I would like to offer a couple of observations from the priest’s perspective.
First, I have no problem with those who choose to receive Holy Communion on the tongue. It is their right, and I have no qualms about it.
Secondly, I have no problem with those who choose to receive in the hand. Likewise, the Church has allowed this practice and I, as all Catholics, must be obedient and accept it.
Thirdly though, generally speaking, I much prefer to distribute to those who receive in the hand and the reason for this is simple. Very few people know how to properly receive Holy Communion on the tongue. Most people who choose to receive in the tongue do one of the following:
- Open their mouth but don’t stick their tongue out…this causes me, as the priest, to place my fingers inside the person’s mouth in order to place the host in their mouth.
- Biting. Many people “grab” at the host and bite at it with their teeth.
- The “moving target” mouth. I must confess that I was guilty of this and my priest, while I was still in seminary, called me out on it. These individuals constantly move their mouth and the priest doesn’t know where to go with the host. This tends to happen among taller people, as I am, in a well intended effort to make life easier for a shorter priest. However, in most cases, we can reach.
- The “coin slot” recipient. This phrase was “coined” by a brother transitional deacon while we were discussing this problem in class and trying to find out if we just didn’t know how to distribute Communion or what the problem was. This type of recipient gives the priest exactly what it sounds like…a coin slot in which to “insert” the Eucharist. I’ve found that this is most conducive to having the host be dropped.
- The indecisive recipient. These communicants will come forward and do two, sometimes three, different things. They will open their hands, usually below the midsection where it is hard for the priest to see as the communicant’s hands are below the paten or ciborium, AND open their mouth. Or, they will open their mouth and cross their arms, as perhaps the OP’s aunt is accustomed to doing.
I don’t say this to hurt anyone’s feelings, but, if people are going to receive on the tongue, which is absolutely their right to do, they need to be properly instructed on how to do so. The person is to come forward, with hands folded, or preferably even, held behind the back as if the person were standing at attention, say, “Amen,” after the minister says, “The Body of Christ,” open their mouth WIDELY (say “ahh!”, and stick out their tongue. That means the tongue is OUTSIDE of the mouth.
This is just one priest’s perspective, but from conversations I’ve had with brother priests, I can assure you that my experience is not unique.
In one instance it was a young boy who received in the hand but fumbled when lifting the host to his mouth. In the other instance it was a young girl who received in the mouth, but did not open her mouth completely or stand fully facing the priest. In both instance the children retrieved the host from the floor quickly and consumed it. Both of their mothers appeared mortified and I’m sure those children were spoken to after Mass!