Coronavirus Mass Changes - Communion in Hand?

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In our diocese the limiting to cith does not apply to the
fssp. Perhaps if you look for a Latin Mass, you will find that communion on the tongue continues to be available.
 
My Diocese , no communion on the tongue, no chalice, no shaking hands, no holy water. We are still open for business and pray we will for Lent.
 
Follow your heart my friend and please do not be anxious , your heart will guide you correctly.
 
Well actually consider the following

“The consecrated host may be received either on the tongue or in the hand, at the discretion of each communicant.”
General Instruction on the Roman Missal Paragraph 160

“Each of the faithful always has the right to receive Holy Communion on the tongue, at his choice…”
REDEMPTIONIS SACRAMENTUM Page 17
 
peter26 said:
“The consecrated host may be received either on the tongue or in the hand, at the discretion of each communicant.”
General Instruction on the Roman Missal Paragraph 160

“Each of the faithful always has the right to receive Holy Communion on the tongue, at his choice…”
REDEMPTIONIS SACRAMENTUM Page 17
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Both of these are disciplinary rules. As disciplinary rules they are subject to modification as Rome sees fit.
 
Rome has not modified the rules, thes changes are coming from individual bishops or bishops’ conferences.
 
peter26 said:
These changes are very concerning and are likely to negatively affect the spiritual life of a lot of people. Many people are likely to feel isolated and uncomfortable.
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Peter, I sympathise with your point. I do think that many people who say, why not just receive in the hand etc, genuinely do not understand what motivates people to receive on the tongue; I don’t think it is a simple as making a choice of two available methods of receiving. I genuinely think there is a lack of understanding of what motivates people who receive on the tongue.

I think I would feel isolated and upset if I was not allowed to receive on the tongue. If I was very ill then OK, I would make a spiritual Communion at Mass, but if Communion on the tongue was stopped at Mass for all (regardless of whether or not the person was infectious) that would cause me a lot of upset.

However there is always the Traditional Latin Mass, where I believe Communion can only be given on the tongue. So that is an option if things should go that way. However there are, I believe, some orders of priests who I would be very surprised if they refused people Communion on the tongue (at an OF or EF Mass).

There is also a danger of things like this leading to increased division among Catholics with people who receive on the tongue moving to attend Mass where they could still receive on the tongue leading to separate communities and identities.

I too live in England.
 
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If the bishops and pastors have do much more training and knowledge in the prevention if contagious diseases, It is interesting though that so many different parishes and diooeces come up with different conclusions and rules.
I will follow our local bishop’s policies, but I do not think many of the parishes and diocese are really looking into the science behind it at all.
 
I was mainly thinking about training as in religious training…you know…like what is permissible in Mass and reverent towards Jesus. But also, being able to judge the right solutions when tackling a problem because they can look at the whole picture and not have to filter decisions through individual people’s preferences could be helpful, too. Yes, I’m aware they are not scientists. Neither are most of the commentators here, tbf though. What they are are extremely intelligent, highly educated individuals that I trust to think some things through. God also put them in charge over me so I’ll go with it.
 
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peter26 said:
Rome has not modified the rules, thes changes are coming from individual bishops or bishops’ conferences.
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And has Rome said the bishops and conferences don’t have that authority? I haven’t seen any such announcement.
 
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peter26 said:
Well actually consider the following

“The consecrated host may be received either on the tongue or in the hand, at the discretion of each communicant.”
General Instruction on the Roman Missal Paragraph 160

“Each of the faithful always has the right to receive Holy Communion on the tongue, at his choice…”
REDEMPTIONIS SACRAMENTUM Page 17
Click to expand...
My apologies… yes, both ways of receiving are legitimate. My comment was made considering the coronavirus and communion in the hand being a more sanitary way of receiving during the outbreak. The Church is making prudent decisions to forbid receiving in the tongue in some areas
 
Brendan_64 said:
Peter, I sympathise with your point. I do think that many people who say, why not just receive in the hand etc, genuinely do not understand what motivates people to receive on the tongue; I don’t think it is a simple as making a choice of two available methods of receiving. I genuinely think there is a lack of understanding of what motivates people who receive on the tongue.
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Maybe, what motivates Some people

So, I regularly receive on the tongue. I normally don’t say here, because there is a huge us vs. them about COTT vs. CITH. And I Really don’t want to be part of it.

I have pretty much always received on the tongue. But last Saturday night, I received in my hand. Because, “why not just receive in the hand.”

My tongue certainly isn’t more worthy. In fact, I sin more with my tongue than with my hands.

And with the flu Everywhere, why make my priest put his hand near my mouth? I washed my hands right before mass. I didn’t touch anything other than my other hand. I didn’t hold a book, shake a hand or grab the pew. So my hands were clean.

And I receive Communion in them.
 
I have not commented on whether it is more worthy or not, nor have I said that people who receive in the hand ought to receive on the tongue. I have sympathised with Peter’s feelings because I think that I too feel similarly. I also do think there is a genuine lack of understanding about what motivates a lot of people who receive on the tongue. I don’t think it is just a simple choice, and I think some people do not understand that. I also do think that, if pushed firmly, it could lead to division in parishes and people leaving parishes.

I don’t want to get into a ‘COTT versus COTH’ battle.
 
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maryjk said:
Maybe, what motivates Some people
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Exactly. I know a lot of elderly people who receive on the tongue primarily because they do not have good control of their hands because of arthritis or Parkinsons, or having to use a cane or a walker which means one or both hands have to grip the cane or walker, etc.

I also know plenty of people, including myself, who can go either way; they may have a preference for one way or the other, but they can and do switch to the other way when it’s necessary or prudent.

I agree with what maryjk said about the “us vs. them” mentality and I don’t want to add to that pile either, but just pointing out that not everyone has the same motivation.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
but just pointing out that not everyone has the same motivation.
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And that is my point.

Just because someone will ONLY receive on the tongue, and they have no wiggle room for receiving in the hand; doesn’t mean that everyone that receives on the tongue feels that way.

I know that I don’t.
 
Brendan_64 said:
. I don’t think it is just a simple choice, and I think some people do not understand that
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I agree with your whole post, but especially this. There are several reasons I receive on the tongue, any one if which reasonable people can disagree with or not understand, but taken together it becomes, for me, an important decision.
  1. it is in communion with centuries of our ancestors in the faith.
  2. it is the way I was taught as a child by a very sincere and holy nun
  3. to me it reenforces the how sacred and holy the Eucharist is
  4. it is important to my wife
  5. people who I know, who I consider very devout and good Catholics, predominantly receive on the toungue
  6. a couple of priests I know well and respect recommend it
  7. I continue to be uncomfortable with the way communion in the hand was started back in the 70s
  8. I do not want to hold the Blessed Sacrament
  9. it worked do well in my younger days when I was holding a baby
I could probably list half a dozen more reasons without giving it much thought. All of these likely seem trivial to many, none of them are to me.
 
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