Communion in the Hand?

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Hi,

That is from usccb.org/liturgy/current/norms.shtml

It also appears in the GIRM usccb.org/liturgy/current/chapter4.shtml#sect1a
  1. The priest then takes the paten or ciborium and goes to the communicants, who, as a rule, approach in a procession.
The faithful are not permitted to take the consecrated bread or the sacred chalice by themselves and, still less, to hand them from one to another. The norm for reception of Holy Communion in the dioceses of the United States is standing. Communicants should not be denied Holy Communion because they kneel. Rather, such instances should be addressed pastorally, by providing the faithful with proper catechesis on the reasons for this norm.

When receiving Holy Communion, the communicant bows his or her head before the Sacrament as a gesture of reverence and receives the Body of the Lord from the minister. The consecrated host may be received either on the tongue or in the hand, at the discretion of each communicant. When Holy Communion is received under both kinds, the sign of reverence is also made before receiving the Precious Blood.
  1. If Communion is given only under the species of bread, the priest raises the host slightly and shows it to each, saying, Corpus Christi (The Body of Christ). The communicant replies, Amen, and receives the Sacrament either on the tongue or, where this is allowed and if the communicant so chooses, in the hand. As soon as the communicant receives the host, he or she consumes it entirely.
Lux
 
The GIRM #160 [The faithful are not permitted to take the consecrated bread or the sacred chalice by themselves ] is the instruction which tells the communicant that “snatching” the Host from the minister is not allowed.

Lux
 
Lux_et_Tenebrae said:
  1. The priest then takes the paten or ciborium and goes to the communicants, who, as a rule, approach in a procession.
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Ok… I have a new tangent on this:

There is a church that I frequently visit that has, what I think, is an annoying habit.

When it is time for Communion, people all the way to the last pew stand up and get in line for Communion.

I have never been to another church where they do this, so I wonder if it’s consider ‘procession’ when they do this.

All these people, in line, for Communion… or is it just an annoyance that is mine alone?
 
Apryl said:
Ok… I have a new tangent on this:

There is a church that I frequently visit that has, what I think, is an annoying habit.

When it is time for Communion, people all the way to the last pew stand up and get in line for Communion.

I have never been to another church where they do this, so I wonder if it’s consider ‘procession’ when they do this.

All these people, in line, for Communion… or is it just an annoyance that is mine alone?
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LOL Go to Mass in Italy. This is how they do it. After I came home from Rome, one of my observations is that Italians don’t have any concept of lining up. The tradition of nuns making school children line up is not a Catholic tradition. 😃
 
Actually there is a reason for this, and a friend told me of a parish where the Priest told the people not to go row by row.

If a person is not prepared to receive, it calls attention to that person if the whole row gets up to receive, and he/she remains in the pew. If it is more spontaneous, the person will not feel pressured to receive.

Lux
 
Cran said:
I’d like to add: Even if a pope or outstanding personalities have a preference for something, that soesn’t make this preference binding for anyone, as long at it isn’t the teaching/norm of the church.

But I can realte: In my parish. NOBODY receives on the tongue, so our EMHCs would be taken aback, too, I assume.
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What about when visitors come who are in the habit of receiving on the tongue? They must have been trained for that.
 
donnyblake said:
So, should I receive Communion on the tongue, like PJP2 and MT preferred, or should I receive it in the hand, like most EMHC prefer? I don’t want to make things difficult for my brothers and sisters who volunteered to distribute. I do want to do what The Church prefers though. I’m leaning toward sticking with the tongue method. Thanks for the advice.
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Go with your method of personal preference. Don’t worry what others think. The Church approves both.
 
Lux_et_Tenebrae said:
Actually there is a reason for this, and a friend told me of a parish where the Priest told the people not to go row by row.

If a person is not prepared to receive, it calls attention to that person if the whole row gets up to receive, and he/she remains in the pew. If it is more spontaneous, the person will not feel pressured to receive.

Lux
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We always go row by row. Is there another way to do it?:confused:
 
paramedicgirl said:
What about when visitors come who are in the habit of receiving on the tongue? They must have been trained for that.
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They are trained in theory, of course, but if nobody receives on the tongue for years and years and years - guess you know what I mean.
And actually, it is quite rare in the whole country to receive on the tongue… at least as far as I am aware of it.
I have seen ONE visitor two years ago who received on the tongue, apart from the people at the TLM (which isn’t hold (yet) in my parish, but in another city).
 
Lux_et_Tenebrae said:
Actually there is a reason for this, and a friend told me of a parish where the Priest told the people not to go row by row.

