Natalino Xuereb, Rabat
Now that swine flu has reached our shores (1)
The Church has recently instructed parishioners not to receive Holy Communion by mouth in an attempt to contain the spread of swine flu. According to the Health Director General, the directive was intended to reduce the risk of priests carrying the virus from one person to another.
I am going to share a funny experience I went through but if the lesson is taken seriously the enforcement of the directive will be more effective.
During the 7 a.m. Sunday Mass, the circular that was supposed to be read in church was not even mentioned. Probably, the friar was still tired as he was yawning throughout the celebration. I could not fail noticing his behaviour since he was leading the congregation and everyone was focused on him. Initially, he sneezed while covering his mouth with his right hand and without using a paper wipe. I immediately hoped he will distribute Holy Communion with his left hand. But, soon, my hope faded away as he coughed while covering his mouth with the other hand.
During the course of the celebration he scratched his head, rubbed his eyes, explored one of his ears and even touched his nose with an index finger. And he made it so obvious! I told myself: I was not going to receive Holy Communion from him, so I opted to line up in front the minister of the Eucharist who was a nun.
My peace of mind was that I did not notice her behaviour during Mass. Since I sat in one of the front rows I ended up first to receive Holy Communion and when the nun gave me the blessed Host, I said the usual Amen and an unusual "Oh my God!" While the former expression reflected my firm belief in the Divine presence, the latter expression was a reflection of being flabbergasted as the nun gave me the other half of the host which the friar held with both hands during the celebration and which he did not take while putting it in the nun's ciborium for distribution. Well... it must have been meant for me.
Nevertheless, I still gave full weight to my Amen.
Although this was a bit amusing, it can still be of concern and perhaps, in addition to the Church's directive about receiving Holy Communion in one's hand, the distributors of Holy Communion should use antibacterial wipes or other means to clean their hands just before distributing Holy Communion. One cannot leave such practice to chance.
6 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Joseph Sammut
Jul 8th 2009, 06:20
@Palmier Cecy & Paul Borg: why do you begrade Mr. Xuereb so much over his story? If you put him in ridicule and disbelieve over this incident, then you make me think that when in Church you sleep through mass, because these things DO happen!!!!!
Mr. Xuereb's account was light and easy reading; we are talking of human nature here, no reason to disbelieve Mr. Xuereb. Get off you high horse, relax: don't expect everyone to be uptight about everything that surrounds us.
Carmelo Palmier Cecy
Jul 7th 2009, 19:36
It is indeed amazing how any believer can proclaim that he would stop going to Communion unless he be allowed (after the flu scare is over) to receive the sacred Host directly in his mouth. Vide comment below on this page.
May I be allowed to quote St John (6,54): "Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen, I say unto you; except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you."
pat camilleri
Jul 7th 2009, 17:19
I am hoping that once this hysteria has abated those who wish to continue to receive communion in the mouth will be allowed to do so.If not I shall stop going to Holy Communion.
Galea. L
Jul 7th 2009, 14:12
Although the story may be a little bit colored, I have seen similar instances as those mentioned.
I appeal to the Archbishop and Bishop of Gozo to issue clear instructions that hands must be washed by all those giving Holy Communion.
Come to think of it, if I remember correctly, the washing of hands was part of the mass ceremony and used to be made before consecration, but I don't see it being made any more.
Paul Borg
Jul 7th 2009, 11:27
Oh Mr. Xuereb: I trust you never eat out or ever consume take away food or any other form of pre-prepared food. Your statements "I am going to share a funny experience I went through....." and "I could not fail noticing his behaviour since he was leading the congregation and everyone was focused on him." is disingenuous as I am sure if the incident did happen as you tell it you really would recall it as "funny" and I am also sure that being the good mass goer you are, always focusing on the leader of the congregation at all times you kept your eyes on the friar rather than on any other minister , even during the Liturgy of the Word normally read by a designated lay reader.
Carmelo Palmier Cecy
Jul 7th 2009, 10:58
This letter may be very entertaining to those who are prepared to accept anything, and who, perhaps, have a grudge against anything that is holy. While admitting that the story falls within the realms of possibility, it certainly is highly improbable.
A person who is not prepared to receive Holy Communion from the hands of such a, perhaps imaginary, unhygienic priest, would not have approached the altar to communicate at all after having learnt, from the vantage observation point 'in one of the front rows', that part of the priest's Host was in the nun's ciborium.