Weird mass this weekend...

stardreamer1223 · September 2011

We attend our Saturday evening mass. Everything was normal until the end of communion....one of my friends (communion minister) kept looking at the side and back of the church and looked rather upset; he then spoke to our priest before leaving the alter for final blessing. Because it was so weird, I asked him what happened. He said that someone had gone up for communion, pretended to eat the host, and then walked out with the host still in hand. The only thing I could come up with was maybe they were taking it home to a sick family member who couldn't attend or some reason like this; but of course you're not supposed to take it on your own. The host should be carried and given by one of the communion ministers who knows how to care for it. After discussing it with my parents, my father mentioned that the host is used by other religions for ceremony purposes. After hearing that from my dad, it's kinda of creeped me out. Has anyone heard about this?

lalaith50 · September 2011

(yet another reason why it wouldn't hurt if the Church required people to receive Communion in the mouth...)

That is so sad, and unfortunately, situations like that happen all too often. It's possible that the person wasn't Catholic and didn't know what to do with it (but the fact that he pretended to eat it? that's scary.) And yes, there are definitely religions (like Satanists and stuff,) who will use the Host and have a ((I think it's called) black mass and/or desecrate it in other ways. Very creepy.

I know that my priest runs after people when he knows they don't eat it, and he won't give it to someone who doesn't look like they know what to do.

I think everyone, including Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers, should run after the person in such a situation.

Riss91 · September 2011

Yup I have heard about this too. Makes me feel ill. Our pastor only allows us to receive on the mouth because of it.

ootmother2 · September 2011

I guess it could happen but when I've been brought communion outside of church, ie, in the hospital, it was in a special case, not someone's pocket.

weird, yes.

stardreamer1223 · September 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_weird-mass-this-weekend?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:615Discussion:c8d2f6ff-94cc-4d07-bb0c-0ad912a10c48Post:7dfb6ee0-f4cc-40e3-9f9b-747cba56868d">Re: Weird mass this weekend...</a>:
[QUOTE]I guess it could happen but when I've been brought communion outside of church, ie, in the hospital, it was in a special case, not someone's pocket. weird, yes.
Posted by ootmother2[/QUOTE]

Exactly. I know that there's communion ministers that go to the homes or the hospital for the sick. It was just weird.

chelseamb11 · September 2011

Yeah I've seen it where someone has a small round container (which actualyl looks like that's it's purpose) that holds the host and puts it in there (probably to take to a sick friend/family member) but i've never seen it where they just put it in their pocket.. weird..

ootmother2 · September 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_weird-mass-this-weekend?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:615Discussion:c8d2f6ff-94cc-4d07-bb0c-0ad912a10c48Post:02eee8d2-89dd-46aa-a792-72a078ca527b">Re: Weird mass this weekend...</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Weird mass this weekend... : Exactly. I know that there's communion ministers that go to the homes or the hospital for the sick. It was just weird.
Posted by stardreamer1223[/QUOTE]

haha

I'm probably going to hell for what I said to one of the male communion ministers at HSS after a surgery in 2006.

They were changing the bandage, putting my legs back into pressure stockings and then putting my leg back into traction when he pulled the closed curtain around my bed wide open so he could give me communion.

It wasn't nice at all!

but, he should have known better

Kamakanani · September 2011

I've seen our deacon chase someone down who took the host but didn't consume it. Not too frequent an occurence around here at least.

I also had an unusual occurrence this Sunday - I was climbed over during the meditation period after I received communion. The woman next to me literally crawled the pew to leave. Didn't look panicked or anything, just.....

Resa77 · September 2011

I've heard about the black mass and desecrations and such...very weird/creepy. I believe altar boys are supposed to run watch for that sort of thing as well.

As far as receiving in the hands, altar boys are supposed to make sure the person puts the communion into their mouth. You know, you receive, step to the side and put it in your mouth, then walk away? The altar boys are supposed to make sure it is put in your mouth. I've seen altar boys run after people for it!

debbiem56 · September 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_weird-mass-this-weekend?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:615Discussion:c8d2f6ff-94cc-4d07-bb0c-0ad912a10c48Post:7dfb6ee0-f4cc-40e3-9f9b-747cba56868d">Re: Weird mass this weekend...</a>:
[QUOTE]I guess it could happen but when I've been brought communion outside of church, ie, in the hospital, it was in a special case, not someone's pocket. weird, yes.
Posted by ootmother2[/QUOTE]

Yes, it is called a pyx. I take communion to two ladies each week after Mass who are bedridden. And when I distribute at Mass there are always a couple who take an extra host in pyx. But I guess someone could get ahold of a pyx, have a host distributed to them, and then do something evil with it. I have no way as a distributor of knowing whether they are authorized to receive it.

bibliophile2010 · September 2011

There should be procedures in place for making sure that the communion ministers for the sick and homebound (and the pyx that go with them) are appropriately sanctioned by the Church. I know that there are such procedures everywhere I've ever seen it, and the parish where I am an EME certainly has them.

There is always an emphasis on EMEs to make sure that the host is consumed. I have personally told people that they need to eat the host they have been given and I have seen others, including priests do the same.

