Good Piggy!!!

...Swine Flu~Like You needed ANOTHER Reason to Choose the TLM Over the N.O.!

Well, I guess the Swine Flu scare just might be good for something. As the 40 year trek into liturgical wastelands continues, I actually got a chuckle and maybe a glimmer of hope...from 'pig flu'. At the closing of Mass this past weekend, we were informed that the bulletin would contain an insert from our Bishop that addresses 'liturgical gestures' which raise concern in light of trying to contain an infectious disease. Hmmm...what could these 'liturgical gestures' be? Maybe, the 'Hands Across America' Sign of Peace and the 'but I want to receive both the Body and Blood...' Communion from the Cup. Do I see an opportunity to teach here? I sure do. So did our Bishop, who wrote this letter and I applaud him for it.

from letter: (my comments in blue)

While the Sign of Peace is an Option in the Sacred Liturgy of the Mass, ("wh-wha-what? An option? You mean, we are not required to leap over three pews to shake hands with the family we refused to sit closer to when Mass first started?") if it is chosen, ( ahhh...'choice'...always good verbiage with this sort of crowd...) the faithful should be directed to exercise prudence ("you mean, 'prudence' is more than a cool Beatles song?") and courtesy if they are ill.

Gosh, this might be too much for some of those progressive little minds. I could only imagine the head spinning that would be going on if he'd reemphasized the dangers of holding hands during the Our Father. The 'Mr. Fantastic', elastic arms crowd would be crushed.

another excerpt:

Regarding reception of Holy Communion from the Cup, the choice to receive is always personal to the communicant, although the faithful should not receive the Precious Blood if they are ill. ( I don't know, I never really saw the Precious Blood offered on a weekly basis until coming down South. I always saw it as another avenue for problems to arise...)While the Church teaches us that Holy Communion under both species is as fuller sign, the Church also instructs us that that Christ is truly present, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the consecrated host, the Sacred Body of Christ. ("Wh-Wha-What-What??? You mean, I don't have to receive both species??? Yes I do!!!" )

This is the problem I've seen arise in regard to offering both species. Not having both species becomes an insult if both are not offered, to those who do not truly understand what they are receiving. Last fall, I attended Mass at our local 'Church in the Round', where the pastor was making a valiant effort in curbing the Precious Blood from being unnecessarily sloshed all around the Church by having the Extraordinary Ministers only bring the consecrated host to those unable to approach the Altar due to their medical conditions. Sure enough, while waiting to greet him after Mass, I nearly get run over by an electric Rascal, driven by an angry blue haired lady with an oxygen tank, who couldn't wait to give Father a piece of her mind for not being able to receive the Precious Blood. He proceeded to give as charitable an explanation to her how she was the Body and Blood in the Eucharist, but she just wasn't having any of it. Which makes me rethink,that while I genuinely applaud the Bishop for taking the opportunity to educate, I wonder how many will actually get it.

Anyway, thank you Swine Flu for pointing out what many already know, how 40 years of change was a big waste of time.

Oink-Oink!

Saint Michael the Archangel...

Defend Us in Battle!!!