Is kissing the host before consuming ok?

[inomcoke]

I was at Mass today and during communion I saw a young lady receive the host in her hand from the priest, step to the side, then she brought the host to her mouth, kissed it and then ate it.

I happened to be sitting in the second pew, which is why I was able to observe this.

Anyway, I thought it was quite a touching practice, but was not sure if this is something that is permitted by the Church as a private practice.

Any thoughts, or better yet, documents you can refer me to would be appreciated.

 

[PrayRosary]

I hope so. I did it about an hour ago!

 

[BobDanners]

Idk I’d just rather receive Him on my tongue, instead of my non-consecrated hands.

 

[acarlson]

Idk I’d just rather receive Him on my tongue, instead of my non-consecrated hands.

Oh, dear. Please, please don’t start this again. That’s what we need; another argument over COTT/COTH that goes nowhere (if it’s not a banned topic anyway).

But to the OP, I honestly have no idea, as I haven’t seen it done nor heard of it until now. I’d definitely like to hear if anyone DOES, though!

 

[Neofight]

Idk I’d just rather receive Him on my tongue, instead of my non-consecrated hands.

Your tongue is consecrated and your hands are not? Can some body parts be consecrated and others not? How does that work?

 

[Jeanne_S]

I always clean my hands with hand sanitizer before receiving the Eucharist.

 

[Credo_in_Deum]

I was at Mass today and during communion I saw a young lady receive the host in her hand from the priest, step to the side, then she brought the host to her mouth, kissed it and then ate it.

I happened to be sitting in the second pew, which is why I was able to observe this.

Anyway, I thought it was quite a touching practice, but was not sure if this is something that is permitted by the Church as a private practice.

Any thoughts, or better yet, documents you can refer me to would be appreciated.

It’s private practice and personally I wouldn’t do it.

youtube.com/watch?v=BiUqDa_Gzj0

youtube.com/watch?v=gkOZg0xty6s

God bless

 

[JReducation]

I was at Mass today and during communion I saw a young lady receive the host in her hand from the priest, step to the side, then she brought the host to her mouth, kissed it and then ate it.

I happened to be sitting in the second pew, which is why I was able to observe this.

Anyway, I thought it was quite a touching practice, but was not sure if this is something that is permitted by the Church as a private practice.

Any thoughts, or better yet, documents you can refer me to would be appreciated.

Absolutely not. The moment of adoration is just prior to receiving the host. We honor the Eucharistic Lord with a profound bow or going down on our knee(s). Once the host is placed in our hands, it MUST GO INTO THE MOUTH IMMEDIATELY.

 

[George_Stegmeir]

Your tongue is consecrated and your hands are not? Can some body parts be consecrated and others not? How does that work?

I am 77 years old and am a cradle Catholic who went to 9 years of Jesuit Parochial School and have a much better than average memory. You, being young may not like to hear from an old coot about receiving Holy Communion.
I was taught at the time of my First Holy Communion that the laity could only touch the Host with their tongue in the actual act of recieving Holy Communion. It was forbidden to touch it with ones hands because the laity’s hands were not Consecrated.
Later on, as an Altar Boy we were taught that the Chalice, Ciborium, and the metal part of the Paten were sacred items that could be touched or handled only by a Priest because these items were Consecrated and in direct contact with the Host. Of course, all of that was changed with Vatican II.
In my entire life, I have never heard of anyone kissing the Host. Personally, I find it abberant behavior.
And, by the way, If you travel to anywhere outside the US, you will find Communion on the tongue to be the norm, and in most places, the priest will refuse giving Communion into someones hands…and that includes the Vatican!

 

[ronyodish]

I always clean my hands with hand sanitizer before receiving the Eucharist.

I’d rather cleanse my hands with the Holy Incense…

youtube.com/watch?v=u3kzhTOvZrQ @ 5:55

“Let my prayer be counted as incense before thee, and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice!” (Psalm 141:2).

Now, as far as kissing the Host… well, when the Host is in my purified hands, I will then bow down before Him, kiss Him, and then pick Him up with my tongue to consume Him.

God bless!

