Saturday, April 26, 2008

Byzantine Liturgy and leavened bread - valid matter?

I made myself go over to the Melkite Catholic church across the street from work for Thursday noon mass. Other than the priests and the deacons, there were three of us attending. Now, how often do you see key signatures of 2 sharps and 1 flat at the same time? These are "major" keys with flat 6th - giving it very Arabic sound. most music ends on the 2nd note of the scale, adding to that effect.

I was a bit surprised that they used leavened bread for communion, which tasted more like cake.

Upon the checking some web sources, I found:
In the Latin church, one must use unleavened bread. Leavened bread is still valid matter, but not licit. (transubstantiation still occurs, but one is not allowed to use leavened bread). Grape juice, if properly preserved, may be used in extenuating circumstances

Eastern churches have used leavened bread for a while, apparently.

http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=59489
http://www.zenit.org/article-13233?l=english

Now, I have been to celebrations where dinner rolls were used - I left quietly, in protest. Perhaps that was not a correct response on my part? I think I will end up at the same position next year. What to do? I am not sure if going to mass somewhere else is as easy as an option.
Proposed solution 1: buy and bring some unleavened bread.
Proposed solution 2: inform the priest involved
Proposed solution 3: not attend this liturgy
??

1 comment:

HilbertAstronaut said...
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