RaeRae1126 · September 2011

A similar situation happened at my church a few months ago. A woman was a few people in front of me in line for communion and she had these beaded bracelets in her hand that I assumed was a rosary. Well...she put one hand out for the host. The priest put it in her palm, then she brought up her other hand (that had the bracelets in it) to put the host in her mouth and ended up dropping EVERYTHING. The priest has this look of horror on his face, and the lady picked everything up but didnt put the host in her mouth. The priest grabbed her arm and started talking to her very sternly, and she just didnt seem to be getting it. She finally put the host in her mouth but gosh..it was so jarring and distracting, not to mention it completely put our communion line (which is one of like 6) at a standstill so it was really backed up. It completely took my mind out of the game so to speak. I could barely focus after that! It was seriously unnerving. And I couldnt stop thinking about it for weeks!

ElisabethJoanne · September 2011

Unfortunately, I think the OPs situation was signs of very evil intent. The only happy spin I could put on it is someone recently diagnosed with a condition where they can't eat wheat. They would start to eat the Host, then remember they shouldn't, and take it out of their mouth.

RaeRae, at my parish, a Priest would consume the fallen Host. If something happened where a Host is really icky to eat (like has already been in someone's mouth), I think you can dissolve it in water and pour it down the [can't remember the name]. The special drain in the working sacristy that goes onto bare earth. You also pour the water used for rinsing the chalice and linens down that special drain.

To be a sacrament, it has to have the necessary matter. Dissolve it in water so that's it's no longer bread, and it's no longer the Sacrament. I think. It's never actually come up. Fallen consecrated Hosts are just eaten by a Priest. I heard about a cathedral where maggots got into the Hosts. The Priest removed the maggots and ate the Hosts.

AmandaSC1988 · September 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_weird-mass-this-weekend?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:615Discussion:c8d2f6ff-94cc-4d07-bb0c-0ad912a10c48Post:9be0c46b-fa04-43d8-8a92-26fc5afa5809">Re: Weird mass this weekend...</a>:
[QUOTE]I've heard about the black mass and desecrations and such...very weird/creepy. I <strong>believe altar boys are supposed to run watch for that sort of thing as well</strong>. As far as receiving in the hands, altar boys are supposed to make sure the person puts the communion into their mouth. You know, you receive, step to the side and put it in your mouth, then walk away? The altar boys are supposed to make sure it is put in your mouth. I've seen altar boys run after people for it!
Posted by Resa77[/QUOTE]

My FI was the head alter boy when he was younger and he often tells me stories of crazies that he had to run after. It is creepy to hear the stories.

professorscience · September 2011

When I was at Baylor I heard that a guy (not a Catholic) had attended mass at the Catholic Student Center Chapel and apparently taken the host and walked out with it. I think he had a blog or facebook or maybe even an article in the student paper about his fight with the CSA over it. I wasn't Catholic at the time and I remember being so offended that he -- a self-proclaimed Christian -- would have so little respect for something so important.

Those serving at our parish will stop you if you don't put the host in your mouth immediately upon receiving it. They don't even like for you to step aside.

catarntina · September 2011

I've never seen this, but my mom was telling me a story of when she went to Mass. They put the host in someone's hand and the person said, "Thank you." The priest says, "You're not Catholic!!" I don't know if they were trying to take the host for some black magic purposes, or just truly did not know they weren't supposed to take it.

I found it interesting that the priest knew just because someone had said "thank you." Then I remembered that I had never said "thank you."

She only told me this because she freaked out at my grandma's funeral. DH (who I was only dating at the time. We were not even engaged) had gone up for communion. My mom didn't know he was Catholic and thought for sure the priest would yell at him. She heaved a huge sigh of relief when DH actually knew what to do... I was like, "Um, Mom, don't you think I'd know better than to let him up for communion if he wasn't Catholic??" Good grief.

debbiem56 · September 2011

My granddaughter was attending a 2 week PSR class the summer before she began preparations for First Communion. On the last day they had a Mass and invited the family to attend, but the children sat up front together. When it was time to receive Communion, I watched in horror as she walked up with the older kids and received. I wanted to scream NO, but she must have known what to do as no one stopped her. I don't know where the teacher was. Later, when I asked her about it, she was confused, said she was just following everyone else, and that she guessed that she would be receiving her Second Holy Communion in May.

ElisabethJoanne · September 2011

The stories told here are good reminders that people with non-Catholics attending their nuptial masses need plans for telling those people what to do. Maybe it's a note on the program. Maybe the officiant says something. Maybe both. You can't assume non-Catholics know what to do in the Catholic Church, especially when they're supposed to do something different than Catholics.

Also, discuss this with the priest or whoever is the parish contact. Different parishes have different customs for non-communicants. Many invite them to come forward for a blessing, arms crossed. In others, they'll try to give you the Host unless your fingers are in front of your lips. Some want people to stay in the pews. Also consider how crowded the church will be. It can be awkward for pew-mates if someone sitting in the pew doesn't go forward to receive. They have to step over the non-communicant.

[I often attend Mass when I can't receive. I used to prefer going forward because of the crowd-flow issues I mentioned last. Then I did the arms-crossed thing once, but the visiting Bishop didn't understand. I had to shake my head when he offered me the Host, and he looked so sad! Now I make people climb around me.]

shawna127 · September 2011

This is the strangest thing I've ever heard. I have never experienced anything like this and I guess I never thought about it. It is very unnerving to think that people will use the host for bad purposes, it is disgusting and downright scary!

Weird mass this weekend...

Re: Weird mass this weekend...

Choose Another Board

Search Boards