Cardinal Sarah: return to Communion directly on the tongue while kneeling

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and he has the right to encourage that. If he mandated it, that’s a little more sketchy, but if no one in your parish took issue, there shouldn’t be a problem.
 
I meant my priest says mass ad orientem.

My parish is about 50/50 receiving on the tongue/in the hand. We also have a kneeler some use
 
Ordinary Form? Nice!

and from your previous point, I thought your pastor had said ‘Everyone must reccieve ott/k no exceptions’ which could be rather problematic, but you clarified.
 
Yep, ordinary form. My priest is a fairly young guy, quite traditional. I’m a fan.

He has an odd personality, but I like him.
 
I think there are much better ways for clergy to inspire and compel members to revere and adore Jesus than mandate the external way we take Communion!

I hardly ever hear priests talk about real sins which should cause us not to be receiving Communion, without reconciling with God and turning from those reason first!

The problems in our Church and in people’s lives, are not related to the external way they receive Communion. Its our struggle to make Him Lord of all that we do and say.
 
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Hereiam said:
while he has authority in his diocese, his mandates cannot directly defy church rules which allow for kneeling or standing, or receiving by hand or mouth.
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Where has he declared this to be a mandate? Is he not entitled to express his opinion and support it with evidence from scripture, tradition etc?
 
Augustinian said:
Unless you have a couple of dozen individual kneelers, it would really slow down the communion process. Someone of my age (61) or older, may be able to kneel, but it takes longer. Can’t hop up and down so smoothly if this was the norm. Have to be careful on the up and down motions both, to avoid pulling something.
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I turn 60 this year, so I know where you are coming from. Even though I’m an avid road cyclist, I still have back issues and most recently an annoying bout of sciatica than means if I go on my knees, I need something solid to support myself going back up. And it’s a slow process, and being on my knees is also very painful.

The Church has always been full of solicitude for human realities. Judging by the amount of grey hair I see at Mass, I can foresee that there may be a time where the number of people at Mass able to kneel will be in the minority. So I think it’s wise that she leaves this sort of thing up to the local ordinaries or bishop’s conferences. In countries like those in Africa with young vibrant communities, it would make sense to make kneeling the norm. But in my part of Canada, less so. Making it the norm would compel some people who really shouldn’t but are too proud, to injure themselves.

The Rule of Saint Benedict likewise eases monastic restrictions for the sick and elderly. I thank God that these sorts of decisions are left to those who know the flocks they shepherd, and not to CAF members!
Spyridon said:
I wouldn’t mind if the average daily Mass took 1.5 hours.
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I would object to that for daily mass unless it’s a solemnity. At the local abbey, sung in Gregorian Chant, daily Mass on ordinary days or memorials is 35-40 minutes. It’s already hard enough for us to squeeze in a day’s work with all the Offices (6!) plus Mass; working in the library there one day per week, I can live this first hand.

Sunday Mass, with bells, smells, Gregorian chant, sung readings, etc., usually lasts about 1:20, a bit less in Advent and Lent when the Gloria is not sung, and no organ postlude.
 
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I completely agree with this- to promote kneeling for communion and not emphasise the Real Presence and the necessity of reccieving Communion in a state of grace is to be highly hypocritical.
 
Brendan_64 said:
Where has he declared this to be a mandate? Is he not entitled to express his opinion and support it with evidence from scripture, tradition etc?
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My bad…yes he is…as long as he does not take it to the next step and mandate it…but his opinion hold no more weight than anyone else’s…it appears an overreach by Father Z, which is typical of his blogs.
 
In order for people to understand they should not take Communion while in a state of unconfessed mortal, yes they ought to know the nature of mortal sin, but they also need to know who the Eucharist actually is.

I think this needs to start with an appreciation of the Eucharist, otherwise a person could think that the Eucharist is simply a sign of inclusion for those who adhere to the rules. A deeper appreciation of the Eucharist would perhaps lead to a better appreciation of why we need to be free from mortal sin on order to receive Communion.
 
Just to be clear, I am fully in support of people who have trouble kneeling just sitting, and I have no issue with people standing for Communion, in fact I prefer it as it is the ancient Eastern custom.

I just get bothered when I see the Communion Rite treated as a sort of conveyor belt where efficiency is the most important thing, even more than piety.
 
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The most important thing is that we are receiving Him with a pure heart and clear conscience, which is being strengthened by His Spirit.

Receiving Communion by hands, or tongue makes no difference!
 
I find the Cardinal’s comments quite unfortunate… his position as cardinal and prefect if divine worship give him a broad platform. For him to dismiss a legitimate posture for receiving communion… a posture that has been part of the Church’s tradition for ages, is divisive. Further, for a prelate to push his personal preference for a Church disciple change under the guise of a demonic attack is off putting - in my humble opinion
 
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I received Commuion kneeling in the fifties and sixties and remember being told to get up and get out of the way quickly for the person waiting behind me.
 
As far as I know communion wasn’t always distributed on the tongue and there are some church fathers who wrote about some taking the Eucharist home to their house. Also I doubt Jesus distributed communion on the tongue at the last supper. I heard the main reason why it was distributed on the tongue was to stop some from witchcraft and sacrilege by just taking the Eucharist home and using it for folk Catholicism
 
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Augustinian said:
Its more than that. People don’t care for change that much
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Oh? I’m not so sure. It depends on what kind of changes we’re talking about here. I would venture that there are many priests, bishops, and not a few cardinals who would gleefully change Church teachings in a heartbeat on things such as blessing homosexual unions, homosexuality in general, women’s ordination, changing Humanae Vitae, just to name a few. Again…in a heartbeat!!!
 
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what a wonderful cardinal we have, hopefully others will follow his example
 
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