Church of Saint Joseph

A Roman Catholic Community of believers in Babylon,

on the south shore of Long Island, New York

LITURGY NOTES

ETIQUETTE AT THE EUCHARISTIC TABLE  

TO HELP US GIVE THANKS AND REMEMBER

When I was growing up, there were various books of etiquette (remember Amy Vanderbilt?) that covered a variety of activities: everything from the way to set a table to the protocol of bringing a gift to someone’s house if you were invited to dinner. The Solemn Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ as well as this year’s Diocesan Eucharistic Congress got me thinking: what if there were some Etiquette Recommendations for coming to the Lord’s Table to receive the Eucharist? What might they be? Here are a few I’d put in:

Let’s remember to read the Scripture readings before our Eucharist begins, whether in church or at home. You might well ask: what do the readings have to do with the Eucharist we’re preparing to receive? The Church teaches us that God welcomes us to two Tables, and feeds us at both the Ambo Table of the Word and the Altar Table of the Eucharist. The Word of God prepares us to be embraced by Jesus.

2. Let’s remember to make a commitment to fully participate when we come to celebrate. And let’s make it a joy for others as well. For example, as your pastor, I want as many of the seats filled as possible. If you’ve come to church early and you’ve decided you’re keeping your aisle seat and not moving in, please be gracious in letting others get past you to the empty seats in your row. Also regarding our participation: even if we don’t have the greatest voice, we’re called to sing (or at least hum!) the words. If you’re not singing full-voiced, take a step: songs whispered from sincere hearts draw us into the holy mystery of God, whom we seek by coming through the doors of the Church, Hall, or Capilla.

3. Let’s remember to do our best to leave as many distractions as possible behind when we come to celebrate. I’m thinking not only of turning off or to a non-audible setting the cell phones, beepers, pagers and other electronics that we carry. I’m including the plans or tasks we’ll be doing later that day or week. I’m also thinking of outside food like gum and coffee, which are unnecessary items: remember that the origin of the fast is to make ourselves empty and open to Christ, with nothing intervening. Giving someone our undivided attention is an act of love, and when that Someone is Christ Jesus, it can also be a mark of our desire to know and be embraced more fully by Him.

4. Let’s remember to approach all the ministers distributing Christ’s Body and Blood (by ministers, both here and hereafter, I mean the priests, deacons and lay persons). At the more crowded Masses, there can be four or more persons inviting us to receive the Body of Christ as our nourishment, and many others prepared to share the Blood of Christ with us. Remaining watchful and going to the nearest free minister can help to make the reception of the Lord in the Eucharist a joy. And of course, since the priest is the only one who can consecrate the Eucharist, all the Body and Blood of Christ we receive is consecrated, no matter from whom we receive it. As our sister and brother Christians in the Eastern Rites of the church say, “Let us be attentive!”

5. Let’s remember to NOT wait until we’re in front of the ministers (priests, deacons and lay persons) of the Body and Blood of Christ to bow. That is, we can be bowing reverently and respectfully as the person just ahead of us on line is moving away from the minister, as we are moving up. We should also acknowledge that the discipline of the Church calls us to bow as our personal and communal action before receiving the Holy Eucharist, rather than to genuflect. 

6. Let’s remember to give the ministers who distribute the Eucharist a break! Let’s indicate it clearly whether we’re receiving in the hand or on the tongue when we arrive at the front for Communion, and NOT wait until after the minister has said “The Body of Christ.” Even after many years of distributing the Eucharist, it’s still difficult sometimes for us to tell.

7. Let’s remember that receiving the Eucharist is NOT only about our private communion (it’s public worship in a public place!), but also about being a member of the Body of Christ and the faith community. Let’s say the universal response “AMEN” after the minister offers us the Body or Blood of Christ, and let’s say it at least as loud as we would in a normal speaking voice. Let’s NOT be afraid to say AMEN, which seals our commitment to live Christ not only in the Sacred Species of the Eucharist, but all week long. And let’s avoid saying other things like “Thanks!” or ”Okay!” or “and also with you” or nothing at all.

8. Let’s remember what we were all taught about accepting the Body and Blood of Christ. If we’re receiving on our tongue, let’s come forward and, after saying “Amen” to the minister, let’s stick our tongue out far enough so that the minister does not have to search for it! If we’re receiving the Eucharist in our hands, let’s come forward with both hands open and extended the way we all learned years ago: providing a proper place for the Lord. As a rule, place your stronger hand (the one you use the most) on the bottom of your two hands, so that once the Eucharist is placed in your “weaker” hand, you may use your stronger hand to “take and eat.” Also, if you are receiving the Blood of Christ, be sure to grasp the Chalice with two hands.  

9.  Let’s remember to avoid two practices that are NOT part of our community’s action for the Eucharist: first, whether we are in motion or standing still, let’s never grab the Body of Christ with one hand, because it’s undignified, and it cheapens the action of the assembly; second, let’s never take our Host, move to the Chalice, and dip it into the Precious Blood. This action, called self-intinction, is a form of self-communion and is not permitted.  

10. Most of all, let’s remember to be grateful about having the opportunity and privilege of receiving the Eucharist so often. So many people throughout the world have a true Eucharistic celebration only a few times a year, because there are so few priests. Perhaps in our moments after receiving the Eucharist and returning to our seats, as we “taste and see the goodness of the Lord,” we might thank our God for this reception of the Eucharist as well as others in the past. In all of these, Christ is preparing us to wash each other’s feet.               Fr. Chris Heller  

Liturgy of the Word with Children

9:30am Eucharist

 

Starting September 26, we will begin the Liturgy of the Word with children program at the 9:30 Eucharist. We will dismiss the children (Kindergarten through 5th Grade) a few times a month and send them forth to listen to God’s Word in their own worship space. Liturgy of the Word with Children comes out of the Directory of Masses with Children from the Liturgy Documents.

 

The document states, . . . “it will be appropriate to celebrate the liturgy of the word, including a homily, with the children in a separate, but not too distant room. Then, before the Eucharist liturgy begins, the children are led to the place where the adults have meanwhile celebrated their own liturgy of  the word”.

 

The children are not dismissed to receive “Religious Instruction”. They are dismissed to worship, pray and break open God’s word in a way that is understandable to them. We have a Presider to lead the prayer, a Lector or Scripture Sharer to proclaim the readings and a Musician to lead the children in song. The children come back to the assembly prepared to celebrate the Liturgy of the Eucharist. They take home handouts that help to connect the readings and the liturgy and can be shared with their parents and will hopefully begin a discussion at home. The children are also given an envelope and are asked to share their gifts as a part of Stewardship. They are asked to write down a way that they can share their gifts with others.

 

Our goal is to lead children and adults to a full, conscious and active participation at Sunday Eucharist. Their full participation happens as a result of the example that we adults set and also by introducing children to our  ritual of prayer non-verbally, verbally and musically.

 

We are always looking for adults and teens to be a part of this ministry as Chaperones and Scripture Sharers. We are also looking for Catechists to serve as Presiders and for Musicians to lead song. If you are interested, please call the Parish Center and leave your name and telephone number.