3/4/2021
Simone Martini, "Miracle"
The tabernacle’s construction, location, blessing & traditional lamp, so far, are the four elements cited by the GIRM in the first three paragraphs on the Place of Reservation of the Most Holy Eucharist. There is only one remaining paragraph on this topic: GIRM 317.
GIRM 317 is a small paragraph that makes special mention of excluding forgetfulness of the law’s prescriptions on “any of the other things” concerning the reservation of the Eucharist. It then cites the Sacred Congregation’s “Nullo” from 1938 as well as the CIC of 1983 as particularly to be conferred.
Lest we forget the prescriptions of the Church’s law, we will turn our attention to the contents of Nullo and the CIC in order to complete the laying of our foundational understanding of MBS security.
Let’s look at the CIC first then at CIC. This is in order not to give the CIC short shrift. Nullo is so comprehensive and thorough in its scope that it may seem the CIC has little to add. Whether or not that’s the case, let’s not ignore the instruction not to forget what the CIC says.
CIC
The First Part of Book IV of the Code contains the prescriptions concerning the Sacraments. The second chapter in Title III on The Eucharist is entitled “The Reservation and Veneration of the Blessed Eucharist.” It contains eleven canons (934—944). Some of them have been referred to already in the previous paragraphs of the GIRM. We’ll review them all here.
