Not just another communion in the hand vs. tongue thread

[Lepanto]

I just read through several hand vs. tongue threads (a staple topic here). Although the posters shared a number of interesting opinions, not one of them (that I saw) even bothered to back up their position with authoritative documentation. Hey–opinions are great, but they’re cheap!

This is not just another communion in the hand vs. tongue thread, because I am requesting citations from or references to the appropriate sources to answer these questions:

1. How and/or why did communion in the hand start in the United States? (When I was a kid it was unthinkable, but now it’s the defacto norm.)
2. What is the OFFICIAL position of the Church on this? Preferably the USCCB and Vatican documents which legislate these kinds of norms. In particular, if communion in the hand is an “indult” in the United States, as some say, then where exactly is this indult documented?

Thank you.

 

[Lux_et_Tenebrae]

Hi,

Communion in the hand is allowed. That is the official word. There are many preferences, and opinions, but they are just that.

GIRM Which is the final word on the Mass-

1. The priest then takes the paten or ciborium and goes to the communicants, who, as a rule, approach in a procession.

The faithful are not permitted to take the consecrated bread or the sacred chalice by themselves and, still less, to hand them from one to another. The norm for reception of Holy Communion in the dioceses of the United States is standing. Communicants should not be denied Holy Communion because they kneel. Rather, such instances should be addressed pastorally, by providing the faithful with proper catechesis on the reasons for this norm.

When receiving Holy Communion, the communicant bows his or her head before the Sacrament as a gesture of reverence and receives the Body of the Lord from the minister. The consecrated host may be received either on the tongue or in the hand, at the discretion of each communicant. When Holy Communion is received under both kinds, the sign of reverence is also made before receiving the Precious Blood.

And from the Norms for distribution—

Distribution of the Body and Blood of the Lord

1. Holy Communion under the form of bread is offered to the communicant with the words “The Body of Christ.” The communicant may choose whether to receive the Body of Christ in the hand or on the tongue. When receiving in the hand, the communicant should be guided by the words of St. Cyril of Jerusalem: “When you approach, take care not to do so with your hand stretched out and your fingers open or apart, but rather place your left hand as a throne beneath your right, as befits one who is about to receive the King. Then receive him, taking care that nothing is lost.” (51)

Lux

 

[John_Lilburne]

…1) How and/or why did communion in the hand start in the United States? (When I was a kid it was unthinkable, but now it’s the defacto norm.)

1. What is the OFFICIAL position of the Church on this? Preferably the USCCB and Vatican documents which legislate these kinds of norms. In particular, if communion in the hand is an “indult” in the United States, as some say, then where exactly is this indult documented? …

Some documentation is found in this book: Documents on the Liturgy 1963-1979, Liturgical Press, Minnesota, 1982, ISBN 0-8146-1281-4, pages 643-648.

The Instruction “Memoriale Domini” of 29 May 1969 said that the practice of Communion in the hand had started in some places, but should not: “The Aposolic See earnestly urges bishops, priests, and faithful, therefore, to obey conscientiously the prevailing law, now reconfirmed, …”. (page 646). But it asked Conferences of Bishops to vote on the issue. Letters were then sent to the Conference of Bishops by the Vatican’s Congregation of Divine Worship.

A French letter is in the book, dated 29 May 1969, which has: “… The Pope grants that throughout the territory of your conference, each bishop may, according to his prudential judgment and conscience, authorize in his diocese the introduction of the new rite for giving communion. …”. (page 647).

At the end of this letter there is a footnote:
“The Summarium Decretorum on confirmation of the decisions of bishops in Notitiae lists the granting of this faculty to the following English-speaking conferences (in each case reference is made to the present document as found in AAS and Not):
South Africa 3 February 1970
…
U.S.A. 17 June 1977”
(page 648).

 

[Lux_et_Tenebrae]

Here is more documentation.

 

[sphilomena]

Here are some items I found years ago, sort of a time line:

650, the Synod of Rouen mandated Communion on the tongue to protect against abuses.

16th Century Reformer revived receiving in the hand to show rejection of the priesthood and the Real Presence.

After VII, rebellious priests in Holland adopted Communion in the hand, in defiance of liturgical law, and it spread.

Pope Paul VI questioned the bishops of the world and they voted to keep the practice of receiving on the tongue.

After this polling of the bishops in 1969, the Pope ordered the preparation of Memoriale Domini, an instruction that warned that Communion in the hand could lead to a “lessening of reverence toward the noble Sacrament of the Altar…”

Dominicae Cenae, #11, notes a “deplorable lack of respect” at Communion and states the right “to continue receiving the Eucharist on the tongue.”

John Paul II said that “to touch the Sacred Species, and to distribute them with their own hands is a privilege of the ordained”.

Just some background info that I find interesting.

