Review for Religious - Issue 22.4 (July 1963)

Issue 22.4 of the Review for Religious, 1963.SACRED CONGREGATION OF RITES Communion Nuns on Good riday [Through the courtesy of Father Basil Friso~, C.M.F., ’the REwEw has received the text of a document issued by the Sacred Congregation of Rites concerning the Hol~ Communion of nuns on Good Friday. The REvmw is happytto be able to give below (1) the Latin text of the document; (2)an English translation of the document made by the staff of the R~w~w; and (3) a commentary on the document by Fathe~ Basil Frison. Father Frison’s address is: The Reverend Basil F~ison, C.M.F.; Claretianum; Via Aurelia, 619; Rome (6), Italy.]I Latin Text o[ the Document Sacra Rituum Congregatio ’ N.R. 4/963 /. Ordine hebdomadae sanctae instaurato, an.uquus mos restitutus est quo omnes, qui id cupiant riteque sint parati, ad Sacram Communionem accedere p~ssint Feria ¯ VI in Passione et Morte Domini, sed unice inter sollern-nero acuonem hturl~lcam l~ostmerldlanam, exceDtlS in-firmis in mortis periculo constitutis (cfr. Instructzonem diei 16 novembris 1955, n. 19, et Ordinationes kt Declara-tiones diei I februarii 1957, n. 18). In pluribus autem ecclesiis et oratoriis sanctimoni-’ I . alium in clausura degentium eadem sollemnis acuo litur-gica, ob sacerdotum paucitatem, peragi haud pqtest; dum vero ad Communionem saltem iisdem distribuendam sacerdos praesto esse potest. Quod quidem ht~ic Sacrae Congregationi moniales crebro exposuerunt gra~tmm im-plorantes, ut ipsis quoque facultas fiat illo sacro die Christi Corporis recipiendi, extra dictam sc~llemnem actionem liturgicam. Sanctissimus porro Dominus noster IOANNES PAPA XXIII, referente infrascripto S.R.E. CardinaliPraefecto, attentis peculiaribus expositis adiunctis, b~nignelindulsit ut monialibus clausurae legi subiectis Sacra Coinmunio distribui queat Feria VI in Passione et Morte IDomini extra sollemnem actionem liturgicam, sed tioris du, mtaxat ~ommunion Nuns VOLUME 22, 196) 4. 4. 4. Communion o~ Num REVIEW FOR RELIGIOUS 378 postmeridianis, quoties quidem eadem actio in earundem ecclesiis vel oratoriis peragi non possit. Contrariis non obstantibus quibuslibet. Die 1 februarii 1963 ARCADIUS M. LARRAONA, S.R.C. PRAEFECTU$ ~ Henricus Dante, Archiep. Carpasiens., a secretis Translation of the Document Sacred Congregation of Rites N.R. 4/963 With the new arrangement of Holy Week the ancient custom was resumed by which all who desire to do so and are rightly prepared can go to Holy Communion on Good Friday. This, however, can be done only during the solemn afternoon liturgical service except in the case of the sick who are in danger of death (see the In-struction of November 16, 1955, n. 19, and the Ordina-tions and Declarations of February 1, 1957, n. 18). However, in many churches and oratories of religious women living in cloister the s~lemn liturgical service can-not be had because of the scarcity of priests; at the same time a priest may be available to at least distribute Com-munion to them. Nuns have frequently reported this state of affairs to the Sacred Congregation and have asked for the favor that they might have the permission to re-ceive the Body of Christ on that day outside of the solemn liturgical service. His Holiness, POPE JOHN XXIII, at the suggestion of the undersigned Cardinal Prefect, has considered the special circumstances of the case and has graciously granted that on Good Friday Ho!y Communion can be distributed to nuns bound by the law of cloister outside of the solemn liturgical service, when this service cannot be celebrated in their churches or oratories. This dis-tribution of Communion, however, can be done only in the afternoon hours. All contrary provisions notwithstanding. February 1, 1963 ARCADIUS i. LARRAONA, PREFECT ~ Enrico Dante, Archbishop of Carpasia, Secretary Commentary of Father Frison 1. The above document is not a decree, much less an instruction. It must be classified as a rescript; that is, a written answer issued in response to many requests ad-dressed to the Sacred Congregation of Rites whereby it grants a general favor to all monasteries of nuns. Consequently it is not to be expected that the docu-ment be published in ,’lcta Apostolicae Sedis or in L’Os-servatore Romano. This, however, does not limit in any way the extent and general character of the grant; for a rescript can certainly be general, that is, one which is valid for all persons of a certain class--in this case, for nuns throughout the world. 2. According to this rescript all nuns may receive Holy Communion on Good Friday in their o, wn church or oratory even though the.solemn liturgical ~,ervices are not held there for lack of priests. Sisters may~ not use this rescript, for it is not intended for them. 3. The clause which states that H01yC ~ommum" on can be distributed to nuns subject to the law of cloister must be understood only of papal cloister, whether major or minor; for, according to the Instruction Ihter cetera of March 25, 1956, it is no longer possible fo~ nuns to live only according to the common or episcopal, cloister. Although the rescript uses the term "nuns" to desig-nate its beneficiaries, the following other Ipersons may also receive Holy Communion, under the pr~scribed con-ditions, together with the nuns: the extein sisters at-tached to the monastery; the novices and pdstulants (see canon 540, § 3); and all other personmse ~nt t"o n e d "~n ! , canon 514, namely, those who live day and ,mght in the religious house by reason of employment, oi- education] hospitality or sickness. It is obvious that these last persons cannot~live within the papal cloister, but only in a section destined for them, attached to the monastery. A monastery of minor papal cloister might have, for example, a boardin~ school. In such case, t~ae boarding students can also make, use of the rescript. Other persons, like relatives and friends of the nuns, may not receive Holy Communion in tl~eir church or oratory on Good Friday, outside the solem~ liturgical services, unless they too form part of the md, nastery in the wider sense of canon 514. 