The article below is the video description as posted on YouTube.
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There were two videographers, since it was a special Mass. The incident was caught on tape by accident. Watching it I can say that the lady walked up, knelt down and was ready to receive Communion. Bishop Brown immediately grabs her hands (not violently, it seems) and says something - I think I can make out 'scene...up'(a Mexican oompahpah oompapah 'Communion song' drowns out everything else). The lady's own account recounts it like this:
I was sitting on the side of the Church, 3rd row, where Bishop Tod Brown distributed the Holy Eucharist, (in the video, I am the woman with short brown hair and glasses, wearing a black sweater and long white skirt sitting on the opposite side (from the camera) of the aisle in the center of the church) and upon approaching the Bishop to receive, I genuflected, out of reverence for the Sacred Species and remained on one knee to receive the Blessed Sacrament. Bishop Brown refused to give me Holy Communion. Bishop Brown said, "You need to stand up".
I was in shock and didn't move or respond. He then reached out and took hold of my folded hands, attempting to physically pull me to a standing position, and said more sternly, "You need to stand."
I looked up and whispered, quietly and respectfully, "Please, bishop", and he then grabbed my arm, and pulled me, as though to physically pull me up to a standing position (although obscured, you can see where he bends down and extends his right arm to grab mine) as he stated more loudly, "Get up".
Still on one knee, I then asked very quietly and with genuine ignorance, "Why?"
As he stood up straight he responded, very loudly and sternly, "Because THAT'S the way we receive communion. Now, GET UP, you're causing a scene.'
He gives her Communion after she gets up. From viewing the tape, I have to say that if he had given her Communion right away, there wouldn't even have been any delay, she wasn't putting on a show or anything. Even after he grabbed her twice, she bowed her head briefly, got up, received Communion and left right away.
From the Vatican (Congregation for the Divine Liturgy):
Even where the Congregation has approved of legislation denoting standing as the posture for Holy Communion, in accordance with the adaptations permitted to the Conferences of Bishops by the Institution Generalis Missalis Romani n. 160, paragraph 2, it has done so with the stipulation that communicants who choose to kneel are not to be denied Holy Communion on these grounds.
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There is even an open letter published in Renew America calling the bishop's attention to this "scene" as the bishop put it and other matters such as his implicit support for gay marriage.
This is an old article but it shows how very active Catholics are in watching over their bishop. Kinda ironic, eh? The flock shepherding their shepherd.
And now...
Latest news reports are saying that this Bishop Tod hid sexually abusive priests like his close friend and classmate of this sorry excuse for a Catholic priest-bishop-and-cardinal!
Is it a mortal sin to receive the Body of Christ kneeling? Are we not suppose to worship the Lord in the Holy Eucharist?
ReplyDeleteThe woman did paid homage to Christ, but when the Bishop tells her to stand up, she should abide. Receiving communion standing up is valid also in the Church but denying a communicant while kneeling is but a lapse in judgment.
What I mean here is, the woman still was obedient to the Bishop.
Didn't saints remained faithful and obedient to Church's leaders even they were humiliated? The woman's act of submission and obedience should be highlighted.
Yes, the woman was indeed obedient because he was bullied by a modernist bishop. Obedience must be out of love and respect and not fear!
ReplyDeleteThis bishop uses the faithfulness of like-minded Catholics to pursue their Protestant like agenda on the Eucharist. The issue here is not the woman's obedience but his refusal to give the woman Holy Communion simply because she was kneeling.
Only those who are excommunicated and under interdict are not permitted to receive Holy Communion which we think the woman is not under that state!