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Last night, I went to Mass said by a rather elderly priest. He left
out one very important part of the Mass — the Consecration! It was obvious
to everyone that he had skipped that whole part, and there were whispers
and unsure looks, all around.
What should one do in a situation like this?
There were no other religious present, which is unusual, as this Mass
is normally attended by a handful of nuns. No one let him know, and
he continued on with the Mass. He broke the bread and distributed communion, as usual.
Is it OK to receive communion, if it hasn't been consecrated?
To me, it isn't the Body and Blood of Christ. Others were saying that
priests should be allowed gimmes every now and then. I received communion,
but didn't say, Amen.
I was just hoping you could help out some confused Catholics!
I just found your web site by searching Yahoo.
Thanks,
Katie
{
If a priest is saying the Mass and skips the Consecration part,
is the Mass still valid? }
John replied:
Hi, Katie —
When you say he left out the consecration, do you mean he failed to say,
This Is My Body and This Is The Cup Of My Blood.
If that is not the case you still would have a valid Eucharist, no matter
what other part of the Eucharistic prayer was omitted.
As for receiving Communion, in that situation, I would abstain from receiving Communion if
I knew that the priest had no intention of consecrating the Eucharist.
Let's say a priest accidentally invalidates the Eucharist by some how
losing his place. Odds are the hosts coming out of the Tabernacle
were properly consecrated, so I'd be careful and get in the line where
those hosts were being used. At any rate, God gives us some grace no matter
what, when we seek to do our part.
If, on the other hand, you happen to have serious doubts about a certain
priest's intentions, then I'd stay away from that parish.
Hope this helps.
Under His Mercy,
John C. DiMascio
Mike replied:
Hi, Katie —
If I were in your situation, I would leave the Church and say a Spiritual
Communion in the car.
Spiritual Communion
O Lord Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.
I love you above all things, (with all my mind, with all my heart, and with all my soul).
I love you because you are infinitely good and worthy of all my love.
Since I cannot receive You now sacramentally, at least come spiritually into my heart.
I embrace myself entirely to You and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
Come Lord Jesus and glorify Yourself through my weak, broken body.
Amen.
I am shocked that other Catholics would suggest,
" that
priests should be allowed gimmes every now and then."
What they are saying is that "bread
worship" and "wine worship" are OK.
No, they are not!
Worship and adoration belongs solely to God in the Person of Jesus, Himself,
in the Eucharist. Priests are human, but the Eucharist or the Holy Sacrifice
of the Mass is the source and summit of Catholic worship in the Church.
Priests have been trained to see it as such.
A Mass can be said illicitly, but still be a valid Mass. This means that although the priest may have mistakenly said, or purposely changed, some of the words of the Eucharistic Prayer which contains the Prayer of Consecration, if he:
Uses the correct form for the consecration of the bread, This Is My Body.
Uses the correct form for the consecration of the wine, This Is The Cup Of My Blood, and
intents to do what the Church wishes him to do
The Mass is said legally or licitly and the Eucharist is a valid sacrament.
Let's say the priest, holding the bread says, This Is My Body but
then goes on to use an incorrect form of the consecration for the wine.
Our Lord's Body and Blood are present under the appearance of the bread and can be received, but His Body and Blood are not present under the
appearance of the wine, and should not be received. Again, we say that the Mass
is illicit, but the sacrament, under the form of bread,is valid.
If problems like these continue, I would bring it to the bishop's attention.
In my humble opinion,
Mike Humphrey
Lisa commented:
Hi, Katie —
I wonder if anyone at that Mass politely informed the elderly priest
he forgot to say the consecration?
Maybe speaking up is the answer, instead
of everyone leaving without saying anything. I think the elderly priest
would want to know if he forgot something so important.
Lisa Simmons
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