An anecdote. I was attending daily mass. It so happened that a lady– who, let me be clear, I in no way wish to belittle or demean– with great enthusiasm ministered Holy Communion to me. Instead of simply moving the Host forward she, with great delight and gusto, wheeled the host in an arc back around towards me. Alas, her grip was not quite so sure. She threw/dropped the Host slightly backwards and to her right. Slightly flustered, she hastily picked up the host and gave me another.

After mass I gave my pastor a heads up. I figured he’s the only one who would or could do the purification.

But I think in some ways this exhibits the lax way in which we treat the Eucharist. The way she was ministering Holy Communion, while very well intentioned, was far too likely to result in dropping the Host. Second, it needs to be impressed that *speed* is not the primary virtue of ministering the Host. And thus it is no sin to halt, fetch a purificator, and overlay the spot where the Host fell. Yes, it will take an extra minute. But reverence is paramount.

But how to prevent this? Well, I think your ideas make sense. Here are a few others.

1. Greatly emphasize Eucharistic doctrine and piety.

Do it. Period. I don’t care what in the world you are preaching about, but if you can’t make at least one reference to the presence of Jesus Christ, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in Most Blessed Sacrament then you just aren’t trying hard enough. If people really believe what the Church teaches about the Eucharist, they’ll come around.

2. Direct all parishioners to make a profound bow before receiving the Eucharist.

It’s ridiculous, but the time/speed factor always comes up. People are worried to make the minister of Holy Communion wait for a moment as they bow, so they make these somewhat ridiculous partial bows which just look like they are swaying forward. Every able bodied parishioner ought to make a full profound bow before receiving the Eucharist. Period. We believe how we act, and as long as we allow ourselves to act in a lax manner around the Eucharist we are going to treat it irreverently.

To this end, preach to your congregation on the necessity of showing reverence to the Host– when entering and exiting a Church, by custom, with a genuflection– by the profound bow before receiving the Eucharist, not excluding a full genuflection which is also allowed. Naturally, you’d also instruct them in Eucharistic adoration.

3. Patents. If you have extra altar servers, have them hold patents. This will emphasize that a dropped Host is something to be avoided.

4. Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion.

This is sticky. Good luck with this. Train those who are EMoHC very well, and recall ones who have already been trained to constant training. Since it’s a privilege– and indeed, a tremendous and serious one– anyone who wants to be one ought to be well acquainted with everything. Instruct them in proper distribution of Holy Communion.

Also, do your best to cut down on the numbers. How? I really have no idea. Intinction can only be done by a priest, so obviously they are out for that.

All of these should prepare the ground well for what you want.

And then your recommendations would seal the deal, so to speak. Receiving on the tongue makes it very difficult to steal the host, and intinction, as you note, makes it nearly impossible. Having a dedicated server for guarding the Host might even be a good tradition to establish. Or, have the Knights of Columbus designate a “Eucharistic guard”– quite literally– whose job it is to be vigilant at the altar rail for theft and desecration of the Host. Heck, it would even give men a manly and important job in the Church. That’s two birds, one stone.

In retrospect I am quite pleased that my stomach lurched when I saw the Host fall– at least something in my spiritual life is in order. And as a note, I wanted to tell her, I would have gladly have eaten the Host off the ground (after all… God made dirt, dirt don’t hurt.)

Your thoughts?

“RobNY”

http://theblackcordelias.wordpress.com/