Catholic Answers Live #12672 Do Catholics Really Eat God? Vatican II and Mass Changes - Tom Nash
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Apr 14, 2026 Tom Nash, a Catholic apologist and liturgy expert, explains Eucharistic belief and what Catholics mean by “real presence.” He discusses Vatican II changes and why the Mass uses the vernacular now. He walks through proper liturgical options, when to raise concerns about minor rubrics, and how converts’ gestures fit within Mass norms.
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Who Controls Changes To The Mass
- Priests and bishops cannot on their own add, remove, or change parts of the Mass; liturgical regulation belongs to the Holy See and legitimately established bishops' conferences.
- Tom Nash cites Sacrosanctum Concilium 22 and the General Instruction of the Roman Missal to explain limits and permitted options like alternative dismissal formulas.
Address Liturgical Problems With Charity
- If you notice liturgical abuses, approach clergy charitably, do your homework, and escalate up the chain (priest, pastor, bishop) only when necessary.
- Nash recommends winning over clergy, offering charity, and using documents like Redemptionis Sacramentum when needed.
Don't Imitate Priestly Gestures
- Avoid lay imitation of priestly gestures like the orans posture; share the 1997 interdicasterial guidance that warns against blurring clergy-laity roles.
- Nash suggests bringing the document to the deacon, pastor, or bishop if the practice persists.
