Friday, May 5, 2017

FRIDAY POTPOURRI: IT IS MY GREAT HONOR TO INTRODUCE TO YOU FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME

Except for some clean up, we’ve pretty much married our couple now.  There is not much official left save for the consummatum est.  (Terrible pun there.  I apologize.)  There is one rubric, however, that confounds me and I’ve not heard it addressed.  If there is a liturgist out there I would love to hear from you.

Everything about a rubric is there on purpose; the order of the wording, the inclusion, the detail of the word chosen (may vs must etc.)  So why does it state that, at a matrimonial Mass, “The bride and bridegroom, their parents, witnesses, and relatives may receive Communion under both kinds”?  Why not say all Catholics present may receive Communion under both kinds?  Is it truly limited (I bet not - or at least nobody is saying that.)  I doubt we will have people check their category against the program to make sure they fit into one of the privileged ranks.  Curious.


Thus we bring to an end this series on Friday Potpourri.  Nothing has come across my radar screen to start new as of yet.  Perhaps by next Friday God will provide something - but just in case, if you have an idea . . . pass it along!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

“The bride and bridegroom, their parents, witnesses, and relatives may receive Communion under both kinds”?

This sounds like a special dispensation and open invitation to EVERYONE, even non-Catholics, even Catholics who are not properly disposed, to receive the Body and Blood of Christ.

Pat said...

"Under both kinds"--The precious Blood did not used to be offered to the faithful at all. Now, we see this practice more widely permitted.

Consider the situation where the procedure was to offer only the Sacred Host to communicants. At a wedding, in honor of the Sacrament of Matrimony, the bride and groom, the wedding party and family members would have been offered this extraordinary privilege of receiving the Precious Blood (from the priest's own chalice???).

Unknown said...

Since May is Mary's month, what about info on Mary. Just recently a colleague (around my age) mentioned that she still puts up a May Altar in her house. We did also when I was a child but I had completely forgotten about that.