Benefits to Communion on tongue

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And On the hand/on the tounge would make no difference in regards to germ transmission
 
Nope. Not a bit. No matter what folks seem to think. No, it wouldn’t.

I haven’t been here long, but these threads always become a germ discussion. I wonder when was the last time some folks wiped off their laptop keypad or their phone, or the steering wheel to their car, or purse handles - all are far “dirtier” than the host at Communion or the hands of the person distributing it.
 
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Yes, that was the old way where we tried to minimize the contact. In these matters of discipline … so light and airy!

So I have a second grader, just got prepped for first communion, went through the practice run with all the kiddos, how to genuflect, make the sign of the cross, how to receive. Two standard ways, on the tongue or in the hand (dominant hand below). When the kids went to “scoop” the host from their hand directly to their tongue, they were corrected by the directors and instructed how to receive on the tongue or hand.

I’ve come across the “scoop” method before, found some history to it, didn’t dig too far as it’s pretty evident that it is not a preferred discipline. Church says go tongue or hand, I’ll do tongue or hand and won’t try any other way even if I think it could be okay or an older way.

I like to receive in the hand 😀
 
pianistclare said:
I receive on the tongue barbecue that’s how I was taught.
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It’s BBQ! 😃
ratio1 said:
I have read parish bulletins that says people who wish to receive on the tongue of course need to be respected but they also need to be sensitive to the people who take a different view and hence those who wish to receive on the tongue are encouraged to line up at the back for hygienic reasons.

A view I agree with totally. As long as you line up at the back I have no problems.
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So to the back of the bus for those people? That is odd to me. Does this parish not ever offer the cup? If they do then they are merely stigmatizing those who receive on the tongue.
 
When serving as an EMHC, I prefer it when people receive in the hand.

The few who receive on the tongue, makes it a little awkward and yes, I have accidently touched their tongue.

The practice of receiving on the tongue was because of abuse when people took the consecrated host in their hands and put it into their pockets. They then took the host home. Some abused the host.

Anyway, I’ve seen the abuse by those who half consumed the host in their mouths, then removed it and left it in the pew.

Jim
 
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JimR-OCDS said:
Anyway, I’ve seen the abuse by those who half consumed the host in their mouths, then removed it and left it in the pew.
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I just… What? Even if they don’t believe we receive Christ’s body and blood at communion, I can’t see how they think that’s okay. Even if you thought you were just putting a mere piece of bread on the pews, be respectful of people at the next Mass. And when you remember what’s really going on…
 
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I understand that the graces are the same but I contend, having done both hand and tongue, that there are very real advantages to receipt on the tongue.
 
My priest places Communion in my hand as if it is the most precious thing in the world (which it is) and would shatter if he wasn’t so gentle, my deacon holds it up very high so I have to look up at it as if he is really telling me what it is (which he is).
 
Fair enough… I disagree wholly, but you are entitled to your opinion.
 
Well it happened and we brought the host to the who priest celebrated the Mass. He consumed it, which gag, was not unnecessary.

Jim
 
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that is bizarre… I wonder why he didn’t just dissolve it and pour it down the sacrarium
 
My wife and myself wondered that too.

The only thing we could figure is that he was a visiting priest and may not have had the key for it.

Jim
 
Very few people in my parish receive on the tongue, the priest very much prefers people to receive via hand.
 
In terms of receiving on the hand, I prefer it. I always have found opening my mouth wide and sticking my tongue out (even only a little bit) feels a bit odd. Its something I only ever really do for the dentist or doctor - unless I am wanting to be deliberately distespectful or something.
 
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My guess is that around 70-80% in my parish receive on the tongue. Our previous parish priest came from a tradition where intinction is very common so when our deacon wasn’t present at weekday Masses we all received by intinction. Nobody questioned why and if they hadn’t seen it done previous then we just told them of different traditions of receiving Holy Communion by intinction, on the hand, tongue and on the spoon.

When those entering into the Catholic Church have asked me how to receive I tell them the different ways. Most have then responded with: “I’ll just open my mouth and then I don’t have to think about what to do and get nervous!” 😃
 
As a kid, in our Holy Communion instruction we were told to open our mouth as wide as possible and to stick out our tongue as far as it can go, to receive Communion on the tongue. We followed it faithfully to the letter, and everything was alright.

Later we were instructed to receive in the hand, by putting the back of our left hand on the right palm, so that we can pick the host by our right hand and put it into our mouth (for a right handed person). Everything was alright.

No problem in either method.

Receiving in the hand probably is easier as it is more natural in the eating. But again, it’s individual preference, of course.

There is no difference in the host though.

God bless.
 
As yet no one has listed one benefit that would be dissimilar to Communion in the hand
 
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