Prevent Loss of the Blessed Sacrament

Do you believe that Jesus is present, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Eucharist?

I have noticed something recently, that I think has been going on a while, that there might be considerable loss of the Blessed Sacrament during Communion at Mass. This is not surprising to me considering the results of a recent New York Times CBS News poll taken June 1994 reveal that 70 percent of American Catholics between the ages of 18-44 believe that the bread and wine in the Eucharist are merely "symbolic reminders" and not "the Body and Blood" of Christ. Among older Catholics, those between 45-64 years of age, the majority, 58 percent, preferred the term "symbolic reminders" as the most expressive of what they truly believe.

I have been watching the way most parishes distribute Communion and have noticed many people taking Communion in the hand and not looking for fragments but yet the priests are very careful at the altar of the fragments, they make sure every one is taken care of. The eucharistic ministers clean their fingers after distributing Communion in a water bowl next to the Tabernacle. I was informed by a priest that by his experience and the experience of some of his fellow priests that after Communion approximately 1 fragment per 100 communicants was found on the patens upon returning them to the altar. If there are fragments on the altar, there is certainly fragments when it is distributed to the congregation. I have heard a few people claim that some parishes use bread that doesn't make crumbs, but the ones I've seen can't be because when the ciboria return to the altar from the distribution of communion I can see the priests being careful of the fragments left in the ciboria that were just used.

If we truly believe that Jesus is alive and FULLY present in every particle of Eucharist, Jesus is falling on the floor, being stepped on and being sucked up by vacuum cleaners.

The INSTRUCTION ON THE MANNER OF DISTRIBUTING HOLY COMMUNION, Memoriale Domini, issued by the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship on May 19, 1969, seems prophetic when it says concerning receiving communion in the hand: "It carries certain dangers with it which may arise from the new manner of administering holy communion: the danger of a loss of reverence for the august sacrament of the altar, of profanation, of adulterating the true doctrine." After a vote by the bishops that was clearly in favor of NOT changing to communion in the hand, it says: "Where a contrary usage, that of placing holy communion on the hand, prevails, the Holy See-wishing to help them fulfill their task, often difficult as it is nowadays-lays on those conferences the task of weighing carefully whatever special circumstances may exist there, taking care to avoid any risk of lack of respect or of false opinions with regard to the Blessed Eucharist, and to avoid any other ill effects that may follow."

In the letter granting permission to hierarchies who asked for permission to allow communion in the hand it stressed catechesis: "2. The rite of communion in the hand must be introduced tactfully. In effect, since human attitudes are in question, it is linked with the sensibility of the person receiving communion. It should therefore be introduced gradually, beginning with better-educated and better-prepared groups. It is, above all, necessary that an adequate catechesis prepares the way so that the faithful will understand the significance of the action and will perform it with the respect due to the sacrament. The result of this catechesis should be to remove any suggestion of wavering on the part of the Church in its faith in the eucharistic presence, and also to remove any danger or even suggestion of profanation. 3. The fact that the lay person is now able to receive holy communion in the hand should not suggest to him that this is ordinary bread, or just any sacred object. Rather ought it to strengthen his sense of his dignity as a member of the Mystical Body of Christ, of which baptism and the grace of the Eucharist make him a part. He will thus experience an increase of faith in the great reality of the Body and Blood of the Lord which he touches with his hands. His respectful attitude should be proportionate to what he is doing."

It also stressed in the letter: "5. No matter which method is adopted, one will be careful not to allow any fragment of the host to fall or be scattered."

