Received on the tongue for the first time today

[Soler]

(I thought I’d post this here, even though I’m not a traditionalist)

See the title.

I had been wanting to do this for a long time, having come to the conclusion that it was the most proper way in which to receive the Blessed Sacrament, but could never summon up the courage to change my long-accustomed habit. Luckily, when I came to the altar rail today at my parish OF mass, everyone near me was kneeling (many people, including myself until today, do not kneel at the rail), so I felt more comfortable kneeling with them. From that lower vantage point, it seemed more natural to receive on the tongue, so I did, though I may have inadvertently made it somewhat difficult for the EMOHC, as I hardly extended my tongue at all. The fact that it was an EMOHC and not the parish priest somehow made it seem less awkward, although our parish priest has nothing against receiving on the tongue. Hopefully I’ll do the same next week. Deo Gratias.

—Soler.

 

[PJM]

(I thought I’d post this here, even though I’m not a traditionalist)

See the title.

I had been wanting to do this for a long time, having come to the conclusion that it was the most proper way in which to receive the Blessed Sacrament, but could never summon up the courage to change my long-accustomed habit. Luckily, when I came to the altar rail today at my parish OF mass, everyone near me was kneeling (many people, including myself until today, do not kneel at the rail), so I felt more comfortable kneeling with them. From that lower vantage point, it seemed more natural to receive on the tongue, so I did, though I may have inadvertently made it somewhat difficult for the EMOHC, as I hardly extended my tongue at all. The fact that it was an EMOHC and not the parish priest somehow made it seem less awkward, although our parish priest has nothing against receiving on the tongue. Hopefully I’ll do the same next week. Deo Gratias.

—Soler.

Thank you for your humble obedience. In the furtute may I suggest you do so only from your priest or deacon.

Love and prayers,

 

[Soler]

PJM,

Thanks for your suggestion. However, the layout of the church is such that one does not have much of a choice concerning who to receive from.

 

[Coder]

I am interested in receiving on the tongue. In our parish, the priest breaks some of the hosts from a larger part and I find that sometimes there are small bits in my hand (about the size of a grain of sand or smaller) when I receive. I take care to consume them all but I am concerned that some may fall and that it is not right that during the private prayer after communion I may still have a small particle of the precious Body on my hand that I am consuming.

Regarding kneeling during reception, is the norm in America to receive while standing? Perhaps you are not in America and have a different norm.

 

[Soler]

Coder,
I live in Ireland. I have no idea what the official norm is here, although people usually receive standing. However, in my parish, the Communion rails are used, so many people, but not all, kneel, as the rail makes this less awkward.

 

[m134e5]

I am interested in receiving on the tongue. In our parish, the priest breaks some of the hosts from a larger part and I find that sometimes there are small bits in my hand (about the size of a grain of sand or smaller) when I receive. I take care to consume them all but I am concerned that some may fall and that it is not right that during the private prayer after communion I may still have a small particle of the precious Body on my hand that I am consuming.

Regarding kneeling during reception, is the norm in America to receive while standing? Perhaps you are not in America and have a different norm.

Maybe your priest does not realize that is happening. That is a problem he needs to know about (politely…of course).

 

[Through_Him]

Thank you for your humble obedience. In the furtute may I suggest you do so only from your priest or deacon.

Love and prayers,

Is this the rule? I haven’t seen anyone receive from the lay on the tongue. I have not tried it myself. It may embarass the layperson.

 

[lizaanne]

I am interested in receiving on the tongue. In our parish, the priest breaks some of the hosts from a larger part and I find that sometimes there are small bits in my hand (about the size of a grain of sand or smaller) when I receive. I take care to consume them all but I am concerned that some may fall and that it is not right that during the private prayer after communion I may still have a small particle of the precious Body on my hand that I am consuming.

Oh, this sort of thing just makes me so angry. Not you Coder, you are only doing what you think is right. But that your parish priest would be so careless as to allow such a thing to happen. Are they even using a paten to catch particles? You should not have to even worry about such things, receiving on the tongue, with a paten, resolves all these issues. Imagine how many parishoners who don’t really care and just brush the holy particles of Jesus off on their jeans!!!

Please discuss this with your priest - it may not seem like a big deal to some people, but it really is a very serious issue.

Is this the rule? I haven’t seen anyone receive from the lay on the tongue. I have not tried it myself. It may embarass the layperson.

I have received from an EMHC many times on the tongue. Fortunately now I belong to a parish that NEVER uses EMHCs, so it is not an issue.

~Liza

 

[Soler]

Is this the rule? I haven’t seen anyone receive from the lay on the tongue. I have not tried it myself. It may embarass the layperson.

No. On the contrary, receiving on the tongue is the legal (although not the practical) norm.

