four sacraments: Baptisms at 9:30 a.m., Matrimony (Nuptial Mass) at 1:30 p.m., Penance at 3:30 p.m., and Communion (6th Sunday of Easter Mass) at 5:00 p.m. Deo gratias!