Communion on the Tongue

[shelby2014]

I have noticed a lot of people posting about communion on the tongue vs. communion in the hands as a sign of respect for the Holy Sacrament. It seems that there are people who say that communion on the tongue appears rare. A poster even said, “I saw someone take communion on the tongue ONCE.” And another said, “Talk to your priest if you want to take it on the tongue.”

Now, in my observation, about 1 in 3 or 1 in 4 people choose to take communion on the tongue. This has been observed in the Kansas City, Chicago, and Wichita areas.

My question is - where are all these other posters from that act as though it is very rare to have communion on the tongue?

 

[markomalley]

There are a number of parishes in a number of dioceses that are more liberal than others.

They forget that communion in the hand is an indult granted to the dioceses of the US by the Holy See and that the norm is communion on the tongue.

(I personally have run into parishes in both the Archdiocese of Washington, the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and the Archdiocese of St Paul where that attitude has been displayed…)

 

[Oneofthewomen]

I am an EMHC and in my experience about 1 in 10 people in the parishes where I serve receive on the tongue.
I do live in a pretty liberal diocese, and CITH is the norm, but I have no problem with anyone who wants COTT.
As far as irreverence goes, I have seen both COTT & CITH people being irreverent.
Most notably, a man who always received COTT with a toothpick in his mouth!

 

[The_Reginator]

At my OF parish communion on the tongue is the exception rather than the rule.
The children are all taught to receive standing and in the hand. Since this has been going on for decades now COTT seems to be getting less common.
Our Lord is getting less respect as the time passes from VII. I am trusting that God will correct His Church, whenever required, through His Pope and Bishops.

 

[Sunflake9]

In my Parrish I have watched people in the Mass I attend, and I’ve seen 2-3 people receive on the tongue. So where I’m from its rare to see it.

 

[thirdn6]

There are four possible reasons why those 2-3 people mentioned received on the tongue. First, they didn’t wash their hands when they put on their dirty socks. Second, they must’ve sneezed or touched their nose and they didn’t wash their hands. Third, they must’ve pulled out a dirty ten-dollar bill during the collection and they didn’t have time to wash their hands. And fourth, it’s called reverence (to not hold the host with dirty hands).

 

[benedictgal]

In my parish, a majority receive COTT. This also holds true for quite a few parishes in my diocese. I for one receive COTT. Based on my limited observations the few times I have gone to Mass in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, COTT is pretty much the standard.

 

[Walden]

In Alabama, it’s a mixed bag. It really depends on the parish. In my home parish, only a couple of people receive in the hand, but in another parish near where I went to college, quite a few receive in the hand.

I have to say though, nowhere that I have been would someone feel out of place receiving on the tongue. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever been to Mass where at least 20% or so did not receive on the tongue.

For my part, I have never received in the hand. The reason I say this is that when I went through RCIA, my priest made it clear to us that we had the option either way, but ended up “strongly recommending” that we receive on the tongue at least for the first time.

This reminds me of an interesting anecdote that he shared with us then too. He said that for a long time there was a priest in town who used a spoon, presumably to mingle the Precious Body and Blood. I personally have never encountered this, and I wonder how frequently it occurs within the Latin Rite.

 

[shondrea]

I have NEVER, EVER seen anyone take communion on the tongue. IN fact, until coming here, I assumed no one did it anymore.

 

[benedictgal]

I have NEVER, EVER seen anyone take communion on the tongue. IN fact, until coming here, I assumed no one did it anymore.

We tend to forget that COTT is the norm, while CITH is an indult. Indults are not necessarily permanent and can be withdrawn at any time. CITH can be suspended if there is a risk of profaning the Sacred Host.

Just a point of clarification: we don’t take communion. We receive. Adam and Eve snatched at divinity, taking what was not theirs. We don’t snatch a gift, taking it from the giver’s hands; we receive the gift. So it is with Holy Communion. We receive in deep humility, wonder and awe, whether COTT or CITH, the gift of Christ’s Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. We don’t take.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

At different churches in my diocese I’ve seen from 10 to 20% of people receive on the tongue. However, I usually sit towards the front of the church and after I’ve received communion I close my eyes so I don’t know what the people in the back of the church do.

