Taking the Host by hand, disturbing?

[Exporter]

As a kid, an old French Lady from Louisianna would say," Boys will be boys" when we boys did something wrong.

I say to those of you who are being defensive, to THINK. Go back to the original question and try to be positive, please. :bounce:

 

[Fr.JLT]

kmktexas:

The problem is that in most parishes this (extra care and avoiding all possible risk of profanation) is not routinely done. Few parishes even use a patten anymore (even though it’s required) and not once, since they Church allowed Communion in the Hand have I heard any instruction given on how to reverently receive Communion in the Hand. That Catechisis is REQUIRED in order to use the Indult I have belonged to more than a dozen parishes since the Indult and attended Mass at 40 or more different Churches. The only Cathecisis I ever heard for Reception was given to the First Communion class - by me, since I was teaching the class!
QUOTE]

I agree wholeheartedly, and that’s a matter of documentation, I believe. But let’s not think that because we personally haven’t experienced something, it therefore doesn’t exist. I am pleased to say that every parish in which I’ve been assigned since I began seminary, as a deacon and as a priest (that would include three different countries, several Dioceses and at least 15 parishes), each and every pastor required an annual re-visiting of the norms of receiving Holy Communion on the tongue and in the hand. As was done to me when I was an assistant, I require my assistant, on an agreed weekend, to preach the same sermon as I on this very matter.

– Fr. L.

 

[pnewton]

We get a teaching about twice a year on the proper way to receive communion, which is probably why we have a fairly reverent communion line. Our priest last night suggested that if we could shoot those that acted up in communion with a GPS dart for tracking you would probably find they are one of the millions of Catholics that only show up for Communion a few times a year.

 

[Fr.JLT]

I agree with your pastor wholeheartedly. When push comes to shove, when you separate the ral troublemakers from the regular garden-variety faithful, you find that they rear their ugly heads usually at Funerals, Weddings, Christmas and Easter. If people give me trouble at a funeral, for instance, I can be sure they are non-practicing. Sad, but true. On the other hand, maybe not so sad, since they aren’t around very much.

– Fr. L.

 

[kmktexas]

I am pleased to say that every parish in which I’ve been assigned since I began seminary, as a deacon and as a priest (that would include three different countries, several Dioceses and at least 15 parishes), each and every pastor required an annual re-visiting of the norms of receiving Holy Communion on the tongue and in the hand. As was done to me when I was an assistant, I require my assistant, on an agreed weekend, to preach the same sermon as I on this

I am very please to hear that. I have lived in Michigan, Arizona, NJ and Texas since the Indult. The only instruction we ever got was NOT to receive in the hand when the Bishop was there in Michigan. This was because the indult wasn’t yet approved there at the time. (70s)

Father, if you ever get tired of the cold, we could use you in Texas. Of course, heaven knows, Mass needs you more.

Our bishop still hasn’t implemented the last GIRM changes and we have little to no hope of seeing RS implemented before he retires. I am sure the diocese has a lot to do with it.

Bless you.

 

[Exalt]

“TAKE THIS all of you and eat”

Did Jesus put a portion of his body and place it on the apostle’s tounges? Nope, he said “take this … and eat.”

Taking communion on the tounge is not, in of itself, more pious than taking communion in the mouth.

 

[PaulWeb]

I read through most of the responses to this post. I am somewhat surprised that noone has mentioned the new requirement from GIRM (General Instruction of the Roman Missal) about making a sign of reverence when receiving communion. Are we the only diocese doing this?(Youngstown, Ohio) At my parish, when the host or cup is offered with the words “Body (or Blood) or Christ”, the communicant makes a reverent bow as he/she says “Amen”. Our pastor did a very good job of instructing the people about this new practice. Hope y’all are all doing this too! http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon7.gif

 

[AlanFromWichita]

PaulWeb:

At my parish, when the host or cup is offered with the words “Body (or Blood) or Christ”, the communicant makes a reverent bow as he/she says “Amen”. Our pastor did a very good job of instructing the people about this new practice. Hope y’all are all doing this too! http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon7.gif

We were just instructed in bowing, too, but we do it before we approach the host.

Of course, there are communicants who use various leftovers from other techniques with things such as sign of the cross with or without a bow before, and/or sign of cross afterwards, but as we were taught it was bow (typically while the one in front of us receives) then approach, “body of Christ,” Amen, take the host, you’re done. No signs of the cross involved, if I remember right.

Alan

 

[deogratias]

Historically, in the hand was the norm. I don’t recall which very early document it is, perhaps the Didache, where it is clearly described. The Holy Eucharist was to be received with one hand over the other, “so as to form a throne.” But remember that the Church was small and very strict at that time. As others began to infiltrate, some measures to protect the sanctity of the Sacrament were introduced.

Not that it changes anything in the “meat” of your post, Father, but someone may wish to read the document and won’t find it in the Didache - it is

St. Cyril

St. Cyril of Jerusalem (313-386) in which he counsels the Faithful to “make a throne of your hands in which to receive the King [in Holy Communion]”. This Father of the Church further counsels great care for any fragments which might remain in one’s hands, since just as one wouldn’t let gold dust fall to the ground so one should take even greater care when it is a question of the Body of the Lord

 

[tulipelb]

tee_eff_em:

That’s a relief (though somehow unsurprising)!

