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chevalier
Guest
But He was using bread, not tiny round wafers.
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Fergal
Guest
My point exactly chevalier. 
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mommaluvy
Guest
I was taught by a Sister not NOT chew the Eucharist.
So I learned to fold it over in my mouth and let it soften and then swallow.
Her reasoning, or the explanation she gave us was it was “rude” and or disrespectful. She did not want to see a bunch of people walking away chewing like cows, or like you had a piece of gum or something ordinary in your mouth.
I have since taught this to my children as well as my husband who converted, and my second grade CCD children.
I tell them if you MUST chew to do so slowly and softly. Its a meal for the soul. Something to be savored, worshiped, and thankful for. Not something you rush through. Too much rushing today at Communion. Then afterward everyone rushes out the door before the priest ( rep of CHRIST) Founder of the Banquet, has had time to get near the door.
Is it Blasphemy, no.
Should it be done? I think that is up to what you feel GOD is leading you to do. For myself etc. I don’t think so.
Stephanie
So I learned to fold it over in my mouth and let it soften and then swallow.
Her reasoning, or the explanation she gave us was it was “rude” and or disrespectful. She did not want to see a bunch of people walking away chewing like cows, or like you had a piece of gum or something ordinary in your mouth.
I have since taught this to my children as well as my husband who converted, and my second grade CCD children.
I tell them if you MUST chew to do so slowly and softly. Its a meal for the soul. Something to be savored, worshiped, and thankful for. Not something you rush through. Too much rushing today at Communion. Then afterward everyone rushes out the door before the priest ( rep of CHRIST) Founder of the Banquet, has had time to get near the door.
Is it Blasphemy, no.
Should it be done? I think that is up to what you feel GOD is leading you to do. For myself etc. I don’t think so.
Stephanie
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mommaluvy
Guest
Eamon,
I think what your description is similar to what I mean.
I don’t want to get into a biology lesson
But I don’t really think that Christ stays with you longer one way or the other as was mentioned in the post you replied to. Christ is physically present as long as the host is recognizable.I disagree with SirKnight, that Christ is with you longer Physically if you chew. The simple process of our digestive system would not confirm that. Saliva is not as strong as our stomach acids. So Its going to take ten or 15 minutes either way. Chewing, and the saliva start the digestion process. But… thats a different issue. I don’t think your robbing yourself of an extra minute with the LORD by either chewing or softening.
I was taught to let it soften as a sign of respect, part of proper communion etiquette. Just like men are supposed to let their wives out of the pew to receive ahead of them. So much of this is lost in many places today.
It is my understanding however, that the church says its “ok” either way.
K
karennascargo3
Guest
As a new Catholic, I sometimes wonder if it’s just me or does it seem like people surely must lay awake nights thinking of things to post to have controversy over? LOL! 
All joking aside, wouldn’t something like this also kind of fall into the category of legalism anyway?
My understanding has been that if the Catholic Church has no official position on a topic, it is then a personal choice and no brother or sister is to judge or comment adversely and, we are to respect each other choices.
If that is not correct, please feel free to correct me because I’m still learning.
All joking aside, wouldn’t something like this also kind of fall into the category of legalism anyway?
My understanding has been that if the Catholic Church has no official position on a topic, it is then a personal choice and no brother or sister is to judge or comment adversely and, we are to respect each other choices.
If that is not correct, please feel free to correct me because I’m still learning.
Light and airy? You people must have different hosts than those we have around here.
We had light and airy hosts back when I was in second grade when receiving on the tongue was the only option. In my opinion today’s hosts are much thicker and chewier with bits of what I suppose is from the wheat bran. They take much, much longer to dissolve. ,certainly longer than the time between receiving the host and partaking of the Precious Blood.
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Mrs_Sally
Guest
There are several different ‘styles’ of communion host. My parish also buys the thicker ones because it is easier to distribute them. The thinner ones tend to stick together and crumble. (All this according to my pastor.)
That said, it isn’t an issue either way. I think may people chew because it is better than getting the host stuck to the roof of your mouth and having to scrape Jesus off your gums!
