Pastor's Message - April 27/28, 2024
My dear friends in Christ,
Still Easter! Happy Easter! And Peace Be With You!
I hope that you continue to enjoy this springtime with the spirit of new life and hope that comes from the love of God in Christ. On the day of creation, we vanished from the garden because of sin! And the death came to us! But in the new garden in Jerusalem, sin and death vanished because of the rising of the Son of Man from the dead! He makes all things new! From the darkness of the night to a new light of hope and life! He is risen and he is alive!
In the community of faith, we experience him in the word and in his body and blood. And because it is Christ that we are receiving, it is nice to be reminded that we receive him with reverence and joy. So many of us are still very casual about our attitude in receiving communion! I saw this last Sunday during mass. I would like to share with you this catechesis on the proper reception of the Holy Communion from the Office of the Liturgy from our diocese.
Instructions on Receiving Communion Properly
The norm established for the Diocese of the United States is that Holy Communion is to be received standing, unless an individual member of the faithful wishes to receive Communion while kneeling. Any baptized Catholic who is not prevented by law must be admitted to Holy Communion. Therefore, it is not licit to deny Holy Communion to any of Christ’s faithful solely on the grounds, for example that person wishes to receive the Eucharist kneeling or standing
(Redemption is Sacramentum, 91).
When Receiving Communion on the Tongue:
Hold your hands in front of you in a gesture of prayer, and when you approach the minister of Communion, bow, and then say “Amen” after the minister says, “The Body of Christ.” After the minister places the Host into your mouth, return to your place in the pew (or approach the Communion station for the Blood of Christ, as the case may be).
When Receiving Communion in the Hand:
When you approach the minister of Communion, hold one hand on top of the other and extend your hands flat, like an altar top. (This follows the counsel of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, who instructed the faithful: “make a throne of your hands in which to receive the King [in Holy Communion].” He also urged them to exercise great care for any fragments which might remain in one’s hand.) Bow, and then say “Amen” after the minister says, “The Body of Christ,”
and places the host in your hand. Step to the side, reverently place the Host into your mouth with the other hand, taking the Host from the hand that it rests upon. Take care to consume any particles which may remain in your hand and return to your place in the pew (or approach the Communion station for the Blood of Christ, as the case may be). Note: if one of your hands is impeded such that you cannot receive Communion in this way, you should receive on the tongue.
When Receiving Communion from the Cup:
Approach the minister of Communion, bow, and then say “Amen” after the minister says, “The Blood of
Christ.” Take the cup with your hands and reverently place it to your lips to take a sip of the Blood of Christ. Hand the cup back to the minister and return to your place in the pew. Right now, in our church, communion from the cup is not offered yet.
Please do not forget to attend our Mother’s Day concert on May 10, Friday at 7pm here in the church. Proceeds will benefit the HOPE FOUNDATION OF THE PHILIPPINES and our church.
Tickets are $30 each.
Congratulations to our 34 young ones who will be confirmed this weekend at the 5pm Mass to be presided by our Vicar General, The Very Reverend, Fr. Larry D’Anjou! Please pray for them as they continue to search for the meaning of life!
May our God bless you with humility and peace in your heart! Again, thank you for your great generosity!
In Christ, Fr. Geoffrey
