Do you kneel to receive communion at the OF mass?

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Thank you for this, CoeurRempli.

I can understand how difficult this can be for some to believe this is Church teaching. After all, we have all grown up with repeated emphasis on not being deceived by appearances when it comes to the Blessed Sacrament.
‘Sight, touch and taste in Thee are each deceived’.

But we have to use our commonsense and trust in the Church - the example you gave of the Host ceasing to be the Real Presence once It has been dissolved in water underlines that, in some sense, appearances DO matter - the Host no longer resembles bread because it has disappeared into the water, therefore the Real Presence is there no longer.

Without this understanding of what the Church really teaches, I can imagine being driven nearly crazy imagining tiny particles in the air, on the floor, on people’s hands.

I’m sorry to say that I thought the video posted upthread is disgracefully manipulative. It has surfaced at least once before, and as I said last time it appeared, in what sacristy are the altar-breads deliberately dropped edge-on on to a hard surface? Naturally, that would cause tiny breaks in the sealed edges, and result in tiny broken pieces…
 
Tiny particles do not contain the Real Presence. CRUMBS do. Those were crumbs in his hands and were visible by the naked eye. That is vastly different from little particles that look like specks of dust.
 
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misstherese said:
Tiny particles do not contain the Real Presence. CRUMBS do. Those were crumbs in his hands and were visible by the naked eye. That is vastly different from little particles that look like specks of dust
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As paperwight mentioned, the hosts were dropped before the experiment was done, which makes crumbs much more likely. Secondly, if crumbs are left behind when distributing communion on the hand, then surely they will be left behind on the minsiter’s fingers when distributing on the tongue too. Communion ministers only wash their hands at the end; is it not possible that crumbs are left on the fingers and then fall to the floor while the host is being placed on the tongue? Finally, I think the crumbs in the video are only obvious against a black surface, but in the air or placed on a hand, they will look more like specs of dust.

I’m not trying to say that we should have anything less than the utmost respect for the Eucharist, and care should be taken so that nothing is lost. I check my hands- and have never found a visible crumb- but if I did, I would not hesitate to consume it. But if we don’t use common sense and trust in the Church, as paperwight stated, then it is possible for people to be driven crazy and become afraid to receive Communion, and get distracted from being in communion with Jesus. I know because I have seen these videos before and used to overthink it before communion. Worried about receiving on the tongue and causing the minister to drop the host. Worried about receiving on the hand and having crumbs left on my hand that I didn’t catch. I don’t think it is what Jesus intended.
 
CoeurRempli said:
As paperwight mentioned, the hosts were dropped before the experiment was done, which makes crumbs much more likely.
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I don’t think he uses the hosts that were dropped for the hand experiment. There was a bag of hosts beside him while doing the hand experiment; he most likely used those. Plus, I’m sure he would have realized the faultiness of using already dropped hosts for the hand experiment.
CoeurRempli said:
Communion ministers only wash their hands at the end; is it not possible that crumbs are left on the fingers and then fall to the floor while the host is being placed on the tongue?
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This is why communion-plates are used. I do believe they would be necessary for this reason and I also think they should be put back in use, as they’re already in use in the EF.
CoeurRempli said:
Finally, I think the crumbs in the video are only obvious against a black surface, but in the air or placed on a hand, they will look more like specs of dust.
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It wouldn’t matter if they’re obvious, or easily noticed, or not. It’s the size of the crumb that matters. Priests used to be instructed to press their thumb and forefinger together so as not to lose even a fragment of the Eucharist while handling it.

You can read more about it here
https://www.reddit.com/r/Catholicism/comments/7nkn3k/why_do_some_priests_make_the_ok_sign_with_their
 
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misstherese said:
I don’t think he uses the hosts that were dropped for the hand experiment. There was a bag of hosts beside him while doing the hand experiment; he most likely used those. Plus, I’m sure he would have realized the faultiness of using already dropped hosts for the hand experiment.
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Perhaps you are right.
But if this was such a big issue, why would the Church allow Communion in the hand? The video made it seem like the Church was pressured into tolerating it, but surely if it was sacrilegous the Church, the pillar of fire and truth, would stand up against it to protect the greatest gift that she has. The video also made it seem like receiving in the hand is a new practice, but it is not.
misstherese said:
This is why communion-plates are used. I do believe they would be necessary for this reason and I also think they should be put back in use, as they’re already in use in the EF.
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I agree with you, I would love to see communion plates used more often. I would be much more inclined to receive on the tongue if they were used. Some of my local parishes have them but cannot always use them because there is not always a altar server… or enough altar servers.
misstherese said:
It wouldn’t matter if they’re obvious, or easily noticed, or not. It’s the size of the crumb that matters. Priests used to be instructed to press their thumb and forefinger together so as not to lose even a fragment of the Eucharist while handling it.
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Sorry, I didn’t word that properly. What I meant to say was that the size of the crumbs in the video may be small enough that they do look like specs of dust. If you put one of them next to a speck of dust and asked me to differentiate between the two, I would likely not be able to tell the difference. We only know they come from the host because we saw it happen on video. I could be wrong, but again, I really don’t see why Communion in the hand would be allowed otherwise.

