The COVID-19 and the Eucharist?

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In theory it is, due to priests hand getting sneezed on, coughed on etc… then touching someone else’s face or tongue accidentally. However, there is no evidence that it actually matters. Those same people are sitting next to others, touching missals and doorknobs, and everything else along the way. I personally don’t love that they are prohibiting COTT.
 
80% of Covid-19 sufferers do not pass the virus on, as their symptoms are mild. Those more profoundly affected cough and may sneeze. Being immune suppressed for the last 4 1/2 years, I am acutely aware of coughing and sneezing. So, aside from Covid-19, the plain old flu kills many per year. Therefore, watching out for those who are coughing and sneezing is the word.
 
As I’ve expressed on another thread, all this fear seems to be rooted in lack of faith. In fact, all this seizing of opportunity to drive the faithful further from the Eucharist appears downright diabolical, whether intentional or not. An exception from obligation can easily be issued to those who are afraid. Those who seek Christ should not be hindered.
 
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I would just like to say many in Italy have begun Novenas so their way of Mass and Eucharist receiving can be restored .
 
JoeShlabotnik said:
How is hand to hand more sanitary?
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Because Father has been placing CITH and has come in contact with many other hands, put his hands on various surfaces, been sneezed on by that drippy nosed 5 year old. As long as I go forward with sanitized hands, receive CITH properly (palm flat, dominant hand under the other, using the dominate hand to pick up the Host) it is unlikely I will have bacteria or viruses near my mucosa.

On the other hand, the same father’s hands that have necessarily touched so many people/surfaces touches my lip, well, they do not make lip our mouth sanitizer (not going to whip out a bottle of Listerine and gargle after I receive the Host).
 
I just do not see how CITH is more sanitary than COTT. Someone is still handling the Bread of Life.
I have read that influenza is every bit, if not more of a threat than this new virus.
Why this new fear?
I have never received CITH. I hope to continue to receive COTT. I would not feel right touching the Blessed Sacrament with my own hands.
 
JoeShlabotnik said:
I hope my parish will not follow this guideline
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Same here, not that I would notice however as I do not attend my parish but instead attend an FSSP Church which would never allow such a thing to happen thankfully but would rather suspend communion for the people altogether than do this if it became a question of obedience.

I’m so glad about the recent statement from the Latin mass society about this issue which answers the question and clears up the question for many.
 
JoeShlabotnik said:
In my over 50 years plus of receiving Holy Communion, I have never touched Jesus with my hands.
CITH is a really tough thing for me. I do not feel worthy to touch Jesus with my hand.
I hope my parish will not follow this guideline.
I wish to continue to have the Bread of Life placed on my tongue.
I have never received the Precious Blood, so if that is suspended, it would not affect me.
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I did receive CITH for a time, many years ago, but was not comfortable with it, so I discontinued the practice. I have no huge problem with receiving the Precious Blood, but I only do it, if it is a small weekday Mass (don’t mind being fifth in line, not so crazy about being the hundredth), and even then, only if the mood strikes me. I did receive the PB regularly when I attended a very liturgically conservative, smallish parish, kneeling at the communion rail, and It was distributed by a tertiary in habit.
 
It is very normal for parishes to suspend the Chalice, shaking hands, etc during flu season. We also do it if our school has their annual strep season.
 
Just throwing this out there, is it permissible for a communicant to use a houseling-cloth to receive the Host? I recall reading somewhere that, once upon a time, this was how genteel women would receive communion. A nice white silk or linen handkerchief would be very dignified and would serve the purpose nicely — it could be folded up after receiving, put in a pouch or something, and reverently washed by hand from time to time, with the water being poured into one’s garden or shrubbery.

And it would definitely give the kids and teenagers something to snicker about, to see a big, burly guy in a leather jacket with a shaved head, taking out his little hanky. (If I had back all the money I spent on Rogaine before I woke up one day and realized how futile it was… 👨‍🦲 my son told me the other day that I reminded him of a grown-up Caillou…)
 
Communion on the hand is forbidden in the EF under any circumstances and a bishop does not have the authority to mandate communion in the hand for the EF. Communion would have to be suspended for the congregation entirely in the EF and only the priest would consume.

I too am skeptical that communion in the hand is safer than communion on the tongue. If the laity receive properly, the priest should never touch anyone’s tongue, anyway. Most germs are passed through hands and improper hygiene for the hands, such as not washing them thoroughly.
 
Weserthy said:
Communion on the hand is forbidden in the EF under any circumstances and a bishop does not have the authority to mandate communion in the hand for the EF. Communion would have to be suspended for the congregation entirely in the EF and only the priest would consume.
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If it gets to that point, they just need to be cancelling public Masses altogether, both EF and OF. As I have pointed out elsewhere, the graces of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass pour forth just as furiously whether the priest celebrates sine populo, or whether 5000 people assist. The diocese could always livestream a Mass on their website and invite the faithful to participate reverently from wherever they are, making a silent spiritual communion — this would, strictly speaking, not “fulfill the obligation”, but it would be spiritually beneficial.
 
Obedience is important, but there is a higher authority. We praise and give glory to God by our reverent behavior toward receiving the Bread of Life.
 
God gives himself to us to be distributed by his instruments - priests, deacons, and extraordinary ministers, not for us to touch with our hands.
I believe CITH came about because of the fear of dropping Holy Communion, a bad exchange from hand to tongue.
Special care is taken when Communion is dropped or spilled. Why? Because it is Sacred. Every crumb, every drop. It is sacred.
 
We are the Church. We all know what is right. We must render unto God.
 
As an EMoHC, COTT (tongue) is definitely more risky. Some communicants of COTT will close their mouth too quickly and leave saliva on my fingers plus I feel the hot breath on my fingers so there is probably a bacterial mist left on my fingers. With CITH (hand), I rarely feel someone’s hands as I leave the host on their adoring hands.
 
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