[Sundaycommunity] Fwd: Communion at Zoom masses

Wed Nov 26 18:34:56 PST 2025

On Wed, Nov 26, 2025 at 8:36 PM Roberto J. via Sundaycommunity <
sundaycommunity at lists.integralshift.ca> wrote:

> 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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>
> Dear friends

Our Sunday community is a great place of
dialogue, dissent,
reflection,
 More discussion,
 prayer
And hopefully
respectful understanding and support.

I’m getting a little uncomfortable
so thought I would just put in my two cents worth:

We greatly appreciate the presence Of the priests  within the Sunday
community.

They have been  asked a question  and  in turn ,
given  a thoughtful answer.

And  (despite what one’s own preferences may or may not be,)
 We  —-as a  community —-now wish  to  be respectful of their answer and
reasons.

Thanks for listening
For what it’s worth
Martha

community
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