The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-07-05
THE BLESSED EUCHARIST

III DLt11EU tUUnhnI1 |
IN ENGLAND BEFORE AND
AFTER THE REFORMATION
A PAPER READ AT THE EUcHAR-
IsTIc CONGRESS, MALTA, BY
THE VERY REVEREND J. p. BAN
MIN, p. G. M.
At Congress like this held in one
of the possessions, and that probably
the most strictly Catholic of the Brit
ish Empire, it is only natural that our
hearts and hopes should go out to the
restoration of Gods sacramento pres
ence in the home that we have left.
To suggest some thoughts as to how
this may be brought about is the OBJ
ject of this paper. But first, let us
see how far England in the past well
coined the teaching of the Divine
presence, and gave it that hospitality
which has made it, as elsewhere, the
very life of our religious beliefs.
Contact between the Britons and the
Roman Church began early. AS far
as can be gathered from Gildas, our
First Historian, Christianity was intro
duced into England towards the end
of the third century, and with Chris.
tianity, the fulness of it's divine teach.
ing. The fact that British Bishops
took part in the councils of Aries, 314
of Nicea, 1926; of Sardica, BAT; is a
proof that England was not only in
touch, but centred with Rome.
st. Germanus came over from
France to Britain in the fifth century
and we read of church of boughs
being erected in the midst of camp
in which the soldiers might celebrate
the Easter festival. Gildas informs us
that the ara or altar was nearly al
ways made of wood or of stone
Among these early Britons, we car
find many proofs that the Blessed Sac
rament was reserved, that it might be
carried to the sick. What is histori
cally true of the British Church il
, likewise true of the early Irish Church
st. Columbanus carried the Irish dis
cipline over the Continent of Europe
while st. COLUMBIA was Strengthening
the faith of the northern Britons, anG
/ the Picts and Scots.
PontificaI of Egbert.
Not to delay too long at this part
of my subject, / wish to direct your
attention to an interesting illustration
of the priestly character of Christ
showing forth the various grades in
the ordination of our clergy as taken
from The Pontifcal of Egbert, Arch
bishop of York, in the eighth century
Christ was a Porter (ostiarius)
} when He shut and opened the ark Of
Noah, and opened the gates of He'll
Christ was Reader Qector) when He
opened the book of Isaias, the
} prophet; He was an exorcist when He
cast the seven devils out of Mary Mag
dalen; He was Sub-Deacon when He
blessed water at Cana and changed II
into wine. Christ was Deacon wheI
He broke the loaves to feed the multi
tude. Christ was a Priest (presbyter)
when He took bread and the chalice
blessed them, and gave thanks to God
His Father!"
The Mass-priest might be either
monk or Canon Regular, or g
secular. Until the invasion of the
Danes at the beginning of the ninth
century, probably the greater number
of the priests were monks. Monks
: became Missionaries through the coun
try parts, and often one Of their mum
Der became the local pastor, remain
ing however, subject to his Abbot
Yet secular priests, i. e, priests mo-
under monastic vows, had also the
care of districts allotted to them
These districts were called priest
shires, shriftshires, or kirkshires. Il
would be interesting to know the mo
tives or reasons as to how candidates
for the priesthood at this period were
on the subject. There is no doubt
: however, that the Office of the priest
hood was looked upon by all Christian
nations as essential for the priestly
or Eucharistic Sacrifice, and that the
efficacy of the Sacrament depended or
the Institution of Jesus Christ rather
than on the human and priestly char
} acter of it's minister.
Attendance at Church.
1t is related in the life of st. Aid
: helm, Bishop of Sherborn, who dice
in 709, that, when young monk Al
Malmesbury, he showed great zeal il
} drawing people to church. His bio
} grapher tells us that the people, though
: acknowledging the Faith, did not fire
} Quent the churches. To win then
| over gently, Aldhelm would, on Sun
: days, take his harp and, seated on {
, bridge outside the town, sing hymns
! that he had himself composed; TO,
many traders farmers) used, on tina
: day, to come into town from dis
t lance. When a number had been gath
: cred around him, attracted by the min
, strel, he would preach to them, ant
! then lead them to church to be presen
: at the holy Offices. I fear me thes'
> could hardly have been communicates
: and has reference rather to the earl,
: stage of their Chrietianifv An Anglj