Poll: How do you typically receive the Body of Christ?

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You’re right. Now I have to provide the following counterpoint:

Let’s poll every Christian in the history of Catholicism up until 1969. Communion in the hand is an indult i.e. an allowance to break canon law.
 
My question would be are you discerning how you will partake in the Eucharist. If so , will your decision be dependent on a minority or majority poll? Is so, why?
 
So far the poll doesn’t reflect what I observe in my parishes. Mostly people receive in the hand. There is the occasional person presenting the tongue but normally they are the foreign older people.
 
As an EMHC in my parish, I’ve noticed only about 3 people out of 50 receive on the tongue.
 
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OP, I am just wondering why you are having this poll?

The reason it is controversial is because there have been so many threads on this topic in one way or another, and it always ends in arguments.
 
Why did the US want an indult to break canon law?

I just can’t personally fathom ever receiving any other way but kneeling on the tongue.
 
The parish is in a small farming community in Iowa, and all but one of the people who receive on the tongue are over 60, if that matters.
 
GladTidings said:
The parish is in a small farming community in Iowa, and all but one of the people who receive on the tongue are over 60, if that matters.
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Maybe age matters but I don’t think the location does. I used to go to NO masses for years (including in Iowa, I lived there for a long time!), and in most parishes the overwhelming majority received in the hand - this was true in Colorado, Iowa, California. I suppose this would be a question for that majority - why do they choose hand over tongue? Perhaps these days when kids are prepared for first communion, they are not told about the both options? Or they see hand as a “default” because that’s what the majority around them do.

I had a similar poll on this topic a while back, and it also came out with roughly 50/50 hand/tongue, but this is definitely not representative of the majority of parishes. People have also said that CAF population is more traditional (for lack of a better term) than general catholic population, so is it that receiving on the tongue is thought of as “traditional”? If so, I don’t know why, just because it happens to be done this way in the Latin mass doesn’t make it an outdated practice. Not sure but I’ve always wondered that.
 
The reason I mentioned the location is because we do not have any Hispanic or Italian parishioners who, in my opinion, are more likely to be more traditional and choose to receive on the tongue. We’re people whose ancestors never cried, “Viva Christo Rey!” We’ve not had a hard fought battle. Most of us haven’t had to stand up for our faith beyond explaining our take on Mary.

I know that when my kids were preparing for first communion, they were told about receiving either way, and I imagine they chose to do it the way their parents do. Either that or they didn’t want to be the one kid who is different. As for me, I converted, and my wife receives on the hand, so I do too. I guess I’ve never considered the other way.
 
May I just say as an EMHC, one or two pp have referred to ‘cupped hands’.

If you receive on the hands, may I respectfully request that you make your hands more flat than cupped? it makes it a little easier for the EMHC.
 
Irishmom2 said:
OP, I am just wondering why you are having this poll?

The reason it is controversial is because there have been so many threads on this topic in one way or another, and it always ends in arguments
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I was just curious, I didn’t realize it would be controversial. :confused:
GiftofMercy said:
My question would be are you discerning how you will partake in the Eucharist. If so , will your decision be dependent on a minority or majority poll? Is so, why?
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No, Im Episcopalian so I receive it kneeling, with cupped hands (left over right), and I’m allowed intinction too.
 
Episcopalian said:
No, Im Episcopalian so I receive it kneeling, with cupped hands (left over right), and I’m allowed intinction too.
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OK, you are not discerning partaking in Catholic Eucharist then 🙂
Its one of those trigger questions if you like. Some believe either way is ok, some believe only one way is ok. At the end of the day, we are subordinate to the Magisterium. We must obey. What the Magisterium says, goes, if you like. And the Magisterium is fine with either method.
For myself personally, if at an Ordinary Form Mass, I stand and receive in the hand, cupped left over right, and sometimes take the Precious Blood. Sometimes I will stand and receive on the tongue.
At the Extraordinary Form Mass, kneeling at the communion rail and on the tongue.
But even there, I can choose to stand or kneel and receive in the hand. And that Mass is mostly celebrated with a Bishop.
 
Bushum said:
Communion in the hand is an indult i.e. an allowance to break canon law.
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Communion in the hand is not an indult and has not been for decades. Whatever your opinion on the prudence of the decision by the Church, it is time to stop spreading this misinformation.
 
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in my parish, I only know of 1 person who receives it on the tongue (not me), which is fine. We only have to make sure not to trip over him as he kneels down… oddly enough, I always try to be just behind him on communion as I know he will kneel down and can keep a short safe distance from him as others might trip over him as it is very uncommon to see
 
In my parish our priests are encouraging folks to receive on the tongue. While most do receive in the hand, it seems there are more who are switching to receiving on the tongue.

This past spring most of those in RCIA opted to receive on the tongue. The first communion kids all received on the tongue.

My personal opinion is receiving on the tongue is a better way to receive.
 
Only Latins will argue about receiving Communion. :roll_eyes: Just receive by spoon like the Byzantines.
 
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