Loading ...
It was actually Iacobus who found this, but since it hasn’t been posted yet, I think it must be brought to the attention of the blog. After all, as we’ve previously noted, it’s perfectly in character for Fr. Gismondi. The story was originally posted on Traditional Anglo-Papist about an incident Fr. Gismondi was evidently part of several years ago. Quoting the original account:
Suddenly, the Subdeacon (Fr Carl Gismondi FSSP) leaped from the altar step and chased a communicant along the Epistle side aisle. He was aided and abetted by two laymen (both of Marine stature if not training) who blocked the path of the fleeing young man. Fr Carl immobilized him until the younger of the other two had him in a headlock and the trio marched him out to the narthex.
Such undignified behaviour! The cause?? Fr Gismondi had noticed that the young man, having received Communion in his mouth - the FSSP adheres to the 1962 RULES as well as the RITES - put his hand to his mouth and, seeing Fr Carl looking at him, feigned a cough. Fr Carl looked away and then straight back to see the fellow removing the Host from his mouth. Then the chase was on!
No one is quite sure what the full motive behind the action was, but we may be fairly sure that he wasn’t taking the Sacrament home to his sick mum.
The Host was retrieved but whether any action was taken was not announced.
Amazingly, some fool commenters on the original post decried Fr. Gismondi’s actions! I think I can speak for the Society as a whole when I say that this just makes us love Fr. Gismondi even more than we already did. In fact, I move that Fr. Gismondi be made honorary chaplain (against his will, perhaps) of the Society.
St. Louis-Marie de Montfort,
Pope St. Pius X,
St. Joseph,
St. Ambrose of Milan,
St. Thomas Aquinas,
St. Francis (and St. Clare),
St. Catherine of Siena,
St. Alphonsus Ligouri,
St. John Chrysostom,
This exciting story was the talk of the Society this weekened while on pilgrimage . . .
Great story! Good for Fr. Gismondi!! Oh that just warms my heart…being that I watched particles of the Eucharist drop to the floor off the priest’s fingers a couple weeks ago as he was blessing my daughter.
…novus ordo mass, no paten, you know.
Not NO but Traditional Rite.
As a small defence: the discussed centered on whether it was the right time rather than whether is was correct. I, for one, think he did the right thing.
I would be interested in the talk was happening at the pilgrimage re: Fr Gismondi.
Please check out the new blog, Traditional Anglopapist.
At my first parish one of my assistants ran after a man who had not consumed the host.Another time a man received communion from a deacon and turned around and did not put the host in his mouth.The deacon called to him to consume the host.He ignored the deacon. Then the high school altar boy,a football player and weight lifter,took off afetr the man and banged him on the head with the paten.The man then consumed the host.The church militant.
sacerdos15, Brilliant! Yet another good argument for having the patens!
Fr. Vervoorst,
Right, but as my dear Clara points out, what a marvelous teaching moment. Imagine a small child witnessing such a scene and then asking a parent what was happening. And the response along the lines of, Father was just doing what he had to do to protect Jesus. Can you imagine any more direct and serious (non-supernatural) way to show that Christ truly is present in the Blessed Sacrament?
I have absolutely no problems with what was done. (BTW: I was not there but was send the story via a priest-friend.)
I was just trying to give a fuller picture of the discussion on the blog.