Dear Brad,
Really, I beg both of you, your friend, and other interested
correspondents to READ or RE-READ GIRM 21 most carefully and
critically.
First, whatever the demands of civil law may be, canon law
(Church law) has certain different principles. One of them is
that in the face of impossibility or serious difficulty, POSITIVE
LAW DOES NOT BIND US. This means that in difficult or impossible
circumstances, no "dispensation" from law is necessary because
the law simply does not bind.
Another principle of canon law is DE MINIMIS NON CURAT LEX: "law
does not concern itself with trifles or details. And are these
not often trifles? "Shall we stand now or kneel? Shall I as
celebrant ORDER these adults about as if they were a Citadel
drillteam?" GIRM recommends "uniformity", but there are other
values considerably higher--like Christian freedom. I don't want
to get caught misapplying Scripture, but Galatians does remind
us: "For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not
submi t again to the yoke of slavery.... For, brothers and
sisters, you were CALLED for freedom" (5:1, 13). Has this
scripture no application when we come to worship together?
Another principle of canon law is ODIOSA RESTRINGENDA,
FAVORABILIA AMPLIANDA: what is odious (in the law) must be
diminished, and what is favorable must be enlarged. An excellent
case can be made for the view that for an adult congregation to
be ordered about is odious. Such tactics are distracting and
interfere with the atmosphere of worship and attention to the
Holy Sacrifice. And except for their exemplary Christian
patience and humility, wouldn't a very large number of our laity
now cry out: "For t he love of God, stop changing things, and
for heaven's sake leave us alone!"
Amen and Hallelujah to your words: "My reaction to the concept
that a Catholic might consider another Catholic's kneeling before
the Blessed Sacrament as an occasion of scandal (is) to say, in
effect, that we need more of that kind of 'scandal'." Also,
perhaps your friend could reflect that in several documents from
Rome and from the Holy Father himself, the CLERGY have been
cautioned against the "I'll do it my way" attitude--but the LAITY
have never been so cautioned. Maybe Rome sees that the SENSUS
FIDE I, the supernatural sense of faith, has preserved our people
from needing such warnings (Catechism of the Catholic Church no.
889).
Your question on intinction remains, and I shall write to you
next about it.
-- | CIN (619-449-6030) Fido: (1:202/1613) http://www.cin.org/cin | St. Gabriel Gift & Book Nook: http://www.stgabriel.com/gabriel