The COVID-19 and the Eucharist?

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Suppose you as a minister have been exposed. Every time you place Communion in someone’s hand, they have been contaminated.
What we must do is try to be as sanitary as we can, but not to deny those who are traditional Catholics Communion on the tongue.
 
JoeShlabotnik said:
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.
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Where’s the logic if you can imagine a COTT “bad exchange”, but do not see how CITH is less likely to pass the virus? You do realize the role of saliva in viruses spreading, don’t you?
 
Yes and more germs are spread when we shake hands with others than any other way.
Hey, if you like CITH, go for it.
I would just like to continue receiving on my tongue.
 
I realize that COTT is special and a sign of piety, faith and devotion. And personally, the way many receive CITH lacks piety. I receive in the hand but never turn and walk before consuming - walking and looking wherever while consuming just looks so nonchalant and wrong to me. However, let’s ask ourselves, how did Jesus give His body at the last supper. I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t have been on the tongue.
 
I’m a bit surprised on the lack of faith. Especially since we’re receiving the Lord. Anyhow, I really hope that we aren’t denied communion on the tongue. As for the accidents and us still getting sick–i believe it depends on a person’s disposition at the time of receiving. This is a lesson for all of us to examine our conscience and wills whether you receive on the tongue or in the hand.
 
I attend a reverent novus ordo and see what you mean about a *mist being left. I’ve noticed it. I’m not a fan of emhc distributing but I get that we have a hierarchy in place. But when I attend a TLM Mass those priests 100% of the time know how to place it in the tongue without hitting a lip, tongue, etc. They do it so much that they’re pros, this is part of why I think only priests should distribute.
 
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If you would like to stick with what the church tells you, then you would be receiving our Lord kneeling and on the tongue. Holy Mother Church still has this form of reception of communion as the universal norm and the preferred practice. Communion in the hand is the exception and only permissible because of an Indult from the 70’s.
 
Me too.

Off point but on the other concessions, I must admit though I don’t mind the not shaking hands at sign of the peace one bit though so that’s a little consolation, though I know others might miss it.
 
People are dying from this virus, generally the older and more vulnerable people that we are called to protect, and we’re still here arguing over whether or not it is advisable/spiritually appropriate to obey the Church that Jesus established and the authorities that He placed over us!
 
We are debating (I think is the better word) whether it actually makes any difference to the spread of the virus. There is no reason to think it does, and this will cause real difficulties for many people. CITH is not consistent with the spirituality of quite a few people.
 
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.
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I don’t have nearly that long a stretch, probably closer to 15 years with a startling exception during the swine flu ten years ago when a deacon said NO pressed Jesus into my hands and I cried.

I’m not saying this is the case with you, but I’m thinking it is possible that the extreme discomfort I have surrounding touching Jesus with my hands might come not only from a place of reverence but also from a place of scruple.

It has been ten years since my communion in the hand crying episode and I think this time, if asked (that part is key, I somehow missed the announcement and was caught totally by surprise the other time) I will recieve in the hand. There may be some lessons waiting here for me in obedience, trusting Holy Mother Church, and grappling the unworthiness that permeates so many other areas of my life.
 
I had a thought that might have already been mentioned in this thread or others, I wasn’t a thorough reader. Perhaps for those in high flu or corona infected areas where the bishop has not suspended COTT, the communicants desiring to recieve that way in a OF Mass could sit at the back. This way if they thumb your tongue or the saliva mist is an issue it has been an issue after all thr COTH distributions.

Practically speaking that may split some families like my own so I’d have to just change my ways.
 
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DisorientingSneeze said:
I had a thought that might have already been mentioned in this thread or others, I wasn’t a thorough reader. Perhaps for those in high flu or corona infected areas where the bishop has not suspended COTT, the communicants desiring to recieve that way in a OF Mass could sit at the back. This way if they thumb your tongue or the saliva mist is an issue it has been an issue after all thr COTH distributions.
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That was exactly what he priest requested this morning at Mass that is to say, anyone wanting to receive COTT were asked to wait until the end of the line.
 
Your “disposition” is your conviction. There’s a real leaning on the will of God. If we get sick then we do, if not then we won’t.
 
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