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Discussion of BCL Newsletter 26 July 2001

This edition has lots on the decision making process for the changes to the document "This Holy and Living Sacrifice". Only two of the 214 bishops voted "No". However the changes being proposed are not mandatory, but simply making it an option for the diocesan bishop.

As the Newletter reports: "granting to diocesan Bishops in the dioceses of the United States of America the faculty of permitting extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion ... (3) to assist with the purification of sacred vessels."

It seems like a compromise solution. Why would a bishop object to being allowed to make a choice? The newsletter reports the meeting of 12-13 June 2001 as producing "two revised documents", including "This Holy and Living Sacrifice".

But I am concerned about added complexity and administrative difficulties of such an approach. It adds to the complexity of the laws for one diocese to have any Minister of Holy Communion do the purifications and another only allow the instituted acolytes do it. How are the individual bishop's decrees to be promulgated? What happens when there is a change of bishops? What should Liturgy Training Publications write for a nationwide (if not worldwide) audience?

Here is part of the newsletter:

This Holy and Living Sacrifice

Following recently made revisions to the Institutio Generalis Missalis Romani, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops approved a revision of This Holy and Living Sacrifice: Norms for the Celebration and Reception of Communion Under Both Kinds for the Dioceses of the United States of America (THLS). These norms were developed in the light of GIRM, no. 283 which empowers Conferences of Bishops to publish guidelines describing "the methods of distributing holy Communion to the faithful under both kinds..." As a directory, THLS includes both a summary of those theological reflections necessary for a catechesis on distribution of Holy Communion under both kinds and practical norms for its implementation. THLS was developed in consultation with the Secretariat for Doctrine and Pastoral Practices and several of the Committee's theological consultants. The Secretariat for the Liturgy bore primary responsibility for incorporating into a final draft those revisions made by the NCCB Committee on the Liturgy at three separate meetings in March, June and November, 2000. In addition to other provisions, the norms provide for three actions which are requested by way of indult, granting to diocesan Bishops in the dioceses of the United States of America the faculty of permitting extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion (1) to assist with distribution of the Precious Blood into other chalices; (2) to assist with the consumption of what remains of the Precious Blood and, (3) to assist with the purification of sacred vessels. On June 15, 2001, two hundred fourteen Latin rite members of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops approved these adaptations with two negative votes and no abstentions. One hundred seventy-seven affirmative votes were required for approval. The norms may not be published or applied, however, until they have been confirmed by the Holy See.