5. The rescript is valid not only for this yea~, but also for the future. 6. According to a general decree on Holy Week pub-hshed m Acta Apostohcae Sed,s ~n 1955, Holy Com-mumon can be d~str~buted to the faithful on Good Frtday only within the solemn liturgical services, except for the sick in danger of death. The hour suggested aslthe most convenient for the services, as required by the liturgical I , spirit, is around three o’clock in the afternoon; ~n any case, not before twelve o’clock noon or later than six p.m. On February I, 1957, an extension was gr~anted of the evening time limit: services can be held up/to nine p.m. Now the rescript allowing nuns to receive Holy Com-munion on Good Friday in their own church ortoratory outside the solemn liturgical seryices when these! cannot be held for lack of priests has only this to say concerning the time element: Holy Communion can be disti-ibuted + ÷ 4. Communion o~ Nun~ only after noontime. It does not’set a certain hour, six or nine o’clock, as a time limit. It goes without saying that, whenever possible, Holy Communion should be dis-tributed at an hour which best corresponds to the sacred mysteries celebrated on Good Friday. However, if for any reason a priest is not available until a later hour, it seems that no time limit should be set, provided Holy Com-munion be not administered in the morning of Good Friday. 7. In some places it may happen that, although no priest is available, a deacon is at hand. Then, it would not be against the mind of the Holy See to allow the dea-con to administer Holy Communion to the nuns. The same can be said when there is a priest, but he is too busy to go to the monastery. While the priest is the only or-dinary minister of Holy Communion (canon 845, § 1), the deacon is the extraordinary minister. In case of seri-ous need, a deacon can administer Holy Communion with permission from the local ordinary or from the pastor. According to approved authors, the fact that no priest is available because he is engaged, for instance in hearing the confessions of the faithful on a big feast day, would be sufficient cause to let a deacon distribute Holy Communion. 8. With this rescript the Holy Father has given a new token of his paternal and pastoral concern for those con-secrated women who spend all or much of their lives in contemplation in papal cloister. Their important role in the Mystical Body seemed to demand that on Good Friday, even those deprived of the consolation of attend-ing the solemn liturgical services, should be permitted, like the rest of the faithful, to receive in Holy Commun-ion the Divine Redeemer. May the day soon arrive when there will be enough sacred ministers to celebrate the solemn liturgical serv-ices in every church or oratory of contemplative religious. + 4. + ommunion Nuns REVIEW’FOR RELIGIOUS 380 THOMAS DUBAY, S.M. Understanding in a SUperior There are few traits that most of us like more to find in one to whom we are subject than the cluster of human reactions we subsume under the single wbrd, under-standing. Each of us has so many limitationsI is beset by so many weaknesses, and is subject to so ma~ny mistakes that he rejoices to find a superior who possesses that peculiar outlook on life together with its not~d~asily-shock-able reaction pattern that we term understa’nding. We do not expect authority to be lax or overind~lgent, just "understanding"--whatever, precisely, that may mean. Yet to be candid, and there is no point in ’~being any-thing else, understanding is not outstanding in the fre-quency with which it occurs among us religiods in what-ever capacity we may act as superiors: in the gtrict sense of major or local superior of a given community,,, or in the wider sense of being in charge of a novitiate, a ,luniorate, a classroom, a hospital ward, a parish. Not th~at we are more lacking on this score that the rest of men.tProbably we are lacking less. But many of us are lacking. There seems little doubt about that. Lest one, however, conclude that we. are concerned here w~th castlgatlng superiors of whatever type they be, we must hasten to remark that when a rehg~ous authority . is lacking in a sympathetic approach to his associates, the deficiency is rarely due to malice or ill will! Under-standing is admittedly difficult to define and even more difficult to practice. One and the same man (or lwoman) can blissfully think himself keenly acute in hip assess-ments of human nature and yet be considered by his companions as painfully deficient in a sympatheuc reasonableness. We have here a trait attractive toIbehold but impossible to describe in a word or two. Th~ critic, therefore, of the harsh superior needs a generous port~on of understanding himself. Hence, we propose to be here not a critic but only an