Velocity: Haste as Liturgical Abuse

Among my claims to fame over the years was being the "founding father" in 1990 of the English language Mass community in Prague. We sort of played it by ear, but in no time we went from a couple founding families to a little church full every Sunday in Mala Strana. When he was in town, we even had a classy young Canadian organist to beautify our Sunday worship.

Issues were faced as they came up and I am reminded of one relatively early on related to growth and the time required to distribute Holy Communion. I was asked to approach the vicar general on the question of the appointment of an extraordinary minister so as to shorten the time. I remember very clearly discussing our situation with him and how many people were coming on a regular Sunday. He could not quite understand the problem. It was my first encounter at age 41 with the idea that maybe in the States at least we had become accustomed to rushing the Communion procession.

I am sure this experience or call to reflect helped sensitize me to what I have experienced in subsequent years as something to label: Communion Haste. Especially when it comes to elderly people or people with mobility issues, this haste cuts down to almost none the possibility of composure and hence reverence in receiving the Lord of Life. The easiest remedy is return to the altar rail, decked out with linens, for a truly solemn reception of Jesus, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. And why not?

Over Christmas, I visited with friends about the issue of Communion on the tongue kneeling, as well. With the one family, I asked how they decided to prepare their children for Communion in the hand. The response was to spare the children unpleasant confrontations. I believe them and that makes me wonder what sorts of "Bolsheviks" we have administering the Sacrament.

In the other case, a friend gave up after getting too many fingers in his mouth... I believe him, too, and have decided that perhaps more than technique, we are talking about an inevitable consequence of haste. Were people allowed to settle at the altar rail, all being at a more convenient altitude and none being a moving "target", it might be possible to place the Sacred Host on people's tongue without finger contact. I can remember being aghast back in 1972, hearing of young deacons at the North American College, speaking of getting saliva and lipstick on their fingers which they proceeded to wipe on their albs between communicants. Inexperience, sure, but more than that, the sheer haste involved which could reap no other fruits.

Years ago, the pastor in my mother's parish, introduced the practice of regularly having the children at elementary school Masses kneel at the altar rail. He was rightly convinced that it helped the children focus on Who it was that they were receiving.

Even before the liturgical changes, I can remember one young priest, somewhat less than devout, who had a rapid fire method for moving down the altar rail. He did not pause at the right end and return to the left again to distribute to the next row, but challenge the skills of us altar-boys holding the Communion paten, getting us to do double time both forward and backward. He obviously skipped the proper prayer for each communicant, as well as the sign of the cross with the Host. Liken his method, not to clockwork efficiency, but to a stopwatch calculation: less than reverent, almost jaded in his rush to get done.

The merits of receiving Holy Communion on the tongue are evident to me. Let us say that nine times out of ten, it gives evidence of a recollected approach on the part of the communicant. What makes me urge a return to this traditional practice, kneeling at the altar rail, is the matter of haste. I would bet that slowing things down alone would reap better survey results on the percentage of Catholics who believe in the Real Presence.

PROPERANTES ADVENTUM DIEI DEI

P.S. I know "properantes" is translated "hastening", but you see, that is the difference between "haste" and "hastening". I am voting for slowing down the Communion procession to better dispose and in a sense hasten the communicants fruitful encounter with Christ in the Sacrament.