Preventing Communion Accidents with Required Patens

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This is a good opportunity to remind folks that a paten - required by the GIRM - would have prevented this accident.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=3725526#post3725526

Redemptionis Sacramentum 93

I like to receive on the tongue and do so, but it seems lay people distributing are often more insecure with this (at least when I receive), making it more likely for an accident (which nearly happened to me at a recent funeral in another parish). Lay person or priest, paten is suppose to be in use. Often times, the problem is that there are not enough servers for the number of people distributing the Host.

While in my parish there are ample priests to distribute, thus not requiring lay people, some parishes like my former parish with only one priest for about 2300 families, can’t very well distribute alone in a timely fashion, so EMHC’s are needed.

When you really think about it, if parishes just went back to Communion Host only - which IS the Body AND Blood of Christ, those added EMHC’s could have been used to hold patens if there weren’t enough servers - a much better use, IMHO.

Receiving on the tongue is a legitimate method of reception, and not permitting people to do so would violate the GIRM. On the other hand, if the GIRM were followed with respect to patens, fewer accidents would happen.
 
or the parish could purchase appropriate vessels designed to adminster by intinction, the lay servers could assist in that way, and the fullness of the sign of reception under both species would be retained. what scarfs me most is parishes and public pilgrimage sites who announce they are returning to communion on the tongue only, yet fail as OP notes to provide servers with patens, and yes it is as easy to have an accident with this method as it is with reception in the hand, which is why patens were invented in the first place (and why we received over a wide railing which could also prevent the sacred species from falling to the floor).
 
What I don’t understand is at most Masses (NO, I don’t attend TLM), there are usually so many altar servers that they’re falling over one another, and yet, come Communion, there are no patens in sight!

:confused:
 
Unfortunately, we in America translated the word in RS 93 as “should” and not “required.” Another clear example of our flawed English language. A canon lawyer explained to me that in the original text the CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP AND THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SACRAMENT was only one level away from requiring the use of the paten for the universal Church. If we stepped back and really reflected on its use and purpose ~ how one could not desire its use at every Mass….does not make any sense to me.
Glory to Jesus Christ!
Glory to Him forever!
 
I absolutelly agree. We have 4 altar servers at each Mass who just sit to the side during Communion (after they have received). We would only need two with patens to avoid the accidents that seem to happen frequenly. I asked about this at our parish and found out that the patens were “lost” years ago. I want to buy some. Does anyone know where to find some nice ones? All I have found are some with boxy handles that don’t look very nice.
 
Good points. I’ve seen this happen when I’ve visited other parishes as well, and it’s usually a case of EMHC’s (or priests!) who aren’t used to communion on the tongue, combined with no patens. Part of it too, I think, is what I see as a rush on the part of the priest or EMHC to get the line moving quickly, which can result in them not taking the time or care to properly place the host on the tongue or even in the hand. Many times I’ve gone up to priests who never even looked up at me and almost just dropped the host on the floor before realizing my hands weren’t outstretched and my mouth was open. All of this is easily avoidable with a little bit of training a a little bit of hardware.

But in defense of our priests and EMHC’s, let me give a little bit of perspective from the other side of the communion rail. 🙂 I am an altar boy at my parish, and often hold the paten during communion. We don’t have a communion rail, but use kneelers instead, and communion is given by intinction by a priest (only in extremely rare circumstancese will there be an EMHC, who of course only distributes the host, not intinct).

I cannot tell you how often I’ve seen potential accidents (and a few catches with the paten) from people who don’t seem to know how to receive on the tongue. Those who barely open up their mouths enough for a host to fit; communicants who bite down as father is placing the blessed sacrament on their tongue; people who try to receive with their heads bowed down or bow their heads before closing their mouths (gravity usually wins that one). My pet peeve are people who use the rail as an elbow rest, and end up with their folded hands right up to their chin or mouth, leaving nowhere for a paten to go. These are all people who are obviously pious and mean well, but could probably use a little instruction as well.

Sometime in the past year or so I seem to remember Fr. Perrone writing an article in the bulletin on this very subject. I should try and dig that out. I’ll post it here if I do.
 
Lux_et_veritas said:
Often times, the problem is that there are not enough servers for the number of people distributing the Host.
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In these situations, I’m surprised more parishes don’t have the servers that they do have take up position with a paten. Even if you don’t have enough, you can still use the ones you do have.
 
