Diocese Forbidden To Receive Christ On The Tongue

[weepixie71]

Do to the Swine Flu, the bishop where I am from has forbidden his whole diocese to receive Communion on the tongue. We can only receive Christ in our hands. This includes people who attend the Tridentine Mass.
Am I the only one finding this odd since there is only 3 confirmed cases in our whole state of Illinois since last I checked?
Is anyone out there going through something similar?

 

[Cat]

Do to the Swine Flu, the bishop where I am from has forbidden his whole diocese to receive Communion on the tongue. We can only receive Christ in our hands. This includes people who attend the Tridentine Mass.
Am I the only one finding this odd since there is only 3 confirmed cases in our whole state of Illinois since last I checked?
Is anyone out there going through something similar?

I live in Northern Illinois. I work in a microbiology lab.

Yes, we only have a few confirmed cases, but there are probably hundreds of unconfirmed cases.

All winter long we’ve been doing rapid tests (less than a half hour from start to finish) for influenza, and we’ve seen dozens of positive type As this winter. **According to the CDC, approx. 75% of these Type As are actually swine flu. ** But until a few weeks ago, no one cared, so we didn’t send them to the State Lab for swine flu testing.

And for every person who goes to the doctor with flu symptoms, there are dozens who do NOT go to the doctor. It is a fact that many men will NOT go to the doctor until they are at the point of death. Many African Americans do not visit doctors, especially African American men. And there are so many people who are afraid of the expense that they just stay home and tough it out. And then there are those who don’t deal with doctors at all, but prefer homaeopathic medicine.

Last week we sent several hundred swine flu tests to Illinois Department of Public Health in Chicago. Most of these tests were rejected by IDPH because the patient didn’t have anything in their history to indicate possible swine flu (visit Mexico, visit California, etc.). But that doesn’t mean they didn’t have swine flu.

My point is, there is the potential for an outbreak, and the rather drastic methods; eg., closing schools, asking parishioners to receive Holy Communion in the hand, etc, that are being used to curtail this outbreak seem to be working. Better to be overly-cautious and protect others who are weak and susceptible to the flu.

 

[Jonatello]

this seems very reasonable if the Swine Flue can be passed through the Eucharist…which we believe is the Body and Blood of Christ.

 

[damooster]

I think it’s great that the Bishop is doing what he can to keep his congregation safe.

 

[Walden]

I’ve been reading threads on this, and I’m having trouble connecting the dots.

How is Communion on the tongue more likely to spread disease than communion in the hand?

When I receive, the only thing that touches my mouth is the Host. The priest doesn’t touch my mouth. I assume with Communion in the hand that, again, the only thing that touches you is the Host. In both cases, you are the same distance away. People are in a confined space…all close together. I don’t get it. What am I missing?

Mind you, I understand the reasons behind reserving the chalice to the priest only.

 

[damooster]

How is Communion on the tongue more likely to spread disease than communion in the hand?

Some people have a bad habit of closing their mouths too soon and the priest gets saliva on his fingers.

 

[Walden]

Some people have a bad habit of closing their mouths too soon and the priest gets saliva on his fingers.

Ahh…that’s true. Forgot about the slobber factor with some people.

I just hope that kind of decision isn’t made here. I go to a regular old parish, but about 90% of the people receive on the tongue. It would be a change.

 

[brigid12]

Some people have a bad habit of closing their mouths too soon and the priest gets saliva on his fingers.

This last Sunday I went to a parish where 75% of the parishioners receive on the tongue anyway and when I went to receive, not only was it a relief not to get a frown from the priest, but he put it on my tongue with an almost frisbee like toss (even to the ever so slight wrist action) - obviously he’s refined his technique. They use a paton (sp?), too. He was clearly quite confident and reverent in his distribution of HC (they don’t use EMHCs as there’s no chalice). I loved it and knew that I was safe from either being part of desecration of the Eucharist or of a transfer of someone elses saliva!

 

[Madaglan]

Are there any documented cases of disease spreading through the Eucharist?

 

[brigid12]

Are there any documented cases of disease spreading through the Eucharist?

No, but I must say that it would be almost impossible to do a large study on such a thing and anyone receiving the Eucharist is also at Mass (a large gathering of people, many of whom touch all sorts of things, sneeze, etc.). Besides, most of those people go to stores for groceries or whatever, too. How would you factor all that out? We just need to use as much faith as we can.

 

[Mamselle_Duroc]

Here’s an article about it that I found helpful.

