Eucharist on the tongue

[Marian_Carroll]

**GENERAL REMINDER
**

And the topic of this thread is:

Eucharist on the tongue

 

[Angels_Watchin]

Interesting…I would have never known they are still in use (and supposed to be used) until I visited my brother’s church in Virginia. I’m in my late twenties and have gone to numerous churches in my area and have never seen one.

Speak to the pastor - most of them don’t get the documents from Rome from their bishops.
Let him know and give him the document - and ask that it be followed, so that the Body of Christ is treated with the respect it deserves.

Jesus will be most grateful.

 

[tee_eff_em]

In my experience, the use of the paten did not fall away due to receiving the Eucharist standing nor in the hand, it fell away when the Ministers of Holy Communion came to outnumber the servers.

Could your parish field a “small army” of servers to accompany the “small army” of Ministers?

tee

 

[Sixtus]

riginally Posted by Harsalter
They should have ex-communicated the person that auctioned our Christ on ebay, and the person who bought him.

Ha Ha,

Do you seriously believe they auctioned Christ the Uncreated unfathomable Son of the most High Omnipresent Almighty God on Ebay

Rest assured it was desecration only by our fragile understanding.

They no more touched God than they did the Priest who conscrated it.

 

[dylanschrader]

Ha Ha,

Do you seriously believe they auctioned Christ the Uncreated unfathomable Son of the most High Omnipresent Almighty God on Ebay

Rest assured it was desecration only by our fragile understanding.

They no more touched God than they did the Priest who conscrated it.

We eat Christ when we receive Communion. If that’s true, then they auctioned off Christ on eBay.

Not to say that Christ is harmed in any way, but it is an offense against him because it is unjust.

 

[down_under]

Don’t be intimidated by the know-nothings, Caesar. Communion on the tongue is the Law. Communion in the hand is an indult and is not compulsory.

catholic-pages.com/mass/inhand.asp

I recieve both ways depending on the day. I have a 8 month old and tend to do the aforementioned sleeping baby routine and never have a problem with getting communion on my tongue. However a long time ago I read Fr. Groshels book about euchristic adoration. One quote has always stuck with me and since I have never had a problem with recieveing in the hand. The quote is “Make a throne of your hands for God left over right that no part of him may fall” This was from the early church and one of the great saints. The whole book can be read with great profit I recommend it.

 

[down_under]

Does anyone know when this particular indult expires? The option of receiving in the hand? I would love to see this go the way of EMHC’s purifying vessels…

giving unbelievable graces to poeple who will never be worthy of them is gods modis operandi. It is what he does. so I have never had a problem with anyone not in grave sin RECIEVEING in the hand FOR THEMSELVES. distrubting the holy communion. that is another matter entirely. My whole life god has put graces in my hands that I will always strive to but never actually be worthy of. That having been said. It should still be done reverently. not in one hand and casually flipped into the mouth like a wafer by a man carring a child who thinks they are at the fair.

 

[otjm]

Note what I said:

I feel that to recieve in the hand is too close to ‘taking’ for me. I accept that HMC has said one may recieve in the hand. I am uncomfortable doing so, so I don’t. The symbolism of this act is more true to what it represents, IMO, through recieving on the tongue. The fact that the priest’s hands have been consecrated is, again, to me, very important in this situation.

Also, I most definitally did NOT say I was ‘worthy’ or ‘more worthy’ if or because I recieve on the tongue. I know to my core how unworthy I am! (My priest does too, ). Worthiness, as you rightly said, has nothing to do with it.

Sorry if that sounds angry or defensive, it’s not supposed to. I just want to be very clear that I know I’m not worthy (I suffer from pride enough without borrowing more! )

I do not mean to be unkind, but perhaps if you relied on what the Church says and does rather than your own feelings, you might be more at ease. There is a very subtle issue of pride at work when we decide issues based on our own feelings.

 

[PhilotheaZ]

Aside from the questions of reverence and worthiness that have been covered in this thread, the risk of desecration is very real. It is very difficult for every minister of Holy Communion to ascertain that every single person who receives in the hand actually puts the Host in their mouth. Our church has had a problem with finding consecrated Hosts in various places in the church (under pews, tucked in missalettes, etc.). I doubt that this would be happening if Communion were only given on the tongue. I have heard that such abuses have increased greatly in many places since the option of receiving in the hand took effect. I shudder to think how many times consecrated Hosts have been used in satanic worship.

