Communion on the Tongue

[Dicerning]

I lead communion service at the nearby prison. For as long as I have been doing the services the inmates have all recieved on their tongue. Most of them Kneel on the concrete floor of the chapel when recieving. They are learning this from the latino inmates who a highly respect. THeir EUcharistic reverence is catching. As a white Irish Catholic I must say GOD bless our latino/ latina brothers and sisters. They are going to save the American CHurch. Hopefully we seen a HUGE influx of Bilingual latino vocations EVERYWHERE in our church.

 

[mick321]

At the EF Masses that I have attended exclusively for more than two years now, communion in the hand has been neither been offered nor demanded. The Faithful receive communion on the tongue 100% of the time.

 

[bmadamsberry]

At my home parish, Rome, GA, in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, on Sundays about 20% receive on the tongue. During weekday Masses, however, everyone receives on the tongue (no exaggeration).

At the Catholic Caplaincy, where I am right now, at Glasgow University in Scotland, I have only seen about 5 people ever receive in the hand. Things are a lot different overseas! Children receive on the tongue, adults, older people, liberal and conservative.

 

[DCNBILL]

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.

Or a Bishop, Priest or Deacon.

 

[azugirl]

I receive the Eucharist on the tongue because I feel unworthy to handle the Body of Christ, but I also do so as a sign of respect, just like bowing (or in my case) kneeling before receving Him. I’ve received Communion on the tongue by someone who seemed to have never given the Eucharist that way before, so it was a little awkward, but that was okay.
Some people, I’m sure, must think of doing this as unsanitary, or even a bit awkward. Also, it seems like the people who attend daily mass (at least at my parish) receive it on their tongues more than others.
Each place is different, from parish to parish, but if you feel that receiving the Host on your tongue is a good thing to do for the Lord, then by all means you should, even if no one else is. ^-^
~~

 

[OraLabora]

I still have trouble equating communion on the tongue with “more reverence”.

In many ways my tongue, as Cat alluded to, is the organ I am most ashamed of, but then regardless of whether we receive on the hand or tongue, the Host goes into the mouth.

Gestures that are more or less reverent are often simply a cultural construct. For example I traveled to Korea a lot and some hand gestures used to communicate in a noisy industrial environment, considered normal here, were considered very rude over there.

Similarly, at meals, the Koreans ate in a very noisy manner (lots of slurping, etc.) that we would consider gross here. But over there it is a means of showing appreciation for the meal.

Gestures are just that, gestures, that we are conditioned to view as rude, or reverent, depending on the gesture, and gestures that are reverent for one culture can be rude for another.

What really matters in receiving communion, is the inner disposition of the communicant. The rest is really just show.

 

[Bold_Sexton]

I can’t even believe it’s an issue. It’s these kinds of arguments that make me look at Catholics with a certain “whatever” attitude and just keep on walking. It seems so pointless when the whole act of receiving is so meaningful that there are those who argue that receiving one way is better than another.

 

[OraLabora]

I can’t even believe it’s an issue. It’s these kinds of arguments that make me look at Catholics with a certain “whatever” attitude and just keep on walking. It seems so pointless when the whole act of receiving is so meaningful that there are those who argue that receiving one way is better than another.

I basically agree. I tend to find that there’s a lot too much “look at me I’m holy” going around for anybody’s good. A good dose of humility would be nice. As a Catholic these sorts of discussions embarrass me.

 

[bmadamsberry]

I can’t even believe it’s an issue. It’s these kinds of arguments that make me look at Catholics with a certain “whatever” attitude and just keep on walking. It seems so pointless when the whole act of receiving is so meaningful that there are those who argue that receiving one way is better than another.

I think that you misunderstand. Just because we are discussing it does not mean that it is the only issue we talk about. It’s about a holistic idea. Just because it is an issue doesn’t mean it’s the only issue.

 

[jilly4ski]

Very few people at my parish receive COTT. I actually grew up CITH, but now that I have a baby, I just don’t have the hands to receive CITH.

