7 rules for receiving communion in the hand

Over and over again the prayers of the liturgy and the norms of the General Instruction emphasize this fundamental concept of the unity of the baptized, stressing that when we come together to participate in the Eucharistic celebration we come, not as individuals, but as united members of Christ's Body. In this way, the practice of Communion in the hand is different from other liturgical elements restored after centuries of disuse, such as the prayer of the faithful and the exchange of peace. Copyright 2023 Eternal Word Television Network, Inc. Irondale, Alabama. When permitted, the choice as to the form of reception falls upon the communicant and not upon the priest. The General Instruction asks each country's Conference of Bishops to determine the posture to be used for the reception of Communion and the act of reverence to be made by each person as he or she receives Communion. The option must not turn out to be the occasion for regarding it as ordinary bread or as just another religious article., I feel this is a underrated point in recent discussions on the reception of Holy Communion, both here on PT and elsewhere. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. With your hand hollowed, receive the Body of Christ and answer Amen. Communion in the hand is no more hygienic than Communion in the mouth. As to the way to carry out the new rite: one possible model is the traditional usage, which expresses the ministerial functions, by having the priest or deacon place the host in the hand of the communicant. St. As with all historical practices, one must examine the context and circumstances which are usually not repeatable. In the case of communion under both kinds by way of intinction, it is never permitted to place on the hand of the communicant the host that has been dipped in the Lords blood.. The author seems to think that liturgical reforms should consist of only what an ecumenical council prescribed. Ruff, I think we both agree that internal reverence is the most important aspect of this discussion (and therefore the ways each manner serves that) and I know many reverent people who do both. June 29, 2021 | Over the years I have read a multitude of opinions for and against, and occasionally perceived false arguments. On the other hand, if the sins are not so great that a person should be judged to deserve excommunication, he ought not to withdraw from the daily medicine of the Lords body.[26]. Theres no simple solution to this issue. [17] See Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 7.9.4. To that which you are you respond Amen (yes, it is true!) and by responding to it you assent to it. Elizabeth Klein is an Assistant Professor of Theology at the, The Abandoned: Toward a Christocentric Phenomenology of Prayer, The Conclusion of Karl Rahner's Dissertation on the Origin of the Church from the Side Wound of the Crucified Christ. He said that he had checked with the then Apostolic Delegation and had been assured that the pope was giving the boy a rosary. Sacrilege is at an all-time high, yet use of the Sacrament of Confession is at an all-time low. Their decisions should be sent to Rome to receive the necessary confirmation, []. The document does not have numbered paragraphs to cite, but youll find it a few paragraphs after the tabulation of votes collected from bishops. A perception such as this is a dreadfully inaccurate and impoverished understanding of what is a significant religious action. My overarching point in all this (as someone who receives comfortably in both manners) is that I dont think common concerns with reception in the hand have been treated with adequate seriousness by many its defenders. The person distributing Communion says audibly to each person approaching, "The Body of Christ." Communion in the hand is allowed in the United States by decision of the American Bishops. Those who receive Communion may receive either in the hand or on the tongue, and the decision should be that of the individual receiving, not of the person distributing Communion. Under the moral aspect will be considered, in reference to Holy Communion: necessity; subject; dispositions. This was the law of the Church for almost 14 centuries, and is still the general norm today. Eucharistic sharing in exceptional circumstances by other Christians requires permission according to the directives of the diocesan bishop and the provisions of canon law (canon 844 4). For you believe, and correctly, that you are answerable if anything falls from there by neglect.[25]. As to the way to carry out the new rite: one possible model is the traditional usage, which expresses the ministerial functions, by having the priest or deacon place the host in the hand of the communicant . The problem is a lack of intentionality across the board, starting with the laity. The two ways of receiving communion can without question take place during the same liturgical service. Come see, Maybe this is part of a grand conspiracy by Satan to destroy the Church (ok, probably not that). When one receives from the chalice, the same proclamation is made by the person distributing Communion and the Communicant again responds, "Amen." They would find many more areas we all need to work on than just their main focus. Luxembourg, October 15 1969 Our bishops have argued that Communion in the hand is the proper way for the faithful to respond to our Lord's invitation: "All of you, take and eat this." What the bishops overlook is the fact . These views are sometimes strongly held. As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. First, Chrysostom in one of his Homilies on Ephesians: What, do you not see the holy vessels so thoroughly cleansed all over, so resplendent? Archbishop Anthony Fisher, OP, of Sydney published an excellent paper on the topic of conscience and authority which can be found at:https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=7833or, in a slightly briefer form athttps://zenit.org/articles/bishop-fisher-on-conscience-and-authority/. The missal of 1570 eliminated almost all sequences and moved the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar to the beginning of the Order of Mass