Had the catechesis called for been done effectively, those 70% of Catholics would have a stronger belief in the Eucharist. Some may think I'm trying to discourage communion in the hand, but all I want is people to fully realize what it is that they are doing. As the aforementioned document says: "It is certainly true that ancient usage once allowed the faithful to take this divine food in their hands and to place it in their mouths themselves. It is also true that in very ancient times they were allowed to take the Blessed Sacrament with them from the place where the holy sacrifice was celebrated. This was principally so as to be able to give themselves Viaticum in case they had to face death for their faith. However, the Church's prescriptions and the evidence of the Fathers make it abundantly clear that the greatest reverence was shown the Blessed Sacrament, and that people acted with the greatest prudence. Thus, "let nobody . . . eat that flesh without first adoring it"[2](St. Augustine <on the Psalms> 98,9) As a person takes (the Blessed Sacrament) he is warned: " . . . receive it: be careful lest you lose any of it."[3](St. Cyril of Jerusalem <Mystagogic Catechesis> V,21) "For it is the Body of Christ."[4] (Hippolytus <Apolistic Tradition> n.37)"

Whether you choose to take communion in the hand or in the mouth, the realization should be the same, you are taking into your soul the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. You must also realize that He is, as The Catechism of the Catholic Church 1377 says, "present whole and entire in each of the species and whole and entire in each of their parts, in such a way that the breaking of the bread does not divide Christ. (Cf.Council of Trent: DS 1641)" That means he is present in every crumb. So I ask you if you take communion in the hand, please check to see if you are one of the one in a hundred of people that could get a crumb in your hand.

I am sure people don't do this on purpose but people tend to just get lazy, are ignorant or just so used to it they just don't fully think what there doing. Once people do something often they tend take it for granted eventually. This I believe has led to other things I have noticed, more talking before church, less genuflecting when entering and leaving the pews in church, less money in the collection basket, and less people getting involved in the church. Why would people want to genuflect, kneel during the consecration, talk to Jesus present in the tabernacle instead of their friends, or help the church if they don't truly believe He is in the tabernacle.

Just because we have received permission to take communion in the hand doesn't mean that we must do it or that it is even a good thing to do. And judging by the effects of what has happened in the past years, the fears of the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship have come true. "3. The fact that the lay person is now able to receive holy communion in the hand should not suggest to him that this is ordinary bread, or just any sacred object. Rather ought it to strengthen his sense of his dignity as a member of the Mystical Body of Christ, of which baptism and the grace of the Eucharist make him a part. He will thus experience an increase of faith in the great reality of the Body and Blood of the Lord which he touches with his hands. His respectful attitude should be proportionate to what he is doing."

Apathy has been more prevalent in the past 30 years and I think the way out is in belief and adoration of the Eucharist. Many priests don't see the problem or aren't willing to do anything about it, so it is left to us lay people to remind each other what we are really doing and also adore Jesus in the Eucharist. I highly recommend that every Catholic read the Encyclical by Pope Paul VI, Mystery of faith (Mysterium Fidei). In it he says: "In the course of the day the faithful should not omit to visit the Blessed Sacrament, which according to the liturgical laws must be kept in churches with great reverence in a most honorable location. Such visits are a proof of gratitude, an expression of love, an acknowledgment of the Lord's presence." When you love someone you want to spend time with them, so if you truly love Jesus you will spend time with Him. Pope Paul VI also says in the encyclical "But there is yet another manner in which Christ is present in His Church, a manner which surpasses all others; it is His presence in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, which is for this reason 'a more consoling source of devotion, a more lovely object of contemplation, a more effective means of sanctification than all the other sacraments.'" We are all called to be holy, and Pope Paul VI says, "...there is nothing more consoling on earth, nothing more efficacious for advancing along the road to holiness." People tend to not do something unless they feel like it but we need to rise above this. There is something that is said in the twelve step programs that I believe applies here: act as if, and the feelings will follow." Think about how we learn to do anything. It is always by doing it. We learn to drive by doing it. We learn to work a computer by sitting there and doing it. How did you learn to be what ever you do as a career? I'm sure you learned best by doing the job. Sure, we can grow indifferent when we do something often, but that makes more clear my point, you must think about it more and try harder to make it mean something. Try to make little steps toward holiness by not talking in church (you are on holy ground) and politely remind others that they are in the presence of Jesus. If you walked into a room and Jesus was there would you ignore Him and start talking to your friends? For most of us I think not. Jesus is FULLY present in the Eucharist, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. So when you are in church maybe you should talk to Jesus and not your friends. The greatest commandment is "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." (Mat. 22:37) Love Jesus in the eucharist by spending time with Him. It is only then that we get the strength to "love your neighbor as yourself."