Receiving Holy Communion in Latin Rite

[crissee63]

Hi,

Actually you can receive Communion on the tongue. You can recieve it either in your hand or on your tongue. I would go ahead and let your daughter receive it on the tongue. Talk with the priest of the parish is this is an issue. Usually they are supportive of things like this, and he cannot refuse your daughter becuase she wants to take Communion on the tongue if she wishes.

And I do not like to “chew” Jesus, however when I am cantoring or leading music then it I try to do it in a most respectful way by chewing the least amount possible. I most of the time will let it dissolve on my tongue.

Little One0307

Wow, I went to mass today, as usual, but one thing was different. My son has a broken arm. He asked me what he should do for communion. I told him to take it on his tongue. We go lucky (so we thought) and were sitting on the side where we could line up in front of the priest. My son struggled to close his hands, like he was praying, and stood there in front of the priest with his mouth open. The priest proceeded to try to shove the Eucharist into my sons closed hands. I was behind him, and VERY shocked. I leaned over my sons shoulder and asked the priest, “Can you put it in his mouth, please?” He did, and patted my son on the shoulder. This surprised me very much, since the priest is probably 75 - 80 years old. He should remember back in the day how we used to take communion. I am seriously thinking about changing Churches. This one is only about 10 houses away from me, but I am getting disgusted with it. My son can not bend his arm with the cast. The priest took a big chance trying to shove it between his fingers. It could have been dropped or crushed.

 

[Little_One0307]

Wow, I went to mass today, as usual, but one thing was different. My son has a broken arm. He asked me what he should do for communion. I told him to take it on his tongue. We go lucky (so we thought) and were sitting on the side where we could line up in front of the priest. My son struggled to close his hands, like he was praying, and stood there in front of the priest with his mouth open. The priest proceeded to try to shove the Eucharist into my sons closed hands. I was behind him, and VERY shocked. I leaned over my sons shoulder and asked the priest, “Can you put it in his mouth, please?” He did, and patted my son on the shoulder. This surprised me very much, since the priest is probably 75 - 80 years old. He should remember back in the day how we used to take communion. I am seriously thinking about changing Churches. This one is only about 10 houses away from me, but I am getting disgusted with it. My son can not bend his arm with the cast. The priest took a big chance trying to shove it between his fingers. It could have been dropped or crushed.

Crisse,

Wow that does sound like the priest took a chance. I would have been worried all the time whether the Eucharist was going to be dropped or anything.

I am sorry to hear that your son has a broken arm. I am praying for him. I would support you changing parishes since this is really getting to be a difficulty for you. I believe what is being done at the Church is detracting from your Holy Communion.

I remember this one parish where I was compeltely worried about what the priest would do or think when I went to receive on the tongue. It got to be a sticky situation and there was nothing that I could do except to change parishes. I did talk to the priest before I changed so that I would not feel like I did anything wrong in not talking to him before switching.

I will be praying for you as you discern whether you should change parishes or not. Please by all means keep me updated. But, yeah the priest should have seen it obviously that your son wanted to receive on the tongue. Yet, I don’t want to be judgemental, he might have been thinking about something else or in a hurry.

I guess what it comes down to this. There is not harm in trying out other parishes, in fact I would recommend it.

God Bless.

 

[zab]

I like it when the priest leaves his mic on and everyone can hear him chew the Host

Good observation. Like the OP, when I made my First Communion in 1957, we were taught not to chew the Host. Those Hosts were thinner than what we use today in our parish. Now the thicker Host can more easily be chewed. Jesus is in the form of food so there is nothing wrong with chewing the Host. As At Trent mentioned, when the priest leaves his mic on, everyone can hear him chew the Host. Even though there is nothing wrong with chewing, I prefer to also let these thicker Hosts moisten a little on my tongue and slide down whole in order to lessen the chance of getting small particles lodged in my teeth. Just because it is natural and proper to chew food does not mean that it is always necessary ( for example, eating ice cream.)

 

[gatewood1988]

My husband was told before his first communion at Easter to recieve in the hand because if he didn’t he would be too “passive” (Father’s words) and would be acting like he wasn’t worthy enough to be a follower of Christ. Man did that get me steamed because now my husband feels like he is passive if we go to TLM and he has to receive on the tongue, so he doesn’t like going like I do.

 

[ConstantineTG]

My husband was told before his first communion at Easter to recieve in the hand because if he didn’t he would be too “passive” (Father’s words) and would be acting like he wasn’t worthy enough to be a follower of Christ. Man did that get me steamed because now my husband feels like he is passive if we go to TLM and he has to receive on the tongue, so he doesn’t like going like I do.