though the Council of Trent never said a word about either. Communion received on the tongue and while kneeling. The Council of Saragossa (380): Excommunicated anyone who dared continue . In the light of the above, we can come to the heart of the matter as to whether a priest may invoke the question of conscience in order to refuse to distribute Communion in the hand. Pray Tell here documents two statements of the Congregation for Divine Worship issued under Pope Paul VI. The faithful receive Communion kneeling or standing, as established by the episcopal conference. The infamous coffee cup masses Dorothy Day describes in her book may have had good intentions behind them, but the way they appeared to trivialize the Holy Sacrifice of the mass lent no dignity to the then new Pauline mass. It is not clear as to how widespread it was or if it was a regular practice. United States, 17 June 1977 1. Why? For one who eats unworthily eats and drinks to his own condemnation (1 Cor 11:29). The problem of lack of reverence stems not from the manner of receiving Communion but from the lack of faith, awe, and gratitude before this great mystery. Elizabeth Klein is an Assistant Professor of Theology at the Augustine Institute. Catholics use birth control, get divorced and fornicate at the same rate as society in general, with the sin of using birth control rarely confessed. Follow-up: Objecting to Communion in the Hand (10-16-2018), Pursuant to my reflections on Communion in the hand (October 2), a reader from France claimed that It is totally justified to claim that Communion in the hand is necessarily less reverent or inevitably leads to abuses. Fire consumed the offering Featured Image: Rossano Gospels, Last Supper, 6th c.; Source: Wikimedia Commons, PD-Old-100. Will you not then much more carefully keep watch, that not a crumb fall from youSt. 48 (Sept/Oct), pg 361. In this he shows a great fear, and since the hand that is stretched out holds a higher rank, it is the one that is extended for receiving the body of the King, and the other hand bears and brings its sister hand, while not thinking that it is playing the role of a servant, as it is equal with it in honour, on account of the bread of the King, which is also borne by it. Indeed, it can be dangerous for contagion. I make no judgment about who is guilty of this- I dont know most of the people by far and am in no position to judge. South Africa, 1971 Communion should not be received on the run, as you're walking back to your place; it should be consumed before you leave the area below the altar. A letter from the Congregation for Divine Worship to presidents of bishops conferences on May 29, 1969: AAS 61 (1969) 546-547; Notitiae 5 (1969) 351-353: In reply to the request of your conference of bishops regarding permission to give communion by placing the host on the hand of the faithful, I wish to communicate the following. In an even more elevated tone, Ephrem the Syrian, in a stunning passage, invites the Christian communicant to feel awe at what is placed in his or her hand, since even the Seraph did not take the divine coal with his hand, nor did the prophet Isaiah eat it (see: Isa 6:6). The very idea of people regularly receiving Communion (and even receiving Communion as part of the liturgy to the Eucharist itself) were relatively new ideas at the time of the Council. I used the wordnecessarilyas an equivalent to in and of itself. There is no inherent reason why Communion in the hand is less reverent. 4. The bishop, however, might sometimes deal with the religious priest through his superior in these matters. For Catholics: As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. Confess it and move on. I am just wondering what the reason or reasons were for allowing reception of Communion in the hand to begin with? If, for some reason, the communicant is not able or willing to drink from the cup then that person should receive only under the form of bread. Never receive Holy Communion in the hand when your hands are impeded; e.g., carrying a cane or some other walking-assistance device, carrying a child in your arms, carrying a purse, have a tissue or handkerchief in your hand, have a cast on your hand, etc. The condition is the complete avoidance of any cause for the faithful to be shocked and any danger of irreverence toward the Eucharist. Obviously, for better or worse, the NLM has an agenda. But back in the West, where most of us at PT are from, the Church is struggling. Communion received on the tongue and while kneeling. The communicant replies, Amen, and receives the Sacrament either on the tongue or, where this is allowed, in the hand, the choice lying with the communicant. [18] Moreover, an early illuminated gospel, the Rosanno Gospels, depicts the last supper as a communion line, where the disciples receive in cupped hands while bowed. Jeffrey T. Wickes FotC 130 (Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press, 2015). Your email address will not be published. If, however, Communion is given under both kinds, the rite prescribed in nos. awr. There is a twofold purpose here: that none will find in the new rite anything disturbing to personal devotion toward the Eucharist; that this sacrament, the source and cause of unity by its very nature, will not become an occasion of discord between members of the faithful. 