Return of the Altar Rail

[Michie]

We recently learnt that Fr. Jay Finelli (better known to some as the "iPadre") and his parish, Holy Ghost in Tiverton, Rhode Island, are returning to the use of the altar rail for the reception of Holy Communion:

For the past few years, a number of people have asked why we can’t use the Altar Rail for Sunday Masses. So, after much thought and prayer, distribution of Holy Communion will take place at the Altar Rail, beginning on the 1st Sunday of Lent.​

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Return of the Altar Rail

 

[InnerPhyre]

Hooray! Awesome!

 

[Assisi]

Very cool.

 

[BabyChristian22]

In my opinion, the altar rail is a more practical way to distribute Holy Communion.

 

[Indiana Jones]

This is cool!

 

[WarriorAngel]

I am jealous...hope it spreads.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Wow....I think it'd take a true act of God, thunderbolts and lightning, a tsunami, to get the priests and bishop in my diocese to get back to basics like this. We're still in the happy-clappy Baptist music, hand-holding, Extraordinary Ministers "blessing" adults and children, and heaps of liturgical abuse. We had the local Mexican gang-bangers issue a death threat to our Mexican priest last week. He has had to say Mass with security guards protecting him. He's being transferred out of the diocese for fear of his life. I love being a Central Valley Californian. I'm proud of my upbringing here. But I absolutely hate the way Catholicism exists here. It's so different from other parts. Watered down drivel....

I envy some of those East Coast Catholic parishes where there is incense, chanting, Gregorian, piety, altar rails, and a deep commitment to the solemnity of the Mass.....it's like entering a blackhole here....sigh

 

[Azureknight 773]

GOOD!

 

[Wolseley]

We don't have the rail back in our parish yet----but I'm not complaining. Our new young and VERY orthodox priest has brought back the gold ambo on the altar to hold the Sacramentary during Mass; he has the altar servers holding the patens under the chins of the communicants during the distribution of the Holy Eucharist; and he has instituted weekday Masses in Latin, save for the readings and homily.

The music in the parish has also improved, vastly. I haven't heard a strumming guitar since he arrived. The hideous post-Vatican II "folk" music has, by and large, disappeared. The paperback throwaway missalettes have disappeared, to be replaced by brand-new, hardcover St. Augustine hymnals, which, I am happy to report, are NOT published by the Oregon Catholic Press.

I can't express how much I am enjoying all this. Maybe altar rails will be next!

 

[Fantine]

If the majority of Catholics in the parish made this request (and the article said "a number" of them did) and there was no reason why the request shouldn't have been granted then more power to them.

If the decision was made by the priest with a little clique of supporters, then hey--Rhode Island is a pretty big place, and some people will change parishes, and the little clique can luxuriate in their solitary splendor amidst upaid bills.

 

[Wolseley]

It may end up being that the liberal, modern parishes are the ones with the unpaid bills, as people vote with their feet and leave for the more traditional parishes.

That seems to be how it's happening here in west Michigan. Our parish has picked up a lot of families since our new young priest came, and I hear that the Tridentine Masses over in Grand Rapids are absolutely overflowing every Sunday. One parish here that tends towards the über-liberal, however, has hit on some hard times---they've lost nearly half their parishioners, and the ones who are left tend to be the extreme leftie fringe, those who favor female rpeists and still cling to the now-dead idea of the "spirit of Vatican II". They've been holding fundraising drives to keep the lights on and whatnot, wit what rate of success, I don't know.

 

[WarriorAngel]

I asked twice that we get the altar servers back in the alter server dress...which somehow it disappeared.
SO the priest - the last one said 'I dont know if anyone wants them...' which this went on in front of a group of other parishioners and they all agreed they wanted them back. hehehe

So - i guess we could toss this around...i might have to say how jealous i am that they are coming back in other states.

 

[Borromeo]

If the majority of Catholics in the parish made this request (and the article said "a number" of them did) and there was no reason why the request shouldn't have been granted then more power to them.

If the decision was made by the priest with a little clique of supporters, then hey--Rhode Island is a pretty big place, and some people will change parishes, and the little clique can luxuriate in their solitary splendor amidst upaid bills.

I KNEW something like this was going to be posted...

 

[Wolseley]

I KNEW something like this was going to be posted...

You quickly gain wisdom, Grasshopper.

 

[AMDG]

In my opinion, the altar rail is a more practical way to distribute Holy Communion.

I agree. So much easier. And so much more a symbol of humility and adoration. However, didn't the apparition at Lourdes indicate that there should be processions and isn't the congregation's of each Church processing to the Eucharist a sort of procession? Think that's what was being referred to?

 

[princess_ballet]

Since I can't kneel right now, and most of my home parish can't kneel due to age, not sure this is something I'll be celebrating...

 

[princess_ballet]

It may end up being that the liberal, modern parishes are the ones with the unpaid bills, as people vote with their feet and leave for the more traditional parishes.

That seems to be how it's happening here in west Michigan. Our parish has picked up a lot of families since our new young priest came, and I hear that the Tridentine Masses over in Grand Rapids are absolutely overflowing every Sunday. One parish here that tends towards the über-liberal, however, has hit on some hard times---they've lost nearly half their parishioners, and the ones who are left tend to be the extreme leftie fringe, those who favor female rpeists and still cling to the now-dead idea of the "spirit of Vatican II". They've been holding fundraising drives to keep the lights on and whatnot, wit what rate of success, I don't know.

I would not attend a latin mass and I'm not a crazy, hippy liberal.

 

[epiclesis]

Since I can't kneel right now, and most of my home parish can't kneel due to age, not sure this is something I'll be celebrating...

I love your sig pic.

 

[AMDG]

Since I can't kneel right now, and most of my home parish can't kneel due to age, not sure this is something I'll be celebrating...

I can kneel (actually I find it the most comfortable position) just can't get up due to age (and the altar rail would solve *that* problem.)

 

[MKJ]

Since I can't kneel right now, and most of my home parish can't kneel due to age, not sure this is something I'll be celebrating...

We've always had altar rails. Those who can't kneel stand, and if they can't stand the priest comes to them.