I truly believe that the way Holy Communion is distributed/received in most parishes is very unfortunate. I also don’t agree with Bp. Morlino.
The “fragments”, “stealing”, and “minimizing a gesture of adoration” concerns are unsubstantiated. Talking about them does nothing but create a lot of disagreement and it hardens many. Based on their questionable existence, qll three appear to be nothing more than excuses used by those who want to get their way. I do think there is strong evidence to support kneeling and I’ll explain why.
Step back and take a look at what really is causing the unfortunate look/feel of Holy Communion in so many Catholic parishes. Two huge things happened:
- Almost everyone receives now. It would appear that in the past, there was a great deal more concern (real or not) about sin/confession before receiving. The number of people receiving communion has nearly doubled.
- Communion is usually through both species. Another doubling of “receiving communion events.”
The ideal would be for everyone to be free of mortal sin at time of communion and for everyone to receive. That’s going to take ongoing catechesis and prayer – and of course confessions. Receiving in hand while kneeling isn’t going to do a darned thing about this root cause.
Receiving under both specifies is something at every Mass is something that needs to be closely reviewed in my opinion, but not for the reason most think – an overabundance of EMsHC. I think offering both species at every Mass makes it overly routine, and that perhaps communion under both kinds should be reserved for Easter, Christmas, etc.
Back to the point though, why does the distribution of Holy Communion seem so lamentable in so many parish? Because there are
FOUR TIMES the number of “receiving communion events” at every parish in the same time (or less) allotted as in the past with 1/4 the number of “receiving communion events.”, The response has been to assembly-line the process coupled with a dearth of good cathesis.
The excuses are ridiculous! Mass runs too long, parking issues, blah, blah, blah! If people like Bp. Morlino would address the actual problem – that there are 4X the “communion events” today crammed into the same amount of time as yesteryear, some real progress would be made!
There seems to be a real stigma with Sunday Mass running over an hour. That needs to cease. Communion under both species at all needs to be reevaluated. **Distributing Holy Communion takes time! **
I firmly believe that Holy Communion should be via intinction while kneeling. Not because kneeling is “more reverent”, but because it breaks the assembly-line mindset. The same for intinction – it slows the entire process of distributing holy communion and makes if a far more deliberate process. A process that gives people time to think, to pray. That, coupled with some good catechesis would make a real difference.