when i was watching mass on tv the other day, this lady was going to take communion. but when she went to the priest her arms were crossed and the priest just did the cross sign on her but didnt give her communion. i have never seen this before, do you know whati means?? thank you
2007-06-06 07:26:19 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It means she isn't Catholic.
Only people who go through the Catholic church's little ceremony are allowed the priviledge of the stale wafer and cheap wine. Other people just get a generic blessing.
2007-06-06 07:29:38 · answer #1 · answered by nondescript 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋
The Catholic church has strict guidelines under which a person may recieve the Eucharist. Most Catholics do not adhere rigidly to these guidelines, but some (especially older parishoners) still do.
1. The recipient must be Christian. In MOST cases, they must also be Catholic, but there are special circumstances that would allow exception to this rule.
2. The recipient must be in a state of grace, meaning that they have confessed any mortal sins on their souls. This requirement can only be ignored in cases where there is a grave need for communion but no time or ability for confession (as in performing the Last Rites for a dying patient).
3. The recipient must believe in the doctrine of transubstantiation, ie. they must believe that the bread and wine actually physically transform into the body and blood of Jesus.
4. The recipient must have observed the Eucharistic Fast, meaning that they have not ingested anything but water or medicine for one hour before receiving communion. (Many older Catholics adhere to an older interpretation of this rule that stated that the recipient must fast from waking until recieving communion.)
5. The recipient must not be under censure by the Church, as in excommunication or interdiction (very rare in modern times).
The most likely explanations are that the woman was not Catholic, or that she had eaten that morning. This is fairly common among older parishoners who must eat food with their morning medication, but still prefer to attend early morning Mass. It is also possible that she believed that she had commited a mortal sin, and did not wish to accept communion before confessing it.
Keeping the hands and mouth closed is a silent signal to the priest or Eucharistic minister that the parishoner does not want to recieve the Eucharist, but they still want to take part in the communion and recieve a blessing.
Hope that helps!
2007-06-06 14:52:23 · answer #2 · answered by marbledog 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi there,
That's what we have all the grade 1 and 2 students do as well during communion. Since they are too young to have received their scarament of first communion the students still go up as part of the congregation but receive a blessing as opposed to the host. It makes them still feel like they are a part of the celebration. I can only assume that the woman who you saw probably has not received her scarament of First Communion yet (which means she can't receive the host according to someone). Or perhaps she just felt like she'd be more worthy to receive a blessing.
Cheers.
2007-06-06 14:33:46 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I read a book once that a boy broke his fast and he made a sign to the pastor so he didn't get communion but I'm not sure what the sign was. Maybe that's what it was.
2007-06-06 14:33:51 · answer #4 · answered by Netti 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means for some reason she either has a health condition that doesn’t allow her to take communion, or she is not sanctioned to take it. (She didn't attend Catechism, or she isn’t Catholic)
Instead of receiving the Eucharist she gets a blessing.
2007-06-06 14:31:59 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Its the sign that that person decided at the last moment NOT to accept communion (
2007-06-06 14:32:11 · answer #6 · answered by grounded 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It used to mean shes not catholic, used to be a practicing catholic. She wanted a blessing, not communion! Hope that helps?
2007-06-06 14:33:03 · answer #7 · answered by PSYCHO DAISY MAE 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means she knew she had committed mortal sin and knew she was not worthy to recieve the body and blood of our Lord.
She was blessed by the Priest instead
Hope this helps. God Bless.
2007-06-06 14:31:40 · answer #8 · answered by scholar_wood 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you are not baptized you can come forward for a blessing. Or in the RC church where they do not let non-RC's receive, she was doing it for that reason, baptized or not. The priest was giving her a blessing.
2007-06-06 14:32:19 · answer #9 · answered by tonks_op 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are "off-shoots" within the Catholic Church that, when visiting other Catholic Churchs are not permitted to receive Holy Communion.
Perhaps this is the symbol used by those to indicate their not being allowed to partake.
2007-06-06 14:31:26 · answer #10 · answered by preichwein 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