Receiving The Eucharist

[justme]

starrs0:

How do you receive the Eucharist?

Can I ask why it matters? As the Church has ruled that both allowed.

 

[stroop57]

For my first 50 years I received on my tongue but for the last 10 I have been taking it in my hand. I am sad to say that I do it for hygienic reasons. But since both are allowed I feel comfortable with it.

 

[Micki]

Most of my adult life I had received in the hand. When my husband converted two years ago, he felt very unworthy to receive in the hand. He was also petrified that he would drop the Host. So because of his example, I now receive on the tongue. I am very much at peace with this.

Micki

 

[ThornGenX]

I receive the Eucharist in my hand, it’s the only way I have since converting to the Catholic Church in the early 1990s.

 

[romano]

MaryRose35:

I only receive on the tongue. I am really not for receiving in the hand, but if you are going to receive in the hand, I think it important to be aware of the guidelines for receiving this way:

NOTIFICATION OF THE SACRED CONGREGATION FOR THE DIVINE WORSHIP AND THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SACRAMENTS ON COMMUNION IN THE HAND

The Holy See, since 1969, while maintaining the traditional manner of distributing communion, has granted to those Episcopal Conferences that have requested it, the faculty of distributing communion by placing the host in the hands of the faithful.

Thank you for posting this information. But does anyone know WHY communion in the hand was introduced? Just who was clamoring for this innovation and who pushed it through? And what were their real reasons? What is so wrong about the traditional communion on the tongue?

 

[netmilsmom]

ThornGenX:

I receive the Eucharist in my hand, it’s the only way I have since converting to the Catholic Church in the early 1990s.

I am going to have to instruct my seven year old how to do this. She will be receiving on the tongue for her 1st Holy Communion.
She and I are very blessed but at some time, I will have to tell her how to receive in her hand.

I did years of receiving in the hand. I was always uncomfortable with it. I thank God everyday that He has led me to a Parish where receiving on the tongue is the norm.

 

[PJR]

I had a very dear old priest use very similar language when explaining to me why receiving in the hand was appropriate and acceptable. I wish more people exibited that much reverence-in either method.

If I’ve got a child in tow, I will recieve on the tongue. I am comfortable with both ways, and I’d say about 1/4 of our parish receives on the tongue. Some genuflect, and at least most are learning to make a reverent gesture (bow) beforehand.

Has anyone heard of this practice? We were instructed to stand during the distribution of communion. Then when the priest returns to the altar we all kneel again. It took me quite a while to get used to that one. I will have to admit it does make sense as far as not tripping over those kneeling, sitting and we flow rather nicely with less distraction I think. I have never seen any other church in the diocese adopt this posture. I do remember the directive from the Bishop that said it was desirable to have a unified posture-or something. Don’t quote me. It was also made quite clear that if you wanted to kneel the whole time instead that was perfectly fine too.

Very nice Snowgarden, I will certainly have that image in my mind on Sunday. I will probably cry. What an amazing gift we have in the Eucharist. “O Lord, I am not worthy, that thou shouldst come to me…”

God Bless, Paula

snowgarden:

I like it in my hand because it reminds me that I am holding the body of Christ as Mary cradled him at the cross and it reminds me that I have been “bought and at a price.” The reality of what He went through and that He needs my hands to carry on His work really hits home for me this way. I realize others feel differently though and understand that and don’t criticize it at all.

 

[kmknapp]

I answered both, but it’s not according to my mood, it’s according to the practicalities. If I am using my hands to propel my chair in the Communion procession, I’ll receive on the tongue, since I consider it a bit disrespectful to immediately put the Lord’s throne back on a possibly dirty chair wheel. Same if I’m walking pulling my tank along, with lots of folk behind me. so I don’t tie up traffic by having to park the tank first and unpark it following, I can receive and keep the tank cart on its wheels.

If I’m walking and there’s no crowd, or if the celebrant comes to me in the wheelchair parking area, I’ll do like St. Cyril said and make my hands a throne…

karen marie

 

[EddieArent]

romano:

Thank you for posting this information. But does anyone know WHY communion in the hand was introduced? Just who was clamoring for this innovation and who pushed it through? And what were their real reasons? What is so wrong about the traditional communion on the tongue?

Many of the books I read regarding this matter state that it was an abuse that was legalized post V-II.

 

[PJR]

I was just reading Cyril of Jerusalem, and he beautifully describes making a throne of your hands when receiving the Lord. This was around 330 AD I think.

So there may have been lots of people wondering why they had to stick their tongues out when it was all going along so well the other way.

romano:

Thank you for posting this information. But does anyone know WHY communion in the hand was introduced? Just who was clamoring for this innovation and who pushed it through? And what were their real reasons? What is so wrong about the traditional communion on the tongue?

