Reply: My dear friend in Christ.
I neither said or even implied that “it was not licit.” Nor do I understand it to be “invalid.”
What I did say and what I do personally hold as “the trurh” is the practice of “Holy Communion in the hand.” Receiving the very Body, Blood, Sould and Divinity of the God who created us, is at best an impious action that assumes that somehow we are worthy of such actions.
Not only do I believe that we are unworthy of such acts, but so did the Magistrium of Vatican II. To witt:
Vatican II,
Instruction On The Worship of The Eucharistic Mystery Chapter 11. This question was brought to the floor to be voted on.
- QUESTION: "Do you think attention should be paid to the desire that, over and above the “traditional manner,” the rite of receiving Holy Communion in the hand should be addmitted?
YES: 597
No: 1,215
Yes But with reservations: 315
“Therefore, taking into account the remarks and the advice that the Holy Spirit has placed to rule over churchs,” in view of the gravity and the force of the arguements put forward, THE HOLY FATHER has decided NOT to change the way of administering Holy Communion to the faithful."
A quote from Blessed Mother Theresa of Caculta:
“Wherever I go in the whole world, the thing that makes me the saddest is watching people receive communion in the hand.”
– Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta
As reported by Fr. George Rutler in 1989 when he asked her, **“What do you think is the worst problem in the world today?” **
One should also be aware that Pope Benedict will only distribute Holy Commion personally, if one is kneeling, and on the tongue.
In the V II Instruction:
Holy Communion Outside Mass article 21 say’s: “In administering Holy Communion. the practice of placing the paeticle on the tongue of the recipitent should be observed, as is based on a long lasting Tradition.”
In anticipation of your question on how or why this can be? In view the now common practice of ordinary ministers of the Eucharist. I share the following from the same document quoted above"
#32. Communion Under Both Kinds (Sacred Bread and Wine.)
"This is why FROM NOW ONWARDS, in accordance with the judgement of the bishops (meaning they are authorized to do as specified (not every Mass, every day to everyone!) and given the PROPER CATECHESIS,
Communion from The Challace is permitted in the following cases.
1.Newly baptized Adults
2.Bride and Groom on the day of their wedding
3.New Ordained
4.To the Abbesses in Mass of their blessing
5.To lay missionaries in the Mass when they are being sent on there mission.
6.In the administration of Viaticum
7. To a deacon, sub=deacon in a solem or pontifical Mass
8. (detailed) When there is a concelebration
9.To preist participating in a concelbration Mass
10.To all groups making a retreat
11. Priest celbrating Jubilee Mass
12. To god parents and spouce of a newly baptized adult
13. to parents of newly ordained
END of List authorizing who,when and where.Binding on all Catholics.
Yea but, “the bishops asked for and received an indult.”
reply: yea but: they did it AFTER it had already been introduced as a Vatican II mandate, and was a common practice. Rome was balckmailed into granting it.
Certainly hope that this clarifies your understanding, of what I was sharring.
God Bless, PJM m.c.