I do intend to write to our local bishop, who has restricted Communion to the hand only, with of course the utmost respect. As it, though, it’s more a matter of principle… practically it looks like I won’t be receiving until the restriction is lifted. What I wouldn’t give to be with my brother at TAC right now.

 

[brigid12]

Here’s an article about it that I found helpful.

I do intend to write to our local bishop, who has restricted Communion to the hand only, with of course the utmost respect. As it, though, it’s more a matter of principle… practically it looks like I won’t be receiving until the restriction is lifted. What I wouldn’t give to be with my brother at TAC right now.

What worries me is that the restriction may not be lifted (or only lifted so quietly that few realize it). I wonder if a copy of your letter sent to the vatican would be in order since this is happening in more and more diocese?

 

[LilyM]

What worries me is that the restriction may not be lifted (or only lifted so quietly that few realize it). I wonder if a copy of your letter sent to the vatican would be in order since this is happening in more and more diocese?

I don’t think that’s a risk at all, when those who receive on the tongue tend to be so deeply invested in doing so - and when the Holy Father himself insists on distributing on the tongue. There’ll be pressure to make sure it’s back to business as normal as soon as practicable, you can be sure.

 

[brigid12]

I don’t think that’s a risk at all, when those who receive on the tongue tend to be so deeply invested in doing so - and when the Holy Father himself insists on distributing on the tongue. There’ll be pressure to make sure it’s back to business as normal as soon as practicable, you can be sure.

I sure hope you’re right!

 

[Mamselle_Duroc]

What worries me is that the restriction may not be lifted (or only lifted so quietly that few realize it). I wonder if a copy of your letter sent to the vatican would be in order since this is happening in more and more diocese?

We were given the word ‘until further notice.’ And I don’t worry that the restriction will be lifted quietly with the intention of deception… definitely not! But because there’s no way of telling at this point how long the concern over the flu will last, I do wonder occasionally how and when permission to receive on the tongue will reach our tiny mountain parish. Hopefully it will be done as clearly as the original restriction.

I know I have a tendency to unduly worry, though, so I just try to trust God and pray that I won’t be deprived of the great graces from the Eucharist for too long… I’ll be at TAC when August comes so I know that the very longest it could be is the duration of the summer. And we might start going to the TLM fortnightly, though it is an awful long drive.

 

[Mamselle_Duroc]

Sorry for the double-post, but I wanted to link to Father Z.'s post on the matter.

He has a relevant quote from Redemptionis Sacramentum, in case any of you, like me, intend to write to your local bishop.

Although each of the faithful **always has the right to receive Holy Communion on the tongue,** at his choice, if any communicant should wish to receive the Sacrament in the hand, in areas where the Bishops’ Conference with the recognitio of the Apostolic See has given permission, the sacred host is to be administered to him or her. However, special care should be taken to ensure that the host is consumed by the communicant in the presence of the minister, so that no one goes away carrying the Eucharistic species in his hand. If there is a risk of profanation, then Holy Communion should not be given in the hand to the faithful.

If you do write your bishop please remember:

1. To be wholly respectful.

and

1. As the article I linked earlier says, assume the best motives. I have no doubt that the bishops are genuinely concerned for the health of their flock. It’s unfair and unnecessary to assume that they’re just using the flu as an excuse to stop a practice they dislike.

This has such a sting for us who receive only by tongue, but it’s of the utmost importance that we remain respectful, and that we assume the best motives.

 

[Seamus_L]

What Diocese is this ?

 

[TheDoctor]

I’ve been reading threads on this, and I’m having trouble connecting the dots.

How is Communion on the tongue more likely to spread disease than communion in the hand?

When I receive, the only thing that touches my mouth is the Host. The priest doesn’t touch my mouth. I assume with Communion in the hand that, again, the only thing that touches you is the Host. In both cases, you are the same distance away. People are in a confined space…all close together. I don’t get it. What am I missing?

Mind you, I understand the reasons behind reserving the chalice to the priest only.

There are no absolutes, we are really talking about minimizing risk. If the priest gives to someone who has the flu and his hand comes into contact with that person’s saliva, the flu can be transmitted to the priests hand and then to all the other hosts he touches. If the priest is putting the Eucharist into someone’s hand, the risk of disease transmission is less, but never zero (unless Father is sanitizing between each one).

 

[Chiltepin]

Some people have a bad habit of closing their mouths too soon and the priest gets saliva on his fingers.

Some priests/deacons/emhc’s do not have enough practice in this form of distribution and thumb your tongue. It is possible it is the fault of the recipient, but it is just as likely the distributor.

