Taking the Eucharist Awkwardly???

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We only knew it as a paten, but we were, after all, elementary schoolboys. The patens we used were gold-colored (and possibly actual gold) and had a wooden handle about 12" long. The patens were round and about 6-8" in diameter. We held the paten below the chin of the person receiving communion and nearly touching the person’s neck.

We moved backwards and sideways to the communion rail. Servers were in front of the priest but not in control of the process. It was necessary, while stepping backwards, to anticipate the movements of the priest since he was serving communion and did not often look to his right to see the position of the server. The priest expected the server to be aware of what he would do next and to not be in his way and obstruct his movements.

Communion proceeded fairly quickly, and if the server, while holding the paten, did not move in unison with the priest he quite likely would have his toe stepped on while moving backwards. And it did happen with some regularity, with one boy once going head over heels over the communion rail.

Now, that truly was awkward. :eek:
 
I am of the understanding that a communion plate is what the Eucharistic ministers use when distributing the host. The paten is totally different.
 
Duane1966 said:
I am of the understanding that a communion plate is what the Eucharistic ministers use when distributing the host. The paten is totally different.
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In the Catholic tradition I thought that Hosts were stored in and distributed from ciboria. The only “communion plate” I can imagine would be in those Protestant churches where their communion is is the form of cubes of bread.
 
My parish has begun using Communion-plates again. First we began at Daily Mass and then it was implemented on Sundays. Logistically, it is a challenge because we need at least four altar servers. If we lack them, then Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are called up to hold the Communion-plate, and our pastor has reserved the right to call up trusted members of the assembly in the absence of EMHCs. It has been a wonderful thing, because the priests do often find particles of the Blessed Sacrament that must be purified from the Communion-plates, and would otherwise be lost and trampled on the ground.
 
I’m always curious:
Where do parishes purchase all these crumbly hosts???
My parish uses some that are literally rock hard. 🤷
 
pianistclare said:
I’m always curious:
Where do parishes purchase all these crumbly hosts???
My parish uses some that are literally rock hard. 🤷
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My freezer has all kinds of crumbs accumulating. And I buy the hardest breads. Wasa, for example. Guess I should save my receipts and ask for money back? 🙂
 
Duane1966 said:
I am of the understanding that a communion plate is what the Eucharistic ministers use when distributing the host. The paten is totally different.
Click to expand...
Well, yes, no, sort of, and maybe. Just for information, while more recent usage makes this distinction, I can attest that there was a time, certainly as recent as the 50s, 60s and 70s, in many (all?) parishes in the US when the word paten was accurately used for both the small “plate” on which the celebrant’s host rested and the “plate” held under a communicant’s chin.

Father Duvelius’s translation of the 1962 Roman Missal, for example, reads “After the Faithful have communicated, the Celebrant returns to the Altar. Then, if there have been any Hosts upon the Corporal, he wipes it with the Paten, and if there are fragments upon it, places them in the Chalice….Afterwards he places in the Chalice any Fragments, which he happens to find upon the Paten, which was placed under the mouths of the communicants” (emphasis added).

sanctamissa.org/en/rubrics/

I wonder how widely the term Communion-plate is used “conversationally” today. Perhaps it’s another example of old habits (and terminology) dying hard. 🙂
 
felsguy said:
I wonder how widely the term Communion-plate is used “conversationally” today. Perhaps it’s another example of old habits (and terminology) dying hard. 🙂
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Kind of like how the Church tried to quash the usage of “Eucharistic Minister” to mean someone other than a priest…
 
pianistclare said:
I’m always curious:
Where do parishes purchase all these crumbly hosts???
My parish uses some that are literally rock hard. 🤷
Click to expand...
I don’t know the current practice, but years ago momastic nuns made and baked the hosts for the diocese in which I lived. They were Carmelites, I believe.
 
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