[Sundaycommunity] Fwd: Communion at Zoom masses

Wed Nov 26 17:36:11 PST 2025

Amen, AMÉN 🙌


On Tue, Nov 25, 2025, 7:13 p.m. Arthur Blomme via Sundaycommunity <
sundaycommunity at lists.integralshift.ca> wrote:

> Hi Ron
>
> A senior clergyman in the United Church insists that I am a protestant
> because I protest rather than obey the dictates of the Roman Hierarchy.
> Yet I remain faithful in spirit and practice to my RC tradition despite
> often being sidelined.  So i continue to protest.
>
> Ron, I appreciate both yours and Pope Francis's admission that we are in a
> new digital age and that we are being called to be digital missionaries in
> this new frontier. In this regard I for a long time have cherished a notion
> inspired by Teilhard de Chardin.  When Teilhard explained evolution as
> proceeding from the biosphere to the noosphere (The sphere of thought) to
> the omega point (being the communion of all) I felt he predicted the
> arrival of the internet and the advances in communication technology it
> provides.  The *Internet completes *  the sphere of thought, allowing us
> to communicate with others around the planet. As we exchange ideas and
> experience we become one in the truth.("* I am the way, the truth and the
> life*' Jn.14 :16).   I believe that the frontier of the digital age is
> about communication, leading us to Oneness.  Eucharist is the sacrament
> that celebrates our Oneness.  So our mission in the digital frontier is to
> advance our Oneness using technologies like ZOOM.
>
> And when you, Ron, write, "Thanks, Paul, for outlining the theological
> reasoning and the practical implications concerning the question."  I
> question the frame you are suggesting.  It would have been better to have
> said the Paul is providing the pre-reformation inspired cannon law and its
> practical implications. No rational explanation for these rules has been
> given. Hence there is no Theological reasoning.
>
> When I studied Catholic sacramental theology, I found compelling, the
> theological argument that although the ideal complete sacrament of the
> Eucharist required a priest, the Eucharistic prayer, a physical
> congregation(a priest celebrating a Eucharist by himself is not a valid
> Eucharist) and the species of bread and wine.  Given that all these
> elements cannot always be present, is it not better to celebrate an
> incomplete Eucharist than no Eucharist at all. Invalid seems like such a
> brutal word.
>
> It makes no sense to me. If I gather two or more people together and read
> from Mathew 22, Mark 14 or luke22,  (the principle part of the Eucharistic
> prayer) I am OK, but if I do the same as part of a para liturgy or a
> liturgy I will be condemned by the Roman Hierarchy.
>
> I worry about the future of my religious tradition in Canada.  Our numbers
> continue to dwindle in this digital age. There are every year fewer and
> fewer priests.  Under the existing rules, I fear that there will no longer
> be space to celebrate our oneness.
>
> Getting back to the frame of this conversation.  It seems to be about
> obedience as the primary virtue of our faith.  We are not expected to think
> for ourselves but only to follow the rules.  One time Priest Ivan Ilych,
> writing in the seventies, warned us.  He said the new priesthood (of the
> dominant technocratic religion)  of our time is the medical profession.  As
> we once obeyed our priests to uphold the dogma of the Church, we now obey
> our doctors to uphold the dogma of science.
>
> Irrespective of the structure we chose for ourselves,  I believe that our
> experiment with a virtual Eucharistic community is a very valuable project
> and fills a need in many of us.  Hopefully we will grow in numbers and be
> able to sustain our organization into the future.
>
> Peace and Joy
>
> Art
> On 11/24/25 9:41 a.m., William Watson via Sundaycommunity wrote:
>
> Responses from Paul and Ron...
> -As expected, looks like we will stay with our current practice-we don’t
> want to put our priests in a difficult position.
>
> Also, note Paul’s comments about inclusions for Liturgy of the Word.
> Bill
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> *From: *Ron MacDonell <ron.macdonell.sfm at gmail.com>
> <ron.macdonell.sfm at gmail.com>
> *Subject: **Re: Communion at Zoom masses*
> *Date: *November 24, 2025 at 11:07:15 AM EST
> *To: *Paul <ckedobw at gmail.com> <ckedobw at gmail.com>
> *Cc: *William Watson <bill.watson at utoronto.ca> <bill.watson at utoronto.ca>,
> "Lohale, Fr. Prakash" <plohale at archtoronto.org> <plohale at archtoronto.org>
>
> Thanks, Paul, for outlining the theological reasoning and the practical
> implications concerning the question.
>
> One thought that comes to mind is Pope Francis' call to become "digital
> missionaries" in our increasingly digital world. How this would be worked
> out is a new frontier for Church...how to listen to the Spirit....how to
> grapple with electronic communication in the religious world and how to
> appoach the question of AI and its role in humanity. Many questions for us
> and for future generations!
>
> Thanks,
> Ron
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Mon, Nov 24, 2025, 21:04 Paul M <ckedobw at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Sure, you can pass the note onto the community
>> Paul
>>
>> Sent from Gmail Mobile
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Nov 24, 2025 at 10:24 AM William Watson <bill.watson at utoronto.ca>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Thanks for the clarification, Paul. We thought the same but I wasn’t
>>> sure if the Archdiocese/Rome had changed the policy since Covid.
>>>
>>> We certainly don’t want to put you in a difficult position. I suspect
>>> there will be more discussion at Mass on Sunday.
>>>
>>> Would you mind if I sent your note around to he community?
>>> Bill
>>>
>>>
>>> Sent from my I-Phone
>>>
>>> William J. Watson, MD,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Nov 24, 2025, at 10:07 AM, Paul M <ckedobw at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> 
>>> Hi Bill,
>>>
>>> I would not be comfortable with that idea if a priest is the celebrant
>>> as it is not a valid communion and furthermore if the Archdiocese found out
>>> about this practice, it would put me (and the Sunday Community) in a very
>>> difficult position.
>>> Also, I understand that there are some in the community who, when there
>>> is no priest available, wish to include in the liturgy the Offertory and
>>> the Eucharistic Prayer. This is also invalid. When there is no priest
>>> available, the community is supposed to have a Liturgy of the Word, which
>>> only includes:
>>>
>>> Opening Prayers
>>> Penitential Rite
>>> Liturgy of the Word and reflection on the readings
>>> Creed
>>> Prayers of the Faithful
>>> The Lord’s Prayer
>>> Sign of Peace
>>> Closing Prayer.
>>>
>>> There can be no Offertory or Eucharistic Prayer as that is reserved for
>>> Mass only and is the purview of the ordained priest only as opposed to the
>>> “priesthood of the faithful.”
>>>
>>> I hope this answers your question.
>>>
>>> All the best,
>>>
>>> Paul
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Sent from Gmail Mobile
>>>
>>>
>>> On Sun, Nov 23, 2025 at 12:58 PM William Watson <bill.watson at utoronto.ca>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Dear Paul, Ron and Prakash,
>>>>
>>>> We had a brief discussion today at our zoom mass about the possibility
>>>> of having communion at our weekly mass. We have discussed this issue before
>>>> but didn’t come to any decision.
>>>> One of my Anglican friends who is a former minister said they have been
>>>> having Eucharist during their zoom masses for some time. Congregants would
>>>> have a small piece of bread while the priest reads the Eucharistic prayer
>>>> at the time of the consecration.
>>>>
>>>> There seems to be a lot of interest and concern in our group and we
>>>> would like your input and feedback on the idea. We may have a further
>>>> discussion with group after mass next week.
>>>>  If it’s not acceptable to you all, then we will can the idea.
>>>>
>>>> Looking forward to hearing from you.
>>>>
>>>> Bill
>>>
>>>
>
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