How come y’all are watching other people receive communion anyway?? Unless you’re an EMHC…

I did have the privilege of holding the paten for two of the masses at our diocesan charismatic conference last fall. I’d say at least 20%, possibly more, received on the tongue (our charismatics tend to be very reverent). And, for goodness sake, if you receive communion that way don’t prayerfully clasp your hands under your chin. Leave room for the paten.

 

[Walden]

How come y’all are watching other people receive communion anyway?? Unless you’re an EMHC…

Ha! Good point. Unfortunately, I guess I am not the best example of what one should be doing while others are receiving, especially those times when I don’t myself.

And, by the way, why would you even mention EMHC when I haven’t yet had anyone comment on my spoon story?? In my experience, that is one of the quickest ways to derail a thread around here!

 

[Cat]

There are four possible reasons why those 2-3 people mentioned received on the tongue. First, they didn’t wash their hands when they put on their dirty socks. Second, they must’ve sneezed or touched their nose and they didn’t wash their hands. Third, they must’ve pulled out a dirty ten-dollar bill during the collection and they didn’t have time to wash their hands. And fourth, it’s called reverence (to not hold the host with dirty hands).

I work in a clinical microbiology lab. Do you want me to describe how “dirty” the human tongue is (bacteria-rich)? Not to mention the spiritual “dirtiness” that most of us have associated with our tongues (see James 3:1-12).

I receive on the tongue, BTW, due to a balance problem because of my knees and ankles. I have never felt more “reverence” receiving the Lord on my tongue than in my hands. I do miss holding Him. If the EMHC or priest is very short, I will receive in my hand because it’s difficult for them to reach my mouth.

 

[roadsend]

… If the EMHC or priest is very short, I will receive in my hand because it’s difficult for them to reach my mouth.

Darn, if we had a Communion Rail that wouldn’t be a problem, would it?
What ever happened to our Communion rails?
I am 6’ 3" and I will never receive Communion in the hand, barring a grave emergency.
I do not see a short padre as a grave emergency.

 

[Melissa]

Darn, if we had a Communion Rail that wouldn’t be a problem, would it?
What ever happened to our Communion rails?
I am 6’ 3" and I will never receive Communion in the hand, barring a grave emergency.
I do not see a short padre as a grave emergency.

We still have the altar rail in my parish. I was just recently talking with one of the older parishioners here who commented that back in the 70s (long before I was even Catholic) that this parish had absolutely refused to allow the altar rail to be removed, so it’s still in use. That, plus the first step up for the sanctuary (the altar itself is even higher) means that short minister/tall communicant is never a problem here as it is in some parishes I’ve visited where everyone is on the floor at the same level.

Personally, I receive on the tongue at all times (but I’m not tall, by any means … as my kids commented recently, even when wearing heels I’m shorter than my oldest son), due to nerve damage in my right hand that makes me prone to dropping all manner of mundane objects, so I just don’t want to take a chance when receiving.

 

[andyandely1997]

Darn, if we had a Communion Rail that wouldn’t be a problem, would it?
What ever happened to our Communion rails?
I am 6’ 3" and I will never receive Communion in the hand, barring a grave emergency.
I do not see a short padre as a grave emergency.

You are right about the communion rails. If anyone goes to The Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, everyone kneels at the communion rail & communion on the tongue is the norm. Also, there is room for abuse when communion is received in the hand. Plus, many people don’t even bow when receiving communion anymore. There has been a loss of respect in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

 

[sabriner]

You are right about the communion rails. If anyone goes to The Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, everyone kneels at the communion rail & communion on the tongue is the norm. Also, there is room for abuse when communion is received in the hand. Plus, many people don’t even bow when receiving communion anymore. There has been a loss of respect in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

Yes.

By the way, people will argue that neither COTT or CITH are more reverent than the other, but reverence rather depends upon the receiver’s interior reverence/disposition. My two cents is, of course interior reverence is important, it’s the source of exterior reverence… but quite plainly as St. Francis put it, “Preach the Gospel always; when necessary, use words.” To me, receiving on the tongue (and kneeling too, as it’s relevant) is a way to evangelize, to say to people, “Hey, what I’m about to do is more important than I can say, and I need to do something special to signify it.”