I’m sorry to hear things have gotten so out of hand in places that far away from the outbreak. I’m in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, the wording in the Bishop’s Swine Flu(should be saying H1N1 I guess) letter was as follows:

Though I am not demanding it, it may be helpful, for the time being, for persons to receive Holy Communion in the hand.

So when I was invited to a student of mine’s confirmation at a nearby parish and had a deacon very rudely shake his head and bark at me “No, in your hand!” I was horrified, panicked and complied. Then went back to the pew and cried. I wish I had just turned around but I was so startled. Now that I have the letter, and though I will never return to that parish I think I will send an email to their office.

 

[NeedImprovement]

This last Sunday I went to a parish where 75% of the parishioners receive on the tongue anyway and when I went to receive, not only was it a relief not to get a frown from the priest, but he put it on my tongue with an almost frisbee like toss (even to the ever so slight wrist action) - obviously he’s refined his technique. They use a paton (sp?), too. He was clearly quite confident and reverent in his distribution of HC (they don’t use EMHCs as there’s no chalice). I loved it and knew that I was safe from either being part of desecration of the Eucharist or of a transfer of someone elses saliva!

Nice post

We had a similar thing happen several years ago during a SARS outbreak (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in a city in an adjoining province. We were asked (kind of instructed actually) to all receive in the hand. However, I’m not so sure whether it was more our pastor’s rather than the Archbishop’s initiative. Somewhere around 14 years ago I reverted to receiving Holy Communion on the tongue again … even though I handle the Blessed Sacrament for long periods frequently among the sick and the dying, both within and outside of Mass. It’s still my personal preference to receive on the tongue when possible. I obeyed the instruction to receive in the hand, but I found it difficult.

People are playing in a very sensitive area when it comes to coercing someone to receive Holy Communion in a manner they’re not accustomed to - this is a very personal thing.

There were some studies done not so long ago indicating we might be just as likely to catch a bug/flu/cold via a handshake because our hands frequently touch the nose, eyes (mucous membranes)…so these things could easily be transmitted from one person to another.

As for claims we may be catching the flu from the Eucharist , I’d exercise a bit of caution here…True - the consecrated Host still has the appearance of bread, which means all of its physical properties, but this is also Jesus Christ - Son of God - Body, Blood , Soul, and Divinity; Jesus fully and truly present. Jesus never transmitted diseases…quite the opposite actually - He healed them.

On the other side of the coin however,it is certainly possible for a flu to be passed on via a chalice or a priest’s fingers. I believe the best route to go is the way brigid 12 described in a previous post: "We just need to use as much faith as we can.".

This is only my limited opinion, but I think that the authorities who advocate these things are partially duped by the alarmist initiative.

It’s kind of like this; Please bear with me while I tell you a true story that happened at the reception for one of our priests who had been ordained auxilliary bishop for a neighboring diocese roughly 5 years ago…

*The reception was held at a fancy hotel and there were all sorts of gorgeous sandwiches and desserts - on silver platters and with silver serving tongs. Almost all the sandwiches were halved ( cut diagonally). I was waiting my turn across the table from a pious long time parishoner of ours as he carefully took the tongs and placed several of these gorgeous sandwiches on his plate.

As he handed me the tongs, I thanked him and said, “What do you think Andrew?..These tongs are used for hygenic purposes…Aren’t they?” “That’s right”, he nodded . I replied, "That’s what they want you to think…Now really, think about it !.. Everyone else’s hands have touched the handles of these tongs - now yours have too. You have the entire collection of all the germs from everyone else’s hands on yours and now you’re touching your food with them and putting it in your mouth.

Well it wasn’t a very charitable thing to say, and the look I got back from him was even less charitable. My point was, it’s an illusion and it hadn’t been thought all the way through.*

I believe we could draw a similar parallel to the topic of this thread. There is a certain lack of consistency in the approach described. If we were to think that initiative all the way through then every time the presider at Holy Mass had a cold or a bad flu, he shouldn’t give us Holy Communion. And priests do get bad colds and bad flus sometimes and we receive from them anyway…don’t we ?

And what about the Holy Water font…? How many people stick their hands in there and then spread the water around their faces a bit ? Maybe we should switch from water to holy rubbing alcohol or holy Dettol or something !

My only point is we mustn’t let paranoia rule us and certainly mustn’t let it get in between us and a God who loves us so deeply and tenderly in this Sacrament.

How do we do that ?..

… We just need to use as much faith as we can.

And let’s remember that God, in His providence, gave us an immune system.