investigator. ÷ + + Thomas Dubay, S.M., is the spiritual director at Notre Dame Seminary; 2901 South Carroll-ton Avenue; New Orleans 18, Louisi-ana. VOLUME 22, 1963 381 ÷ T. Dubay, S.M. REVIEW FOR RELIGIOUS 389 What Understanding Does Not Mean Though we may hesitate in pronouncing positively on what cluster of traits make up an "understanding" per-son, we do not hesitate in excluding those that have no part in it. These latter, we believe, merit a considered attention since a genuine quality can only too easily be downgraded by an ill-advised caricature. A well inten-tioned superior, for example, may accord a cool reception to the suggestion that he be sympathetic with the faults of his charges for the simple reason that he believes sym-pathy implies softness or compromise or laxity or emo-tional involvement. Understanding does not imply agreement. When a student with a problem approaches his teacher (or a parishioner his pastor or a religious his superior), the one does not expect the other to accord an intellectual assent, and even less, a moral commendation to every-thing. he thinks or says or does. Everyone realizes that his fallibility and peccability preclude so preposterous an expectation. Hence, a superior ought not to suppose that understanding his subjects implies a compromise with intellectual integrity. Emotional involvement is neither necessary nor usu-ally advisable. The genuine sympathy one accords to adults in their hardships does not require him to ex-perience an inner upset or anxiety himself. It is true that St. Paul admonishes the members of the Mystical Body to the effect that "if one member suffers anything, all the members suffer with it" (1 Cor 12:26); and with this, of .course, we fully agree. If our sympathy is genuine we cannot escape suffering when one whom we love is suffering. But this is not what we mean by emotional in-volvement. We mean by the expression a nagging worry or an unsettling anxiety that hinders a man from relax-ing and adequately carrying out his regular duties. A superior who hears of a serious problem from one in his community should feel grieved, but he should not be so upset or worried about it that his work or sleep is dis-turbed. Men, it appears to us, are less susceptible to this emotional involvement than are women. But neither group is aided by it. Nor is the subject. Ill-[ounded assurances are undesirable. The acceptance of a person as he is (a necessary factor in understanding, as we shall note) does not require that he be given un-realistic encouragement or assurances that lack at least a likely basis. If a sister comes to her superior with the problem of feeling "on the outside" in the comrnunity, accepting her difficulty optimistcally does not imply that she be sent away with the rosy remark, "Sister, just convince yourself that everyone loves you, and you,ll get over this ’being-outside’ feeling." This sfiperior may be trying hard to be sympathetic, but she l~ offenng little help. Understanding is not laxity. Probably ,the most com-mon misunderstanding in this area is the belief that somehow a good superior must more or l~ess "let things ride" even when they are far from what :they ought to be. In this view sympathy with human Weakness more or less coincides with a readiness to compromise lesser principles because men simply have so hard a time in living according to them. Men of the world ~~" understand" in this sense when they condone lying, l petty thefts, gossiping, vanity. Such, however, is not what we look for in a superior who directs according to the mind of ChriSt. Two prin-ciples are applicable here. First, one may neyer call even the least evil a good, and so principles may n’ever be abandoned. Infractions of silence may be small offences, but they may never be looked upon as ac, ceptable re-ligious practice. Understanding the habitual i’ule violator does not require an approval of his habit. Secondly, there is a limit to what a superior may permit. Allowing individuals wholesale freedom to do as thdy please in classroom, convent, or rectory is to neglect s~curing the common good. Others besides the problemi ~nd~v~dual have rights also, the rights to a religious atmosphere, to due order ~n the house, to non-interference ~n their own spiritual life and apostolate. What Understanding Does Mean If is often easier to say what a thing is not than to say precisely what it is. Because the subject of ourl ~nvestiga-tion embraces characteristics of rather’diverge natures, we cannot enclose our thought within the confines of a neat definition, at least not within the confineslof a brief definition. We must, therefore, take the more ~ircuitous route of description. We shall first consider what we may term ~he intel-lectual elements in the approach and mental Istructure of the understanding superior. Broad grasp of practical human psychology. Although we surely recognize the obvious advantages of a sci-entific knowledge of both experimental and rational pgychologies for the acquisition bf an under ;tanding acceptance of men, yet realism forbids our exp.ecting it in the generality of our local and higher superiors, our classroom teachers, our hospttal personnel. Rather we here have in mind that practical grasp of human traits that serious personal study coupled with dxperie",nce can provide. A man or woman does not automatically grow into the acquisition of the practical grasp we are en-÷ ÷ ÷ Understanding VOLUME 22, 