In the Latin Rite, not only is kneeling and receiving on the tongue the preferred method to receive the Eucharist, it is the normal method. All other methods are exceptions that must be approved.
Through his actions, our Holy Father has admitted that it is the most reverent posture to kneel and receive Eucharist on the tongue. Cardinal Francis Arinze, who served as Prefect for the
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, who helped compile
Redemptionis Sacramentum, has said this much as well. The current Prefect for the stated Congregation, Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera, has also stated that it is preferable to receive it on the tongue, while kneeling.
That being said,
it is not bad to receive communion on the hand. In fact, it is
perfectly acceptable to receive it on the hand, even from an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion,
provided the bishops have been given permission for their parishes to do so. What most lay people don’t realize in regards to the Latin Rite, is that standing and receiving Eucharist in the hand has to be APPROVED by the Apostolic See. If not approved, or not yet taken to the Apostolic See, the faithful
must kneel, and
must receive on the tongue.
What most people in the English speaking world are use to is standing and receiving Holy Communion in the hand. It is the
most common, but it is neither the
normal nor the
preferred method. In fact, a priest cannot refuse Holy Communion to the one person out of a thousand who chooses to kneel and receive Our Lord in his/her tongue, despite being use to the other forms of reception.
Here is Cardinal Arinze on the ways to receive Holy Communion.
And as ever, the wonderful Michael Voris on
reception in the hand, and
kneeling for Holy Communion.
God Bless!