I don’t care how spiritual your priest is, unless he is a trained nutritionist, medical doctor, or otherwise expert, it is useless to appeal to his authority in the area of digestion.

And your *ad hominem *attack upon me is both ugly and unfounded. Whatever makes you think I receive in the hand, you are quite mistaken – I receive on the tongue (not that I need justify myself to you). However, I am willing to allow others to receive as the Church has allowed them to do so, while you seem not to be.

tee

The priest which i’m talking about is a very professional in THEOLOGY and not in nutrition and medical doctor and so and so… shame to give any priest in this world such names they are the representattive of God on earth, he gave them his Power to work on behalf of Him so please be respectful when you talk about them and if you don’t beleive my words as usual you can refer to the DIVINE MERCY (st. Faustine) if you want a written proof about that as you always ask about proof…

And yes Host stay 24 hours in our body that’s why it’s not allow to received it twice per day just priest are allowed and you asked for proof go and study theology and than you will have the proof .

If you say that you are receiving HOST by tongue so I don’t understand why you are arguying with me ? or just you like to argue…

Sorry if my words meant to you as an ugly attack , well it’s not my wish i’m a christian maronite (lebaneese) and our communion is so respectful for the Host and have a very strong faith and we assist mass regurlary i will not say every day but some yes every day and we do adoration for the Host after mass always 1 hour and we pray rosary in the presence of the Host , and we have a lot of Saint from lebanon which the Pope (vatican) is aanounced them Saint like St. Charbel, St. Hardini, St. Rafaa,… and many others…
and as i notice that there is a lot of christians their backgroung not so wide and deep and strong , so it’s my responsibility to clarify for them and to inform them about my knoweldges that it’s more proper an descent way to receive host by tongue and not by hands.
and because i feel all this matter deeply in my heart so i react within my pasion to everything that will offense the Host or anything related to the christianity !
JG

 

[kmktexas]

And yes Host stay 24 hours in our body that’s why it’s not allow to received it twice per day just priest are allowed and you asked for proof go and study theology and than you will have the proof .

tulipelb,

Just a quick clarification. Catholics may receive Communion twice a day as long as the second time is at Mass. Viaticum can be received even if the person has already received Communion twice. I believe that this is really an issue of discipline/practice rather than theology.

 

[deogratias]

And yes Host stay 24 hours in our body that’s why it’s not allow to received it twice per day just priest are allowed and you asked for proof go and study theology and than you will have the proof

All of my medical training would contradict this statement. The “transit” time for what we ingest to transverse the digestive system varies from person to person and can be as short as four hours in some though not the norm.

In the RC Rite, one may receive communion twice in a 24 hour period so long as they do so at Mass, is it different in the Eastern rite?

I too receive communion on the tongue but it is not forbidden to receive it in the hand in some countries, as in the United States.

I appreciate your “passion” for your love of Christ yet we must recognize that we cannot put our personal preferences or ideas over those of the Church. God loves obedience and it is one of the better ways we can truly show him how much we love him, even when it is difficult.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

deogratias:

In the RC Rite, one may receive communion twice in a 24 hour period so long as they do so at Mass, is it different in the Eastern rite?

I do not really think there is a guide line for this in the Byzantine Churches as , traditionally, daily Divine Liturgy is only celebrated in monasteries and, also traditionally, only one Divine Liturgy per day per altar.

I too receive communion on the tongue but it is not forbidden to receive it in the hand in some countries, as in the United States.

Again, in the Byzantine Churches, the Eucharist is recieved by intinction so you can not recieve in the hand.

 

[tee_eff_em]

tulipelb:

And yes Host stay 24 hours in our body that’s why it’s not allow to received it twice per day just priest are allowed and you asked for proof go and study theology and than you will have the proof .

If you say that you are receiving HOST by tongue so I don’t understand why you are arguying with me ? or just you like to argue…

I do not like to argue, but if I have been argumentative I’m sure it is a misdirected reaction to the passion you feel for the Eucharist (which passion is of course not at all a bad thing).

However, I continue to **disagree ** with you for three reasons:

You have spoken against a practice (viz. communion in the hand) which is allowed by the legitimate authorities of the (Latin) Church in the United States in consultation with the Vatican. Even if I do not follow this practice myself, I submit my intellect and will to the legitimate authority which allows it and to those who do practice it.

Second, you have spoken against the reception of Holy Eucharist more than once in a day, which is flat out wrong wrt the Latin Rite of the Church, which allows a second daily reception under particular circumstances, and even a third (or more?) reception in a single day in the danger of death. (I cannot find an Eastern canon allowing a second reception; on the other hand, I cannot find one limiting reception either. Only canon 881 which enourages frequent, even daily reception, which might be interpreted as not more than daily – IANACL I Am Not A Canon Lawyer)

Finally, you cling to the incredible claim that the “HOST” remains in the body for 24 hours after consumption. This is not a matter of faith, but a matter of nature, medicine and science, which I cannot take at face value without the testimony of someone from one of those disciplines. No appeal to a priest, no matter how holy, faithful, and theologically-degreed nor even appeal to a saint can be authoritative in this matter (unless he is trained as well in a competent discipline).

tee

 

[kmktexas]

Even if I do not follow this practice myself, I submit my intellect and will to the legitimate authority which allows it and to those who do practice it.

