Tips for receiving Communion on the Tongue

[504Katrin]

I once tried to say amen with my tongue sticking out!

oh my… I just pictured that… you cracked me up

 

[504Katrin]

Saying “Amen” was one the “problems” we used to have back in the days when receiving on the tongue at a communion rail was the only way to receive. I guess in the REALLY olden days it wasn’t required of people to say, “Amen,” but it was in the 1960s. Some of the priests would distribute communion REALLY fast and they’d be saying, “The Body of Christ,” as they were reaching toward your mouth. You practically had to say, “Amen,” before they were finished speaking or you wouldn’t get the chance. If you waited until the priest finished speaking, when you’d open your mouth to make the “A” sound you’d get the host on your tongue.

Fortunately not all priests were like that.

LOL! That exactly happened to me once. When the Priest said “The Body of Christ” I already saw him approaching me. And then, when I opened my mouth to say “Amen” - sure enough - he put the host on my tongue.

 

[asia53]

Does it ever stop feeling weird?

In time, it does stop feeling weird. I’ve received on the tongue for 6 months now. Last week, I realized, it’s comfortable—almost can’t remember receiving any other way.

As my pastor said, “Remember, our Lord is feeding you, making you his own.” I make that my focus.

 

[PazzoGrande]

Just don’t forget to say “Amen” before you stick your tongue out!

You know, I actually have a problem saying “Amen” before I receive the Precious Blood, because I go right after I receive the Host and it’s still intact in my mouth. I usually try to hold up the Host with my tongue while I silently mouth “Amen” with my lips (or more accurately, “Ame” because my tongue can’t make the N when it’s holding the Eucharist in).

It isn’t very artful, I wish I could figure out a more graceful way to go about that. Either I have to rush to consume (which isn’t easy with a dry throat) or position my tongue in a weird way, neither of which I really like having to do.

 

[Faithdancer]

It’s so much easier when we receive kneeling at the rail, as it is always done at San Secondo d’Asti in Guasti, Ontario, California. There is even an altar server holding the silver platter underneath one’s jaw just in case. If y’all visit Southern California, make sure and stop in for a Mass at “Guasti,” as everyone calls it. Father Marx gives the longest (and best!) homilies, too! Full on Tridentine Mass Saturdays at 6:30 am and Sundays at 10:30 am.**

 

[Faithdancer]

You know, I actually have a problem saying “Amen” before I receive the Precious Blood, because I go right after I receive the Host and it’s still intact in my mouth. I usually try to hold up the Host with my tongue while I silently mouth “Amen” with my lips (or more accurately, “Ame” because my tongue can’t make the N when it’s holding the Eucharist in).

It isn’t very artful, I wish I could figure out a more graceful way to go about that. Either I have to rush to consume (which isn’t easy with a dry throat) or position my tongue in a weird way, neither of which I really like having to do.

I agree Pazzo, it’s a bit awkward. I don’t want to backwash bits of Host into the chalice, is the problem. So, either chew quick and swallow or don’t chew at all? Or genuflect toward the chalice, which isn’t mandatory anyway and during cold and flu season, which starts about the time school resumes…

 

[Faithdancer]

oh my… I just pictured that… you cracked me up

And I thought I was the only one…

 

[PazzoGrande]

I agree Pazzo, it’s a bit awkward. I don’t want to backwash bits of Host into the chalice, is the problem. So, either chew quick and swallow or don’t chew at all? Or genuflect toward the chalice, which isn’t mandatory anyway and during cold and flu season, which starts about the time school resumes…

Yeah actually I don’t even like chewing. I keep worrying that bits will get caught in my teeth and might fly out after Mass when I talk or brush my teeth. Or if I eat, parts of the Eucharist might get mixed in with my food.

So instead I try to let it dissolve in my mouth. It’s much easier to do with the moisture from the Precious Blood.

I like going to the first Mass in the morning (less of a crowd so easier to concentrate) and it’s right after I’d brush my teeth and use mouthwash, and the mouthwash would make my mouth so dry and it makes it hard to dissolve the Host.

