EMHC & Receiving on tongue

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mn40

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Hello everyone,

A quick/slightly random question: I usually receive on the tongue but do also serve as an EMHC occasionally. Would it be strange for me to receive on the tongue immediately before distributing Holy Communion? It feels a bit awkward for me to avoid receiving in the hand when I’m going to be touching the host while distributing it anyways.

Thanks
 
I wouldn’t have though it would be a problem at all. I’m also an EMHC and one of my colleagues in my parish also only ever receives on the tongue. As far as I’m aware, nobody bats the proverbial eyelid at it - I’ve certainly never heard any comments either way. 🙂

It may be a bit more noticable if an EMHC was refusing to receive from the chalice on a regular basis, whilst giving the Precious Blood to other communicants, but this situation has never arisen in my parish as far as I’m aware. The only time an EMHC has “refused” the chalice, to the best of my knowledge, is if they had some kind of infection and didn’t want to pass it on. But usually, in that situation, they would ask another EMHC to take their place for that Mass.
 
I am an EMHC as well. I don’t think it would be odd or cause difficulties.
In fact, one of our team used to receive COTT when she first started as an EMHC. (But she switched to CITH eventually, as she had only received COTT because she had been so firmly taught that it was the correct way when she was a child but gradually changed her mind).
 
mn40 said:
Hello everyone,

A quick/slightly random question: I usually receive on the tongue but do also serve as an EMHC occasionally. Would it be strange for me to receive on the tongue immediately before distributing Holy Communion? It feels a bit awkward for me to avoid receiving in the hand when I’m going to be touching the host while distributing it anyways.

Thanks
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No problem:
  • to receive in the tongue and then give in the hand
  • to receive in the tongue and give in the tongue
  • to receive in the hand and give in the tongue
  • to receive in the hand and give in the end.
No problem in feeling strange any of the hypotheses.
No problem in having the
 
We have some EMHC’s who receive on the tongue. No one makes a big thing out of it either way.
 
mn40 said:
Hello everyone,

A quick/slightly random question: I usually receive on the tongue but do also serve as an EMHC occasionally. Would it be strange for me to receive on the tongue immediately before distributing Holy Communion? It feels a bit awkward for me to avoid receiving in the hand when I’m going to be touching the host while distributing it anyways.

Thanks
Click to expand...
I see no disconnect. You are touching the host “out of necessity.” There’s no reason to be less reverent simply because you are an EMHC. And yes, COTH is objectively more reverent. I know many will say “it’s what’s in your heart that matters.” Just because you have a good disposition internally doesn’t negate the need to show reverence externally.
 
A very high percentage of my OF parish receives COTT. In fact, this is the only way the CCD program teaches. Many of The EMHCs receive on the tongue and then distribute both on the tongue and in the hand.
 
Mrs_Sally said:
A very high percentage of my OF parish receives COTT. In fact, this is the only way the CCD program teaches. Many of The EMHCs receive on the tongue and then distribute both on the tongue and in the hand.
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As the Church teaches that both ways are acceptable, it is wrong for the CCD program to teach otherwise.
 
paperwight66 said:
As the Church teaches that both ways are acceptable, it is wrong for the CCD program to teach otherwise.
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Sorry for the confusion. The CCD program does not teach that it is incorrect to receive in the hand. They do not practice it however. You will agree that receiving on the tongue takes some coordination to ensure that the host is not dropped (especially since we do not have altar rails or patens). So, the First Holy Communion kids practice with unconsecrated hosts. And they generally receive on the tongue for their First Holy Comunnion. After that, they can do whatever they or their family prefers. And certainly some do receive in the hand from day one.
 
Mrs_Sally said:
Sorry for the confusion. The CCD program does not teach that it is incorrect to receive in the hand. They do not practice it however. You will agree that receiving on the tongue takes some coordination to ensure that the host is not dropped (especially since we do not have altar rails or patens). So, the First Holy Communion kids practice with unconsecrated hosts. And they generally receive on the tongue for their First Holy Comunnion. After that, they can do whatever they or their family prefers. And certainly some do receive in the hand from day one.
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Ah, right! But still, shouldn’t they teach/practice both ways? It really suprises me, sometimes, the strange positions even adults put their hands in to receive CITH.
 
When I was a child, and receiving first Communion preparation, they only taught us about receiving in the hand and standing. I do not recall being told about reception by tongue. Nor were we taught about kneeling and receiving by tongue.

Now that I go to the EF Mass, I had to read about reception by tongue and kneeling at the rail ahead of time, and observed others when they went up to receive then I received without issues.
 
paperwight66 said:
Ah, right! But still, shouldn’t they teach/practice both ways? It really suprises me, sometimes, the strange positions even adults put their hands in to receive CITH.
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Many, many parishes only teaching receiving on the hand… what’s wrong with only teaching the Church’s universal norm?
Receiving on the tongue is the universal norm - no priest or bishop in the world has the right to restrict this. Reiving in the hand is allowed by indult (that is, an exception to the rule, rather than a norm of law) in certain countries - any bishop or pastor has the right to restrict this practice at any time he sees fit - as some have. Both are acceptable in most countries, but they are not treated as two equal options - at least not under the law.
The following response appeared in the April 1999 issue of Notitiae, the official publication of the Congregation for Divine Worship, regarding the reception of Communion:
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Certainly it is clear from the very documents of the Holy See that in dioceses where the eucharistic bread is put in the hands of the faithful, the right to receive the eucharistic bread on the tongue still remains intact to the faithful. Therefore, those who restrict communicants to receive Holy Communion only in the hands are acting against the norms, as are those who refuse to Christ’s faithful [the right] to receive Communion in the hand in dioceses that enjoy this indult.
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With attention to the norms concerning the distribution of Holy Communion, ordinary and extraordinary ministers should take care in a particular way that the host is consumed at once by Christ’s faithful, so that no one goes away with the eucharistic species in his hand.
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However, let all remember that the time-honored tradition is to receive the host on the tongue. The celebrant priest, if there is a present danger of sacrilege, should not give the faithful communion in the hand, and he should make them aware of the reason for the way of proceeding.
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twf said:
Many, many parishes only teaching receiving on the hand… --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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And your evidence for this claim is from where?
 
mn40 said:
Hello everyone,

A quick/slightly random question: I usually receive on the tongue but do also serve as an EMHC occasionally. Would it be strange for me to receive on the tongue immediately before distributing Holy Communion? It feels a bit awkward for me to avoid receiving in the hand when I’m going to be touching the host while distributing it anyways.
Thanks
Click to expand...
It could be that I’m not understanding your statement. What I read is that if people see you receiving COTT, you may be giving the idea that COTT is the more proper way to receive the Holy Eucharist and you don’t want to give that impression. Whether COTT or COTH, at this time it is still a personal choice, to receive on the tongue is the norm of the Roman Catholic Church. Personally, I have always received COTT because I take into account what Jesus told St.Peter, feed my sheep. I must admit that when I receive from an EMHC I receive in the hand. Maybe I’m a Priest snob. I am a EMHC myself and have never given COTT, no one has ever presented themselves to me to receive that way.
On this thread, I see references to CCD or RCIA instructors teaching one way or another. They are expressing their own choice and they should not do that.
Personally, I have seen problems with COTT with people not consuming the Holy Eucharist immediately, in fact we have found Hosts on the floor, in the pews, in book racks. We try to be observant that people are doing as they should, but we can’t keep tract of everyone. We as EMHC, are trying to be as devout as we can be.
 
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