That said, it isn’t an issue either way. I think may people chew because it is better than getting the host stuck to the roof of your mouth and having to scrape Jesus off your gums!
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Monica4316
Guest
that’s what I do as well
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cctabb
Guest
I’m one of those people with issues. I try to get the Host chewed up fairly quickly so that by the time I walk to the Precious Blood I can swallow them both together. I probably also take a larger mouthful from the cup than most. It is a thyroid thing. Without liquid, it wouldn’t go down.
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thomas_jd
Guest
Eucharistic Prayer #1"Take this, all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will be given up for you. " Take this, all of you, and drink from it:this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant.
How are we to follow this if we receive the Precious Blood immediately after the Body of Christ? Of course you can “chew” the host. You don’t wait for the priest until he has dissolved the host on his tongue to proceed with mass.
How are we to follow this if we receive the Precious Blood immediately after the Body of Christ? Of course you can “chew” the host. You don’t wait for the priest until he has dissolved the host on his tongue to proceed with mass.
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mommaluvy
Guest
Well I think the one thing so far in this thread that has been agreed upon is that the Church has no official rule on chewing or not chewing. I had been searching the net for such and from what I can tell is that those taught by Sisters (nuns) seem to have the understanding that your to touch Jesus tenderly and lovingly.And that Chewing be done discreetly and only if necessary ( Paraphrasing )As a new Catholic, I sometimes wonder if it’s just me or does it seem like people surely must lay awake nights thinking of things to post to have controversy over? LOL!
All joking aside, wouldn’t something like this also kind of fall into the category of legalism anyway?
My understanding has been that if the Catholic Church has no official position on a topic, it is then a personal choice and no brother or sister is to judge or comment adversely and, we are to respect each other choices.
If that is not correct, please feel free to correct me because I’m still learning.
As far as staying up all night
Nah. I teach CCD/PSR second grade. And it just so happened that today at practice one of the school kids told his teacher that " His dad said they were not supposed to Chew.". I commented that he was correct, and the teacher told me we were both wrong. " That it was OK to chew now". ??!! So I came to the net to see if there was a “rule” or when it had changed. Because I had taught my CCD children how I had been taught. So the question does come up legitimately. And so since the Church has no rule on it and unless my Parish Priest tells me to stop I will continue to teach them to avoid chewing when able.However, Just as Host composition seems to differ, not every parish offers the Precious Blood. And those that go to TLM do not say “AMEN” as they are receiving.So that is not a problem for all. Lots of things need to be taken into account. **Also Many take medication that prevent Saliva to flow normally ( dry mouth) so Chewing is sometimes Necessary. ** Just like with Bowing, or Genuflecting. Not everyone is able to do it as deeply as the next person or at all - Such as the elderly or injured, or differently abled. I would not want anyone telling my 70 yr old father he has to genuflect with his knee all the way to the ground ( as is proper) cause he simply can not. Nor Do I want anyone to tell my 4 yr old with Downs that your only supposed to make the sign of the cross once when using the Holy Water.
BUT My FAVORITE way to receive Christ is the Byzantine Catholic Rite - Intincture. I attended one Mass at a BCR where the Host is IN the blood of Christ and spoonfed to recipients. They kept their initiation rites of Bap. Communion, and Confirmation all together as was originally in the RC rite. So even Babies are given Communion!. Ah… So wish I was able to attend there more than once. That solves all the problems! Since they have their own legit Catholic Rite they did not change at Vat II. Course I don’t know Greek any better than I know Latin.
But it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. And made so much sense to me to have Christ’s Body and Blood unseperated. But… this is all just me and my 2cents.I had no intent of offending anyone . And I hope that I have NOT told anyone that they HAD to do something one way or the other. I just took exception with the comment that Jesus would not be with me physically as long
cause I chose not to chew based on what I was taught. And the biology of the digestive process starts in the mouth anyway. So its going to take 15 minutes aprox no matter what. I don’t think we were trying to be Pharisees about it. He and I will just have to respectfully disagree.
Stephanie
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mommaluvy
Guest
But, if you chew you will get particles stuck in your teeth.There are several different ‘styles’ of communion host. My parish also buys the thicker ones because it is easier to distribute them. The thinner ones tend to stick together and crumble. (All this according to my pastor.)