 

[504Katrin]

You know, I actually have a problem saying “Amen” before I receive the Precious Blood, because I go right after I receive the Host and it’s still intact in my mouth. I usually try to hold up the Host with my tongue while I silently mouth “Amen” with my lips (or more accurately, “Ame” because my tongue can’t make the N when it’s holding the Eucharist in).

It isn’t very artful, I wish I could figure out a more graceful way to go about that. Either I have to rush to consume (which isn’t easy with a dry throat) or position my tongue in a weird way, neither of which I really like having to do.

I know. For this reason I used to either have His body, or His blood, but not both at the same time until a communion helper who was such a sweetheart asked me how I wanted to receive communion. She said that I could either drink from the cup or receive the host, or both, or dip the host into the blood and then receive which was an awesome solution You can ask the communion helper / Priest to dip the host into the blood a little and to then put the host on your tongue. This way you will feel both of Him, His blood, and His body.

 

[PazzoGrande]

I know. For this reason I used to either have His body, or His blood, but not both at the same time until a communion helper who was such a sweetheart asked me how I wanted to receive communion. She said that I could either drink from the cup or receive the host, or both, or dip the host into the blood and then receive which was an awesome solution You can ask the communion helper / Priest to dip the host into the blood a little and to then put the host on your tongue. This way you will feel both of Him, His blood, and His body.

Yes, that’s called Intinction.

I do wonder though, isn’t there a risk of the Precious Blood dripping?

 

[504Katrin]

Yes, that’s called Intinction.

I do wonder though, isn’t there a risk of the Precious Blood dripping?

actually not really if he dips the host just slightly and very carefully so that there’s not enough blood sucked up by the host in order to drop any of it.

 

[TrueLight]

Yes.

It helps a little if you practice sticking out your tongue at yourself in the mirror, especially looking at it from the side. It usually feels like it is sticking out further than it really is. (at least for me) Once you realize that, it feels somewhat less weird. The rest is just doing it enough that it becomes customary.

–Jen

Hmm okay. I’ll try that.

I think I’ve gotten into a groove of not sticking out my tongue too much. I think I used to stick it out like Einstein before. LOL. But now I let it just touch the bottom of my lower lip. Although, I almost swear the priest takes a little longer with me, but that could be my imagination.

http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/2482/einsteind.jpg

 

[SMHW]

Hmm okay. I’ll try that.

I think I’ve gotten into a groove of not sticking out my tongue too much. I think I used to stick it out like Einstein before. LOL. But now I let it just touch the bottom of my lower lip. Although, I almost swear the priest takes a little longer with me, but that could be my imagination.

http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/2482/einsteind.jpg

LOL! I think the Einstein tongue thing must be what my friend was doing wrong in the second grade. She was probably sticking her tongue down instead of straight ahead

I seem to remember being taught to stick our tongue out beyond our bottom lip but not much further out. The tongue should not be so far out that the throat/neck muscles start to feel tight.

“” is not the way to receive! “serve.mysmiley.net/tongue/tongue0025.gif” is more like it!

 

[anp1215]

It’s so much easier when we receive kneeling at the rail, as it is always done at San Secondo d’Asti in Guasti, Ontario, California. There is even an altar server holding the silver platter underneath one’s jaw just in case. If y’all visit Southern California, make sure and stop in for a Mass at “Guasti,” as everyone calls it. Father Marx gives the longest (and best!) homilies, too! Full on Tridentine Mass Saturdays at 6:30 am and Sundays at 10:30 am.**
That church is very lovely. Would love to see any more pictures of it.
504Katrin;9675255:

I know. For this reason I used to either have His body, or His blood, but not both at the same time until a communion helper who was such a sweetheart asked me how I wanted to receive communion. She said that I could either drink from the cup or receive the host, or both, or dip the host into the blood and then receive which was an awesome solution You can ask the communion helper / Priest to dip the host into the blood a little and to then put the host on your tongue. This way you will feel both of Him, His blood, and His body.

I’m not sure, but I don’t think an EMHC can do that…

 

[jmcrae]

That church is very lovely. Would love to see any more pictures of it.