1963 383 4. + T. Dubay, $.M. REVIEW FOR RELIGIOUS 384 visioning. He must be alert in profiting from his experi-ences and he must be willing to spend time in extending his observational knowledge by study. Wha[ is this "grasp of practical human psycholo~" that is to be acquired through experience and study? It is a realized awareness of some of the basic laws and meanderings of the human psyche, the sundry ways in which man’s mind actually operates and turns and twists and concludes. What are some o[ these laws and meanderings? There are so many types and sub-types that we can at best sug-gest only a few examples of what we have in mind. The following are instances o[ the basic understandings we envision. (1) Deep seated problems are usually complex: and interwoven from several causes. Rarely are the’/ simple, that is, shoots of a single root. (2) In explaining his problem a man (and perhaps even more so, a woman) often does not come to the real point, the genuine trouble spot ifi the first few moments of discussion. This may take an hour or two, or even, at times, several interviews. ($) Frequently it is futile to look for the original causes of a serious adult problem in the contemporary environ-ment. In many cases these original causes are to be found in childhood experiences. (4) The reality of unrealized and marginally realized motivation seems well demon-strated by recent investigations and is an important fac-tor in our efforts to appreciate the workings o[ the human mind. The law operative here is that religious like the rest of men are often moved by motives of which they are unaware. (5) Neuroses and psychoses can usually be recognized by rather well defined symptoms and in many cases are susceptible of at least partial causal ex-planation. (6) Children and adults, men and women vary considerably in their psychologies and in their abilities to cope with life’s problems. Even individuals in each of these groups vary to a surprising extent. The human mind and heart are not easily classified. Understanding these items and others like them is what we mean by possessing a broad grasp of practical human psychology. Should a superior, for example, fail to realize our first item, he is bound to blunder every time he is approached by a notably troubled subject or one who is causing more than his share of disturbance. This supei~ior will come up with a pat and simple solu-tion (usually to the subject’s discredit) that solves nothing at all. Acquisition o~ the subject’s mental ~rame o~ re~rence. Our second intellectual element in the understanding superior is a demanding one, one that almost requires him psychologically to jump out ol~ himself. And yet it is of tremendous importance, as a moment’s reflection readily shows. What do we mean? Any act of knowledge involves be-coming another intentionally, that is, in a,n immaterial, mental way. But especially does understanding another, as we are taking the concept here, requir~ that one be-come the other. It demands that we put 9n, or better, absorb his mind into ours: his mind with its limitations, prejudices, and weaknesses as well as its 6erfection, in-sights, and strengths. Before a teacher in’~ disciplinary matter "clamps down" on the youngsters she is instruct-ing, she should be aware of how the whole situation looks to them. And this is no easy task. Before a lbcal superior initiates steps to correct a subject for some. annoying trait or practice, usually he should first m~ke an effort to see how the trait or practice appears tolthe subject. This effort implies a consideration of li.kely causes, motives, and mitigating circumstances together with an appreciation of the subjective state of the 6ffender. Be-fore a major superior transfers a religious fr6m one field of study to another or from one type of work* to another or from one grade level to another, he should first con-sider carefully the shock this change may induce in a g~ven person. Some men and women are little affected by even drastic changes, but many are profoundly af-fected. Acquiring the subject’s frame of reference means that the superior tries to see the projecte~ transfer through the eyes of the subject. Often enough the re-sultant view is diametrically opposed to his’,own. We are not suggesting that the superior should .,not make the change. Perhaps yes, perhaps no. But we are sug-gesting that in any event he should not see the matter only from the community’s point of view but from. that of the individual as well. A word of caution is in order. Most teachers and superiors are probably conv!nced that they do v’iew their decisions within the subjects frame of reference. !Possibly, but we doubt it. Most men and women natural!y see all of reality with a strong subjective coloring, whic.h is only another way of saying that they normally make little effort really to view events through the eyes ~of their neighbor. Because religious superiors are normal/people, we dare say that they cannot possess the trait/we are discussing without notable and continuing effort. They ought not to presume their possession of it. Realization of human weakness and imperfection. No one contests the catechism proposition that fallen men are weak and prone to the many aberrations of sin but strange as it may seem, most of us are repeatedly sur-prised, and sometimes shocked, when we ourselves, and those close to us painfully underline the fact tl~at the 4- ÷ VOLUM£ 22, 1963 $8~ ÷