This is one of the sanest and most concise phrasing that I have heard for this issue.

 

[deogratias]

I came across this article today and found it quite interesting

Communion by Hand — Early Patristic Evidences: Self-styled ‘traditionalists’ are almost superstitious in their notions about what does and does not constitute reverence and what is and is not sacrilegious. They even go as far as to circulate misleading pamphlets claiming that communion in the hand was not an apostolic custom. This is probably because many groups favouring communion in the hand circulate misleading pamphlets claiming that it was universal in the early church to receive by hand. In short both the ‘traditionalist’ (who argues communion on the tongue) and the liberal (who argues for communion by hand) are both wrong in trying to retroject their views as some kind of “uniform norm” in the first millennium as in neither case was this so. Since the ‘traditionalist’ generally has their heart in the right place (being muddled in the mind), they need to focus instead on where the problem really lies: poor catechizing from predominantly 1960-1990. (Though the problems with catechesis started some time before 1960.) Unless of course the ‘traditionalist’ wishes to denigrate the early Fathers, councils, and Our Lord Himself for contributing to a “lessening of reverence” for the Holy Eucharist. To quote the Catholic Encyclopedia from 1913 on the matter

For the entire article, see matt1618.freeyellow.com/communion.html

 

[JKirkLVNV]

tulipelb:

You say you are not here to judge me, and then in the same sentance you say you are here to “clarify things for people like me”. And that is not a judgement??? If not, pray tell what you mean by “people like me”.
(People like you) it means people who doesn’t know how precious the presence of the Host inside the church it means the real presence of God in the Host!! because if you know how precious it is you will refuse to take it by hand!
yess i feel responsible to clarify why the Host must be taken directly by tongue and not by hand, to people like you whom they don’t know how to deal in a proper way with Host! in a descent way!
JG

 

[JKirkLVNV]

tulipelb:

You say you are not here to judge me, and then in the same sentance you say you are here to “clarify things for people like me”. And that is not a judgement??? If not, pray tell what you mean by “people like me”.
(People like you) it means people who doesn’t know how precious the presence of the Host inside the church it means the real presence of God in the Host!! because if you know how precious it is you will refuse to take it by hand!
yess i feel responsible to clarify why the Host must be taken directly by tongue and not by hand, to people like you whom they don’t know how to deal in a proper way with Host! in a descent way!
JG

ARRRRGGGHHH! Now look… if the Vicar of Christ on Earth is okay with people rec. the Sacred Body in their hands, why are you being so difficult? This is precisely what I find difficult about some Traditionalists (and I’m no liberal): they think they’re more Catholic than the Pope!

 

[JKirkLVNV]

PaulWeb:

I read through most of the responses to this post. I am somewhat surprised that noone has mentioned the new requirement from GIRM (General Instruction of the Roman Missal) about making a sign of reverence when receiving communion. Are we the only diocese doing this?(Youngstown, Ohio) At my parish, when the host or cup is offered with the words “Body (or Blood) or Christ”, the communicant makes a reverent bow as he/she says “Amen”. Our pastor did a very good job of instructing the people about this new practice. Hope y’all are all doing this too! http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon7.gif

We were so instructed in the Diocese of Las Vegas.

 

[ladyml]

brockmac:

As a matter of humble obedience, I will not question the wisdom of Holy Mother, the Church in allowing people the option of receiving the Body and Blood of Our Lord and Saviour in their hands.

I will however state that out of a sence of humility I choose to receive on my tongue, not judging my hands worthy to handle My Lord’s Body and Blood. That said I am also aware that the preist or extraordinary minister who is receiving is no more worthy than I am to handle the Sacred Species but they must do so out of necessity.

I will also say that I am concerned with a lack of reverence for Our Lord’s Body and Blood and I think that a better remedy for this problem would be to emphasize and encourage Adoration of our Lord in the Eucharist. If people, myself included, would spend just one hour a week praying before the Lord in the Eucharist, our understanding and faith in the miracle of this most holy Sacrement would no doubt increase.

Also, I would love to see alter servers begin to use patens again as I did when I served less than 25 years ago. That really drove home a belief in the Real Presence.

Amen to your reply. I agree with all my heart. I also, have been troubled by the practice of “hand Communion” and wrote about it in another place on this web-site.
I think the whole issure here is “Reverence” and I , personally have decided that it is NOT for ME to judge others. That is Our Lord’s job. I am on my own spiritual journey and for me, the tongue with all the love I can bear for Our Lord is the way.
Yes, I too, wish we had the alter boys & patens & alter railing. I don’t understand why we have to “modernize” our church. So, I go to a smaller church where I really feel love for Our Lord by both the Priest and people.
May God grant us the His Love & Peace.