Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Lay ministers may not cleanse Communion vessels, Pope Benedict says

CNS STORY: Lay ministers may not cleanse Communion vessels, Pope Benedict says [Hat tip Amy.] I can hear the groans now ... "You have to be ordained to do the dishes!"

What's interesting is Cardinal Arinze's clarification that intinction is a "legitimate option" when it comes communion under both kinds, which is again presented as a "more complete" sign.

Given just how unevenly the liturgical norms are followed in the US, I would suspect that this one will just be ignored.

4 comments:

Dogwood Dell said...

Hummmmm....

I've been doing this for years and I just learn about this. Ugggg! (GRIN)

It's just a matter of time when we hear official news from our bishop on the subject.

Thanks for sharing.

Sincerely,

Dogwood

St. Izzy said...

The bad: We're going to have to go through that training again.

The good: It won't be for a few years yet.

hnskhl,
Izzy
planning on just being obedient

Fr. Gaurav Shroff said...

St. Izzy: being obedient? What an idea! :)

gwpubx, G

Anonymous said...

An instituted lector can cleanse vessels: "279. The sacred vessels are purified by the priest, the deacon, or an instituted acolyte after Communion or after Mass, insofar as possible at the credence table." (2002 GIRM, accessible from http://www.romanrite.com/girm.html ).

An instituted lector is a lay minister, he is not ordained.

So a better heading would be: "Some lay ministers may cleanse Communion vessels, Pope Benedict says".

John Lilburne