A notice posted on the doors of a church
From a priest reader:
Making a visit at a church near my residence, my attention was drawn to a notice posted on the main inner doors, which I reproduce below. Since the greater the number of people involved in distributing Holy Communion, the greater the likelihood of spreading disease, it is reasonable to conclude that the employment of Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist will also cease until further notice: one wonders why this is not mentioned… SWINE INFLUENZE [sic] NOTICE While Swine Influenza is not yet a problem in Australia; 1. Holy Communion will be distributed only under ONE KIND until further notice. 2. Those people who currently Communion [sic] on the tongue could think about receiving on the hand. 3. This is to reduce the likelihood of spreading disease within our Community this winter.A good question is raised: the usually unnecessary employment of many Ministers of Communion would increase the risk of spreading disease, right? On a side note, when I was distributing Communion at Sunday Masses last week, at a parish where very many people kneel at the rail and receive on the tongue (what a blessing), hundreds of Communions, there was precisely zero contact between my fingers and any tongue. It was more reverent, there was far less risk of profanation, it was faster without being rushed.
Fr. Z is Moderator of the Catholic Online Forum and the ASK FATHER Question Box.
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