Kyiv, Ukraine, Mar 13, 2020 / 05:10 pm (CNA).- The coronavirus pandemic has prompted discussions in Ukraine over whether precautions should be taken related to the reception of Holy Communion, especially as many in the country attend Churches where it is distributed from a common chalice and spoon.
According to the World Health Organization, worldwide there are 132,758 confirmed cases of coronavirus, and 4,955 deaths. There are three confirmed cases of coronavirus in Ukraine, and one death. A 71-year-old woman who returned from Poland visited her church and did not self-isolate, and she died March 13 after one one day of hospitalization.
Officials have announced quarantines throughout the country, with schools suspended for three weeks. They have also work to prevent panic, as there have already been cases of protests and street fights prompted by concerns over the spread of coronavirus.
More than 60% of Ukrainians belong to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine or the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), and nearly another 10% belong to Greek Catholic Churches. Each of these Churches use the Byzantine rite, in which Communion is distributed under both species. The Body of Christ is immersed in the Precious Blood in a single chalice, and is distributed by the priest to the faithful from a single golden spoon. Additionally, in these Churches all the baptized, including infants, receive Holy Communion.
Thus the common means of distributing Communion in the country has led to much discussion of whether coronavirus can be transmitted through Communion, and what precautions should be taken.
Igor Kuzin, acting general director of the Public Health Center of Ukraine’s Ministry of Health, told CNA that the use of a common spoon for the distribution of Communion “of course, poses some risk of infection for believers, but we understand religious feeling and the rights of people, so we work together with the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations to find the right way to manage this.”
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
In the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, priests exhort the faithful to be careful not to touch the spoon as they receive Communion, and the faithful are taught to open wide their mouth when receiving.
Major Archbishop Svyatoslav Shevchuk of Kyiv-Halych, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, said that “during this period it may be justified not to touch or kiss the icons”.
He also asked that elderly people and parents with children stay at home and pray with the Divine Liturgy through a live stream. For those who are ill, Major Archbishop Svyatoslav encouraged priests provide them with confession and Communion at home.
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is carefully discussing the form of Communion; but the liturgical commission, whose work would prepare preliminary investigation before the final decision of Major Archbishop Svyatoslav, has not yet met on this problem.
But one of the experts of the commission, the liturgist Father Vasil Rudeyko, does not consider the use of a common spoon to be obligatory.
“We have such a tradition, but in the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, who also use the Byzantine rite, share Communion by hand. They dip a particle of the Holy Body into the Holy Blood and place it in the mouth of the communicant. This may be one of the possibilities”, Father Vasil told CNA.
Another option could be the reception of Holy Communion under one species, as is common in the Latin rite, but Fr. Vasil is uncertain whether this option would be acceptable for Greek Catholics in Ukraine.
Bishop Dionisio Lyakhovich, apostolic delegate of the Ukrainian Apostolic Exarchate of Italy, wrote in a communiqué that in the exarchate Communion will be given under “one species (the Holy Body) in the hand and the priest should see to it that parishioners consume it immediately, and in front of him.” While infants usually receive Communion in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, at this time the bishop advises that they not be communed.
Ruthenian Eparchy of Mukachevo
Bishop Milan Šašik of the Ruthenian Eparchy of Mukachevo, which is immediately subject to the Holy See, has issued a statement meant “to prevent panic and misunderstandings about the health or life of our parishioners, and to prevent restrictions or prohibitions on church services.” He has encouraged those with symptoms of viral disease to stay home.
He recommended that the icons and Gospel book not be kissed, but rather reverenced with the sign of the cross and a bow.
“During Communion, do not touch with the lips and do not lick the spoon; bring infants only for the blessing with the chalice and not for Communion,” Bishop Milan wrote.
The bishop also recommended that those who fear infection should make a spiritual communion, “by eliciting an act of faith and love for God and a strong desire to receive Christ into their hearts.”
He also recalled “the first Christians who, for the sake of participating in the Eucharist, risked their own lives until death.” The bishop mentioned the 49 martyrs of Abitinae, killed during the Diocletian persecution in 304, who “sacrificed their lives for Communion with Christ” in the face of a ban on assembly in the Roman empire.