Pug said:
In these situations, I’m surprised more parishes don’t have the servers that they do have take up position with a paten. Even if you don’t have enough, you can still use the ones you do have.
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Agreed.

TIMMAY: I don’t recall that article by Fr. Perrone with the paten. Let me know if you find it, or do post it here.
 
Our new pastor discontinued the use of our patens saying that the host slipped off of them because the servers didn’t hold them correctly. Why he can’t train them better, I don’t know?? I miss the patens and most in our parish receive on the tongue.
 
The only churches I have attended which use patens have been the ones which offer the TLM. My home parish church uses it even for those who receive in the hand at the NO Mass. I wish more churches would bring them back, because I have seen a couple of “good catches” with the paten, and one of those was from someone receiving in the hand. 👍
 
I absolutelly agree. We have 4 altar servers at each Mass who just sit to the side during Communion (after they have received). We would only need two with patens to avoid the accidents that seem to happen frequenly. I asked about this at our parish and found out that the patens were “lost” years ago. I want to buy some. Does anyone know where to find some nice ones? All I have found are some with boxy handles that don’t look very nice.
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tonini.net/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=4962
 
I think I read too much theology.

My thoughts when I saw this thread revolved around:

How CAN you prevent Communion Accidents? They don’t change at all. Only the Substance does…Can you really prevent something that is there already and doesn’t change?

Does she not want the Host to look like Bread anymore??
 
My question is what is the procedure for the paten for Communion in the hand?

In our parish 3 out of 50 might take Communion on tongue, but I’m one of the 3.

If I receive from Father I prefer tongue, if EMC I go hand.
 
jwatza said:
Our new pastor discontinued the use of our patens saying that the host slipped off of them because the servers didn’t hold them correctly. Why he can’t train them better, I don’t know?? I miss the patens and most in our parish receive on the tongue.
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That is without a doubt the silliest reason I have ever heard of. DOes he discontinue the use of the chalice if the Precious Blood were to spill?

Does he discontinue the reception via the hands if someone drops it?

Seems like a copout. Use the paten correctly, and it works well.
 
I still am trying to figure out where these places are with a rash of accidents involving the Eucharist.

I’m 31 years old, and I cannot remember a single time that anything completely horrid occurred with the Eucharist. I’ve never seen a chalice tip over and spill…and I’ve maybe seen a host drop to the ground one time through no one’s fault, just an accident.

Why does this topic keep coming up? It seems like most parishes have taken great care (with or without patens) to deal with this issue.
 
I have seen the host drop on the floor 3 weeks in a row. (we are a very progressive parish and we have about 12 EMHC’s)
Regardless if the host drops once a year or if it is almost a common occurance. Once is too much and we should use patens.

The reason parishes do not use patens is not financial, they do not cost very much, it is because patens encourage respect for the Eucharist. There is a strong push to diminish respect for the Eucharist. This is why there is a desire not to use Patens, to remove silence from after communion, move the Tabernacle, etc… All and more are part of an effort to remove devotion to respecting Christ in the Eucharist and focusing the faith on people, instead of God then people.

What is wrong with using Patens? Is there an excuse for convenience over allowing the host to fall on the floor. Yes, we cannot hurt Jesus, yet we can certainly disrespect Him.

God Bless
Scylla
 
scylla said:
I have seen the host drop on the floor 3 weeks in a row. (we are a very progressive parish and we have about 12 EMHC’s)
Regardless if the host drops once a year or if it is almost a common occurance. Once is too much and we should use patens.

The reason parishes do not use patens is not financial, they do not cost very much, it is because patens encourage respect for the Eucharist. There is a strong push to diminish respect for the Eucharist. This is why there is a desire not to use Patens, to remove silence from after communion, move the Tabernacle, etc… All and more are part of an effort to remove devotion to respecting Christ in the Eucharist and focusing the faith on people, instead of God then people.

What is wrong with using Patens? Is there an excuse for convenience over allowing the host to fall on the floor. Yes, we cannot hurt Jesus, yet we can certainly disrespect Him.

God Bless
Scylla
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With all due respect I think your mixing too many issues here. Your thesis presupposes that not using a paten means there is a disrespect for the Eucharist. I could argue that using patens and receiving on the tongue just turns people into revererentless drones walking in an assembly line the Lord.
 
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