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OVERVIEW I cover the Real Presence, the Pew Research Study of 2019, and the Best Manner for Receiving Communion. The reason why 50 million Catholics do not believe in the Real Presence is because of Communion in the Hand. a. Consider the following timeline: i. Before the Second Vatican Council, in the John XXIII Roman Rite, the Mass was a Sacrifice, not a meal. There was Ad Orientem, that is, the priest faced East toward the tabernacle in which he did not turn his back toward the Lord), only the ordained priest was allowed in the Sanctuary, and only the clerics distributed Communion to the worthy faithful. ii. Then in 1965, there was dissent against the tradition of receiving Communion on the tongue while kneeling and it was evident among the Apostles/Bishops of the Church. Although, it was not the first time an Apostle denied the Real Presence, it was no less devastating. iii. Cardinal Alfrink of Holland, started the push for Communion by hand and standing. The Congregation for Divine Worship warned Cardinal Alfrink on October 22nd, 1965, "The Holy Father does not consider it opportune that the Sacred Particle be distributed by hand and later consumed in different manners by the faithful and therefore vehemently exhorts that the council offer operative resolutions so that the traditional manner of Communicating by mouth be restored" iv. Months later, in 1966, the Dutch New Catechism taught communion by the hand, standing, and with distribution by lay people. Cardinal Alfrink gave the imprimatur. v. Dissentful theologians Edward Schillebeeckx and Leonard Boff were huge supporters of the Dutch Catechism (CDF, Sacerdotium Ministrale, Letter, August 6 1983). vi. In 1967, the Holy See stopped the spreading of the Dutch Catechism but the movement to change the manner of receiving communion had already spread. vii. In 1969, the document Memoriale Domini said that the dissenting clergy "sought to impose their own point of view on the rest and force the hand of authority" 1) Check out a recent english translation of the Biography of Archbishop Annibale Bugnini for more details on how dissenting clergy changed the Liturgy. viii. But, there were faithful laity who did not see this trend as a positive change. Rather, in the words of Dietrich von Hildebrand, "the Dutch Catechism exposes the Eucharist to the most terrible diabolical abuse. All abuse of the Blessed Sacrament is diabolical abuse. ix. What I found most interesting was how the Bishops voted on December 15th, 1968 on the topic of whether Communion on the Hand was a good alternative to the centuries old tradition: 1) Only 26% of the Bishops voted "Yes" x. As we can see, there was a small group that started to make changes against the will of Pope Paul VI. In his letter to the Concilium ad Exequaendum Constitutionem de Sacra Liturgia, Oct. 14th 1968: 1) He said "Even the Episcopal Conference sometimes proceed on their own accord more than what is justified. It also occurs that arbitrary experiments are made and this introduces rites that openly contradict with the norms of the Church" xi. Paul VI was forced to allow an indult allowing communion by hand and standing. Later, in the 1970's Catholic Churches were built without communion rails and the tabernacle moved into different places. 1) Paul VI would go on to grant 18 Countries indults from 1969 to 1977 with the United States receiving indult on June 17th, 1977. 2) Some good Bishops like Bishop Rodolfo Laise of San Luis, Argentina did not comply with the Indult for Communion in the Hand. This is ironic given the Current pope is from Argentina. b. This rupture in Church Teachings and Liturgical Tradition was not an accident, or "will of the people". This was deliberate dissent which has become normalized in the parishes in America. c. Archbishop Athanasius Schneider says in his book "Dominus Est: It is the Lord", i. "…it is necessary for all to recognize that the practice of Communion in the Hand was introduced as an abuse, and hurriedly, in many places within the Church right after the Council, that it changed the centuries long earlier practice and it is becoming now a regular practice throughout the whole Church" d. And so what do we expect will happen to the Church after the manner in which we receive communion is changed? The way we worship reveals what we believe! If the Host is not really Jesus' body. Blood. Soul. Divinity…then as Flannery O'Connor says, to hell with it! We have to hope that the 1/3 