{"id":8583,"date":"2011-11-12T09:58:16","date_gmt":"2011-11-12T15:58:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/deaconsbench\/?p=8583"},"modified":"2016-09-30T17:35:57","modified_gmt":"2016-09-30T21:35:57","slug":"doing-a-180-phoenix-reverses-decison-on-communion-under-both-kinds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/deaconsbench\/2011\/11\/doing-a-180-phoenix-reverses-decison-on-communion-under-both-kinds\/","title":{"rendered":"Doing a 180: Phoenix reverses communion decision"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

A surprising change of course, reported in the Arizona Republic: <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted of Phoenix has backed away from his ban on using consecrated wine for Communion at most Masses, a decision that was originally met with widespread outcry.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>In an explanation of his decision in a letter to the priests of the diocese, Olmsted apologized for his own misunderstanding of church documents, including new guidelines and translations for the Catholic Mass, and for any confusion arising from his previous statement made at a priests\u2019 meeting in September.<\/p>\n

Father Anthony Ruff, an expert on new translations for the Mass, who criticized the bishop\u2019s previous position as a \u201cstep backward,\u201d said he had never heard of a bishop \u201cretracting so quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cAnything I say could sound like gloating,\u201d Ruff said. \u201cI think it\u2019s for local clergy and liturgical ministers to find the right way to express their goodwill and happiness with this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Olmsted\u2019s decision comes just two months after he announced that Communion would no longer include wine, which Catholics consider the blood of Christ, on a regular basis. The decision received strong criticism within the diocese and nationwide.<\/p>\n

Olmsted was not available for comment. But, in his letter, he said the diocese mishandled communication about the new rules.<\/p>\n

He said stories in both secular and religious media \u201cupset many of our people and left you, especially the priests in parishes and institutions, without all the tools needed to answer questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am sorry, too, that this mishandling has created tensions between some priests and parishes,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Read more. <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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