Security Detail at Communion

[semper_catholicus]

Maybe it would be a good idea to return to reception of communion on the tongue.

 

[Augustinian]

Maybe it would be a good idea to return to reception of communion on the tongue.

I don’t see such a return as a resolution for the problem of desecration.

That’s not to say that such a move might not be advisable, but this isn’t the reason why.

Personally, I think the effort to get everyone informed on communion on the tongue procedure and to put forward the effort to mandate it, could be better used in other areas.

 

[mrsdizzyd]

What is wrong with people?!?!?!

 

[RoseScented]

Personally I’ve never seen it happen.

I’ve seen it happen a few times (at least three times in the last year) at my parish and every time it alarms me. Each time though I don’t even notice that the person hasn’t consumed it and only see it because suddenly a priest is running off to talk to a person.

I think that’s why my pastor is having all the new communicants taught to receive on the tongue (though he won’t forbid the hand since the Bishops allow it) because it’s starting to become a problem at my parish. Though it’s not like in the past people didn’t remove the host from their mouth after receiving on the tongue, so it’s not that the concern goes away completely. I don’t know which one is easier for the priests to look out for: someone receiving on the hand and not picking Him up and eating or someone receiving on the tongue and then removing Him from their mouth.

 

[Lee1]

That’s awful.
It will go against them.

As I said earlier I heard of a priest who wouldn’t let people leave the immediate vicinity until they had consumed. But in a busy church that would lead to congestion. It’s difficult when the element of trust is broken.

 

[Blessedwithfive]

This is October count time at my diocese. In addition to counting how many people are in the pews at the time of the homily, we also have someone over the EMHC’s shoulder counting how many actually receive Communion. These numbers are sent to the archdiocese to determine which churches stay open and which ones close. So far our October count went from just over 1000 people in all four Masses to about 700 for all four Masses.

 

[RoseScented]

This is October count time at my diocese. In addition to counting how many people are in the pews at the time of the homily, we also have someone over the EMHC’s shoulder counting how many actually receive Communion. These numbers are sent to the archdiocese to determine which churches stay open and which ones close. So far our October count went from just over 1000 people in all four Masses to about 700 for all four Masses.

Yeah, my parish has the attendance count going on too. Our ushers count during collection time though so no one is hovering during communion. Last year they also seemed to be counting after communion too as people returned/left their pews.

 

[otjm]

It was known to occur prior to Vatican 2; so it is not an issue isolated to reception in the hand - a practice which goes back to the early Church.

 

[RoseScented]

It was known to occur prior to Vatican 2; so it is not an issue isolated to reception in the hand - a practice which goes back to the early Church.

Whenever I’m tempted to think that receiving on the tongue would fix things I remind myself of a story I heard.

I can’t remember specifically why, but a lady was going to a psychic or something for marriage problems (I think) and was told to bring a consecrated host to the lady. So she received communion on the tongue and upon returning to the pew removed it from her mouth and folded it into a handkerchief. She took it home and put it in a drawer/chest feeling guilty because she knew she shouldn’t have it. At night while she was sleeping she woke up to the drawer/chest radiating light and became afraid. She immediately told her priest what she had done and returned the host to him.

At least I think that’s the general way the story goes. It just reminds me that communion on the tongue won’t keep people from abusing the host if they want to.

 

[dochawk]

Done routinely at my parish. The people who do it discreetly are usually ushers or Knights of Columbus.

A few years ago, I showed up for a callout for an oversized callout for the bishop’s mass. A dozen (or was it twenty) for something that usually would have been four.

In reality, we were extra security, watching for a woman who had threatened the bishop and had enough history to make it a real concern.

(and if you want to change to make it harder to steal the Eucharist, switch to Byzantine or Melkite practice – not just in the mouth, but rather soaked in the Blood or freshly baked that day and dipped in the Blood . . .)

hawk

 

[mVitus]

One time this kid received the Eucharist and kept playing with it in his mouth.

I’m surprised it didn’t dissolve.

 

[Ioannes_L]

I hope that the statue is iether being repaired or in protection

Protection like this?
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[7_Sorrows]

Come to think of it, we were at Archbishop Chaput’s last Saturday night Mass in Denver where I saw it.

Was he visiting Denver, because he is in
Pennsylvania now.

 

[kgmlg]

I witnessed this only once in my life, in New York. There were varios security personnel watching the communion line like a hawk. When I asked about this, I was told that a lot of tourists bring the consecrated holy host home as a souvenir!!!

Floored me…totally. But yes please, this is totally necessary! Jesus help us all.

 

[EricF]

No. He was in Denver becaus he was Archbishop there. He had been transferred to Philadelphia, and it was his last Mass in Denver.

 

[michaelArc]

This is also routinely done at a Basilica in my city during midday mass. Majority of the parishioners are tourists.

I’ve witnessed a few occasions where people who receive the Eucharist by hand will attempt to walk away with it, but will be intercepted immediately and told to put in their mouth by either the priest or the altar server standing next to him.

 

[TheLittleLady]

we also have someone over the EMHC’s shoulder counting how many actually receive Communion

That just feels wrong. “It is between you and God if you are prepared to receive, BUT we are counting!!”

 

[Augustinian]

That just feels wrong. “

The purpose is to apportion priests and other staff among the various parishes, oratories, missions, etc, in the diocese.

This provides better information especially for churches that might not have large memberships- but because of locations in a downtown or touristy location, do have a demand for a disproportionate number of Masses and other liturgical functions.

 

[TheLittleLady]

Sure, count attendance. Every parish I know of does this once each year at minimum. It is clicking those who receive that feels odd.

 

[MikeInVA]

It just reminds me that communion on the tongue won’t keep people from abusing the host if they want to.

I doubt that there is any completely foolproof way to protect the Eucharist, but COTT would cut down on the opportunity for abuse.

A couple of times my wife has has a communicant come up to her when she was the EMHC distributing the Precious Blood and “dunked” the host before she could react. COTT would pretty much prevent that from happening again.