 

[mlchance]

romano:

But does anyone know WHY communion in the hand was introduced? Just who was clamoring for this innovation and who pushed it through? And what were their real reasons? What is so wrong about the traditional communion on the tongue?

Receiving in the hand is not an innovation. It was practiced in the earliest days of the Church. No one has said anything is wrong with receiving the Host on the tongue. In point of fact, the Church has said that either method of receiving the Host is acceptable.

Get that? The Church has said you can receive the Host on the tongue or in the hand. Both are acceptable.

Now that that’s settled we can back to the important business of heaping scorn on people who wear blue jeans to Mass.

– Mark L. Chance.

 

[LoneRanger]

…i was reared on receiving on the tongue for 30 years…

…then, went to the hand I can’t remember when… years ago… i can remember not being too comfortable with it for a while and even objected… finally got used to it, and now would probably feel uncomfortable going back…

…i remember thinking that the Last Supper was probably the bread being broken and handed down to each of the apostles by hand… i doubt that Christ laid it on their tongue…

… bottom line?.. hand or tongue?.. what ever floats your boat i guess… IMHO

 

[Pious]

I used to recieve in the hand when I reverted, but recently I have been recieving on the tongue.

 

[irelandsgirl]

I receive the Eucharist in my hand as that is what I have been taught.

I go to Priest, receive the Eucharist and then step to one side facing the altar and place Eucharist in my mouth, bless myself and return to my pew.

I am 21 now, made my Communion when I was seven. I had always watched my Mum take the Communion and bless herself. The nun at our school has us practice for the day by kneeling at our desks and giving us bits of wafers. I remember I took mine in my hand as I had been instructed, put it in my mouth and blessed myself. She was horrified…said I should take it in my hand and not bless myself as that was too fiddly…never really understood it!!!

Anyway, at that time, all the children in my class were in different parishes, but some priests would not allow the children to take Communion in their hands, I always remember after their Communion day , she had to show them how to take it on their tongues.

I have never taken it on my tongue, as I would be afraid I’d drop it!!

 

[ImperialPhoenix]

Im afraid I cant vote in this one since I never had the oportunity to recive it .

 

[romano]

mlchance:

Receiving in the hand is not an innovation. It was practiced in the earliest days of the Church. No one has said anything is wrong with receiving the Host on the tongue. In point of fact, the Church has said that either method of receiving the Host is acceptable.

Get that? The Church has said you can receive the Host on the tongue or in the hand. Both are acceptable.

Now that that’s settled we can back to the important business of heaping scorn on people who wear blue jeans to Mass.

– Mark L. Chance.

Yes, I find blue jeans sloppy and irreverent too. I always wear my Sunday best to Mass.

 

[Ter]

I was brought up receiving on the tongue cos that was what my parents did, although most people received in the hand. Recently I have on occasion received in the hand. I don’t like it though cos often the host ‘flakes’ and there is these little tiny flecks left in the palm of my hand & I have to try and dab them up with my finger.

 

[Windmill]

I went to a parish that had altar rails and communion by intinction (thus, no communion in the hand). It was heavenly!

Not only that, but above the rail was a something akin to an iconostasis: it separated the sanctuary from the nave (where the pews are), and ontop of the partition was a huge, life-size crucifix. So, you were kneeling at the foot of the cross to receive Our Lord.

It was a powerful catechesis that taught volumes without saying a word.

That, versus the take-out line in many typical parishes…

Interesting that the Anglican Archbishop Cranmer fought to allow communion in the hand after the English Reformation (Anglican split from the Church) because “In one generation, they will no longer believe in Transubstatiation”.

Now stop and think, there are a ton of people going up for communion nowadays that don’t have the foggiest idea of what it is they are doing. How can I say this with confidence? People are chewing gum, talking to their buddies on the way up, leaving as soon as they receive, not going to confession but always going to communion. It’s SAD!! And I think that Communion in the Hand is partly to blame for it. Just my opinion, but I think it trivializes it all. I’m not judging these people’s souls - they are ignorant of the reality that surrounds them at Mass. Their culpability is besides the point. A generation ago, the average Catholic atleast knew what the Eucharist was all about - whether or not they participated weekly in communion.

You can’t tell me that if you were receiving at an altar rail from a priest while you were kneeling that you’d detect “Something sacred is going on here.” But in a bread line, it’s easy to miss it.

BTW, I always receive on the tongue after experiencing that parish.
http://www.atonementonline.com/images/easter_04.jpg

 

[TKMP]

Greetings,

How do I receive communion? worthily!

I am prepared in my heart and in my life. I am in the state of grace, and entered into mass with correct internal attitudes. After that, any approved way method that the church allows is good.

peace

 

[Angels_Watchin]

netmil(name removed by moderator):

She and I are very blessed but at some time, I will have to tell her how to receive in her hand.

.

WHY?

Angel