It was particularly regrettable last week to read the April 5, Tribune article about Jocelyn Sideco, an assistant director of University Ministry, and the evening event entitled "When She's Called: In the Absence of a Priest." It concerned the Communion service held that evening in the Chapel of the Holy Family to highlight women's role in the Church, a service to be sure that may be presided over by a lay person, woman or man. At least the article was honest in demonstrating the intent of the event to underscore how women (and presumably lay men) may lead a liturgical service in the Catholic Church. However, in doing so it undermined the very nature of liturgy and misrepresented the purpose of allowing Communion services. In regard to the former the purpose of any liturgy, Eucharistic or otherwise, is to worship God and sanctify the faithful, not to set the stage for something else. In other words, liturgy is intended to glorify Jesus Christ and not showcase the minister or some cause, even if one might identify a catechetical dimension in its proper praxis.

As for Communion services, they are allowed only by necessity to nurture the faithful with the Word of God and the Body of Christ when Mass is not possible due to the unavailability of a priest. This was not the case with the Tuesday event since that day there were at least two Masses at St. Joan of Arc Chapel and five at Gesu parish and a residence full of Jesuit priests right next to the AMU. So, let's face the fact that this was an ecclesio-political event that had a point to make. In other words, it instrumentalized both the Eucharist species (Christ's real and substantial presence among us) and the Eucharistic community for the sake of a cause and as such was an offense against God and the People of God.

Additionally, the Church has been at pains to distinguish Communion services from Mass. Only the latter is truly the celebration of the Eucharist in which not only are bread and wine consecrated and therefore become the body and blood of Christ, but are also offered in sacrifice by the Church. Communion services entail the distribution of communion but do not include the eucharistic offering of Christ's body and blood, not a small matter in Catholic life. It's the main reason that last year's Instruction from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in Rome, Redemptionis Sacramentum, requires that the laity who assist in the distribution of Holy Communion be designated as "Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion" rather than "Eucharistic Ministers." This not only prevents confusion between priests and laity but also between the event of the Eucharist and a Communion service.

As for staging this event perhaps the following regulations instituted by Archbishop Rembert Weakland (no theological conservative) for Communion services will in the future inform University Ministry's endorsement of such and under the jurisdiction of which the campus falls.

Question: What are the Archdiocese of Milwaukee norms for Communion services?

Answer: At a weekday celebration in the absence of a priest: a) The faithful are encouraged to celebrate the Liturgy of the Hours or a Liturgy of the Word. b) If there is no priest available for an extended period of weekdays (three or more), a Communion service may be held. c) A Communion service during the week is not to be held for children. d) If a Mass is celebrated on a given weekday, a Communion service is not to take place at another time on that day. e) The pastor or parish director can appoint the leader of prayer on a weekday, providing proper instruction to the persons selected and being assured of their abilities to lead in prayer.

Finally, as we gratefully mourn the passing of Pope John Paul II, we can remind ourselves that his last Encyclical Letter, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, exhorted that the "mystery of the Eucharist — sacrifice, presence, banquet — does not allow for reduction or exploitation; (but rather) must be experienced and lived in its integrity, both in its celebration and in intimate converse with Jesus." In this "The Year of the Eucharist" and now in anticipation of a new pontificate, is it too much for the Marquette community to deepen its reverence of this wonderful sacrament?

Ralph Del Colle is an associate professor of theology.

This viewpoint appeared in The Marquette Tribune on April 14 2005.