Real Catholic Blog

Last night, Bishop Thomas Tobin of the Diocese of Providence, R.I., appeared on The O’Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel to dispel myths and misstatements about his role as Bishop in dealing with Church Scandal — that is, the misrepresentation of Church Teaching by one who claims to be of the Faithful. In this case, that someone is a public and powerful person, U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) (see Yahoo! News), who publicly claims it is fine to be pro-abortion-on-demand and be a Catholic in good standing.

Something new to me in watching the interview is that Bishop Tobin is the author of the new book, Effective Faith. I hope to have more on this in the near future. The interview itself was excellent. Bill O’Reilly was thorough in his questions and effectively took the opposing angle. Bishop Tobin’s responses regardig why Rep. Kennedy should not receive Holy Communion were grounded in the Truth, so it was no surprise he was unruffled, firm and unapologetic, while laying out the Church’s teachings cogently, logically and theologically precise.

In addition to the interview, below, here is a link to its coverage on WPRI-TV/12 in Rhode Island. Also, Bishop Tobin was a recent guest on Hardball With Chris Matthews on MSNBC. Matthews was utterly offensive and disrespectful and Deacon Keith Fournier of Catholic Online calls for his firing. 

Here’s the interview. Let me know what you think of it.

Bishop Thomas Tobin honesty and steadfastness for the Truth was a natural on the “no spin zone” last night.

That’s one of the age old incongruities of practicing the Faith. Everyone wants to go to Holy Communion, but rarely do people go to Reconciliation.

Suffer me not to be separated from you, Lord

as the prayer states. No one wants to forsake the Bread of Life. That is good. People should not want to go without receiving our Lord in the Sacrifice of the Mass. But are we clear for take-off? Or do we go undeservingly because we don’t want the person next to us to think we’ve done something to not merit the Holy Eucharist?

Another priest from the Fathers of Mercy, Father Bill Casey, C.P.M., offers some thoughts on The Link between the Penitential Rite & the Gloria:

Father Casey with some thoughts on the age old conundrum: Why are there lines for Holy Communion but not the Confessional?

Continuing with the emphasis of reverence in preparation to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ, in the Blessed Sacrament —prompted by Cardinal Cipriani — here is another prayer to say and upon which to meditate in the minutes prior to receiving Holy Communion.

Perhaps say it before Mass to help you prepare your mind for the Holy significance of the Eucharist and the meaning of our celebration at Mass. It was written by Saint Francis de Sales (biography, here, at Catholic Online). A good essay on the Holy Spirit is linked to Catholic Online within the prayer.

Your Sacred Table: A Prayer before Communion  

Divine Saviour,
we come to Your sacred table
to nourish ourselves,
not with bread but with Yourself,
true Bread of eternal life.
Help us daily to make a good and perfect meal
of this divine food.
Let us be continually refreshed
by the perfume of Your kindness and goodness.
May the Holy Spirit fill us with His Love.
Meanwhile, let us prepare a place
for this holy food by emptying our hearts.

Amen.

To further your appreciation of the significance of what it means to receive the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, here is a link to an index of Communion Prayers at Catholic Online. Please make reverence at Holy Communion a point of emphasis within your family, friends and fellow parishioners.

Following up on yesterday’s post about receiving the Blessed Sacrament reverently and Cardinal Cipriani’s urging of Communicants to receive it kneeling and on their tongue, here is a prayer for consideration as you meditate in line:

My Lord Jesus Christ, I firmly believe that I am about to receive, in Holy Communion, Your Body, Your Blood, Your Soul and Your Divinity.

I believe it because You have said it and I am ready to give my life to maintain this truth.

Amen.

The Archbishop of Lima, Peru, his eminence Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, in a homily Sunday at the Cathedral of Lima, said that the most reverent way to receive the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is on the tongue and kneeling (see CNA, here). While this may seem old fashioned to many who see no reason to “go back” to traditional forms of worship, it is perfectly in line with a new emphasis by the Church to ensure proper reverence when receiving Holy Eucharist, which is the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar, the pillar of the Faith and the summit of our worship to Christ our Lord.

How often do we observe people casually walk up to the altar as if receiving a treat? Are people in prayer as they walk toward the Holy Eucharist? Do they contemplate the significance of the act of which they are about to undertake? If not, do they not know the holy significance of what they are about to receive?

It is our Lord’s Body and Blood! If He were to appear to you in a room, wouldn’t you fall to your knees in worship of our Lord? Of course! At the same time, the Holy Eucharist is our Lord present in transubstantiated bread and wine, just as He said at the Last Supper! So, kneeling makes not only perfect logical sense, but perfect theological sense. His eminence has it right.

Many now show reverence with a bow before receiving Holy Eucharist, which is a vast improvement over a casual walk up. Others, such as myself, genuflect and make the Sign of the Cross before receiving Holy Communion. I have read, rightly or wrongly, this imparts a special blessing. It seems to me this is the least we can do to show our adoration to our Saviour.

As Cardinal Cipriani proclaimed:

The most respectful manner of receiving the Eucharist is kneeling and on the tongue. We must recover the respect and reverence that the Eucharist deserves, because the love of Jesus is the center of our Christian life. The soul is at stake.

The days of the Communion rail may be over, but that does not preclude us, laity and clergy alike, from showing and facilitaing the proper reverence for our Lord. 

Cardinal Cipriani urges his flock to show the proper reverence when receiving our Lord’s Body and Blood. It’s something we all can take to heart.