Receiving Communion

[georgewithfaith]

Yesterday I attended Mass at a Church that requires kneeling to receive Communion. When the female Eucharistic Minister gave me Communion I received it on the tongue but did not say “Amen.” Instead I made no response and made the sign of the cross as I normally do at the Latin Mass I regularly attend.

The Eucharistic Minister said the “Amen” when I did not respond. Was what I did okay?

 

[ConstantineTG]

Yesterday I attended Mass at a Church that requires kneeling to receive Communion. When the female Eucharistic Minister gave me Communion I received it on the tongue but did not say “Amen.” Instead I made no response and made the sign of the cross as I normally do at the Latin Mass I regularly attend.

The Eucharistic Minister said the “Amen” when I did not respond. Was what I did okay?

In the OF it is required to say Amen after the Eucharistic Minister says “The Body/Blood of Christ”

Some ministers (which includes priests) will say the “Amen” for you, perhaps to remind you of what you need to respond. But the rubrics is not to give Communion unless the proper response is said, so sometimes they will do it for you. I personally don’t agree with that but thats besides the point.

 

[MarkThompson]

Yesterday I attended Mass at a Church that requires kneeling to receive Communion. When the female Eucharistic Minister gave me Communion I received it on the tongue but did not say “Amen.” Instead I made no response and made the sign of the cross as I normally do at the Latin Mass I regularly attend.

The Eucharistic Minister said the “Amen” when I did not respond. Was what I did okay?

Was this:

1. In the the Latin Rite, or some other rite?
2. If in the Latin Rite, in the Ordinary form (Novus Ordo) or Extraordinary Form (Traditional Latin Mass)?
3. At a church in communion with Rome with full canonical faculties (i.e., not SSPX or some breakaway group)?

In general, in the Ordinary Form of the Mass in the Latin Rite, you are to respond “Amen” aloud unless you’re unable for some reason. In the Extraordinary Form (as I assume you know) you do not say anything.

 

[MarkThompson]

But the rubrics is not to give Communion unless the proper response is said, so sometimes they will do it for you. I personally don’t agree with that but thats besides the point.

I don’t know of anything to indicate that that’s in fact the case. The Missal indicates that the response is “Amen,” but I’m not aware that it forbids distributing Communion if someone does not make the response for whatever reason. I think in some cases this can happen de facto because it often happens that someone who fails to make the response turns out to have been a non-Catholic visitor who just got caught up in the line and should not be given the Eucharist, but, as I say, I don’t know that a rule governs that.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I don’t know of anything to indicate that that’s in fact the case. The Missal indicates that the response is “Amen,” but I’m not aware that it forbids distributing Communion if someone does not make the response for whatever reason. I think in some cases this can happen de facto because it often happens that someone who fails to make the response turns out to have been a non-Catholic visitor who just got caught up in the line and should not be given the Eucharist, but, as I say, I don’t know that a rule governs that.

Our priest told me (actually everyone in the Mass) that he cannot give us Communion unless we say “Amen.”

 

[MarkThompson]

Our priest told me (actually everyone in the Mass) that he cannot give us Communion unless we say “Amen.”

Interesting. There’s no such requirement in the “rubrics” as such, but I wonder if it has any basis in some other Church directive.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Interesting. There’s no such requirement in the “rubrics” as such, but I wonder if it has any basis in some other Church directive.

Well, the rubrics call for the response of “Amen.” Perhaps he deduced from that?

 

[georgewithfaith]

Thanks for the responses. I was stubborn, I missed Latin Mass that day because of work. I should have said “Amen” and will do so in the future at a Novus Ordo Mass.

 

[MarkThompson]

Well, the rubrics call for the response of “Amen.” Perhaps he deduced from that?

The deduction you’ve expressed that he made does not strike me as having any good logical basis. The rubrics call of a response of “Amen,” but they do not specify a penalty for someone who fails so to respond. The rubrics also call for lots of other things, but one can hardly imagine that it would be licit for a priest to say, “You’re forbidden Communion today – I saw you not responding in the preface dialogue.” This is a particularly risky type of deduction to make, from a canonical standpoint, when the Code of Canon Law explain, and Redemptionis Sacramentum elaborates, that:
In distributing Holy Communion it is to be remembered that “sacred ministers may not deny the sacraments to those who seek them in a reasonable manner, are rightly disposed, and are not prohibited by law from receiving them”. Hence any baptized Catholic who is not prevented by law must be admitted to Holy Communion. Therefore, it is not licit to deny Holy Communion to any of Christ’s faithful solely on the grounds, for example, that the person wishes to receive the Eucharist kneeling or standing.

 

[ConstantineTG]

The deduction you’ve expressed that he made does not strike me as having any good logical basis. The rubrics call of a response of “Amen,” but they do not specify a penalty for someone who fails so to respond. The rubrics also call for lots of other things, but one can hardly imagine that it would be licit for a priest to say, “You’re forbidden Communion today – I saw you not responding in the preface dialogue.” This is a particularly risky type of deduction to make, from a canonical standpoint, when the Code of Canon Law explain, and Redemptionis Sacramentum elaborates, that:
In distributing Holy Communion it is to be remembered that “sacred ministers may not deny the sacraments to those who seek them in a reasonable manner, are rightly disposed, and are not prohibited by law from receiving them”. Hence any baptized Catholic who is not prevented by law must be admitted to Holy Communion. Therefore, it is not licit to deny Holy Communion to any of Christ’s faithful solely on the grounds, for example, that the person wishes to receive the Eucharist kneeling or standing.

