Using the paten with communion in the hand: can it be done?

[Lepanto]

Now that 99% of American Catholics (by my unscientific observation) take communion in the hand either by choice or by ignorance of the Church’s universal norm of reception on the tongue…

…how practical would it be to reintroduce the use of patens?

It’s also my observation that communion in the hand killed the use of patens. Nevertheless, the purpose of patens–the catching of falling hosts or particles–remains. Maybe patens are needed now more than ever, since I’d bet that far more hosts are dropped by hand/taking rather than by tongue/reception.

The only problem is that the altar boys must be much more agile and quick in their manipulation of the paten, since they won’t know which method the communicant will use until the last moment, and if by hand, the extending hands might collide with the paten.

What do you think – is the reintroduction of patens compatible from a practical standpoint with communion in the hand?

 

[JWC]

In the parish where I grew up we (the altar boys) always used patens during communion. Most received in the hand, but a significant portion received on the tongue (this was in the mid 80s-early 90s). I see no reason why it would not be practical, but you are correct in that it did require some agility–especially if you couldn’t tell which “mode” of reception would be used. It was never much of an issue though, we were told to be careful but I don’t recall having hands colliding with the paten being much of an issue.

 

[Rabbititus]

The church I attend uses patens, and it seems to work out fine.

 

[Eilish_Maura]

…since I’d bet that far more hosts are dropped by hand/taking rather than by tongue/reception.

You would lose the bet.

 

[Brenda_V]

The church I attend uses patens, and it seems to work out fine.

Same here.

Maybe patens are needed now more than ever, since I’d bet that far more hosts are dropped by hand/taking rather than by tongue/reception.

You would lose the bet.

Ellish Maura, for once I do agree with you. In my 50 years as a Cradle Catholic and receiving communion for 42 of those I can say I have seen more dropped hosts from tongue receivers than hand receivers . Of course, like Lepanto’s point about this it is unscientific. I have actually seen far more hosts dropped in the last couple of years (almost exclusively from tongue receivers) than in my early years so to my unscientific point of view I see many possible reasons.

Personally, until we go back to the altar rail and kneeling I will receive in the hand (unless I am in a country where the indult does not exist and there are those countries) because it is much harder for someone to place something on my tongue when I am standing than when I am kneeling.

Again, we use patens in my Parish and the Frs. are very specific in making sure the Servers hold them correctly from the time they get down to start giving Communion until that paten is safely on the Altar again for cleansing and purification.

Brenda V.

 

[tee_eff_em]

It’s also my observation that communion in the hand killed the use of patens.

Not to derail the thread, but my observation disagrees with yours.

In parishes of my experience, it was not the introduction of communion in the hand that killed the use of patens. Rather, patens ceased to be used when the number of ministers of communion (ordinary or extraordinary) came to exceed the number of altar servers.

:twocents:
tee

 

[JimG]

Of course it can be done. In my parish the use of the paten has never been discontinued, regardless of whether communion is received on the tongue or in the hand. There was never any reason to discontinue it.