MERGED: Communion during flu season

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Why don’t people just skip the cup if they feel nervous? If all parishes start doing this, my sons will not be able to receive at all. How is that fair?

😦
 
Mike30 said:
Since many diseases, flu, colds etc. have beeen proven to be passed by touching an infected persons hands, could not the exact same thing be argued for stopping reception in the hand during the flu season?

It goes both ways.
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No, I don’t think it is at all comparable. When distributing communion in the hand, I do not touch the person’s hand, but place the Host on the hand. It’s a totally dry procedure.

Communion on the tongue? I find my fingers wet more often than I like, usually because the person humps up their tongue at the last minute. It’s revolting. And there’s the occasions when I feel someone breathing on my fingers - germs are carried in the water-vapour of the breath as well, you know.

When my fingers are contaminated with someone’s saliva, I surreptitiously wipe them on my jacket, and switch to using my other hand for a while until I am sure the first hand is dry. I don’t know if other EMHCs are so careful, though. There is always the very real danger of passing infection from one person to the next. The only way to prevent it would be sanitising the hands after each COTT, but I don’t see that catching on.
 
TheRealJuliane said:
Why don’t people just skip the cup if they feel nervous? If all parishes start doing this, my sons will not be able to receive at all. How is that fair?

😦
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The Catholic Faithful are instructed the receive from the consecrated host/body of Christ and/or the sacred consecrated blood of Christ. either and/or or both. Ignoring one species incurs no guilt because both are identically the same in Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.
 
The_Idiot said:
You do realise that the Eastern Catholic Churches still , through all these flu alerts, continue to Receive Communion - under both kinds - as normal.
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This is true of Eastern Orthodox as well. Everyone recieves from the same spoon the Body and Blood. The spoon is put in everyone’s mouth.

None have sickend from the Holy spoon or the blood of Christ.
 
paperwight66 said:
No, I don’t think it is at all comparable. When distributing communion in the hand, I do not touch the person’s hand, but place the Host on the hand. It’s a totally dry procedure.

Communion on the tongue? I find my fingers wet more often than I like, usually because the person humps up their tongue at the last minute. It’s revolting. And there’s the occasions when I feel someone breathing on my fingers - germs are carried in the water-vapour of the breath as well, you know.

When my fingers are contaminated with someone’s saliva, I surreptitiously wipe them on my jacket, and switch to using my other hand for a while until I am sure the first hand is dry. I don’t know if other EMHCs are so careful, though. There is always the very real danger of passing infection from one person to the next. The only way to prevent it would be sanitising the hands after each COTT, but I don’t see that catching on.
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Revolting?:eek: Wow, sounds like you personally have a problem with receiving and or distributing on the tongue in the first place. So you have never touched the hands of someone you are distributing too? Amazing. The few times that I received in the hand, it was touched on each and every occasion.

Oh well I guess touching or coming into close proximity with an infected persons hands is totally harmless. No germs there at all I suppose and if there are, I guess they cannot move. You learn something new every day.

Revolting. Very descriptive word…
 
Our diocese has also instituted “adjustments” that include receiving only the Body for the laity and not shaking hands at the passing of the peace. I think receiving on the tongue is eliminated too. I have never received on the tongue so that isn’t an issue but I am wondering what people who cannot receive in the hand or will not receive in the hand will do. There are certain circumstances where I would not receive in the hand so I am actually wondering.:confused: Let’s pray that our priests do not get sick.:bowdown:
 
My $0.02:
You are probably more likely to get flu from touching the church door handle, touching a pew, or using a missalette than from communion.
 
Our Bishop has asked us to refrain from hand holding during the Lord’s prayer, shaking hands at the sign of peace, communion on the tongue, and has suspended distribution of the precious blood, all in an effort to keep the flock healthy. I say thank you! He isn’t denying us the Eucharist, after all. When it comes right down to it, where does the importance lie, in the reception of Jesus, or in fulfilling our preference for HOW we receive?
 