 

[Brooklyn]

I was just going to post a thread on this, but did a search for and found this post. I’m linking an interesting article about the practice of receiving communion in the hand. I left the Church 38 years ago and just recently returned. When I was a little girl back in the early 60’s, I was taught that only the priest was suppose to touch the consecrated host, and we were allowed to touch it only with our mouth and tongues. So it kind of blows my mind now to see people receiving communion in their hands and lay people distributing it. Here is the link to the article:

catholic-pages.com/mass/inhand.asp

One quote from the article, a statement from Mother Teresa as stated by Father George Rutler:

• I will tell you a secret, since we have just a thousand close friends together, and also because we have the Missionaries of Charity with us, whom the Holy Spirit has sent into the world that the secrets of many hearts might be revealed. Not very long ago I said Mass and preached for their Mother, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and after breakfast we spent quite a long time talking in a little room. Suddenly, I found myself asking her-I don’t know why-“Mother, what do you think is the worst problem in the world today?” She more than anyone could name any number of candidates: famine, plague, disease, the breakdown of the family, rebellion against God, the corruption of the media, world debt, nuclear threat, and so on. Without pausing a second she said, "Wherever I go in the whole world, the thing that makes me the saddest is watching people receive Communion in the hand.*

I know the OP was not looking for opinions, but I hope you will forgive me for posting the opinion of a saint.
Mary

 

[Lepanto]

I was just going to post a thread on this, but did a search for and found this post. I’m linking an interesting article about the practice of receiving communion in the hand. I left the Church 38 years ago and just recently returned. When I was a little girl back in the early 60’s, I was taught that only the priest was suppose to touch the consecrated host, and we were allowed to touch it only with our mouth and tongues. So it kind of blows my mind now to see people receiving communion in their hands and lay people distributing it. Here is the link to the article:

catholic-pages.com/mass/inhand.asp

One quote from the article, a statement from Mother Teresa as stated by Father George Rutler:

• I will tell you a secret, since we have just a thousand close friends together, and also because we have the Missionaries of Charity with us, whom the Holy Spirit has sent into the world that the secrets of many hearts might be revealed. Not very long ago I said Mass and preached for their Mother, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and after breakfast we spent quite a long time talking in a little room. Suddenly, I found myself asking her-I don’t know why-“Mother, what do you think is the worst problem in the world today?” She more than anyone could name any number of candidates: famine, plague, disease, the breakdown of the family, rebellion against God, the corruption of the media, world debt, nuclear threat, and so on. Without pausing a second she said, "Wherever I go in the whole world, the thing that makes me the saddest is watching people receive Communion in the hand.*

I know the OP was not looking for opinions, but I hope you will forgive me for posting the opinion of a saint.
Mary

Thank you! Very helpful!

 

[Marian_Carroll]

And the topic is:

1. How and/or why did communion in the hand start in the United States? (When I was a kid it was unthinkable, but now it’s the defacto norm.)

1. What is the OFFICIAL position of the Church on this? Preferably the USCCB and Vatican documents which legislate these kinds of norms. In particular, if communion in the hand is an “indult” in the United States, as some say, then where exactly is this indult documented?

Please stay with the subject.

**As a reminder **CAF does provide the Traditional Catholic forum for those who prefer the pre conciliar form of liturgical practice. Post conciliar practice does allow for Communion in the hand and your help in not confusing the issues here is very much appreciated.

 

[Marian_Carroll]

And the topic is:

Please stay with the subject.

As a reminder CAF does provide the Traditional Catholic forum for those who prefer the pre conciliar form of liturgical practice. The Novus Ordo Missae does allow for the practice of communion in the Hand and your help in not fonusing the isuees here is very much appreciated.

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

Hi,

Communion in the hand is allowed. That is the official word. There are many preferences, and opinions, but they are just that.

GIRM Which is the final word on the Mass-

And from the Norms for distribution—

Lux

The problem is that the liceity of communion in the hand in the United States is not under question, rather the OP is asking for sources that relate to the differing legal statuses of communion on the tongue versus in the hand. The GIRM you quoted is the one with adaptations for the US written into its text, not a document that is going to be interested in separating out universal law from indults enjoyed by the American church.

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

Here is more documentation.

I think this link contains a sentence that best boils down the relative statuses of on the tongue and in the hand, so it should be pulled out so no one overlooks it.

From the Congregation for Divine Worship:
1. The new manner of giving communion must not be imposed in a way that would exclude the traditional practice. It is a matter of particular seriousness that in places where the new practice is lawfully permitted every one of the faithful have the option of receiving communion on the tongue and even when other persons are receiving communion in the hand.

This expresses the fact that communion on the tongue is always allowed, while communion in the hand, as the rest of the documentation shows, is an indult granted on a conference by conference basis. Communion on the tongue is a right of all Latin Catholics. Communion in the hand is a privilege granted to regions that request it. The juridical difference itself shows a preference on the part of the Church for that which she has established as a right over that which she has allowed only by special permission.