Are You A Line Jumper?

  • Thread starter Thread starter cargopilot
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

cargopilot

Guest
OK, I’ll admit it. I’m a line jumper when I can get away with it. I prefer to receive Holy Communion from a Priest or a Deacon. I like to think I’m pretty sneaky about it, but I’ve been busted a time or two by offended EMHC’s.

For me, only ordained hands should ever touch the Blessed Sacrament, and I always receive on the tongue. EMHC’s aren’t ordained and I sense their discomfort and awkwardness about distributing to the handful of us ‘tongue receivers’.

Our priest moves around, making it impossible to pick-a-pew. I like to usher often, 'cause I can ALWAYS get in the ‘right’ line.

I know some of the other ‘line jumpers’, and we talk about stratagies of ‘line jumping’. I wondered if this goes on in other Churches?
 
I don’t “line jump”, instead I stay in the line I started out with no matter who offers communion.
 
I don’t ‘line jump’. I’m thinking about the incredible experience of receiving Jesus. It doesn’t seem an appropriate time to be thinking about other things, especially not being ‘sneaky’. And I bet that such people are disappointed when a EMHC ‘catches’ them and ‘forces’ them to their line. Receiving Our Blessed Lord and being disappointed about it, seems wrong to me. It’s still Jesus, whoever distributes him.

Mike
 
40.png
MikeWM:
I don’t ‘line jump’. I’m thinking about the incredible experience of receiving Jesus. It doesn’t seem an appropriate time to be thinking about other things, especially not being ‘sneaky’. And I bet that such people are disappointed when a EMHC ‘catches’ them and ‘forces’ them to their line. Receiving Our Blessed Lord and being disappointed about it, seems wrong to me. It’s still Jesus, whoever distributes him.

Mike
Click to expand...
Ditto…remember who you are about to receive…not who you are receiving it from.
~ Kathy ~
 
I sit in the same place, and it’s on the side where the priest distributes communion (That’s unintentional- I’ve just always sat there- and I guess he’s just always given communion there). I prefer to receive from a clergyman, but if an EMHC is there, “line-jumping” would make them think I have something against them personally, so I’ll receive from them rather than avoid the line my row is expected to go through.
 
I realize that some EMHC’s (I, too, am one.) might be offended by the occasional line jumper, thinking the communicant doesn’t feel they are as good as an ordained Priest or Deacon. But I, as communicant, can also feel offended by the EMHC who grimmaces at the sight of me, a ‘tounge taker’. I’ve heard EMHC,s comments about ‘snappers’. I’ve heard the remarks about how ‘gross’ it is to give the Precious Body of Christ to someone on the tounge, asking why can’t they do it like everybody else.

No Priest or Deacon has EVER given me the Blessed Sacrament with anything but the greatest of care. When asked if they mind my reception on the tongue, they have always said, Oh, no. I never mind.

The Priest has ever so mildly, admonished me for line jumping.http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon11.gif When I explained the occasional grimmace, and comments from the EMHC’s, he said he understood, and said, “just try to be discrete”.http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon12.gif
 
I don’t jump lines. I sing in the choir and we always rec. from an EMHC. We’re off over the summer, so I sit where I know I can rec. the Host from the priest. However, I also always rec. the Most Precious Blood from the Chalice, so I also always rec. from an EMHC.
 
Isn’t it strange. I never minded who I received from as long as I received. I have been an EMHC for 3 years and in that time have come to really appreciate the value of Holy Communion from a Priest. I now skip lines if I have to in order to receive from a Priest. I have taken a 180 degree reversal.

I no longer distribute at Holy Mass but continue to bring Holy communion to the sick once a month.
 
The only time I jumped lines was when we lived in Venezuela. The priest there distributed Communion without saying anything, while the seminarian (transitional deacon) reverently held up each host and said “Cuerpo de Christi”. I tried to always receive from the seminarian since I was uncomfortable without the words and not sure if I should say “Amen” with Father.

In Venezuela, as in many Latin countries, people don’t go up to Communion in the orderly row by row way we are used to here. So it was possible to get in what ever line you chose without anyone noticing.

Father mixes up what side he distributes on. I think this is to discourage those who sit on one side just to receive from the priest since our church is tiny and line jumping would be very evident and disruptive.
 
No I do not line jump.
  1. Christ is Christ, no matter who is holding Him.
  2. The Church says that EMHC’s are fine. I do not think I know better.
  3. It is rude.
  4. I do not enjoy offending people.
  5. Since I recieve in the hand, it is never really a problem. I don’t see the difference betwen unconsecrated hands touching Christ and the inside of your unconsecrated MOUTH.
 
No, I don’t line jump. Although I do prefer to receive from the Deacon or Priest. I, like some others here, receive only on my tongue and, for me, feel it is most sacred to receive Holy Communion directly from a Priest and without me touching it. It is my preference, but I don’t go to the “line jumping” extreme. Even though I’ve never line jumped, I have found that it doesn’t bother me as much as it used to. I try to be more humble and appreciative of what I am about to receive. MikeWM said it well
Receiving Our Blessed Lord and being disappointed about it, seems wrong to me. It’s still Jesus, whoever distributes him.
Click to expand...
Having said all that, we are getting a new Priest in a couple of weeks and I WILL find out what side he goes to and will sit on that side every week. 😉
 
