Do I have to remove my tongue jewelry when I receive Communion?

[laura8132]

Upon leaving church today, I stopped to ask my priest a question. He made a comment to me when I was saying goodbye about the next time I come to receive Communion to remove my tongue ring. I want to know the rules pertaining to this. I have already covered up all tattoos and no longer expose them, and I just feel like I am being picked on for every little thing every week.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

There is no written rule that tongue jewelry must be removed when receiving Communion. (Naturally, this hasn’t been such a major problem that the Church felt a need to make such a rule before now.) But common Catholic piety, as expressed by your priest, indicates that the host and consecrated wine – under the appearance of which our Lord dwells body, blood, soul, and divinity – should be the only thing in your mouth when receiving Communion. Look at it this way: If you were a wine taster, you would remove from your mouth anything that might interfere with your ability to fully taste the wine you are sampling. If you would take that much trouble for ordinary wine (however excellent a vintage), how much more trouble should you take to express reverence for our Lord himself?