If a person is not prepared to receive, it calls attention to that person if the whole row gets up to receive, and he/she remains in the pew. If it is more spontaneous, the person will not feel pressured to receive.

Lux
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Yeah… but…

See… what happens is… EVERY ONE gets up. I think (maybe my bias, I admit) it draws even more attention to those not going for communion to have every one get up at once.
 
Apryl said:
Yeah… but…

See… what happens is… EVERY ONE gets up. I think (maybe my bias, I admit) it draws even more attention to those not going for communion to have every one get up at once.
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As someone who does not robotically receive Holy Communion, I must say that it is better to stay kneeling (or in your seat) even if you “get noticed” than it is to receive Communion out of pride when you are not disposed to do so. So, people notice. Maybe it serves as a good reminder that the Sacrament of Communion must be only received by those in a state of grace.
 
paramedicgirl said:
As someone who does not robotically receive Holy Communion, I must say that it is better to stay kneeling (or in your seat) even if you “get noticed” than it is to receive Communion out of pride when you are not disposed to do so. So, people notice. Maybe it serves as a good reminder that the Sacrament of Communion must be only received by those in a state of grace.
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Ok. All well and good

But does it matter… in the big scheme of things… in accordance with the Magesterium and any other authority, if the congregation all gets up at once, or if each pew allows the pew before them the opportunity to go for Communion, without behaving like it’s a long food line for short food?

I agree that not every one should go for Communion. There are so many reasons NOT to go for Communion. That’s personal

But when one has attended mass in about 30 different states, and only in ONE church have I seen this done, it seems odd.

I have never attended mass outside of the US. I never knew before a few months ago that it matter what one said when receiving Communion (or dispensing Communion)

So, now I’m curious: does it matter how one approaches?
 
Apryl said:
Ok. All well and good

But does it matter… in the big scheme of things… in accordance with the Magesterium and any other authority, if the congregation all gets up at once, or if each pew allows the pew before them the opportunity to go for Communion, without behaving like it’s a long food line for short food?

I agree that not every one should go for Communion. There are so many reasons NOT to go for Communion. That’s personal

But when one has attended mass in about 30 different states, and only in ONE church have I seen this done, it seems odd.

I have never attended mass outside of the US. I never knew before a few months ago that it matter what one said when receiving Communion (or dispensing Communion)

So, now I’m curious: does it matter how one approaches?
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YOu must have missed my earlier post. In Italy, they flood out of the pews like cattle going to the trough. It is total disorder. This is not a matter that the Magisterium concerns itself with.
 
Teeliumtrozzle said:
I’ve never recieved on the toungue,and was taught to recieve on the hand.I dont think it makes much difference.
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To tell you the truth, until this past January, I have always received in the hand. When I went on retreat, it was only given on the tongue since most of the retreaters were from one parish and that is the way they do it there. When I went back to my registered parish, it was back to the hand.

For the past month, I have been going to the parish above and receiving on the tongue. BTW: There are no EMHCs at this parish and they still use the rail.

It is going to be weird tonight since I will be going to a parish close by for Mass and receiving in the hand.
 
Apryl said:
Ok. All well and good

But does it matter… in the big scheme of things… in accordance with the Magesterium and any other authority, if the congregation all gets up at once, or if each pew allows the pew before them the opportunity to go for Communion, without behaving like it’s a long food line for short food?

I agree that not every one should go for Communion. There are so many reasons NOT to go for Communion. That’s personal

But when one has attended mass in about 30 different states, and only in ONE church have I seen this done, it seems odd.

I have never attended mass outside of the US. I never knew before a few months ago that it matter what one said when receiving Communion (or dispensing Communion)

So, now I’m curious: does it matter how one approaches?
Click to expand...
The only way I’ve ever seen it done is for people to get up row by row. This is how it’s done in my part of Canada. And I agree it must be done with total reverence. I’ve never seen a “food line” procession before, and I can’t even imagine what that picture looks like. Our lines usually extend to the back of the Church, but then the whole congregation receives Communion on a regular basis. And we have less than a hundred parishioners. There might be two people who abstain from Communion. I guess I should be ecstatic that everyone who goes to my church is able to always stay in such a state of grace.
 
I’m sorry, but for me communion in the hand is a non-Catholic tradition.

Pax
 
I just don’t understand receiving on the tongue. This is probably an overly simplistic, sola scriptura argument, but Jesus didn’t place the bread in the mouths of his disciples, did he?
 
Savio said:
I just don’t understand receiving on the tongue. This is probably an overly simplistic, sola scriptura argument, but Jesus didn’t place the bread in the mouths of his disciples, did he?
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You’re right.

But then, Jesus was holding the bread.

He can’t hold Himself.
 
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