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That's not my issue here however. I want to ask about the manner the altar is covered. There is an altar cloth covering the altar of course, as well as a corporal in the center at the edge of the altar, always set up for the consecration. It's always there, not just on the day we have Adoration - in fact, the monstrance is not even placed upon the corporal. I've never noticed a fresh corporal being unfolded in the Offertory preparation, likewise I've never noticed it folded after Mass.
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On occasion I have observed what appears to be crumbs on the corporal as I removed the monstrance from the altar. This strikes me as sloppy and inappropriate. I've always thought the corporal was to be swept with the paten and any fragments placed in the chalice as it is purified, and then consumed by the priest. The next step being to fold it and remove it with the chalice after Mass?
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So I am asking, is it normal to leave the corporal laid out open on the altar, day after day, Mass after Mass?
No, it isn't normal. At all.
ReplyDeleteI would still follow you, even if you didn't post for ages, because I have decided to. So............never feel obliged to. Just my four penneth worth.
ReplyDeleteI learned just the other day that both the corporal and the purificator cloths are considered to be "sacred" instruments and are not to be used for any other purpose.
ReplyDeleteI was going to use a purificator as a protective mat for the credence table where I could place the cruets in the chapel where I serve Mass. There didn't seem to be anything else handy.
I was told in no uncertain terms that that was not permissible. I love serving for that priest. By the book, all the time.
I just had to be extra careful not to spill any drops that day.
No, Terry, that isn't right. And I would also find out how that corporal is washed, when it is washed (sloppiness in one area suggests the possibility of sloppiness in others). The corporal has to be rinsed well in the special sink (sacrarium?) before it is washed.
ReplyDeleteOur priest hit upon a novel idea, though another, more by-the-book priest I know is appalled by it: the entire altar cloth is a corporal. When I ordered it, Father let me know what he wanted and so I had the red crosses embroidered on it as one would a corporal -- this required a great deal of explaining to the church goods supply place where I ordered from!
Anyway, I then used to rinse the entire altar cloth weekly in the sacrarium before taking it home and washing it. It always bothered me that particles and drops of the Blessed Sacrament would be there for a week! But, that was what Father wanted, and now I no longer do any of those things and so I don't know how frequently it is being changed.
Austringer, that's not quite right. The Altar cloth is not the Corporal. The Altar cloth vests the mensa. The Corporal should be spread when the Altar is set during the Offertory.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Corporal should be rinsed first in the Sacrarium (same as the chalice, purificator, paten), beofre being washed and pressed.
ReplyDeleteGosh, I don't know about any of these things but I am smart enough to know I'm not touching nothin'.
ReplyDeleteLast Sunday a host fell onto the floor and when I approached the alter I whispered to the E.M saying I would take the host that fell and so he gave it to me but my blog administrator had a fit and he raised his voice to me in the car. I said, "What were they gonna do with it?" I was worried, I didn't want him to be thrown away!" He said, "They know what they're doing!" I said, "FINE!"
(As in go away your bothering me;)
Besides my administrator missed the deeper point. I willingly took the cootie fall -what with the carpet and the shoes and those fingerprints... ugh.
I'm trying not to suck but it always comes back to that now doesn't it? hahahaha
Thom, I know, I know....as I mentioned, another priest who subs on occasion is not at all happy about Father's arrangement. However, that's what Father wanted, and that's what he got.
ReplyDeleteUnderneathe the altar-sized corporal is another cloth, a pad, really. Sometimes drops of the Sacred Blood would spill and leak through: I used to rinse the pad, then, in the sacrium when that happened. I doubt that's being done now.
Anyway, the purificator and the corporal should both be rinsed in the sacrarium before being washed.
I guess that's not a lot worse than S. John Cantius in Chicago using glass over the Altar cloths.
ReplyDeleteTerry - OT - you were recognized at Gloria.tv again (no Aaron Eckhart pic this time! LOL!)
ReplyDeleteApril 28 2010.
You're at the 2:15 mark or so.
Now you're famous too!!!
Larry - you're still more famous, and deservedly so.
ReplyDeleteI solved my problem, I left adoration early so I wouldn't have to even enter the sanctuary, I realized it is none of my concern.
ReplyDeleteBelinda, according to what they told us in EMHC training, what you did was proper. It would also be proper for the EMHC to receive the fallen Host him or herself; or to take it to the sacristy and lay it on a paten, calling the attention of the priest or deacon to it. What they would do with it is, either receive it, or place it in a dish of water until it no longer has the appearance of bread (at which point it is no longer the Body and Blood of Christ). Then they would pour it into the sacrarium. What wouldn't be proper is just to leave it on the floor; but we hope nobody would do that.
ReplyDeleteThank you Miss Melody. Honey you lifted the anxiety I had from that experience right off of me!
ReplyDeleteAs an EMHC I often use an extra pureficator whenI am handling the sacred vessels and the Monstrance..I often have lotion on my hands (especially in the wintertime ) and it keeps the grease from getting all over everything.
ReplyDeleteWe have a special basket where the linens get put in for the washing committee to do their thing. So if I use an extra one (and we have plenty) it gets put in there along with the rest. I am always of the opinion that we have plenty of linens so when it doubt change it out.
I did have an unfortunate incident as a brand new EMHC when a yong person mishandled the subchalice and dumped the Precious Blood all over me. Our Beloved Deacon at the time kindly instructed me on how I was to wash my clothing in a bucket of water and put the wash water in the soil..I felt sorry for the poor kid who ran out of the Church probably thinking he committed some unforgivable sin..
Sara