Gather 'Round the Altar-Only if You're Catholic?
Elizabeth Staszak
Issue date: 5/6/09 Section: Opinion
These barriers need to be taken down. But how? Each individual member of the Body of Christ will have a slightly different interpretation of Holy Communion, a practice found within a few lines in the Gospels. Transubstantiation, consubstantiation, miracles, symbols, memorial, experience, the Holy Spirit, Jesus, communion: how can we unite these ideas and become the pure, united, loving Bride of Christ that God is calling us to be?
Neilson also spoke of Bernard Lonergan, a Jesuit who advised the Church to cultivate three virtues: first and foremost, attentiveness, along with intelligence and reasonableness. These virtues help promote active change and help to articulate and communicate each other's longings and questions. Will they be enough to promote change within the Church? Does the Church want this change? Do people care about exclusion, theology, love, the Eucharist, Jesus, barriers and the hierarchy enough? Do they care to either oppose or promote the change that comes with allowing people of all denominations to commune at a Catholic altar? I don't think so.
However disappointed I may feel, Neilson did teach me about Abbot Killeen, who chose to put the altar in the center of the chapel at the St. Norbert Abbey, a movement to bring the Body of Christ closer to the people, that people might come and gather around it as a community.
Neilson also mentioned that the mission of the Norbertines is to bring the Body of Christ closer to the community. How do we do that? Neilson says, "I'm guessing Communion might be the next step."
Neilson also spoke of Bernard Lonergan, a Jesuit who advised the Church to cultivate three virtues: first and foremost, attentiveness, along with intelligence and reasonableness. These virtues help promote active change and help to articulate and communicate each other's longings and questions. Will they be enough to promote change within the Church? Does the Church want this change? Do people care about exclusion, theology, love, the Eucharist, Jesus, barriers and the hierarchy enough? Do they care to either oppose or promote the change that comes with allowing people of all denominations to commune at a Catholic altar? I don't think so.
However disappointed I may feel, Neilson did teach me about Abbot Killeen, who chose to put the altar in the center of the chapel at the St. Norbert Abbey, a movement to bring the Body of Christ closer to the people, that people might come and gather around it as a community.
Neilson also mentioned that the mission of the Norbertines is to bring the Body of Christ closer to the community. How do we do that? Neilson says, "I'm guessing Communion might be the next step."
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