I’m not sure, but I don’t think an EMHC can do that…

That’s true. Only a priest is allowed to give Holy Communion by intinction, and he is required to use the proper vessel for it - he can’t just use the regular ciborium and chalice to do that.

Normally, Catholics don’t receive by intinction, because there are not enough priests at the present time to make it work, and the extra vessels would be expensive.

 

[anp1215]

That’s true. Only a priest is allowed to give Holy Communion by intinction, and he is required to use the proper vessel for it - he can’t just use the regular ciborium and chalice to do that.

Normally, Catholics don’t receive by intinction, because there are not enough priests at the present time to make it work, and the extra vessels would be expensive.

There are a couple of parishes here that I know of that have intinction. I have been to one but I was not Catholic at the time so did not go up to receive. What special vessels do they use? aside from the little plate they hold underneath?

 

[maltmom]

Don’t hold out your hands and stick out your tongue at the same time. :doh2:

I actually did that recently. I went the church I like to attend when I want to go to an earlier Mass. I was sick and probably should have stayed home. What I didn’t know was that a couple of days later I’d be admitted to the hospital with a bad case of West Nile Fever. Anyway, the priest waved me up b/c I was in a daze. At that moment all I wanted was to receive Jesus. I ended up hands up, down, mouth open, hands up. I knew he thought I’d lost my mind. Since I’m still recovering I haven’t been back there yet. I plan on speaking to him and explaining what was wrong with me.

 

[jmcrae]

There are a couple of parishes here that I know of that have intinction. I have been to one but I was not Catholic at the time so did not go up to receive. What special vessels do they use? aside from the little plate they hold underneath?

This is an example of an intinction set:

http://www.stjudeshop.com/resources/StJudeShop/images/products/processed/k408.detail.a.jpg

The instruction regarding receiving by intinction is as follows:

[103.] The norms of the Roman Missal admit the principle that in cases where Communion is administered under both kinds, “the Blood of the Lord may be received either by drinking from the chalice directly, or by intinction, or by means of a tube or a spoon”.[191] As regards the administering of Communion to lay members of Christ’s faithful, the Bishops may exclude Communion with the tube or the spoon where this is not the local custom, though the option of administering Communion by intinction always remains. If this modality is employed, however, hosts should be used which are neither too thin nor too small, and the communicant should receive the Sacrament from the Priest only on the tongue.[192]

[104.] The communicant must not be permitted to intinct the host himself in the chalice, nor to receive the intincted host in the hand. As for the host to be used for the intinction, it should be made of valid matter, also consecrated; it is altogether forbidden to use non-consecrated bread or other matter.

SOURCE: Redemptionis Sacramentum

 

[anp1215]

This is an example of an intinction set:

http://www.stjudeshop.com/resources/StJudeShop/images/products/processed/k408.detail.a.jpg

The instruction regarding receiving by intinction is as follows:

[103.] The norms of the Roman Missal admit the principle that in cases where Communion is administered under both kinds, “the Blood of the Lord may be received either by drinking from the chalice directly, or by intinction, or by means of a tube or a spoon”.[191] As regards the administering of Communion to lay members of Christ’s faithful, the Bishops may exclude Communion with the tube or the spoon where this is not the local custom, though the option of administering Communion by intinction always remains. If this modality is employed, however, hosts should be used which are neither too thin nor too small, and the communicant should receive the Sacrament from the Priest only on the tongue.[192]

[104.] The communicant must not be permitted to intinct the host himself in the chalice, nor to receive the intincted host in the hand. As for the host to be used for the intinction, it should be made of valid matter, also consecrated; it is altogether forbidden to use non-consecrated bread or other matter.

SOURCE: Redemptionis Sacramentum

So do they put the wine in the middle and the hosts around the edge before the consecration? And then distribute from that?

 

[anp1215]

So coincidentally, not long after I made that post, I was invited by some friends to go to the parish I was talking about for Mass today. So I got to receive by intinction for the first time! Loved it, wish I could experience it more. and yes they used that little set.