 

[Maureen_Fiore]

i will try not to throw stones…maybe a pebble…j/k

dropping the host does not solely happen by receiving on the tongue; last sunday i witnessed a man nearly dropping the host by receiving in the hand. people don’t always hold their hands properly; people have unsteady hands; people may be concerned that they really should NOT be receiving in the hand and touching the body of our Lord, and therefore hold it gingerly (me)

i have found that most EMs look at you rather strangely and most get confused when you try to receive on the tongue. for instance, a couple months ago i went to communion with my hands FOLDED…had my tongue out…the EM didn’t even look at me, but forced the host into my folded hands.

so, on the occasion that i cannot go up to the priest to receive, i receive in the hand from the EM. and i feel bad about it…i don’t think it’s right. i am a relatively young person and feel that i was never really taught to show reverence when receiving, and i think this is sad. it’s almost as if candy is being passed out; i hate to use that example, but it’s true.

p.s. dropping the host would be much less likely to happen if churches would use the paten(? correct term for the plate the servers hold underneath while people receive on the tongue). seriously, even if things were arranged so that the people who want to receive on the tongue could go solely to the priest and they use the paten…

You are so right. I think dropping of the Host happens more frequently now that people are receiving in the hand rather than on the tongue. My children have all been taught to receive in the hand (not my choice) and when they do I cringe because I worry about them dropping the Host. One time it did happen to my son, he placed his hands out and the priest put the Host on the edge of his hand and Jesus fell. My son quickly told the priest that it rolled “under your dress”. Father bent down consumed it and gave my son communion. This happened rather quickly but it happened. Another time I was at a mass when our Bishop was celebrating mass, he too dropped the Host to the floor because he missed the person’s hands. I think less accidents would happen if only Communion was received on the tongue with a patent.

 

[otjm]

Aside from the questions of reverence and worthiness that have been covered in this thread, the risk of desecration is very real. It is very difficult for every minister of Holy Communion to ascertain that every single person who receives in the hand actually puts the Host in their mouth. Our church has had a problem with finding consecrated Hosts in various places in the church (under pews, tucked in missalettes, etc.). I doubt that this would be happening if Communion were only given on the tongue. I have heard that such abuses have increased greatly in many places since the option of receiving in the hand took effect. I shudder to think how many times consecrated Hosts have been used in satanic worship.

There is a lot of talk about abuses increasing greatly in may places, but almost none of it is substantiated; in other words, it becomes an urban legend with a life of its own. And as to hosts being used in satanic worship, that occured before Communion in the hand was allowed; it might have been more difficult to accomplish, but was not unkown to occur.

 

[otjm]

You are so right. I think dropping of the Host happens more frequently now that people are receiving in the hand rather than on the tongue. My children have all been taught to receive in the hand (not my choice) and when they do I cringe because I worry about them dropping the Host. One time it did happen to my son, he placed his hands out and the priest put the Host on the edge of his hand and Jesus fell. My son quickly told the priest that it rolled “under your dress”. Father bent down consumed it and gave my son communion. This happened rather quickly but it happened. Another time I was at a mass when our Bishop was celebrating mass, he too dropped the Host to the floor because he missed the person’s hands. I think less accidents would happen if only Communion was received on the tongue with a patent.

It is much more easy to get the Host into the hand without dropping than it is to place it on the tingue. I was an altar boy prior to Vatican Two, and it was not unusual to have a Host drop off the communicant’s tongue; if we were lucky, it dropped onto the paten; but on occasion it fell to the floor. It was not a regular occurance, but would happen frequently enough that it was not a surprise.

For as long as I have seen Communion in the hand, I can only recall one instance of seeing a Host drop; it was picked up and consumed.

To look at it another way, how often do you, or your children drop something from the hand that has been carefully placed there? My guess would be that it would be rare, particularly if you were using the other hand to pick it up from your palm.

Receiving on the tongue risks two ways it can drop; 1) if the tongue is not extended enough and it ends up only partly on the tongue, and 2) when drawing the tongue back into the mouth, if the mouth is not open enough, the Host hits the teeth and is flicked off. Neither is occasioned by picking it up in the fingers and placing it in the mouth.

 

[Ruben]

A few first hand accounts I have heard have involved:

An adult breaking the host in half and giving a piece to their child.

A man walking back to the pew with the host still in hand (the priest had to loudly tell the person to consume the host immediately).

Someone dropped a host on the floor and just left it there to be found later.

Someone wiping their hands on their clothing with the same hand receiving the host (Presumably to wipe host particles from their hands)

All this would not happen if people did not receive in the hand. I used to be an alter server during the days before communion in the hand was allowed. I remember very clearly how almost always there were significant amounts of particles of our Lords body that fell onto the on the paten. Today the paten is hardly used. Its stunning how one would not waste a single particle of gold or precious stones but so often the body, blood soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus is so fumbled around with by unconsecrated hands.

I teach catechumens in preparation for first communion and I will never encourage them to take the host in their hands although I am honest enough to tell them that communion in the hand is a common practice today that ultimately some may choose but that I encourage against. I give them solid reasons but I know once they leave my charge of catechizing them they will be on their own. I will go as far as to say that I would not want to go to my particular judgment telling them otherwise.