“Let us be prudent at this time and may the Lord inspire us to experience in peace and tranquility all the realities of this earthly life,” Bishop Milan said. “Let us contemplate the crucified Christ, that renewed in joy we may experience His Resurrection.”
Orthodox Church of Ukraine
In a March 13 communique from the press office of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (the autocephaly of which was recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in January 2019), its bishops insisted that in the churches, believers should continue to reverence icons, though without touching or kissing them.
Following Communion in the Divine Liturgy, the Orthodox Church provides a chalice of water mixed with wine. Normally a single chalice is shared for this purpose, but the bishops have said that at this time the water and wine mixture should be distributed through disposable plastic cups.
At the same time, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine insists that the Eucharist, which is traditionally consumed by the Orthodox from a single chalice and a common spoon, should be treated not as consumption of food, but as a sacrament, which is served “for the healing of body and soul”.
Currently, the OCU makes it clear that believers can be infected by the kissing of icons, but not from the common spoon with which Communion is distributed.
The OCU Metropolitan of Lviv, Dimitriy Rudyuk, wrote on Facebook March 6 calling “all other ways of [distributing] Communion that deny the traditional form of the Eucharist in the Orthodox Church or any limitation on the reception of the true Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ” blasphemy and a lack of faith.
Metropolitan Dimitriy addressed this especially to those afraid of falling ill through receiving Communion from the single chalice and spoon.
His post following a gathering of representatives from local Churches convoked by the Lviv government to discuss how priests could help to stop the spread of coronavirus, and to reduce the population’s fear.
Fr. Cyril Hovorun, a priest of the OCU who is acting director of the Huffington Ecumenical Institute at Loyola Marymount University, affirms that viruses can be transmitted through the Sacrament. Moreover, he maintained in a March 12 Facebook post that to think differently means to fall into docetism, which was condemned at the First Council of Nicaea.
Fr. Cyril wrote that each person must decide whether to Communicate in light of the possibility of transmission, and that “to deceive people and themselves, referring to faith and promising that nothing will happen, is theologically incorrect, and also irresponsible.”
Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate)
Bishop Clement Vecherya, head of the press office of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), said that “Holy Communion is a manifestation of the Christian’s personal faith, which no one is forcing a person to. From the Holy Gifts, the believing person cannot become infected; moreover, in history, wonderful healing with help of the Holy Mysteries is known, but not infection”.
He added that the UOC-MP would not adopt any other way of sharing Holy Communion than from the same chalice and spoon, so as not to reject the Orthodox Church’s two thousand years of pastoral experience.
As an argument that the UOC-MP is honest with parishioners, Bishop Clement noted that during the Liturgy, the last person to receive Communion is a priest.
“In addition to the coronavirus, there are other viral diseases in the world, so priests would simply not survive or would have difficult infectious diseases. But you see nothing like that”, Bishop Clement said.
The bishop also said that the icons are carefully cleaned with disinfectants, even in normal times.
[…]
Would that there were an abundance of German bishops the likes of layman Marc Frings.
Would that there were a pope like this layman.
Would that there would be more Catholics like the Pope.
Fr. Peter Morello:
My understanding is that there are quite a number of bishops in the German formerly Catholic Church who are *precisely* the ilk of layman Frings.
Like Herr Frings, these bishops dispute the ancient teachings of the Church, revering sterile, lifeless, orgasmo-centric homosexual practices, placing them on a par with the generative and sacred marriage act.
Please, Fr. Peter, could you explain for me why so many Catholic leaders who defy the Church’s teachings and who dispute the revealed word of God in scripture, feel compelled to present themselves as Catholics?
When it’s blatantly obvious that their real objective is to destroy the Catholic Church.
Brineyman I’m aware of the faithful German bishops, Stefan Oster Passau, Rainer Woelki Koln and others. Perhaps we can attribute the reason why the radicals control German Church politics to Vatican support of the kingpin of German radicalism Cardinal Reinhard Marx, and a growing lax practice of laity, the many who quit the Church due to the tax system. Oblique support by Pope Francis [letters of admonition have zero effect if not followed by action] of radical theologian and chairman German Bishops Conference Bishop Georg Bätzing who promotes the Synodal Way is a key.