Well, we are unworthy to receive Christ. That is why we ask Him to make us worthy. And we are passive, because we cannot redeem ourselves. Only Christ redeems us

 

[gatewood1988]

Well, we are unworthy to receive Christ. That is why we ask Him to make us worthy. And we are passive, because we cannot redeem ourselves. Only Christ redeems us

True and I agree with that, I just didn’t like the fact on how it was presented to him, he feels like he is being disrespectful and doing something wrong by receiving on the tongue (because “passive” was used in the context of not caring about Jesus enough basically) at TLM. When he asked father why not to receive on the tongue since it is also allowed, father said “we don’t really do it here at this parish and besides the camera man needs good shots” :doh2: Oh well, I told my husband that both ways were accepted and not to worry about it.

 

[maryjk]

We have a Filipino priest who does the same. I wish more priests would do that - I always feel like I have to be the big meanie, making people put the Host in their mouths, as they pass by me in the aisle with it still in their hands.

I’m with you. I have stopped a couple of people, mostly children, from walking back to the pew with Jesus.

I have to say once, I stopped someone and Father was right on their heels. He had seen it too.

 

[Stylites]

I aknowledge that. It is just that all the traditions seems to be fading away today. It is more important to be correct and in the now rather than sticking to the good old, taditional values that makes the church such a treasure.

“For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also.” The treasure is not in the pious traditions or customs or values of the Church, but in the real presence of Jesus.

 

[Monica4316]

I was taught that when I receive Jesus in the Eucharist, I was not to “chew” on the Host, but rather, let the Host disipate in my mouth.

My daughter received her First Holy Communion and was taught to chew the Host since we are sharing in a Sacrificial Meal. While this did make sense to me, she also was told she could not receive on the tongue so I don’t know if all she was taught is correct.

The Church teaching is that receiving on the tongue is the normal, ordinary way, it’s further taught that no one can forbid a Catholic from receiving on the tongue. That is ALWAYS the right of the communicant.

As for chewing the Host… the traditional custom is to let the Host dissolve in the mouth a bit and then swallow it. (I think). That is how I receive Communion as well. I don’t chew the Host

God bless

 

[jwinch2]

I don’t chew the Host

God bless

I asked a priest about this the other day and he said that there is no set way you are free to let it dissolve or to chew as is your preference. A friend of mine who is a bit of a bible scholar told me the other day that the world used in John 6:53 which we translate as “eat” is more literally translated as “gnaw” which would seem to imply chewing. However, I have no way of knowing if that is true or not.

Peace,

 

[maryjk]

I have to chew, or I would be at the church forever. I receive a low-gluten host. The texture is close to that of a rice cracker. I think it would take a week to dissolve.

 

[paperwight66]

I asked a priest about this the other day and he said that there is no set way you are free to let it dissolve or to chew as is your preference. A friend of mine who is a bit of a bible scholar told me the other day that the world used in John 6:53 which we translate as “eat” is more literally translated as “gnaw” which would seem to imply chewing. However, I have no way of knowing if that is true or not.

Peace,

You seem to have missed the earlier posts in this thread, jwinch2. See post 2.

 

[jwinch2]

You seem to have missed the earlier posts in this thread, jwinch2. See post 2.

Nope, just forgot about it! Need more coffee…

Peace of Christ,

 

[PodunkMommy]

Wow, I went to mass today, as usual, but one thing was different. My son has a broken arm. He asked me what he should do for communion. I told him to take it on his tongue. We go lucky (so we thought) and were sitting on the side where we could line up in front of the priest. My son struggled to close his hands, like he was praying, and stood there in front of the priest with his mouth open. The priest proceeded to try to shove the Eucharist into my sons closed hands. I was behind him, and VERY shocked. I leaned over my sons shoulder and asked the priest, “Can you put it in his mouth, please?” He did, and patted my son on the shoulder. This surprised me very much, since the priest is probably 75 - 80 years old. He should remember back in the day how we used to take communion. I am seriously thinking about changing Churches. This one is only about 10 houses away from me, but I am getting disgusted with it. My son can not bend his arm with the cast. The priest took a big chance trying to shove it between his fingers. It could have been dropped or crushed.

I am so sorry about your sons broken arm. I am suprised about your priest reaction. Imagine if the Host had dropped on the floor. I guess I am suprised but not suprised. I have had priests who were in their 70/80’s react in similar ways.

You need to discern what is best for your family as far was where to go.

 

[PodunkMommy]

I have to chew, or I would be at the church forever. I receive a low-gluten host. The texture is close to that of a rice cracker. I think it would take a week to dissolve.

Yes, I didn’t think about that. So far, every Host I have received I have been able to let dissolve. I am in the middle of reading this book by Brant Pitre called Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist and it is very interesting, talking about sharing in the sacrificial meal and eating and such. I’m just starting to connect the dots between the Exodus, the Manna from Heaven, and the Passover. I’ve got a long way to go. But I am wondering if by the end of the book that I’ll change my mind and start thinking it’s ok to chew the Host a bit.

Blessings,