Benefits to Communion on tongue

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Ratio you are in Aus right. We are setting up for a horrendous flu season. Perhaps there is a correlation
 
I’m not quite sure I understand it. Everyone dipped their fingers in the holy water font on the way in to Church, and many/most/some shook hands during the Sign of Peace. It just seems like there are a lot of ways that germs are being spread that have nothing to do with receiving on the tongue.
 
Micro droplet spray perhaps. We are having a bit of an issue with menengitis too
 
Our flu season has ended. Our pastor never asked anyone not to receive on the tongue. We did not receive the precious blood, and we did not shake hands if we were not comfortable doing so.
 
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We will be in horrendous flu season #2. After last winter , lots more resources are being thrown at it. But right now, it’s winter in about 6 weeks and over 35 Celsius in Adelaide… things that make you go hmmm.
 
It seems you are quite a stressful person. I would receive on the tongue but it would not be for such reason.
 
JoyToTheWhirled said:
Father C explained communion in the hand as right hand laid open over open left hand, host placed in palm, hands raised to mouth and host eaten from palm directly, rather than plucked from the right with the left and eaten that way. Though I see it done both ways.
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That’s interesting.

Me I usually have my (dominant) right hand over my left. After the host is placed in my palms I turn my right over, putting it in the left palm only and then use my right hand to place the host in my mouth. If I tried placing my palms to my mouth I have a feeling I’d drop the host.

I also usually sit at the front of the nave. From what I observe when I watch people receive, usually the people that receive on the tongue have their hands busy with something, like a child. Though every now and then there will be someone who receives on the tongue for reasons other than practicality and they’re usually older.

@Roseeurekacross When they don’t have any hands or tongue, I would think one of the ushers lends theirs. Pretty sure that’s standard duties.
 
I would think you are simply given a smaller particle directly into the mouth, as the Host dissolves pretty fast in moist situations.
The Eastern Churches administer via a golden spoon, and i imagine something similar could be used if nesscary.
 
I’ve always received the Host on my hand, I’ve considered trying the tongue but I worry about dropping it and get self conscious, and that takes me out of the moment.
 
Maximilian75 said:
The Eastern Churches administer via a golden spoon, and i imagine something similar could be used if nesscary.
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Most, not all.

The Melkites started using in tincture a couple of centuries ago (but still leavened).

I want to say that the spoon only starts, both Orthodox and Catholic, in about the 13th century.

In our parish, the mouth remains open and the priest drops it in; I understand that at least some Orthodox groups (and maybe the correspondent EC; I don’t know) actually close their mouth on the spoon, which we are warned not to. When someone does, Father actually wipes it on the cloth.

hawk
 
How is the spoon done then? just tipped/poured in the mouth?
 
Yes.

Head back, mouth open with tongue inside, and the priest drops it in.

Sometimes when I’m the only server there with the cloth, I think I might be better off with a first baseman’s mitt 🙂 [I caught one today]

hawk
 
Hey, maybe try a stick paten. Us latins do some things right 😀😂🙃
 
something like this?

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Honestly, it would be a logistical nightmare in our church building I think. We already have had to introduce a system whereby people begin to line up from one side of the church first and the other side waits until nearly everyone is back in their seat until going up, because of the narrow nature of the aisle. If you added in the maybe 20% of us who receive on the tongue trying to make their way to the back of church as well, it would be a bit like Piccadilly Circus.
I mean, obviously, I have no problem going last. I’m not that keen on causing more problems for everyone in the process though. Probably just the layout of my church makes that problematic.
 
Although nothing adds to or subtracts from receiving it in the hand as per the Church, i personally find it more fitting and humbling to receive on the tongue out of sheer reverence for the Lord - the less hands touch it, the better…
 
Actually, no, wouldn’t work because to be last I’d have to sit at the front on the left side, in the pews that are usually used by people with mobility problems.

This a really weird conversation.
 
Anyway let’s not have an argument. We just have to recognise every parish is different and different people have different preferences so it’s all good.
 
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