That said, it isn’t an issue either way. I think may people chew because it is better than getting the host stuck to the roof of your mouth and having to scrape Jesus off your gums!
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mommaluvy
Guest
I don’t think any of us were suggesting we make the Priest wait on us to proceed with Mass . I am unclear as to how you came to that conclusion.
And again not all parishes offer the Precious Blood. And even if they do many do not choose to receive the Cup.
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CatholicOf94
Guest
I would NEVER think of chewing my Lord who has just come to me, WHOLE in the Eucharist. It defames Our Lord’s presence. We need to understand that Jesus comes to us under the simple forms of Bread and wine. It doesn’t seem right to just chew him apart as if you were chewing on candy:tsktsk:
I would receive him on the tongue, and let the Eucharist sit there until it feels thin, and moist enough to swallow. It’s as if you are preparing Jesus to come to your heart. It feels as if your are letting him be the king, of your heart. It almost feels as if you yourself are enthroning him and receiving him into your life.
Doesn’t it seem foolish to just chew on him?
I would receive him on the tongue, and let the Eucharist sit there until it feels thin, and moist enough to swallow. It’s as if you are preparing Jesus to come to your heart. It feels as if your are letting him be the king, of your heart. It almost feels as if you yourself are enthroning him and receiving him into your life.
Doesn’t it seem foolish to just chew on him?
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Joan_M
Guest
No, it doesn’t seem foolish to chew the Host. Jesus wants us to eat Him. The Church has never said that we shouldn’t chew. Those nuns (I never met any of them) who taught children not to chew should be smacked!
All of this sentimental distaste of chewing is quite scrupulous! If you want to make sure particles of the Host do not get caught in your teeth, don’t chew, but you can use your front teeth, biting the Host to break it into pieces and make it easier to swallow.
When I was growing up - in Pre-VII days - the fast was from midnight and included fasting from all liquids including water. On our return from Mass the first thing we would do was drink water to ensure that there were no particles remaining in our mouths. This is the simplest thing to do.
Most important, we should NOT become scrupulous about not “breaking His bones” (of course that does not happen!), or any other silly thing told us by nuns or others in our youth.
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Don9of11
Guest
I don’t think it is, after all the priest breaks the large host into smaller pieces and eats it before he distributes communion to everyone. Jesus did say take and eat!
I think everyone was taught not to chew prior to the 1970s. (Well, for the past few centuries, at least.) Refraining from chewing was one of those pious traditions that was accepted by all (clergy, religious, and general laity) to be a tenant of the Faith. The sisters (I wouldn’t know about the brothers) put the true fear of God into those of us children who dared to even consider chewing, or God forbid, touching the host. Every Latin Catholic experienced the panic that occurred when a host stuck to the roof of the mouth and resisted the best efforts of the tongue to dislodge it.
But the truth is, “not chewing” was never was a matter of the Faith. To the best of my knowledge it has never even been a required practice for the Roman rite (even if it was treated as such.)
A lot of these pious practices were questioned in the 1970s (for better or for worse) and some, such as the need to refrain from chewing, fell out of favor. And with the advent of widespread (and licit) communion in the hand many (but not all) parishes changed to the thicker, whole wheat hosts that don’t readily dissolve in the mouth like the white flour hosts did
To me, this whole “Is it better to chew or better to let the host dissolve?” argument is like asking if it’s better to pray standing or sitting. It’s a nice philosophical argument for a scholarly setting but it’s not a practical matter to make binding on people. In practice, it’s better to consume the host (by whatever means) than to spit it out!
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jeanne71350
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Brendan
Guest
That is correct.
In John 6:51 Christ said “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.”
The word Christ used phago, which is generic term to eat or drink, close to ‘consume’ in English,
Later, when people are confused, Christ ups the ante. in 6:56, ( Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him), He uses trogos, to bite, to munch, to gnaw, to masticate
I’m glad you feel that way, because that IS precisely the terminiology He used in John 6, and why so many were appalled at His words and left. But they were wrong to do so.
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