Opening mouth after communion

[gerryran]

When I was young (I’m 44 now) I was told never to open my mouth after communion until the host dissolved. I was also told never to bite the host. Obviously with singing, the church would be very quiet if that was observed today. Has anyone else heard of this? Is it something that went away with Vatican II or just something of a regional teaching. Thank you.

 

[Della]

gerryran:

When I was young (I’m 44 now) I was told never to open my mouth after communion until the host dissolved. I was also told never to bite the host. Obviously with singing, the church would be very quiet if that was observed today. Has anyone else heard of this? Is it something that went away with Vatican II or just something of a regional teaching. Thank you.

Well, when you were very young you may have let the host fall out of your mouth, something young children are more prone to do than adults, which is probably why you were told to not to open it.

As to not biting the host, you were told that so that you would feel reverence for it. But, that isn’t a teaching of the Church, that is scrupulosity over the Eucharist, which many had not so many years ago. It was always all right to chew the host.

 

[harinkj]

I never open my mouth or chew the host. I am sure the nuns taught us that. I was in Catholic school around 1954-1955.

• Kathie

 

[CarolAnnSFO]

I don’t remember specifically being taught this, but it does make sense. If any portion of the Sacred Host is still in your mouth, you probably shouldn’t be singing, anyway. In my experience, most people don’t want to sing right after receiving, and the singing is generally done just by the music ministry at that time.

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[gerryran]

Yes, I was definately taught that by the nuns when I had my first communion. I grew up in New Zealand so it may have been a practice in that area.

 

[allhers]

harinkj:

I never open my mouth or chew the host. I am sure the nuns taught us that. I was in Catholic school around 1954-1955.

• Kathie

I went to Catholic Schools later than that, here in America, and the Nuns taught us that too. Why we weren’t suppose to chew the Host though, I don’t remember. Opening your mouth though, obviously so you wouldnt lose any part of the Host.

 

[Walking_Home]

I also was taught by the nuns - back in the day-, to let the host soften in my mouth, until I would be able to swallow our Lords body and blood without difficulty.

Walking_Home

 

[flamingsword]

Let’s forget for a second that we are talking about the Blessed Sacrament.

Never open your mouth when you chew. Never. Don’t do it. In case your mommy never told you, don’t do it.

Now back to the topic. Don’t open your mouth when you are consuming the Blessed Sacrament. Don’t do it. Never. We can leave the properness of chewing the host or letting it disolve in your mouth to a different string, but don’t open your mouth when you do it.