[Magdalen] physically distanced communion

[Scott Knitter]

Our late rector told of his seminary placement at Grace Church, Sheboygan,
Wisconsin. On a typical crisp midwinter Sunday, following the High Mass,
the parish rector and Fr. Gary headed out to the countryside with the
Blessed Sacrament and braved the rutted snow-drifted side roads to reach
several farm houses. On arrival, the rector, preceded by Fr. Gary with a
bell, would march to the front door, and as the shut-in communicant opened
the door, the rector said, "The Body of Christ," the communicant said
"Amen" and received, and the two priests turned on their heels and went
back to the car and took off. All I can imagine would be the explanation
for this manner of administering the Sacrament is that it was regarded as
simply an extension of administering at the Communion rail, except these
communicants were a bit further out.

Then there's the legend at our parish of a long-ago rector heading out to
do similarly for shut-in parishioners in the city, in a car driven by one
of the Sisters of St. Anne. She had a bit of a lead foot and the car was
pulled over by a Chicago police officer. Once the officer arrived at
Sister's open car window to ask for her license, the rector leaned over and
said to the officer, "We are in possession of the Blessed Sacrament."
Whereupon the officer genuflected and waved them on.

On Wed, Dec 23, 2020 at 4:42 PM Roger Stokes via Magdalen <
magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:

> Ginga,
>
> That surprises me. Given that our RC brothers and sisters have the
> practice of laypeople taking communion to those unable to be in church,
> and being officially sent out to perform that ministry towards the end
> of the mass, the idea of duly authorised laypeople taking the elements
> to the shut-in members of the congregation should not be anathema to
> him. In this diocese the requirement is that those exercising this
> ministry should be specifically authorised by the bishop to do so. It
> may be that your new Priest in Charge was concerned that this ministry
> was not being carried out with proper respect for the consecrated
> elements. We may no longer expect that a vested server precede the
> priest bearing the Blesses Sacrament but the Eucharistic Prayer does
> include the suffrage that the elements may for us be the Body and Blood
> of Christ and, as such, it needs to be treated with respect. In the
> current situation this is more challenging than it was when I was in
> parish ministry but I am glad that your proest is reaching out to you at
> this time.
>
> Roger
>
> On 23/12/2020 19:17, Ginga Wilder wrote:
> > My priest called this afternoon to ask if I would like him to bring
> > communion to me tomorrow between services.  Yes!  I have so missed
> > receiving.
> >
> > He quietly ended lay Eucharistic visitors when he became
> priest-in-charge.
> > I've never asked why, because I know it has to do with is
> 'Anglo-Catholic'
> > centering...he served for nearly 20 years at Holy Communion, Charleston -
> > the High Church in the Lowcountry - before coming to Good Shepherd.
> >
> > Anyway, I am grateful that I will have Christmas communion.
>


-- 
Scott R. Knitter
Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois USA