BcuzISaidSo said:
Our Bishop has asked us to refrain from hand holding during the Lord’s prayer, shaking hands at the sign of peace, communion on the tongue, and has suspended distribution of the precious blood, all in an effort to keep the flock healthy. I say thank you! He isn’t denying us the Eucharist, after all. When it comes right down to it, where does the importance lie, in the reception of Jesus, or in fulfilling our preference for HOW we receive?
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He IS denying the Eucharist to people who can’t consume the regular Host, I’m afraid.

😦

Were arrangements made to obtain the valid-for-consecration low-gluten host for those with celiac disease? Why should they be punished by not receiving, just because people are afraid of germs? Why not simply tell the rest of the congregation, “Don’t receive from the cup if you are afraid of germs!”
 
Is this about germs or faith? If germs then we shouldn’t ever take the host. We should be working on our faith.
 
Hi,

This has prompted me to join CA and before I introduce myself need to jump right in with.

My parish has an increasing number of sick with the flu and cold people arriving and sneezing and coughing and then reaching out their hands at the sign of peace. I try to isolate myself but the gentleman who just sneezed and wiped his nose comes and grabs my hand for the Our Father. Now I actually appreciate the gesture but increasingly I am getting paranoid at Mass.

I LOVE going to Mass and have gone daily when possible but there are just too many people who just don’t seem to care and are spreading what ever they have.

I have always been under the impression Sunday Mass is mandatory under threat of sin but are the above enough concern to skip Mass? Yes I have taken other precautions in my life to avoid getting or spreading sickness.

I am quite sure that if you are sick should stay home under no sin, I think…

So could someone who knows please inform me? I searched some threads but seem to have missed it.

Peace
Gitzo
 
(Holding hands during the Our Father is not a liturgical practice…)

As for illness (and of course if one is contagious with a potentially serious thing like the flu…)

Catechism::

2181 The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation,** unless excused for a serious reason** (for example,** illness**, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor.119 Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.

scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s2c1a3.htm#II
 
And note: one is contagious up to 5-7 days after getting sick and one day prior.

Children can pass it longer.
 
gitzo said:
Hi,

This has prompted me to join CA and before I introduce myself need to jump right in with.

My parish has an increasing number of sick with the flu and cold people arriving and sneezing and coughing and then reaching out their hands at the sign of peace. I try to isolate myself but the gentleman who just sneezed and wiped his nose comes and grabs my hand for the Our Father. Now I actually appreciate the gesture but increasingly I am getting paranoid at Mass.

I LOVE going to Mass and have gone daily when possible but there are just too many people who just don’t seem to care and are spreading what ever they have.

I have always been under the impression Sunday Mass is mandatory under threat of sin but are the above enough concern to skip Mass? Yes I have taken other precautions in my life to avoid getting or spreading sickness.

I am quite sure that if you are sick should stay home under no sin, I think…

So could someone who knows please inform me? I searched some threads but seem to have missed it.

Peace
Gitzo
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St_Hilary:
When it comes to the sign of peac e, just say peace be with you. You do not have to extend your hands if someone has the flu.

So, the next time, just say peace be with you and do not extend youur hands.

In His Divine Mercy
 
Or carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer with you. They make a very small bottle, small enough to slip into your pocket or purse.
 
Thanks,

But none of this addresses the sneezing and coughing.
This is a bad flu and no one is 100% sure how it is transported or if you are seriously at risk. Even if you are healthy you may still carry to others less so. It is predicted 36,000 may die from this flu this season. That’s more than drunk drivers will kill

I think it should be a prime concern of the Bishop and priests to make our obligations clear and tell those sick to stay home. In a parish like mine there are many older folks who look frail to begin with.

I’m not in authority but I really feel it is selfish and highly irresponsible to attend Mass this flu season with even a hint of the flu. The Bishops need to be proactive on this not reactive as is so often the case.

Thanks,

Gitzo
 
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