A cautionary tale

I was emailed the following by a fellow priest who has given premission for it to be published.

The cautionary tale involves my attendance at a High Mass on S Peter's day at which the celebrant was a newly-ordained priest of The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter - the Latin Mass chaplains to the Archdiocese of Melbourne. A beautiful Mass with a small but expert choir which chanted the Propers according to the Liber Usualis and led the congregation in the chant of the Kyrie, Gloria, and Credo.

At Communion, I was happily on my knees amongst the empty pews distracted by the detritus abandoned by the communicants queuing in the central aisle.

Suddenly, the Subdeacon (Fr Carl Gismondi FSSP) leaped from the altar step and chased a communicant along the Epistle side aisle. He was aided and abetted by two laymen (both of Marine stature if not training) who blocked the path of the fleeing young man. Fr Carl immobilized him until the younger of the other two had him in a headlock and the trio marched him out to the narthex.

Such undignified behaviour! The cause?? Fr Gismondi had noticed that the young man, having received Communion in his mouth - the FSSP adheres to the 1962 RULES as well as the RITES - put his hand to his mouth and, seeing Fr Carl looking at him, feigned a cough. Fr Carl looked away and then straight back to see the fellow removing the Host from his mouth. Then the chase was on!

No one is quite sure what the full motive behind the action was, but we may be fairly sure that he wasn't taking the Sacrament home to his sick mum.

The Host was retrieved but whether any action was taken was not announced.

There were several comments about the behaviour and the vulnerability of the Blessed Sacrament to sacrilege and blasphemy especially in a modern setting such as surrounds the 'novus ordo' with the myriad of 'Eucharistic Ministers' at points around large churches, dispensing the Blessed Sacrament rather like handing out lollies - in the hand with the hope that it is consumed 'on the run'.

Fortunately in our Anglican heritage, there is the potential for an assistant priest or a deacon to be following with the Chalice. But in an age where agnostic, athiestic, antagonistic individuals or groups are warring on any semblance of orthodoxy or Tradition, There is ALWAYS a need for vigilance.

Perhaps it may take a cumulative few minutes more to pray "The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ which is given for thee, preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life" whilst dispensing the Host to one communicant rather than communicating three in the space of that short sentence.

None of the faithful is likely to feel intimidated by our 'hovering' whilst they reverently consume the Host, nor will a genuine stranger mind a whispered "eat it" as the priest is on the spot - it happens with relatives and friends who just follow rather than ask - it is a small price to pay for the satisfaction of knowing that our Blessed Lord is not being subjected to further insult and indignity.