of Catholics who believe in the Real Presence can be apologists and examples for the 50 million Catholics who do not believe. We have to evangelize our own… 6. There is a very practical response we can initiate a. Continue the left-behind tradition of receiving on the tongue while kneeling. b. Visit the Blessed Sacrament frequently 7. Over 400 years ago, when Catholics were battling the Protestant Revolution. Pope Clement VIII issued a historic document called Quarant' Ore, or Forty Hours. In this devotion of forty hours of continual prayer before the exposed Blessed Sacrament, every Church in Rome would relay an arrangement of adoration that would pass on from Church to Church. Pope Clement the XIII, would publish instructions a century later and even the 1917 Code of Canon Law would recommend each year a solemn exposition of the Blessed Sacrament "so that the local community may more attentively meditate on and adore the Eucharistic Mystery" (Canon 942). a. In my years as a Catholic Theology Teacher and Youth Minister, I have experienced many challenges from within the Church to teach the Real Presence. That is not to say there are not good priests and Catholic schools out there. What I am saying is that there simply are not enough. Not enough to even touch 50 million Catholics. b. We must bring back kneeling for communion and receiving on the tongue. AND - c. We must increase hours of visits to the Blessed Sacrament. i. Some parishes have Perpetual Adoration Chapels. Make a visit to the Sacrament if not Daily then weekly. ii. Attend benedictions of the Blessed Sacrament. iii. Start Eucharistic Congresses at the diocesan level. Shout out to all the Bishops and Cardinals! iv. Remember that Sts John Fisher and Thomas More were strengthened in life and prepared themselves for martyrdom by fervent adoration of the Blessed Sacrament! d. The lack of adoration chapels is a sign of a lack of Faith in the Real Presence. i. The document Mediator Dei, by Pius XII, says "No only do we not commit a sin by adoring the Blessed Sacrament, we commit a sin by not adoring the Blessed Sacrament". ii. And St. Peter Julian Eymard said that irreverence toward the Eucharist is punished by loss of faith. 8. What are the implications of Faith in the Real Presence? a. Because the host truly is God incarnate, it is most fitting that we as sinful people, humble ourselves especially at the moment of Communion. Think of the Nativity scene where even the animals kneel and bow before the Incarnate Son of God. Who are we to stand before the Eucharistic Lord? Conversely, the demons refuse to kneel before the Lord. In Spirit of the Liturgy, Benedict XVI reminds us that the devil has no knees and is by his nature, incapable of kneeling, he can only fall to his face! b. Even during the Ceremonial of Bishops, it calls for a Genuflection before the Blessed Sacrament. i. "After saying inaudibly the prayer before Communion, the Bishop Genuflects and takes the paten. One by one the concelebrants approach the Bishop, genuflect and reverently receive from him the Body of Christ. c. If Communion in the Hand came to be the norm because of some "mysterious spreading to the world" during the 60's and 70's, then we should be able to gather the 1/3 and together show our Lord we believe by kneeling for communion, kneeler or no kneeler, in hopes that the Church will bring back the kneelers. I have personally noticed that in some parishes where there is perpetual adoration, the faithful are skipping the lines to the "Extraordinary Minister" and going to the lines where a cleric is distributing communion. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There are so many people I can think of who are more qualified "Warrior Monks" than I could ever be. So I decided to introduce them to you! Welcome to the Warrior Monk Podcast! The next four months, I will be interviewing scientists, survivors, living saints! Occasionally, I'll break down some great books I'm reading (mainly to teach myself). My hope is you'll join me in this journey where I interview people I admire and have dubbed "Warrior Monks"! Warrior Monk Podcast Goals for 2019 1. Interview amazing "Catholic Veterans" who are in the trenches of spiritual combat and bring them to you and connect them with each other. UNITE THE CLANS! 2. Follow the 90/10 rule: This podcast is for the EDC - every day Catholic. 3. Increase Offense: Strike with prayer. 4. Increase Defense: Humility 5. Always have a bias toward doing. Aquinas: Will is greater than Intellect.