What you have allowed to drop.....................

[Denise]

From the coming week's bulletin; a message for parents from Fr. Paul

Just a Reminder Especially for Parents”

In 1969 the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship published an instruction about the traditional way of receiving Holy Communion – on the tongue. In the Vatican instruction, a mention was made of a new permission, a new way in which Holy Communion could be received – in the hand. The name of the document which was published in 1969 was “Memoriale Domini.” If you go to the EWTN’s website you can read this document in its entirety – it is very brief (www.ewtn.com)

Parents should take special care to supervise their children and educate their children on the proper way to receive Holy Communion. If the child receives Holy Communion in the hand, then special care must be given to any fragments or crumbs of the Sacred Host which might remain in the hand AFTER having received Holy Communion.

As the 1969 document points out, receiving Holy Communion on the tongue takes care of this problem. There is issue of fragments of the Sacred Host left on the hand. With your children receiving Holy Communion in the hand, many times crumbs or fragments of Holy Communion are left behind. Those fragments or crumbs or pieces are really and truly Jesus – His Sacred Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. The document clearly states the case of crumbs:

“Lastly it ensures that diligent carefulness about the fragments of the consecrated Bread which the Church has always recommended:

“What you have allowed to drop, think of it as if you had [ just ] lost one of your own members”[as if you had just lost a part of your own body.]”