Anyway I really didn’t mean to get into this debate… sorry… I know it’s been discussed a million times. My main point in all this is that I trust the Church. I think it is great that many people put thought into how they receive communion and want to show more respect for our Lord. Kneeling, standing, hand, tongue… I’m for anything the Church allows, and only God can judge the heart. If the Church ever stops the practice of Communion in the hand, then I will go along with it. 🙂
 
Yes I always kneel. At first it came as a surprise even to myself as I thought I would be barred from Communion, and I was always afraid of being odd, but eventually I insisted on kneeling for the Holy Communion.

Basically people all around me are indifferent to whatever practice of receiving the Communion. This is especially so when I get up within split seconds after kneeling for Communion. So the order of partaking the Communion doesn’t really matter to me.

What saddens me more is how people are nonchalant towards position for reception of the Eucharist … I would be a bit happier if they challenged me or found me strange … Well I’m a grave sinner (ask Our Lord on the Last Day about my serious mortal sins) but I still deem it more reverent to receive the Holy Communion on tongue by kneeling … but I shall never force anyone to adopt my opinion.
 
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You cannot be barred from Communion because of your posture. The Vatican has said as such repeatedly.
 
Maximilian75 said:
You cannot be barred from Communion because of your posture. The Vatican has said as such repeatedly.
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I’m sure that’s true, but the vast majority of people of people stand when they receive. I don’t pay attention that closely when I am in church personally- not that I could see that well at that distance anyhow.

But I was watching Mass on TV- and this was daily Mass here in Pittsburgh, no one out of maybe 3 or 4 dozens knelt to receive. And this was daily Mass, so I think we can assume that the folks in attendance are more devout on average than on Sunday, no?

Catholics are people that don’t want to stand out and draw attention to themselves. It isn’t that they don’t have as much respect, its more just following the sage advice of Ambrose of Milan, “when in rome…do as the romans”
 
I suggest you kneel on the floor because I always do. Kneeling is putting yourself on your knees to our lord it is a better sign of respect. While you’re at it receive our lord on the tongue and not in the hand.

Yes I’ve tipped a lot most likely because I wear a cassock and surplice but when I don’t I don’t actually trip or trip anyone. You don’t have to do any special thing you just kneel and receive the body of christ
 
If the church just went back to receiving on the tongue while kneeling, we wouldn’t have these problems.
 
semper_catholicus said:
If the church just went back to receiving on the tongue while kneeling, we wouldn’t have these problems.
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Sure we would.

In fact it would probably get worse before it got better.

The problem is in people not being as informed as they should be ideally- not the method the church prescribes for the people to receive communion.
 
The Pastor strongly hinted about genuflecting, at Saturday’s mass.
I immediately thought about receiving that way…anyways…
A voice was heard…” I can’t anymore “
Pastor came down from the pulpit, down the isle…
And went over to an old woman, “ how old are you Anne “
She was hesitant to say, but then admit “ 95 “
Everyone clapped for her.
Maybe next week I will give it an attempt 🤔
 
I have only received on the tongue since becoming a Catholic 11 years ago, veiled for 10 years and started kneeling last summer. Why it took me so long to get to that point, I don’t know. Our priest who was installed last summer is very much in favor of kneeling but not our Archbishop. He’s tried to get permission to put kneelers back in his church (this includes his old parish) but has not been successful. Soooo . . . he’s been ok with my kneeling. However, it’s just killing me that I may have to stop due to my arthritis. Getting down is not the problem. It’s the getting back up. For daily Mass I’ve been sitting in the back, in part due to getting back up.
 
Nana510 said:
Why it took me so long to get to that point, I don’t know
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Considering the fact that you didn’t become Catholic until long after those practices became rare, I’m surprised you ever got to that point.
 
It’s pretty sad that I had no idea what those even were until now. My parish has them in the back and I just assumed they were for people who had to stand in the back due to lack of seats to kneel on.
They probably use it at daily mass with the old folks
 
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