Isn’t saying “Amen” part of your desposition? That you are expressing your belief in the Real Presence? I’ll do more research on this and see what I find.

 

[jmcrae]

Do you say “Amen” if you are receiving on the tongue?

 

[ConstantineTG]

Do you say “Amen” if you are receiving on the tongue?

Yes. Although there have been cases in my past experience that the Host was placed on my tongue while I was saying Amen.

 

[MarkThompson]

Isn’t saying “Amen” part of your desposition? That you are expressing your belief in the Real Presence? I’ll do more research on this and see what I find.

I don’t think so. Frankly I suppose a better argument could be mounted that making the response is part of seeking the Sacrament “in a reasonable manner,” but even then without some specific clarification from the Church I think one is on canonically very shaky ground to deny the Eucharist based on a person’s failure to adhere to a Mass rubric. If the Church wants to say that one must make the response to be admitted to Communion, they can say exactly that – presumably with explicitly spelled out exceptions for people who are deaf, cannot speak, etc. Maybe the Church has said that and I just haven’t heard about it, but I don’t think the case is so clear-cut that any priest ought to go around denying the Sacrament based on his own interpretation here and nothing more.

 

[MarkThompson]

Do you say “Amen” if you are receiving on the tongue?

Constantine is right: you do. The only difference from the “usual” is that if you receive kneeling then you do not make the bow before receiving which you would otherwise make as a gesture of reverence.

 

[Vico]

Yesterday I attended Mass at a Church that requires kneeling to receive Communion. When the female Eucharistic Minister gave me Communion I received it on the tongue but did not say “Amen.” Instead I made no response and made the sign of the cross as I normally do at the Latin Mass I regularly attend.

The Eucharistic Minister said the “Amen” when I did not respond. Was what I did okay?

You are ok, but in the future should say “Amen” before reception. You were being instructed!

USCCB Norms for Communion states:

"14. The act of Communion, therefore, is also an act of faith. For when the minister says, “The Body of Christ” or “The Blood of Christ,” the communicant’s “Amen” is a profession in the presence of the saving Christ, body and blood, soul and divinity, who now gives life to the believer.

1. The communicant makes this act of faith in the total presence of the Lord Jesus Christ whether in Communion under one form or in Communion under both kinds. …"

Three forms in the US, Body, Body and Blood individually, and Body and Blood by intinction.

As a sign of reverence to our Lord in the sacrament, communicants bow their heads, or genuflect, as the communicant in front of them receives the Sacred Host. The same is done when receiving the Precious Blood from the chalice.

A. Body of Christ

The Priest raises a host slightly and shows it to each of the communicants, saying:
The Body of Christ.

The communicant replies:
Amen.

And receives the Body of Christ, by hand (right over left) or by tongue (standing or kneeling).

B. Blood of Christ

The chalice may be offered to the communicant, which they may choose to receive or not. When offered, the deacon says:
The Blood of Christ.

The communicant replies:
Amen.

And receives the Blood of Christ. After each communicant has received the Blood of Christ, the minister carefully wipes both sides of the rim of the chalice with a purificator.

OR

C. Body and Blood of Christ by Intinction

By intinction, the communicant, while holding the paten under the chin, approaches the priest who holds the vessel with the hosts and at whose side stands the minister holding the chalice.

The priest takes the host, intincts the particle into the chalice and, showing it, says:
The Body and Blood of Christ.

The communicant responds:
Amen

And receives the Sacrament on the tongue from the priest. Afterwards, the communicant returns to his or her place.

 

[jmcrae]

Yes. Although there have been cases in my past experience that the Host was placed on my tongue while I was saying Amen.

Thanks. Yes, I can see how it would complicate things.

I am wanting to start receiving on the tongue again. I used to do it all the time, but for some reason I got out of the habit, and I’m just trying to remember again how to do it.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Thanks. Yes, I can see how it would complicate things.

I am wanting to start receiving on the tongue again. I used to do it all the time, but for some reason I got out of the habit, and I’m just trying to remember again how to do it.

We’re in the same boat. I recently just switched back. I’m still forgetting to stick my tongue out from time to time.

 

[jmcrae]

Constantine is right: you do. The only difference from the “usual” is that if you receive kneeling then you do not make the bow before receiving which you would otherwise make as a gesture of reverence.

Thanks! I am attending the OF at present, so I am receiving while standing - and yes, I bow in reverence beforehand.

 

[MarkThompson]

Thanks! I am attending the OF at present, so I am receiving while standing - and yes, I bow in reverence beforehand.

As you may or may not be aware (and may or may not be interested in, naturally) the Vatican has clarified several times that the people have the right to receive kneeling at the OF if they so choose. Often you’d have to do it on the floor, of course, but if you were holding back because you didn’t think it was allowed, you need not do so.

 

[jmcrae]

As you may or may not be aware (and may or may not be interested in, naturally) the Vatican has clarified several times that the people have the right to receive kneeling at the OF if they so choose. Often you’d have to do it on the floor, of course, but if you were holding back because you didn’t think it was allowed, you need not do so.

No - just poor coordination. If there were a kneeler, I could do it, but I’m not coordinated enough to get back up off my knees without something to balance on.

I have great admiration for those who can, though - there is one lady I know who can fling herself down on to her knees and then jump back up again in the same amount of time it takes me to step forward and then to the side.