Pope Francis giving Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament during the extraordinary urbi et orbi in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican last March. Photo: CNS There is a real danger the Blessed Sacrament will be treated as if it were a magical instrument rather than the sacramental sign it is, writes Fr Fergus Ryan OP
The Covid-19 pandemic has been a huge challenge for everyone. It has equally been an opportunity to develop new skills, especially in IT and online communications. This opportunity applies also to the celebration of liturgical rites.
Liturgical prayer
Broadcasting liturgical celebrations is always a challenge but presents immense possibilities for keeping people in touch with liturgical prayer and for giving good example of liturgical practice. It also offers a great opportunity for parishioners to learn a new chant or hymn from the comfort of their own home.
Broadcasting in present conditions, however, also raises some points of concern. Thus, for example, anecdotal evidence suggests that people are more likely to watch Mass on a device while having breakfast. There are also restrictions on the number of Faithful who can form a congregation with the priest broadcasting the liturgy.
The ‘Novus Ordo’ liturgy should normally be celebrated by a congregation and in song, but almost every liturgy has a simpler form of celebration. Many have emergency forms. All the options are described in the liturgical books.
In this regard, no cleric is ever free to just make up his own simpler form, but is required to follow the directives found in the liturgical books given by the bishops’ conference.
Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament in its simpler form is done before the locked tabernacle. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament always requires a congregation. It’s one of those few celebrations that doesn’t have a greatly reduced form.
Blessed Sacrament
Without a congregation present, a priest is forbidden to open the tabernacle in order to worship the Blessed Sacrament. Having one server present is also insufficient to permit the priest to open the tabernacle like that. Even with a congregation present, solemn exposition requires incense, singing, vestments and lighted candles (four or six). When it is not possible to follow these rubrics, then the tabernacle remains locked.
As for taking the monstrance outside the church or chapel, a congregation is required for either assisting and surrounding the procession or actually forming the procession. The purpose of going outside with the Blessed Sacrament is for the congregation to show publicly its faith and devotion.
Exposition only for the purposes of giving a blessing (Benediction) is also forbidden. Blessing with the Blessed Sacrament is only for congregations, or sections of a dispersed congregation such as occurs at Knock or Lourdes, never for an individual person.
Taking the Blessed Sacrament outside of its ordinary liturgical home goes against the Church’s indications found in the liturgical books”
Why be so strict? Because there is a real danger the Blessed Sacrament will be treated as if it were a (magical) instrument rather than the sacramental sign it is. The Blessed Sacrament may be exposed only in a monstrance which has the form of a cross integrated into the design, because the Blessed Sacrament is the Lord’s Body and Blood offered on the cross for our salvation. Understood in this light, it is regrettable that some monstrances have only a tiny cross on the rim simply to fulfil the Church rule.
As the sacramental presence of the Body and Blood of the crucified and risen Lord, the Eucharist is primarily intended for reception by eating and drinking. The Lord’s Body and Blood offered upon the cross is consumed in order to receive the grace of the Sacrament. Taking the Blessed Sacrament out of its typical context – the altar, the celebration of Mass, the place of reservation, a celebration of Holy Communion as the sacrament of the dying (Viaticum) or similar occasions, always with the image of the cross visible, the church/chapel/oratory – risks turning the Lord’s Body and Blood into something it was not intended to be. Taking the Blessed Sacrament outside of its ordinary liturgical home goes against the Church’s indications found in the liturgical books.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament – either in its solemn form (in the monstrance) or its unusual simpler form (opening the tabernacle for a congregation but without opening the ciborium or pyx) – is by definition a rare event requiring all the aspects of solemn celebrations of the liturgy: congregation, vestments, candles, singing (incense may be omitted in the simpler form of exposition).
During the coronavirus lockdown I suggest that the best way to facilitate people’s legitimate and laudable desire to worship the Lord present in the Blessed Sacrament in a solemn fashion is by streaming exposition only from enclosed monasteries and similar places where the Church’s requirements and safeguards can be followed.