I think the EMOHC’s at my parish would be fairly used to people receiving on the tongue, perhaps particularly as we now use the Communion rails. Besides, the elderly lady next to me also received on the tongue.

—Soler.

 

[Baloo]

Yeah, I always receive on the tongue, but only from a Priest or Deacon, never an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist.

 

[Through_Him]

No. On the contrary, receiving on the tongue is the legal (although not the practical) norm.

I think the EMOHC’s at my parish would be fairly used to people receiving on the tongue, perhaps particularly as we now use the Communion rails. Besides, the elderly lady next to me also received on the tongue.

—Soler.

Ok I see your point, I have seen many a priest distribute the host on the tongue and not use a paten. As that would cause another person to assist. The only priest I see that has a paten is the one that has sisters to hold it. He is in a nursing home and they have a kneeling rail step that is an individual personal rail. We have a 5 parish cluster and they each do the receiving a bit different.

 

[roveau]

I have been reconciled with the Catholic church after a 40 years absence. I accept all the changes of course but I could never ever take Holy Communion except by the tongue. As far as I could see I’m the only one at the church I attend to receive it this way.

The first EMOHC looked a bit startled when I held my hands behind my back and stuck out my tongue but in these parts you are permitted to take it by hand or tongue.

The ony thing that disturbs me is that there is no paten.

I don’t like standing when receiving Communion. It doesn’t make any sense considering the Mass as a whole.

 

[blackice]

I join my hands together as in prayer, standing, I look directly at the priest and extend my tongue ready to receive the Holy Sacrament, as I too, feel unworthy to touch the Sacred Body of Our Lord with my hands, I was brought up with the Tridentine Mass ( Latin Mass ) and always knelt down to receive Holy communion on my tongue.

 

[bpbasilphx]

…as I too, feel unworthy to touch the Sacred Body of Our Lord with my hands,…

And just why is your TONGUE more worthy?

I don’t like standing when receiving Communion. It doesn’t make any sense considering the Mass as a whole.

Why do you say that? The Priest communicates himself standing. We stand to receive the Word of God in the Holy Gospel.

And standing for Communion is the norm in Eastern Catholic Churches and always has been.

 

[blackice]

And just why is your TONGUE more worthy?

My tongue is not more worthy, as my whole body is unworthy, I personally feel the less contact with the hands, the less likelihood of a mishap with the Eucharist.

 

[Dempsey1919]

It should be remembered that recieving in the hand started as an abuse that gradually came to be accepted. Before 1970 and the Mass of Paul VI, no Latin rite Catholic (excluding priests) received Communion in the hand.

The norm for receiving Communion in the Latin rite has always been directly on the tongue by the hands of a priest. This is an ancient and apostolic practice that was unfortunately changed after Vatican II.

I attend the Extradordinary Form almost exclusively and I always receive directly on the tongue by the hands of a priest.

 

[palmas85]

And just why is your TONGUE more worthy?

Why do you say that? The Priest communicates himself standing. We stand to receive the Word of God in the Holy Gospel.

And standing for Communion is the norm in Eastern Catholic Churches and always has been.

But we are not talking about the Eastern Churches are we?

In fact, if I am not mistaken, the Eastern Churches distribute Holy Communion completely differently than does the Latin Rite.

Since we are discussing receiving in the Latin Rite, I fail to see the relevence of even bringing up how one receives in the Eastern Churches.

 

[the_phoenix]

I normally have a strong preference for receiving on the tongue.

I departed from this after an unusual occurrence that happened when a Franciscan Monk who seemed uncomfortable and nervous as an EMHC slipped somehow and the Host went flying through the air and it was by the grace of God I caught the Host. That made me nervous such that for some years after, when I received from an EMHC who looked nervous or unsure of what they were doing if I wanted to receive on the tongue, I would receive in the hand.

I’ve gone back to receiving on the tongue and if the EMHC is nervous, that’s just the way it is and we’re just going to have to deal with it.

Except for this past Sunday, when I had open sores on my mouth due to antibiotics I’m taking. I felt that in charity, I would not want to expose anyone to the chance of touching my mouth this week.

~~ the phoenix

 

[Spiritoftruth]

…i say whatever suits your pallet.

 

[jilly4ski]

I used to recieve on the hand exclusivley, as that was how I was taught, but I just had my first child and it is much easier to recieve on the tounge revently when holding a child. Of couse like a week after he was born and the first weekend I recieved on the tounge, swine flu broke out and the monsiegnor tried to forbid recieving on the tounge. (I think I am the only person (or one of a handful) who recieves on the tounge.) It was very frustrating. So the next weekend I received on the hand, I had to bring my hand to my face (as I was holding a sleeping child) After that I just recieved on the tounge.

Pax