Some people feel they don’t want people to look at them receive COTT (& kneeling) and think that their method is “inferior”. It would satisfy my feelings to receive our Lord discreetly without drawing attention…of course I have moments of shame and embarrassment but they are just temptations, because I hope, in remembering all the sacrileges Jesus suffers in the Most Blessed Sacrament, that someone will come up to me and ask, “Why do you do that?” And I’ll get to tell them about the amazing thing that is the Eucharist. (And anyway, as a previous poster mentioned, no one should be really be people-watching during Communion, heheh…)

I was baptized Catholic when I was a baby, went to Catholic pre-school, elementary, middle, and high school. But it was only after I graduated when I had heard of the Real Presence in the Eucharist (my friend told me about this, who only realized this after going through a Cursillo weekend/retreat)!! Imagine. We grew up in Catholic environments but for the longest time never heard about this! The Eucharist is what converted me and opened my eyes to real joy. I was never taught this in parochial school. If they did mention it, it was so seldom. After 18 years of Catholic education and the idea of the Real Presence never entering my mind?! That’s why I personally feel I need to do everything I can, even the smallest thing, to point to the Eucharist.

whew. anyway. again, that is just my two cents.

 

[Moscati]

How come y’all are watching other people receive communion anyway?? Unless you’re an EMHC…

I really like to watch others receive, if I happen to be sitting up front, like we have been in RCIA for the various rites. Probably just because I can’t yet (less than two weeks!), but I find it wonderful.

I’d say about 1 out of every dozen in my OF parish receives on the tongue. It’s certainly not frowned upon. Father would never refuse Communion to anyone attempting to show greater reverence–I’ve seen him break out into a big smile when someone knelt in line to receive.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

Yes.

By the way, people will argue that neither COTT or CITH are more reverent than the other, but reverence rather depends upon the receiver’s interior reverence/disposition. My two cents is, of course interior reverence is important, it’s the source of exterior reverence… but quite plainly as St. Francis put it, “Preach the Gospel always; when necessary, use words.” To me, receiving on the tongue (and kneeling too, as it’s relevant) is a way to evangelize, to say to people, “Hey, what I’m about to do is more important than I can say, and I need to do something special to signify it.”

Some people feel they don’t want people to look at them receive COTT (& kneeling) and think that their method is “inferior”. It would satisfy my feelings to receive our Lord discreetly without drawing attention…of course I have moments of shame and embarrassment but they are just temptations, because I hope, in remembering all the sacrileges Jesus suffers in the Most Blessed Sacrament, that someone will come up to me and ask, “Why do you do that?” And I’ll get to tell them about the amazing thing that is the Eucharist. (And anyway, as a previous poster mentioned, no one should be really be people-watching during Communion, heheh…)

I*** was baptized Catholic when I was a baby, went to Catholic pre-school, elementary, middle, and high school. But it was only after I graduated when I had heard of the Real Presence in the Eucharist ***(my friend told me about this, who only realized this after going through a Cursillo weekend/retreat)!! Imagine. We grew up in Catholic environments but for the longest time never heard about this! The Eucharist is what converted me and opened my eyes to real joy. I was never taught this in parochial school. If they did mention it, it was so seldom. After 18 years of Catholic education and the idea of the Real Presence never entering my mind?! That’s why I personally feel I need to do everything I can, even the smallest thing, to point to the Eucharist.

whew. anyway. again, that is just my two cents.

Real Presence is a foundational dogma of the Church and I cannot believe that you spent 18 years in Catholic education and never heard of it!
What exactly were you told that Holy Communion was?

 

[Cojuanco]

It depends at my parish. It can be anywhere from half to ten percent, depending on which Mass. A trend I see, though, is those who recieve on the tongue tend to be one of three categories:

The (really) old, who had grown up recieving on the tongue,
Some of the young, who tend to be involved with the parish’s youth programs,
Immigrants, who were taught to recieve in the tongue either by their elders or in catechism classes in the Old Country (I fall into this category).

The ones least likely to do so? The native-born, often middle-to-upper-middle class parishioners.

@Oneofthewomen: It’s admittedly not that rare for that to occur, though not common. It speaks to the poor quality of the catechesis in some areas. In fact, I did not learn about the Real Presence until I was in sixth grade, and I learned that from an Anglican (of course, I looked into it more and always subscribe to the Catholic doctrine on the same). It’s a sad state when, after going through Catholic education, I had to learn one of the most basic teachings of the Church from a Protestant.