Dominus Est - It Is the Lord!: Reflections of a Bishop of Central Asia on Holy Communion

by Athanasius Schneider and Rev. Athanasius Schneider

Book Overview

Originally published in Italian by the Vatican Press, this book offers readers insights into the sacrality which ought to surround the distribution and reception of Holy Communion Relying on accurate... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0977884619
• ISBN13: 9780977884612
• Release Date: August 2012
• Publisher: Newman House Press
• Length: 63 Pages
• Weight: 0.21 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 4.7" x 7.0"

Customer Reviews

Calling us to return to a practice of love and of humility

It was 1969. Paul VI was the Pope. The Congregation for Divine Worship issued an Instruction, Memoriale Domini, on the manner of receiving Holy Communion. It makes very interesting reading. After recalling the development of the reception of Communion on the tongue as a fruit of "a deepening understanding of the truth of the Eucharistic mystery, of its power and of the presence of Christ in it," the Instruction declares that "this method of distributing holy communion must be retained...not merely because it has many centuries of tradition behind it, but especially because it expresses the faithful's reverence for the Eucharist. The custom does not detract in any way from the personal dignity of those who approach this great sacrament: it is part of that preparation that is needed for the most fruitful reception of the Body of the Lord" it said. It also warned: "A change in a matter of such moment, based on a most ancient and venerable tradition, does not merely affect discipline. It carries certain dangers with it which may arise from the new manner of administering Holy Communion: the danger of a loss of reverence for the august sacrament of the altar, of profanation, of adulterating the true doctrine." And it published a survey of the world's bishops, which led it to conclude: "the vast majority of bishops believe that the present discipline should not be changed, and that if it were, the change would be offensive to the sentiments and the spiritual culture of these bishops and of many of the faithful." For this reason it reports, "the Holy Father has decided not to change the existing way of administering holy communion to the faithful." What happened, for communion in the hand is now practically universal and younger generations know practically nothing else? A `loophole' existed. The Instruction contained the provision for bishops' conferences to make a decision to allow communion in the hand in places where "contrary usage...prevails." And over the coming decade or so this loophole was exploited. Today, the Instruction's warnings about loss of reverence for, belief in and even about the profanation of the Blessed Sacrament have - sadly - been vindicated. It is time to look again at the question of communion in the hand. This is precisely what a young bishop from Central Asia has done in Dominus Est. Bishop Athanasius Schneider, a patristic scholar, appointed a bishop by Pope Benedict in 2006, has raised his voice in prophetic call for the Western church to recall the importance, if not the necessity, of returning to the previous discipline of the reception of Holy Communion kneeling and on the tongue. There is, of course, no question that - as Memoriale Domini itself attests - it is "true that ancient usage once allowed the faithful to take this divine food in their hands and to place it in their mouths themselves." This fact was much flaunted throughout the 1970's, together with talk about receiving Holy Communion as mature adults,