 

[otjm]

A few first hand accounts I have heard have involved:

An adult breaking the host in half and giving a piece to their child.

A man walking back to the pew with the host still in hand (the priest had to loudly tell the person to consume the host immediately).

Someone dropped a host on the floor and just left it there to be found later.

Someone wiping their hands on their clothing with the same hand receiving the host (Presumably to wipe host particles from their hands)

All this would not happen if people did not receive in the hand. I used to be an alter server during the days before communion in the hand was allowed. I remember very clearly how almost always there were significant amounts of particles of our Lords body that fell onto the on the paten. Today the paten is hardly used. Its stunning how one would not waste a single particle of gold or precious stones but so often the body, blood soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus is so fumbled around with by unconsecrated hands.

I teach catechumens in preparation for first communion and I will never encourage them to take the host in their hands although I am honest enough to tell them that communion in the hand is a common practice today that ultimately some may choose but that I encourage against. I give them solid reasons but I know once they leave my charge of catechizing them they will be on their own. I will go as far as to say that I would not want to go to my particular judgment telling them otherwise.

Most of the issues in the first part of your post could be taken care of by proper catechesis. As to unconserated hands, you might note that there is no mention of Jesus consecrating the hands of the Apostles, nor them of the people they distributed Communion to, nor on for several centuries as Communion was distributed this way. It is amazing that it was good enough for the Son Of God to institute it this way, but not good enough for us.

 

[bilop]

I always receive on the tongue from a Priest or Deacon.

But if I have to receive from an EMHC, I receive by hand.

 

[AngelRose81]

I completely understand that many believe that receiving on the tongue is more reverent than in the hand etc…well, I was just confirmed at Easter so by no means am I an expert but here’s my opinion on the whole thing…

Personally I receive in the hand. My thinking is what is better than to actually get to hold Jesus in your hands…I mean, to me, I think I have more reverence when recieving in the hand because I’m thinking about what I am doing and I can visualize actually holding Jesus’s hand or something similar.

I know that may sound really stupid or uneducated or whatever, but I just think that it’s wonderful that I can hold Jesus in my hand. Like I said, I honestly feel more reverent when I look down and see the host in my hand. More humble.

 

[cue]

Symbolically, receiving in the hand poses a problem. When Communion is received on the tongue, the action is an action of nourishing, feeding–Jesus is fed to us by himself (in the person of the priest or deacon) or by an EMHC. If someone were to desecrate a Host in that case, he must intentionally take it out of his mouth and contradict that message of the action that just took place.
When received in the hand, the message of nourishing or feeding is obscured. The message communicated is “I entrust this to you” or “You have the power to do with this Host what you want” and not “I am feeding you.” If desecration were to occur in this case, the message of the action does not need to be contradicted and the person can simply hold until he returns to the pew and shove it ina hymnal. In other words, from receiving Communion in the hand, it does not logically or naturally follow that the Host is to be immediately consumed. That is why even faithful Catholics will do things like break a Host in half and take it to their sick aunt in their side-pant pocket or hanky. They are not intentionally abusing or mocking the Sacrament, in fact, they are usually very well intending, but it is just a by-product of the breakdown in symbolic consistency caused by reception in the hand.
My point is not that easy to articule, so please ask questions if anything is unclear.

 

[maryjk]

A few first hand accounts I have heard have involved:

The Host falling from the mouth of the person receiving. (twice that I have seen in just the past year.)

The Host being stepped on after falling from the mouth.

Someone taking the Host out of their mouth, and doing all the other things that you talk about.

It can and does happen when receiving on the tongue. These issues won’t clear up if everyone received on the tongue. We must teach people why it is important to respect the Host.

By the way, I don’t receive either way. I only receive from the Chalice.

 

[japhy]

Ugh. I feel terrible. I must not have had my mouth open wide enough or maybe my tongue was too dry; a Host fell off my tongue after the priest placed it there. I felt awful. Now I wish there’d been a paten. Sigh.

 

[Digitonomy]

Symbolically, receiving in the hand poses a problem. When Communion is received on the tongue, the action is an action of nourishing, feeding–Jesus is fed to us by himself (in the person of the priest or deacon) or by an EMHC…
When received in the hand, the message of nourishing or feeding is obscured. The message communicated is “I entrust this to you” or “You have the power to do with this Host what you want” and not “I am feeding you.”…In other words, from receiving Communion in the hand, it does not logically or naturally follow that the Host is to be immediately consumed. That is why even faithful Catholics will do things like break a Host in half and take it to their sick aunt in their side-pant pocket or hanky.

I have to disagree here - I think you’re reading too much symbolism into the action. When you give an infant a spoonful of baby food, it is an action of nourishing. When you give a child (or an adult for that matter) a hot dog, you would have us believe that it is not an action of nourishing, but more like giving someone a keepsake, that he can shove in his back pocket and take back to his room. I don’t buy it.