Dropped Communion

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At Easter Mass an Eucharistic Minister dropped a host not once but two times. She immediately picked up one, but a lady from the front pew went and immediately covered the spot where the host had landed with a hankerchief and said something to the minister. After communion the other host, that was left on the floor, was covered by our Deacon with a white linen cloth as well as the spot where the retrieved host had fallen. After Mass one of the Alter boys was pouring Holy water on the cloth of the retrieved host, as for the other host, that was left on the floor, somebody said that only a Priest is to retrieve a dropped Sacred Host. Does anyone know where to reference this? This only makes sense, as it is the Precious Body Of our Lord. Happy Easter!!
 
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, (Copyright © 2003, United States Catholic Conference, Inc., Washington, D.C.) states:

280. If a host or any particle should fall, it is to be picked up reverently. If any of the Precious Blood is spilled, the area where the spill occurred should be washed with water, and this water should then be poured into the sacrarium in the sacristy.

In the training I received as an EMHC we were instructed to immediately pick-up any consecrated host that was dropped. Once retrieved we could either consume it ourselves immediately, or hold it in the palm of the hand holding the ciborium and consume it when we returned to the sanctuary credence table. I have only had this happen to me once and I elected to immediately pick up the body of Christ and consume it.

While well intentioned by placing a handkerchief over the host, the better option is to immediately pick our Lord up off of the floor. The sacred blood is a whole different set of circumstances, and if it is spilled covering it immediately with a pacificator until it can be appropriately cleaned up after mass is probably the way to go.
 
Another reason for Altar Rails, domenicals, and an end to Communion in the hand.

Below is a good explanation of domenicals.

geocities.com/pelicanlara/answers/qa072002.html

I’ll never understand how a lay person could just take the Body of Christ into their hands like He is a nacho ranch Dorito.

^what a first post, I bet now everyone on here will think I’m a real extremist lol.
 
tonio5555 said:
Another reason for Altar Rails, domenicals, and an end to Communion in the hand.

Below is a good explanation of domenicals.

geocities.com/pelicanlara/answers/qa072002.html

I’ll never understand how a lay person could just take the Body of Christ into their hands like He is a nacho ranch Dorito.
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Actually we aren’t supposed to hold Him like a nacho ranch dorito, but rather, we are to enthrone Him in our hands as Mother Mary did at the moment that He was born (since the Eucharist is a kind of Incarnation, too), and then move Him into our mouths reverently, as described by St. Cyril in the 400s AD. 😉
^what a first post, I bet now everyone on here will think I’m a real extremist lol.
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RadTrad to the max. 😛 😉
 
jmcrae said:
Actually we aren’t supposed to hold Him like a nacho ranch dorito, but rather, we are to enthrone Him in our hands as Mother Mary did at the moment that He was born (since the Eucharist is a kind of Incarnation, too), and then move Him into our mouths reverently, as described by St. Cyril in the 400s AD. 😉

RadTrad to the max. 😛 😉
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hah, I find myself very very very conservative on some issues, and a little more liberal on others. I’m probably slightly right of center as far as trads go.

Anyway I know one isn’t supposed to hold the HC like a potato chip, but in my experience thats what happens the vast majority of the time. Most NO Communion lines I’ve seen are more like conveyor belts than lines of people individually enthroning the Lord and receiving him.
TLM Communion can move quickly too, however the use of the altar rail, etc ensures some degree of dignity.
 
jmcrae said:
Actually we aren’t supposed to hold Him like a nacho ranch dorito, but rather, we are to enthrone Him in our hands as Mother Mary did at the moment that He was born (since the Eucharist is a kind of Incarnation, too), and then move Him into our mouths reverently, as described by St. Cyril in the 400s AD. 😉
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If you are referring to the same quote I think you are, there is doubt as to whether it should rightly be attributed to the saint.

The alleged quote:
“make a throne of your hands in which to receive the King [in Holy Communion].”
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Criticism:
There is more to this text than just the above, however. It also goes on to propose the following: “Sanctify your eyes with contact with the Holy Body . . . . When your lips are still wet, touch your hand to your lips, and then pass you hand over your eyes, your forehead and your other senses, to sanctify them.” This rather odd (or even superstitious? Irreverent?) recommendation has caused scholars to question the authenticity of this text. Some think that perhaps there has been an interpolation, or that it is really the saint’s successor who wrote it.
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My source:
catholic-pages.com/mass/inhand.asp

This is so people can hear both sides of this issue.
 
I find that if it’s not possible for me to recieve from the priest, and I go to the EM I don’t recieve on the tongue. I’m afraid that they won’t be able to do it right and the host will fall.
Although I do belong to a very big parish I still don’t feel comfortable with all of the EM’s. I know that the priests and deacon need extra help, but some of the EM’s just don’t seem confident enough. It’s hard to concentrate on recieving Jesus when I’m worried about a host dropping.
Anyway that’s my two cents. 🤷
 
jmcrae said:
Actually we aren’t supposed to hold Him like a nacho ranch dorito, but rather, we are to enthrone Him in our hands as Mother Mary did at the moment that He was born (since the Eucharist is a kind of Incarnation, too), and then move Him into our mouths reverently, as described by St. Cyril in the 400s AD. 😉
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First I ever heard of this. Not saying it’s wrong or right, but why hasn’t the Church always make everyone do this, men and women, young and old, alike? Not everyone is comfortable holding a baby the moment it is born, I would think.
 
Sancta Maria, Mater Domini nostri
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This is the first time I heard it this way, but I think it makes more sense. I don’t think it’s the official version, though, but I might be wrong.
 
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