Catholic blogs take issue with many different things. CMR is no exception. Most of the time, we take exception with patently preposterous, the harebrained, or heretical. Less frequently (amounting to never) do we look at something from a pastoral perspective. I don’t write this post with any great insight into historical liturgical practice, or any great insight on anything for that matter. I write it from the perspective of my Catholic gut. Minor though it may be, I take some issue with orderly, row by row, usher micromanaged communion.
In the parish of my childhood communion was un-choreographed, unsystematic, and chaotic. Each communicant would present themselves for communion at a time which suited them and more importantly sometimes not at all.
Back then, at communion time, everyone approached the communion rail (yeah, the good ol’ days) randomly. We had all types, there were those who ran to the communion rail quicker than Marlon Brando to a Sizzler buffet. Others moseyed. Still others sashayed (we will leave these for another post). Random and anonymous. With all the randomness to it, if someone chose not to present themselves for communion, that choice was not readily apparent to those sitting in proximity. No one knew who got up when, so if someone was already kneeling in the pew already when you returned, it might mean that they simply had found a faster line with the quick Priest working the left side of the communion rail. Remember when priests were the ordinary ministers of holy communion? Point is, you had no idea if the person sitting next to you presented themselves for communion or not.
But something changed when standing became the ordinary posture for reception of Holy Communion. Somehow, the randomness of approach became unacceptable disorder. Like Jedi knights (or maybe Sith), these polyester clad warriors were called in to quell the rebellion. The empire of the usher had begun. They came out of the woodwork to bring sequence to the procession. The ugliness of the random banished forever. The jacketed juggernaut wrestled contumacious communicants into line. Everyone in their turn, pew by pew, rise, turn, proceed.
But banished with disorder was anonymity. No longer could you hold your place in the pew without telegraphing to all that would not receive communion. The effect of this is a strange sort of peer pressure to receive communion, prepared or not.
There was a time in my life when I was not properly prepared for communion. This usher enforced pew peer pressure made me very uncomfortable. I can easily imagine that someone who wants to attend mass but has not yet conformed their lives to the teachings of the church might find this orderliness a temptation to sacrilege or even a barrier to mass attendance. I know I did.
Now I am certainly not saying that all ushers are evil (not all) and that orderliness is to be avoided. No. But in the random and disorderly perhaps there was approachability that now seems lost. It seems that while the trains now run on time, the passengers are less important. I, for one, prefer the former ways. Ugly and anonymous.
This is my case for chaos. Does anyone else have an opinion on this?
May 5, 2008 at 3:35 am
I suffered from the problem you describe but never thought there was another way! Good point. I wish it could be “disorderly” again.
May 5, 2008 at 4:09 am
This is why I love Catholic blogs. I never thought of this before, but yes! yes! yes!
I vote for chaos!
May 5, 2008 at 4:16 am
This is a fascinating idea. I don’t think you are saving any time by going up to receive communion in rows IF communion is being properly distributed. BUT… have you been the the parish where you feel like you have to race down the aisle because the line is moving so quickly because there is a small army of EMHCs? In the latter case, going up in rows helps speed things up.
If we just accepted it might take more than 5 minutes to distribute the Precious Body and Blood of Our Lord, the “need” to speed things up with orderly lines would disappear. As you suggested, People could present themselves when they so desired or not at all.
Do I think this will ever happen? Sorry but I won’t hold my breath.
May 5, 2008 at 4:19 am
Also worth mentioning:
At my parish the back rows go up to receive communion before the front rows. I feel like I have to constantly look over my shoulder and this disruptive if you might be trying to pray before you receive.
Going up when you want would allow the Marlon Brandos their turn while people like me could have a uninterrupted moment or two for prayer.
May 5, 2008 at 5:03 am
Patrick, you make a very good (from the gut)point here. I hope it gets wide play in the Catholic blogoshpere and elsewhere. What does your gut say about face to face confession and the confessor as therapist? As sinner I’m guilty, shame-faced and miss the anonimity and sacred intimacy of the old confessional booth. Could that have something to do with Catholics not going to confession (pardon me, reconciliation) anymore? A dear, old priest friend once said to me: “look, I’m not a doctor; there’s only one thing I can do for you, return your soul to a sate of Grace.”
May 5, 2008 at 11:03 am
I can identify. When I was a teenager and we had Sunday school (Friday school in the middle East), I would form the usher line and then duck out after the one in front of me if I was not prepared.
May 5, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Sometimes I really don’t know what the fuss is about. As a master of ceremonies for a Traditional High Mass, I will as sometimes refrain from receiving communion. It can be obvious to those watching me, IF they’ve got nothing better to do. In addition, whenever I receive from the pews and have to stand, I genuflect and receive on the tongue. In all my travels, no one has ever given me a hard time.
Of course, they wouldn’t dare…
May 5, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Doesn’t it all seem a little uneccesary. They’re like the priest Secret Service.
