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I am a EMHC at my parish and some of us take turns setting up and putting away after mass. I know that the priests are to purify the sacred vessels after mass. Once in a while I have noticed that the communion plates maybe aren't all that clean. This past week I noticed that one of the plates looked a little dusty. Now I don't think it was dust I think it was leftover hosts particles smaller than crumbs. My question is would that still be considered the Real Presence. I have heard that once it no longer appears to be bread the Real Presence is no longer there, but maybe I am wrong. The priest was not around so I simply put the plates in the locked cabinet where they are stored. The next mass was to begin shortly so I felt like even if it was the Real Presence it would be safe there for a few minutes. Did I do the right thing? Should I have talked to the priest? I would have a really hard time telling a priest that he didn't do his job right.
Hi, and thanks for the question:
It sounds like the question still remains whether there was merely dust, or if it was "Host" kind of "dust." I know as a Priest myself that I have on occasion noticed that a particular vessel seems almost "dusty" or something, even after carefully wiping it down. I have sometimes wondered whether it might be lint dust from the purificator? I don't know for sure...
It does not seem to me by your description that you treated anything with disrespect or irreverence in carefully putting things away to be used for a few minutes until the next Mass. It also sounds to me that you want to have great care and reverence for your Priest, and would never wish to come across to him as though you were being accusatory or condemning.
I could only encourage you, that if you had any degree of real concern that maybe the vessel could have been purified more thoroughly, then it would show a great deal of respect to purify it again more thoroughly in the quiet of the sacristy before putting it away. My first impression would be to simply assume that the Priest had done the best job he could, and certainly did not intentionally leave the vessel inadequately purified. So quietly carrying out the task with a prayer and regard to please God and give Him all due honor and respect, and by simply not mentioning it to anybody else helps show the greatest respect you can both for the Holy Eucharist itself, and the person of the Priest.
If you notice this quite a number of times and regularly, you might bring it up to the Priest in a private conversation that "you are concerned that maybe the purificators are made of some kind of fabric or something that may not be as useful as would be hoped for thoroughly purifying and wiping out the vessels."
I hope this helps... May God bless you!
Fr. Timothy Johnson
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Fr. Timothy Johnson
Expertise
A Traditional Catholic Priest, validly and licitly ordained, incardinated legally and canonically in the Diocese of Fargo, and in good-standing with my Local Ordinary (Bishop) on active assignment at a rural Tri-Parish. I can provide honest and balanced answers to questions on topics pertaining to Traditional Roman Catholicism of the Latin Church (Councils of Trent and Vatican II)and a lot about the Eastern Catholic Churches, including the Sacred Liturgy, Sacred Scripture, Church History, the use of the Latin language, the tradition of Sacred Music, and current events in the Catholic Church from a traditional, historical and balanced perspective.
Experience
I have been ordained a Roman Catholic Priest since June 2001.
Organizations
Knights of Columbus; Church Music Association of America (CMAA)
Education/Credentials
Ordained Priest, 02 JUN 2001; Ordained Deacon, 27 JAN 2001; MA - Dogmatic/Systematic Theology;
MDiv - Professional Degree from Seminary;
2-Years formation with Canons Regular of Premontre including studies and experience in Sacred Liturgy, Chant, Latin, Sacraments, Spirituality.
BA - Scholastic/Thomistic Philosophy;
BA - Liberal Arts;
AA - General Studies.
Past/Present Clients
I serve 3-small, rural Parish Communities in Easter North Dakota
I converted to the Roman Catholic Church in 1981, at the age of 15.
Over the years I have done work as an organist, cantor, and choir director for the Latin Rite (English & Latin) Mass (Liturgy of the Eucharist), and even for the Hours of the Divine Office.
I have worked as a cantor for a Melkite Byzantine Catholic Church.
Presently my pastoral and administrative duties as a Catholic Priest do not allow me as much time as I used to have to devote to Sacred Music; but for my weekend Masses and Solemnities within my Tri-Parish, I offer High Sung Mass in English. Weekday Mass is typically Low Mass (recited Mass) in English, though on occasion I will offer the "Tridentine Mass" in Latin, which I usually offer on my "Day Off", as well. And now, in light of the "Motu Proprio" by his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI placing the extraordinary usage of the Roman Rite back into the mainstream of the Catholic Church, I have been offering a regularly scheduled SUN, 2:00 PM Tridentine Latin Mass with a community of the faithful that has a stable existence.
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