40.png
cargopilot:
But I, as communicant, can also feel offended by the EMHC who grimmaces at the sight of me, a ‘tounge taker’. I’ve heard EMHC,s comments about ‘snappers’. I’ve heard the remarks about how ‘gross’ it is to give the Precious Body of Christ to someone on the tounge, asking why can’t they do it like everybody else.
Click to expand...
Perhaps this could be addressed in the training of the EMHCs if it is an ongoing problem in your parish. You should feel welcome to receive on the tongue from an EMHC. You ought not be grimaced at. 😦
 
It doesn’t really matter. At my parish the priest is too old and infirm to distribute Holy Communion…all we have are EMHC’s…
 
40.png
Affirmed:
No I do not line jump.
  1. Christ is Christ, no matter who is holding Him.
  2. The Church says that EMHC’s are fine. I do not think I know better.
  3. It is rude.
  4. I do not enjoy offending people.
  5. Since I recieve in the hand, it is never really a problem. I don’t see the difference betwen unconsecrated hands touching Christ and the inside of your unconsecrated MOUTH.
Click to expand...
  1. True. You’re right. But isn’t it still better receiving from a Priest or Deacon? After all Christ is Christ.
  2. True. You’re right. It’s still hard for me to forget that the EMHC’s are not ordained. They are still EXTRAORDINARY. When receiving on the tongue from the ordained, no one touches my Precious Lord, but the ordained.
  3. What about the squemish EMHC’s who dislike the communicant who receives on the tongue? Are they not rude to me?
  4. I don’t either, but what about the EMHC’s who grimmace at the ‘snappers’? I’d rather take a chance at being accused of offending an EMHC than disrespecting my Precious Lord.
  5. What about the particles? What about the thefts? What about the ham-handed, like me, who want to take no chance dropping the Precious Body of Christ? I’ll never have to worry about any of that receiving on the tongue.
Please forgive me for my feelings. I knew I’d get ripped on, here. I was just curious about others who do the dreaded line-jump. Again, please don’t judge me too harshly, my intentions are good.
 
Having been a EMHC, before Ordination, I did feel a little bad when folks changed lines. Some even did when I first was Ordained a deacon. When I am at a Mass in which I am not assisting, such as a Mass at another parish, I am careful not to line jump or wait for the priest when the line is alternating.
 
  1. True. You’re right. But isn’t it still better receiving from a Priest or Deacon? After all Christ is Christ.
If Christ is Christ then it doesn’t matter who you recieve from.
  1. True. You’re right. It’s still hard for me to forget that the EMHC’s are not ordained. They are still EXTRAORDINARY. When receiving on the tongue from the ordained, no one touches my Precious Lord, but the ordained.
When recieving on the tongue you still touch Christ! Just not with your hand. I have a hard time believing that Christ distributed the unleavened bread on the tongues of those present at the last supper. “Take this all of you and eat it” seems to imply, to me anyhow, that we are to take as we would take any other food. With our hands. And yes, I know this isn’t ordinary food, but neither is it such that Christ prhibited us from touching it. What if Christ had forbade the people of Jerusalem from touching Him? The woman touching His cloak and being healed comes to mind.
  1. What about the squemish EMHC’s who dislike the communicant who receives on the tongue? Are they not rude to me?
No, they are not rude. Simply un-trained. This is the fault of the people who train them at th parish.
  1. I don’t either, but what about the EMHC’s who grimmace at the ‘snappers’? I’d rather take a chance at being accused of offending an EMHC than disrespecting my Precious Lord.
But you aren’t disrespecting Him by recieving in the hand.
  1. What about the particles? What about the thefts? What about the ham-handed, like me, who want to take no chance dropping the Precious Body of Christ? I’ll never have to worry about any of that receiving on the tongue.
What about the particles? Unless you parish uses something other than standard communion wafers or freshly baked altar bread, there shoudn’t be any. You can just as easily drop the host from your tongue as your hand. Especially if the EMHC’s are as bad at your parish as they sound.

Please forgive me for my feelings. I knew I’d get ripped on, here. I was just curious about others who do the dreaded line-jump. Again, please don’t judge me too harshly, my intentions are good.

No need to apologise for how you feel. It is just that, how you feel. I’m not judging you at all, just asking you to put some real though into why you recieve the way you do. No hard feelings. 🙂
 
Cute thread. I guess we are indeed human. I voted no, it doesn’t matter who I receive from.

However, that is not the whole truth. When I am visiting a Church sometimes I sit in the back. When the lines are uneven, I make it a point to stand fast if I am in line for the priest. If a EMHC is heading my line I will go to the other line if it is shorter…It usually isn’t.

At my church the Priest and Deacon distribute Christ’s Body and EMHCs distribute Christ’s Blood.

I do wonder why the Deacon doesn’t distribute Christ’s Blood since he is the Minister of the Precious Blood. Any insights out there on this small curiosity of mine?

No matter, I thank the Lord every time I receive Our Savior’s Body and Blood. I do not thank Him any more if I receive from an ordained minister.

Christ’s Peace,
 
As we loose priests it may not be long before we have to drive to another city to get a box of Eucharists and bring them back to our parish to be passed out?

No married priests equals fewer priests and a Church that may be loosing members as a result? This is a subject for another thread though.

Do I jump ship? I mean jump line? No.
 
I voted “no, but I would if I could”. It’s sorta disorderly…and I dont like to bring attention to myself. But I do prefer to recieve from a priest or deacon.

When I recieve from a priest…I recieve on the tongue…

But when I recieve from an EME…I just recieve in the hand. I feel like…if I’m already making one “allowed exception” I might as well make the other…I mean…if it has already touched one pair of unconsecrated hands…what’s the point of mine not touching it?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top