3/1/2021
Birth of the Virgin, Siena
There are four paragraphs in the GIRM under the heading “The Place for the Reservation of the Most Holy Eucharist” (314—317).
Let’s look at them.
The first (314), divided into two separate paragraphs, deals with the tabernacle itself. It first describes the tabernacle in terms of its relative location in the church. It then indicates the aspects of its construction that pertain to security. It concludes by mentioning the appropriateness of it being blessed prior to use.
It also includes important citations for further reference in the form of three footnotes, the second of which, Footnote #125, is the most comprehensive. Footnote #125 cites the four official magisterial documents that have the most direct bearing on the matter of the security of the MBS. These are, in the order in which they are mentioned in the footnote: Eucharisticum mysterium (1967); Inter Oecumenici (1964); Nullo umquam tempore (1938); Rituale Romanum (1974). The Code of Canon Law (1983), the Book of Blessings (1984) and JPII’s Dominica Canae (1980) are the only other documents cited in the other footnotes.
These seven documents mentioned above are the primary source material for the paragraphs in the GIRM on MBS security. If a priest were to become well-versed in the contents of these documents, he should, have as good a foundation on the matter as the Church provides.