We’re overshadowed in America by a cloud of apostasy promoted by a nucleus of key appointments to the cardinalate Tobin, Farrell, Cupich, Gregory, McElroy who possess political power directly from Rome promoting the Vatican secularist approach to the faith. Primarily it’s political control exerted from the Vatican.
Insofar as strong orthodox commitment to the faith there are the known nucleus of Cordileone, Naumann, Aquila, just a handful, the majority who express doctrinal orthodoxy are also weak and fearful of reprisal, preferring to remain token and comfortable. It all comes down to papal leadership, that leadership taking us in the opposite direction of Benedict and John Paul II.
It seems what’s occurring is a form of chastisement [ancient Israel was frequently permitted to degrade itself punished then restored] for overall laxity among Catholics.
I think you have misread Herr Fringes. He is actively supporting changing the catechism. Why would you want German bishops like him?
I had the same reaction and the same question. And, unfortunately, It seems that there is already an abundance of quisling German Bishops like Herr Frings.
Precisely, DUANE and Tom.
It seems that a huge number of Catholics — including bishops — don’t actually believe what the Catholic Church teaches.
With so many non-Catholic churches out there, why don’t these anti-Catholic Catholics just join another, more forward-thinking, now-a-go-go faith community?
I’m sure they could find one that preaches just about any gospel they like. Including the insemination of whatever body cavity they desire.
cc: Archbishop Wilton Gregory, Washington, D.C.
Why doesn’t the German Catholic Church get on with it and separate itself from the Catholic Church? It’s inevitable, so why belabor it?
Follow the money…
As long as the churchy tribe in Germania remains part of the Catholic Church it is eligible for the 7-8% surcharge on the annual personal income tax collected by the state and then sent to the German bishops’ conference. Therefore, now that the tribe has crossed the Rubicon in faith and morals, Rome should inform the Federal Republic of Germany that the tribe is no longer part of the universal Catholic Church.
Several consequences might follow:
1. Those fewer dioceses openly loyal to the universal Catholic Church would continue to receive the state-collected (and reduced, see #4) financial support, at least 13 judging from earlier synodal voting (Historically, it would be the ugly 1648 Peace of Westphalia all over again!)
2. Parishes loyal to the Church, but located in self-amputated dioceses, still could be identified as mission parishes attached to the nearest Catholic diocese, regardless of defunct diocesan boundaries.
3. Because the self-amputated dioceses are no longer part of the Church, Catholics who in the past have been automatically excommunicated (for refusing to be financially complicit in the betrayal of the Body of Christ) would find their excommunications either moot or lifted by Rome. (And loved ones who have been denied the sacrament of Catholic burial would receive justice from the restored and intact Church.)
4. Since the “indefensible” penalty (wording from the writings of emeritus Pope Benedict) has been removed, parishioners of Catholic dioceses and parishes could refuse the tax without penalty, and instead could contribute directly to the Church.
Yes, just a fantasy. And, more sober minds than mine surely will find a less risky exit strategy from today’s standoff, but follow the money.
Brilliant!
As background reading, we might consider what the International Theological Commission had to say about synods, compared to the synodal workbook. This language from the ITC (“Synodality in the life and mission of the Church,” 2018):
“…It is essential that, taken as a whole, the participants give a meaningful and balanced image of the local Church, reflecting different vocations, ministries, charisms, competencies, social status and geographical origin. The bishop, the successor of the apostles and shepherd of his flock who convokes and presides over the local Church synod, is called to exercise there the ministry of unity and leadership [!] with the authority which belongs to him [!].” (n. 79).
By comparison, the vademecum portrays the bishops—the successors of the apostles—not so much with authority or even leadership but, instead, “primarily as facilitators.” Beware, it warns, of the “scourge of clericalism.” What then of the apostolic Church?
