Dominus Est

The Most Reverend Athanasius Schneider is the Auxiliary Bishop of Karaganda in Kazakhstan, and titular bishop of Celerina.

He is also the author of a very slim booklet 'Dominus Est' - It is the Lord !

It bears the subtitle 'Reflections of a Bishop of Central Asia on Holy Communion'; and - to use a phrase - it contains exactly what it says on the tin.

It is available in an English version published by Newman House Press, and I urge you to read it carefully and prayerfully.

+ Schneider is uncompromising in his belief in reverence for the Most Holy Sacrament as a fundamental element of Catholic life and devotion; and in pursuit of this he argues persuasively for a return to the reception of Holy Communion directly onto the tongue of the kneeling communicant.

He quotes an exhortation of HH Pope Pius XI, who wrote :

'In the administration of the Eucharistic Sacrament, one must demonstrate a particular zeal, so that no fragments of the consecrated Hosts be lost since in each particle is present the entire Body of Christ. Therefore, one should take the greatest care that fragments do not easily separate from the Host and fall to the ground where - horribile dictu - they could become mixed with the garbage and be trampled underfoot.'

As Catholics we believe that the whole of Christ - Body , Blood, Soul, and Divinity - is present even in the very smallest particle of the Most Holy Sacrament.

Is it really so unreasonable to suggest that we take proper care of It ?

(For those fond of liturgical minutiae, yes, + Schneider holds a Doctorate in Patrology from the Augustinianum in Rome, and so is fully entitled to wear a biretta with four horns !)