Just got back from the Mass for All Souls Day at Our Lady of Victory (Father A. wore all black vestments). Unfortunately at Communion time, the Sacred Host fell on the tile part of the floor. It missed the paten too.
Father put his ciborium on the altar and told the altar boy to get the purificator and the water cruet. Father knelt down and picked up the Blessed Sacrament while he was on his knees and consumed It. Then he washed the area with water and dried it with the purificator.
I have only seen this happen 3 other times in my life. So it is a rare happening. But I want to stress Father did exactly what the Church calls for in this situation. I was so thankful and grateful that Father showed such great reverence for the Blessed Sacrament. I hope all priests would do the same.
Say an Ave for all of our priests’ that they would show the same respect for Our Lord.
Tags: Orthodoxy at Work
|
Truly an inspiring thing. Thanks for sharing.
Paten?
That goes to show you how truely reverend Father A is. I saw Father B attempt to serve communion to a resident at MCH. The resident not knowing any better took it out of her mouth and would not consume it. Father did. Another time when one fell to the floor he did the same thing, on his knees and prayed. Thank God for our holy Priests.
Paten = the "dish" on top of the chalice which holds the host AND the gold "dish on a stick" which the server holds under the host during the distribution of Communion.
Major Nod of the Miter to Fr. B and Fr. A.
If only other priests in our diocese had that much respect for God. When I've seen the host dropped in the past, the priest, or rather EMHC, never bothered to clean the ground.
purificator?
It's a white linen which is used to purify the vairous vessels (i.e. chalice, ciborium) which the priest uses for Mass. You will see the priest use it when he cleans the chalice after Communion. Also, EMHC's (Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion) use them when ministering with the Precious Blood.
Thanks for answering the questions about paten and purificator. I just assumed that everyone knows what they are. Sorry, I should have been more specific.