From fully ten months ago and 5,000 miles away from Germania, here’s a CWR “opinion” piece on what has been abundantly obvious, from even a non-credential layman: https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2021/10/02/opinion-making-sense-of-synodal-steps-during-precarious-times/
Thank God that our Good Lord having foreseen the evils of our times , has also given us the remedy – as the revelations of the Divine Will , as expalined in the enthusiatic words of Rev.Fr.Jim Blount –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vibJv58LMs
The Book of Heaven and related writings , to help deal with the spirit of apostacy as manifested in the unholy demands , from the blatant denial of the role of The Spirit Sanctifier in The Church and the world .. ( ? Russian money and envy also at the root .. )
Well meaning persons in the German Church , starting a process to immerse all those who have become afflicted with the spirits of confusion / envy / hatreds ,
to get to read the above volumes .. Church speeding up the process to update the volumes in a manner so that same can be more widely used – ? Lord allowing these drunken howlings in the ‘Field hospital ‘ for The Church as a whole to be led in haste to the healing waters ..good to hear how the Holy Father used the innovative measures of lasers and magnet therapy for healing of the knee fracture ..The Light of the Divine Will and the grace to cherish its truths to choose to live same – may same bring speedy enough healings into all the broken and wounded lives in the Field hospital .
FIAT !
God tests us to see if our faith is strong and resilient. Will it withstand attacks of evil and will it endure for the sake of the church? The church is worth fighting for. Unrepentant sinners (after being warned three times) must be put out of the church. God in His mercy shows us the path. We should continue to pray for them, yet they have no kinship with those who strive for godliness and look to Jesus to cleans us of our unrighteousness.Words are one matter, actions can be the opposite. God judges the hear, we must be in submission to Christ.
Excommunication is there for a reason. Sone may argue it might begin with Marx. Yet, he appears to be a Papa favourite, Papa declining his resignation. Others may argue that he has gone from awful to abhorrent and yet, will Papa do what is required?
2 Timothy 3:13 While evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
Philippians 1:1-Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. …
Galatians 1:1-Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— and all the brothers who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. …
2 Timothy 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
Blessings of discernment and honour.
“Defamatory and outdated statements of Church doctrine on sexuality and gender need to be revised on the basis of theological and human-scientific findings.”
This is the constant declarative statement made by the German Synod.
Where is the objective ‘outdatedness’ other than a desire to be in the constant and current culture?
And where are these ‘human-scientific findings’? The manipulative soft sciences of psychology and sociology?
Fear not. German Catholics opposed to the Bishops and groups who hijacked the German meetings, prepared a manifesto. Our Pope Francis arranged a public meeting with some of those who signed the manifesto thus showing a strong degree of papal support for this group. When the time comes, the views of the German Bishops and their backers in this attack against the Church, will be publicly rejected. This is why our Founder gave us this Rock and the Holy Spirit.
Can man error? Can those in exalted positions go astray? Censure has come from many quarters regarding Papa’s watch.
Jesus had his critics and He has is faithful followers. Hopefully we rebuke ourselves, and when our fellow man is admonished, it is an aid to his eternal soul. Loyalty is good, however fidelity to Christ is always best and expected from the born again Christian.
When we care for someone we pray for them that they may be guided aright. Let our prayers for Papa be constant, that he do all things according to Christ.
1 Corinthians 10:4 And all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Matthew 21:42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes’?
John 3:3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
1 Peter 1:23 Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;
Titus 3:5 He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
How do you read the words of our Lord?
Prayers and blessings as you walk honouring Christ.
The chastisement of the confusion that the German Church is facing , also allowed in aching patience by the Holy Father to manifest itself , ? from concern also for other cultures that face imbalances in male / female #s , brought on by other evils .
The Church still has the responsibility to take the Good News to such places too to help them to know The Truth that The Spirit as the Sanctifier has the Love and Power in Him to help do away with confusions such as in seeing lust as Love , that in The Heart of The Mother , there can be ever greater unity in The Spirit to Love God and others , with His Own Will and Love that ever multiplies and substitutes ..
the labor pains as fears and unholy demands allowed to be voiced out since these arguments could very well be fermenting in other cultures who could be attracted to the goodness that can be through The Church , yet afraid that it is an impossibilty to live in holiness ..
The Divine Will revelations and readings – given for our times for persons to grasp the richness and depth of what faith entails . The Church likely expecting same to get to be known better through various means , including from the concerns about the wounded in the field hospitals who are demanding anaesthetics / narcotics even when such can be deadly . Holy Father and The Church knows there are healthier choices – Light more powerful than Laser as the Flame of Love of The Mother to attract hearts with greater power than that of gravity to rise up in the Divine Will healed of fractures of hearts ,to live in the manner destined for the children .
FIAT !