91). The General Instruction of the Roman Missal takes this hymn very seriously, mandating that it should begin at the Communion of the priest and extend until the last person has received Communion. awr. Their attitude of reverence must measure up to what they are doing. Because Catholics believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life, and worship, members of those churches with whom we are not yet fully united are ordinarily not admitted to Holy Communion. Personally, I think that when a priest with the care of souls holds the view that Communion on the tongue is preferable to the alternative practice, then the best thing he can do is inform the faithful of the bishops permission. They should be grave and objective questions related to good and evil. For it is a deed fraught with destruction to take the tongue which serve such awesome mysteries, which has become purpled with a blood so precious, which has become a sword of gold and to change its course to abuse, insolence and ribald jests. July 2, 2020 ( LifeSiteNews) Many bishops around the world are attempting to compel Catholics, who are in the right dispositions to approach the Holy Eucharist, to receive Our Lord in the. As a scholar of the early Church, I was surprised to learn that the practice of communion in the hand is such a hotly debated topic; it came to my attention during the early days of the pandemic, when many dioceses required communicants to receive in this way. It is not appropriate to reach out with the fingers and take the host from the person distributing. It is adoration of Christ, meal of fellowship, union with other communicants (hence the Church wants us to sing during reception), sharing in Christs self-sacrifice, mystical union with angels & saints, sharing even now in the heavenly banquet, having the life of the Risen Christ in oneself, a call to charity and works of justice and making real on earth the peace foreshadowed in Communion, etc. Wherefore, if any one wishes to be a participator of the immaculate Body in the time of the Synaxis, and to offer himself for the communion, let him draw near, arranging his hands in the form of a cross, and so let him receive the communion of grace. Surveys from CARA and Pew reflect this, though I admittedly doubted them until I attended mass with a fellow Catholic at church that predominantly received on the tongue and my friend jeering remarked, why dont they receive in the hand like normal people? From these documents, we can deduce the following points. Others claim that in the context of the discourse St. Cyril was referring to the clergy and not to the faithful. 160-161; English translation here) For this alone is the eating referred to by our Lord ( John 6:58 ). University of Notre Dame, McGrath Institute for Church Life As for decades of poor or heterodox catechesis on the Sacraments, it seems more likely that catechesis has never been better, more Scripture-based, and more soundly theological. I suspect that Christ can cope with particles that get dropped but the care we show, or the lack of care, is what counts. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. The communicant should audibly respond, "Amen," indicating by that response his or her belief that this small wafer of bread, the wine in this chalice are in reality the body and blood of Christ the Lord. Since Christ is really, substantially, sacramentally present but not physically, being OC over crumbs is not devotion. The sad fact that in recent years hosts consecrated by a Pope have been offered for sale on the Internet further motivates this precautionary measure. New Zealand, 24 April 1974 Phillip Schaff and Henry Wace in NPNF Second Series, 14 (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1900). Can you direct me to where you obtained this list? The liturgical assembly of the baptized that comes together for the celebration of the Eucharist is a witness to, a manifestation of, the pilgrim Church. 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The rite of communion in the hand must not be put into practice indiscriminately. It is a matter of particular seriousness that in places where the new practice is lawfully permitted every one of the faithful have the option of receiving communion on the tongue and even when other persons are receiving communion in the hand. However, when they receive Communion standing, it is recommended that the faithful make appropriate reverence, according to the norms established, before receiving the Sacrament. There are particles, and there are particles. The new manner of giving communion must not be imposed in a way that would exclude the traditional practice. They are also to be instructed not to omit after communion the sincere and appropriate thanksgiving that is in keeping with their individual capacities, state, and occupation. Germany, 6 June 1969 It also rules out arguing for an intrinsic link between a rejection of the true presence and communion in the handthe Fathers, on the whole, speak of Christs presence in the Eucharist in highly realistic terms and also received on the hand. Fire came down and consumed the sacrifices of Elijah For example, there is ample evidence that the exchange of peace between the people was practiced well into the Middle Ages in several European countries. We welcome our fellow Christians to this celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? At Christ's invitation, extended by the priest acting in Christ's person: "Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb," the members of the community move forward to share in the sacred meal, to receive the Body and Blood of Christ which is the sign and the source of their unity. If our reader had said that he believed that Communion in the hand was more prone to dangers of accidents and profanation, I would accept the argument. [] It is not permitted for the faithful to take the consecrated Bread or the sacred chalice by themselves and, still less, to hand them on from one to another among themselves. England and Wales, 6 March 1976 While we have the option of receiving holy Communion either on the tongue or on the hand, we must always be mindful of receiving our Lord respectfully. This is the quote that is always used: " make your left hand a throne for the right, as for that which is to receive a King. From a hygienic point of view, the hand carries a huge amount of bacteria. These practices have wide evidence of use and in some ways never died out completely. What is the proper way of receiving Communion in the hand? A: The answer to this question is somewhat complex. This means that Jesus has no eyes but our eyes, no feet . This is more a question of moral theology than of liturgy. Instead of receiving in my hand, thinking "the other way is better," and quickly gobbling up the Eucharist, I took the "popular way," as a gift: I put my left hand on top of my right . 