Are we allowed to touch Jesus?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kyrie
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
K

Kyrie

Guest
Did Vatican II actually make it acceptable to recive communion in the hand or is it just something we have done over time? I know it used to be that you had to recieve on your tongue. What changed and why? If we REALLY believe it is Christ why would we recieve in the hand? I mean the priest is sooo careful to wash each and every partical of of the chalice etc, so how can it be that we can hold Christ on our hand and not have to do the same? :hmmm:
 
The United States bishops’ conference (as well as a few other bishops’ conferences elsewhere in the world later on) applied for, and received, an “indult” (or temporary, but renewable, approval) to allow United States Catholics to receive Communion in the hand if they choose.

In the Universal Church, the norm has always been, and remains, Communion on the tongue.

I am not sure the progression of this indult, I am too young to have dealt with it myself 🙂 but it seems like Communion in the hand started after Vatican II without approval in the United States… then the US bishops applied for approval from the Vatican and received it.

Remember, though, it is not the norm, only an indult, and that means that Rome may rescind it’s approval for Communion in the hand whenever the indult comes up for review and renewal…

Also, remember that if you travel elsewhere in the world, it is probably best to assume that you should always receive Communion on the tongue, since many places do not receive in the hand (and hopefully no more places ever will!!)

+veritas+
 
I am happy to hear that. I personally recieve on the tongue but I notice that most other people recieve on the hand. Sometimes I have even had a priest look at me funny for not holding out my hand for communion. Hopefully it will be only a temporary thing, but it seems it has been an acceptable practice for a long time. Thanks for your help 😃
 
40.png
Kyrie:
Did Vatican II actually make it acceptable to recive communion in the hand or is it just something we have done over time? I know it used to be that you had to recieve on your tongue. What changed and why? If we REALLY believe it is Christ why would we recieve in the hand? I mean the priest is sooo careful to wash each and every partical of of the chalice etc, so how can it be that we can hold Christ on our hand and not have to do the same? :hmmm:
Click to expand...
I humbly would suggest that you read through a thread here in this same Sacraments forum entitled, “In the Hand, or on the Tongue.” That way, no one will think this is all very repetitious.
God bless.
P.S. NO WHERE in the 16 Documents of Vatican II is there one single mention of Communion in the hand. That is per your question about Vatican II and Communion in the hand. Again here I mention THE ACTUAL VATICAN II DOCUMENTS.
 
Kyrie,

Reception of communion in the hand was the norm for the early Church (see St. Cyril of Jerusalem’s Catechetical Lectures) that was eventually eliminated due to, among other things, abuse. The practice was restored in Europe without permission prompting an investigation of the desirability of the practice for the whole Church. The bishops voted down making this a universal change. However, Pope Paul VI, at the request of some bishops, made it possible for those national conferences of bishops who submited a vote of 2/3 of the bishops to institute the practice via indult (an exception to the law) provided the normal method (on the tongue) was not suppressed in any way. This is what the United States bishops applied for, and received. It is a legitimate practice that will probably continue for a long time and, eventually, will die out.

Deacon Ed
 
One can not receive Jesus in the Eucharist without touching him, either with your hand our with your tongue. You also chew with your teeth, saliva, etc.

There may be good arguements for communion on the tongue, but the idea of physical contact with the divine being intrisiclly wrong smacks of gnosticism.

I think* misericordie* addressed your question well.
 
I think receiving Communion in the hand started out as an act of rebellion from Martin Bucer at the time of the reformation.
Anyways, Communion in the hand has been allowed for some 500 years I guess. But what is not allowed is to refuse someone receiving Communion in the tongue. If a priest would refuse to give someone Communion in the tongue, he’s in trouble.
 
I think* misericordie* addressed your question well

As did you and Deacon Ed.
 
As Deacon Ed put it so well, the orignal apostolic practice was to receive the sacred Body in the crossed hands. St. Cyril mentions this as does St. Ambrose. It is called forming a “throne with your hands” for the Body of Christ. It is an ancient and beautiful usage. Communion on the tongue became de rigeur in the Middle Ages, as Deacon Ed says, because of abuses: people would secret the sacred Body in their hands and take it home to bless their farm animals and fields with it etc. Black Magic also called for the use of consecrated hosts for desecration. SO the Church insisted on putting the host on the tongue of the communicant so the priest could be sure the communicant ate it and was not going to try and carry it away
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top