The thing that bothers me about the lack of COTT, is that EMHC’s and even priests don’t ‘know how’ to distribute COTT. I once had a priest almost throw the Eucharist in my mouth because he was so afraid touching my mouth. This same priest then goes on to touch my baby’s head, which who know what kind of baby drool, nose goop etc, not to mention mommy kisses, is on there.

 

[Walden]

I can’t even believe it’s an issue. It’s these kinds of arguments that make me look at Catholics with a certain “whatever” attitude and just keep on walking. It seems so pointless when the whole act of receiving is so meaningful that there are those who argue that receiving one way is better than another.

You obviously haven’t read the thread. No one is arguing. We are discussing the relative frequency of Communion on the tongue because the original poster seems to think that it is a rarity.

I am quite pleased that this thread has stayed on topic so far myself.

Anyway, I’m still wondering about Communion via intinction with a spoon! Anyone??

 

[bmadamsberry]

You obviously haven’t read the thread. No one is arguing. We are discussing the relative frequency of Communion on the tongue because the original poster seems to think that it is a rarity.

I am quite pleased that this thread has stayed on topic so far myself.

Anyway, I’m still wondering about Communion via intinction with a spoon! Anyone??

To answer your question, it is done in the Orthodox Church and in some Eastern Catholic Churches. The idea is that not even the priest’s hands are worthy to touch God. So a golden spoon is used to put Christ into people’s mouths.

 

[Kolbelover]

… I love receiving on the tongue. For me, it is an expression of humility (being fed…just like when we were babies!)…

recently, I contracted a terrible staph infection…and although I am not contagious, I have started to receive in my hand as a sign of love and concern for the priests and EMHC I receive from (since my infection is known by all!!)… I know I have received graces for giving up my preference in consideration for others, but I look forward the day that i may receive on the tongue again!

 

[karennascargo3]

I wish our parish received on the tongue, but Father discourages it highly. It’s just me, but it seems so disrespectful for each of us to touch the host. Who among us, other than a consecrated priest, would be worthy to touch Christ’s physical body, and yet, that’s what we do when we receive in the hand.

 

[otjm]

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).

There have been enough studies about the bacteria, etc found in the mouth that it is possibly debatable that the tongue is any cleaner than the hand.

 

[otjm]

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.

Actually, yes, it would be a problem as it is much more difficult to receive from the Cup at the rail. Which is why generally you do not see anyone receiving from the Cup, for example, at Holy Rosary.

 

[roadsend]

I wish our parish received on the tongue, but Father discourages it highly. It’s just me, but it seems so disrespectful for each of us to touch the host. Who among us, other than a consecrated priest, would be worthy to touch Christ’s physical body, and yet, that’s what we do when we receive in the hand.

In what diocese is it that a priest would actively discourage COTT?
How does he highly discourage it?

 

[otjm]

You obviously haven’t read the thread. No one is arguing. We are discussing the relative frequency of Communion on the tongue because the original poster seems to think that it is a rarity.

I am quite pleased that this thread has stayed on topic so far myself.

Anyway, I’m still wondering about Communion via intinction with a spoon! Anyone??

Ok, I’ll “bite”. The only time I have seen it is at St Irene’s in Portland, which is Catholic, Byzantine (Ruthinian?).

They also use (legitimately) yeast bread.

However, St Sharbel’s (Maronite rite) distributes Communion by intinction.

 

[otjm]

I wish our parish received on the tongue, but Father discourages it highly. It’s just me, but it seems so disrespectful for each of us to touch the host. Who among us, other than a consecrated priest, would be worthy to touch Christ’s physical body, and yet, that’s what we do when we receive in the hand.

Having attended Mass said by a priest who was later convicted in the 1980’s of sexually abusing teenage boys, I don’t think you want to go there…

People in the Church were legitimately receiving in the hand into the 10th century in the Roman rite.

 

[Walden]

Ok, I’ll “bite”. The only time I have seen it is at St Irene’s in Portland, which is Catholic, Byzantine (Ruthinian?).

They also use (legitimately) yeast bread.

However, St Sharbel’s (Maronite rite) distributes Communion by intinction.

Interesting. Thank you. I wonder if it has ever been a part of the Latin Rite…