6. This reply aged like Milk (currently January 2022). Bolivia, October 15 1969 I think the Holy Spirit was nudging people closer to the problem, which was already in evidence decades before the Council. Back issue of Notitiae are accessible via the new website of the Congregation for Divine Worship at: http://www.cultodivino.va/content/cultodivino/it/rivista-notitiae/indici-annate.html. In this context, I think it is fair to say that the present practice of Communion in the hand is not a simple restoration of a historical custom but rather introduced a new practice in new circumstances which, while it has some historical justification, is essentially motivated by current pastoral concerns in some parts of the world. St. Maybe this is part of a grand conspiracy by . [21] Theodore of Mopsuestia, catech. [27] John Chrysostom, Baptismal Instruction, 12.15-16, trans. OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF. The guidelines recommend against serving Communion until gatherings of more than 50 people are allowed. Please remember that there is no "right" way to receive. Several readers pointed out that I made no mention of a text of St. Cyril when mentioning the historical foundations of the practice. Timothy O'Malley, Copyright 2023 In the United States, the body of Bishops has determined that "[t]he norm is that Holy Communion is to be received standing, unless an individual member of the faithful wishes to receive Communion while kneeling"and that a bow is the act of reverence made by those receiving (no. No wonder so many people there have given up on Christianity. It is advisable, therefore, that the rite be introduced gradually and in the beginning within small, better prepared groups and in favorable settings. Our procession should move with dignity; our bearing should be that of those who know they have been redeemed by Christ and are coming to receive their God! Middle Africa, 3 February 1970 That the conference had voted twice but failed to approve the practice and then only won the third vote by gathering absentee votes which is the article claims was unlawful? In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. It is reported that a bishop shouted out, On the tongue or in the hand?. Councils establish principles (and rarely go into specific points) and then leave it to a commission to carry out the detailed work after the Council. Biting, tearing, casting aspersions on the faith of other Catholics: this is a damnable situation in the Church. http://www.kathpedia.com/index.php?title=Handkommunion. As with all historical practices, one must examine the context and circumstances which are usually not repeatable.. The host will then be laid in the palm of the left hand and then taken by the right hand to the mouth. I wholeheartedly agree with your comment on another thread that this ongoing discussion is frivolous and is only causing needless division. ), Pray Tell: An open forum on faith in South Texas. The showing of tooth and claw by some traditional-leaning Catholics is a scandal that discourages neighbors, and puts a very ugly face on the Body for others to view. If one is right handed the left hand should rest upon the right. In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. What some call discipleship, others evangelizationnew or whatever, or some speak of discernment and application of spiritual gifts. It was proved that belief in the Real Presence is abysmal. On reverence for the Eucharist and belief in the Real Presence among Catholic laity has greatly declined I dont think this has ever been proven. Im skeptical of the claim that collecting absentee ballots for bishops conference votes is unlawful. . The people administering the sacrament are asked to use hand sanitizer immediately before. Take a step or two to the side to make way for the next communicant, then receive our Lord. The Holy See has made it abundantly clear that both manners of reception of Communion - on the tongue and in the hand - are permitted, that Communion should be received reverently, and that the manner of reception should not become an occasion of division in the church. The Pope grants that throughout the territory of your conference, each bishop may, according to his prudent judgment and conscience, authorize in his diocese the introduction of the new rite for giving communion. Communion in the hand is legitimate only where permitted, and it remains in the realm of a permission. To continue the sacrifice of the Cross in His Church. The same Instruction contained a reminder that the laws of the Church and the writings of the Fathers give ample witness of a supreme reverence and utmost caution toward the Eucharist and that this must continue. You should thus draw near with great awe and love, according to the greatness of that which is given: with awe, because of the greatness of (its) honour; and with love, because of (its) grace. From the historical point of view, we can say that there is strong evidence that the practice existed in early centuries in some areas of the Church. The traditional and preferred method is the reception of the Host on the tongue: Step forward and kneel at the Communion rail or station (if you stand, make a sign of reverencesuch as a bow or genuflection or Sign of the Crossbefore receiving the Host and take care not to disrupt the Communion line). Those who receive Communion may receive either in the hand or on the tongue, and the decision should be that of the individual receiving, not of the person distributing Communion. cites vote tallies to defend a claim that a large majority (longe plurimos) of bishops not only oppose introducing Communion in the hand but consider it tum sensui tum spirituali cultui [] offensioni Henry Percival and ed. On the part of both the minister and the recipient, whenever the host is placed in the hand of a communicant there must be careful concern and caution, especially about particles that might fall from the hosts. can. The restorers of the rite probably had the beautiful simplicity and symbolism of the medieval rite in mind but did not take the changed circumstances sufficiently into account. We would also do well to teach, as the Fathers do, that reverence is not only about proper reception of the Eucharist, but also about living the kind of life to which the Eucharist commits us.

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