Rony

 

[Neofight]

I am 77 years old and am a cradle Catholic who went to 9 years of Jesuit Parochial School and have a much better than average memory. You, being young may not like to hear from an old coot about receiving Holy Communion.
I was taught at the time of my First Holy Communion that the laity could only touch the Host with their tongue in the actual act of recieving Holy Communion. It was forbidden to touch it with ones hands because the laity’s hands were not Consecrated.
Later on, as an Altar Boy we were taught that the Chalice, Ciborium, and the metal part of the Paten were sacred items that could be touched or handled only by a Priest because these items were Consecrated and in direct contact with the Host. Of course, all of that was changed with Vatican II.
In my entire life, I have never heard of anyone kissing the Host. Personally, I find it abberant behavior.
And, by the way, If you travel to anywhere outside the US, you will find Communion on the tongue to be the norm, and in most places, the priest will refuse giving Communion into someones hands…and that includes the Vatican!

You still failed to answer the question. you can’t receive the host without touching it, whether hands or tongue. If the reason not to use your hand is because they are not consecrated, how do you figure your tongue is? It has nothing to do with it being the norm in other countries.

 

[april32010]

It has nothing to do with it being the norm in other countries.

and its the norm in the us also

 

[maryjk]

And, by the way, If you travel to anywhere outside the US, you will find Communion on the tongue to be the norm, and in most places, the priest will refuse giving Communion into someones hands…and that includes the Vatican!

And then again, maybe not.

 

[MorEphrem]

And then again, maybe not.

A singular picture doesn’t really prove anything; it could simply be an anomaly. For certain reasons I was staying in Rome and went to mass at St. Peter’s numerous times, including for the closing of a general synod; in the time I spent there I never saw anyone receive in the hand. I’m stating simple fact, no preference (I will say however Latins generally receive the Lord in the left hand and I don’t feel it necessary to explain what that hand is known for use in Semitic culture).

Now, in terms of kissing the host I’m very cautious with adding such gestures; if you must ask if it’s OK that would already raise a red flag to me (why would one tread into territory where one knows they might be acting disrespectfully). It’s always important to discern if one is doing it solely for reverence or perhaps novelty or any other factor which should dissuade one from doing it.

 

[corsair]

I don’t encounter this sort of thing as I attend only the EF Mass. But I would think that Brother JR has the answer.

 

[paperwight66]

Well, I’ve travelled pretty extensively in the world, and I can say that this isn’t true .CITH was the usual way. It most certainly isn’t confined to the US.

A few year ago there was a poll on CA and it was established that CITH was allowed in a long list of countries, and had been since the 70’s or 80’s, IIRC.

 

[Joannm]

There was a priest in my last parish who would kiss the host before consuming it. I would think that people would see that and imitate it. I don’t know where he picked that up. He was newly ordained, but then again he did a number of odd things at Mass. I think he was overly pious in his practices when as a celebrant at Mass and while he always said the right words he did a number of things not in the GIRM.

 

[inomcoke]

Thanks for all the answers. I didn’t mean to start up a debate.

It sounds like this is something that isn’t approved (at the very least) so I won’t be doing it.

 

[QuestingKnight]

You still failed to answer the question. you can’t receive the host without touching it, whether hands or tongue. If the reason not to use your hand is because they are not consecrated, how do you figure your tongue is? It has nothing to do with it being the norm in other countries.

It’s a matter of symbolism. If ye, as a body of people, receive the Sacred Matter kneeling and on the tongue, ye are saying something. If ye then change to standing up and into the hand, ye are saying something else.

I’ve not read one good religious reason to change to the modern (pseudo-ancient) way. I expect this practice will die out eventually once our clergy wake up to the symbolism and the effect it’s having on the laity. Hopefully, some future Pope will definitively forbid it.

The symbolism of hands versus tongue, kneeling versus standing, as a means of receipt, should be obvious.

 

[BobDanners]

Oh, dear. Please, please don’t start this again. That’s what we need; another argument over COTT/COTH that goes nowhere (if it’s not a banned topic anyway).

Your tongue is consecrated and your hands are not? Can some body parts be consecrated and others not? How does that work?

What am I starting? I’m just saying I prefer to receive Communion on the tongue, as it has been traditionally, as Holy Father usually administers and as most people receive around the world.