May 5, 2008 at 3:48 pm
I couldn’t agree more. At my current parish I have to jump in the queue as soon as the Agnus Dei is sung, it seems (we have 4 EMHCs plus the priest, and maybe 150 people at Mass, tops). I would like to stay kneeling for much longer (I’d also like to utilise the communion rail, which my parish does have). My old parish was quite large, so I’d just sit closer to the back and then could be guaranteed to have plenty of reflection time, as it never took under 30 minutes for people to receive the Eucharist. Anyway, point being, I could stand for a bit of chaos. 🙂
May 5, 2008 at 5:13 pm
I’m all for chaos. As a parent with small children, I can’t help but think it would make it easier on parents too. Mom could stay with the wee ones while dad goes up and then go up to receive once he returns. There have been a couple of times when I’ve uncomfortably left the sleeping baby in the carrier in the pew by herself while we went to receive.
May 5, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Come on guys. I know us Catholics are big in nit-picking the liturgy but come on. Give me a break here.
I am an Usher at my Mass and we are just trying to help things run smoothly. We also make sure the disabled receive Communion. But you just want to criticize. Step in our shoes for a while and then let’s hear what you have to say.
Melanie, If you’d like to receive Communion at a different time than your husband you could easily go up to one of the ushers and make this request and we would do what we could to make it happen. Heck, we’d probably watch your children for you if you wanted.
Mark
May 5, 2008 at 5:29 pm
In my old church in Germany we had the Communion Rail and holy chaos. It was lovely!
I am all for it, can’t stand the conveyer belt type processing of communicants.
Yesterday, after receiving Holy Communion I did something I have never done before – I grabbed my two boys (6 & 5) who by that point are done with Mass, went outside and knelt in front of a St. Francis Statue in the grass. And we talked, about St. Francis, JESUS, beauty that GOD creates….. and I thought that while I had just received JESUS, HE was able to speak through me to my sons and pass some of HIS beauty on to them. I think I will do this from now on, since I am most of the time one of the last to receive anyway.
In sharing with my sons, I had the reflection, thanksgiving and adoration time and silence that I am constantly deprived off during the “orderliness” of Communion time.
Strange, ain’t it?
Blessings!
Michaela
May 5, 2008 at 6:24 pm
This is a great post and I completely agree with you. During the weekday masses (which have a pretty decent turnout) we go up to the communion rail when we are ready – no lines. Too many ushers act like they are on schoolyard patrol. We prefer to take communion all together as a family but are often forced to separate when we get up to the rail by many a totalitarian usher.
May 5, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Amen. Chaos allows much more room for individual relationships. It’s like a home-made burger from a diner, compared to a McBurger. There is a reason why giant corporations are so rigid, they conveyor must run on time, if you want something fast and cheap. Without a conveyor, you might, just occassionally, get beauty.
May 5, 2008 at 8:01 pm
I can’t believe you’re attacking ushers now. I’m going to show this post and all the comments around to the ushers at my Church. Is this how you all really feel?
Do you want eight year old’s running up the aisle to receive before their friends?
Do you want an old person have to fight to get Communion?
Do you want cutting in line?
I’m not kidding. All these things happen when we’re not there. We promote civility and quiet and orderliness during Mass.
I guess you’re offended by us taking up the collection as well?
Mark
May 5, 2008 at 8:13 pm
There are no ushers at my church, we just form ourselves into lines and move in an orderly way up to the front to receive from Eucharistic Ministers (the priest doesn’t give it, don’t know why). I suppose I’m too young to remember Communion Chaos, but it doesn’t sound desirable in the least even though I did once receive the Eucharist out of peer pressure while not in a state of grace. I’m not a fan of climbing over children, knees and purses on my way out of the pew. You can always just ask for a blessing when you get there instead and no one but the person immediately behind you will know.
May 5, 2008 at 8:51 pm
I certainly don’t mean to be disrespectful to ushers, and I do appreciate them, especially at really large parishes. I just think that, maybe primarily at small parishes, they aren’t necessary. And I need to grow a thicker skin, as I shouldn’t care what others think if I don’t go up anyway.
May 5, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Mark, don’t get too mad 🙂 If you’re an usher, I assume you’re trying to be of service, and I guess some people will be grateful for this, but other people will feel they don’t need that kind of service, and wish they could do without it – but there’s no choice. Maybe it’s not your case, but frankly I’ve been to Masses where it seemed what was going on was “organized” by and for lay people like ushers and EMHC and cantors. There are instances where lay people may have their role, but they should be as “invisible” as possible. Personally, I grew up with “Communion chaos”, in the sense that people formed lines spontaneously (and never witnessed accidents like the ones you mention), and I miss this, because I was able to go to receive Communion when I was truly ready, not when somebosy else decided it was “my turn” – maybe being upset by this is a sign of a weak spirituality, still I don’t see why it should be the usher’s business to decide this delicate matter. And since you mention the collection, yes I do find it distracting 🙂 I’ve always wondered why it can’t be done at the end of the Mass, with, now yes!, ushers holding baskets…
May 5, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Since moving to Europe, in addition to going for communion whenever I am ready, I also appreciate how everyone crowds around the communion railing and receives on their knees. I’m still happy to receive communion on my hand, which not everyone agrees with–but receiving at the communion railing has been a really lovely discovery.
Anyway, in Europe we do it the messy way, and there is something nice and un-sterilized about it.
May 5, 2008 at 9:20 pm
I agree…this is something to ponder on…