Receiving Communion while kneeling

[stignatius]

I recently read the statements by the Bishop (name escapes me), who admonishes the faithful to receive communion kneeling. My question is whether or not this would be a bad idea if a paten is not used (placed under the mouth when communion is distributed). Since giving communion to a kneeling person obviously involves moving the Host a longer distance, the risk of particles dropping is greater, which is problematic when there is no paten to catch particles.

Thanks

 

[ac_claire]

I recently read the statements by the Bishop (name escapes me), who admonishes the faithful to receive communion kneeling. My question is whether or not this would be a bad idea if a paten is not used (placed under the mouth when communion is distributed). Since giving communion to a kneeling person obviously involves moving the Host a longer distance, the risk of particles dropping is greater, which is problematic when there is no paten to catch particles.
Thanks

Any time I’ve received kneeling, the paten was still used. At the TLM people kneel in a row usually in the first pew and the priest goes down the row, person to person, w/ the altar boy holding the paten for each person as they receive.

Sidenote -->(I don’t want to de-rail the thread, but this makes me wonder: what about the cloth the EMHC’s use to wipe the rim of the communion cup? Is there a prescribed way to deal with this?)

 

[benedictgal]

I recently read the statements by the Bishop (name escapes me), who admonishes the faithful to receive communion kneeling. My question is whether or not this would be a bad idea if a paten is not used (placed under the mouth when communion is distributed). Since giving communion to a kneeling person obviously involves moving the Host a longer distance, the risk of particles dropping is greater, which is problematic when there is no paten to catch particles.

Thanks

Inasmuch as standing is the norm for the United States, here is what the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (2002) has to say on the subject:

TIn fact, as His Eminence, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has recently emphasized, the practice of kneeling for Holy Communion has in its favor a centuries-old tradition, and it is a particularly expressive sign of adoration, completely appropriate in light of the true, real and substantial presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ under the consecrated species.

This may help to understand the bishop’s reasoning behind his actions, which are laudable.

 

[stignatius]

Any time I’ve received kneeling, the paten was still used. At the TLM people kneel in a row usually in the first pew and the priest goes down the row, person to person, w/ the altar boy holding the paten for each person as they receive.

Sidenote -->(I don’t want to de-rail the thread, but this makes me wonder: what about the cloth the EMHC’s use to wipe the rim of the communion cup? Is there a prescribed way to deal with this?)

I’m talking about receiving communion kneeling (as some do), where most stand and receive in the hand

 

[Walking_Home]

I recently read the statements by the Bishop (name escapes me), who admonishes the faithful to receive communion kneeling. My question is whether or not this would be a bad idea if a paten is not used (placed under the mouth when communion is distributed). Since giving communion to a kneeling person obviously involves moving the Host a longer distance, the risk of particles dropping is greater, which is problematic when there is no paten to catch particles.

Thanks

Quote=stignatius
I’m talking about receiving communion kneeling (as some do), where most stand and receive in the hand

---

If you really think about it — there is much more risk of particles dropping via communion in the hand — since there is more movement involved. The Host goes from the hand of the priest/deacon/EMHC – to the hand of the receiver. From the hand of the receiver to the mouth.

 

[LilyM]

Any time I’ve received kneeling, the paten was still used. At the TLM people kneel in a row usually in the first pew and the priest goes down the row, person to person, w/ the altar boy holding the paten for each person as they receive.

Sidenote -->(I don’t want to de-rail the thread, but this makes me wonder: what about the cloth the EMHC’s use to wipe the rim of the communion cup? Is there a prescribed way to deal with this?)

Absolutely there is - they’re treated in the same way as the cloth the priest uses for his own Communion.

The exact procedure escapes me, but I believe they’re rinsed out until no visible traces of Precious Blood remain, with the water from the rinsing being poured down the sacrarium.

 

[ac_claire]

I’m talking about receiving communion kneeling (as some do), where most stand and receive in the hand

Whenever I’ve received kneeling - 2 different parishes- The paten was used.

As to your original question: is it a good idea to receive kneeling if there is no paten? I think I see what you mean now. I would imagine there would be some minor improvisation on the priests part, and the server would probably mirror the priest and take the paten down to your level (so to speak). But again, that’s what I imagine, not necessarily what happens. Try to make it as clear as possible to Father as you step before him that you intend to kneel, so he has a few seconds to register what’s going on and adjust the paten issue accordingly.