Vatican official suggests reconsidering Communion in the hand

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Vatican, Feb. 1, 2008 (CWNews.com) - The secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship has called for reconsideration of the practice of Communion in the hand.

In the preface to a new Italian-language book on the Eucharist, written by a bishop from Kazakhstan and released in January by the Vatican’s official publishing house, Archbishop Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don suggests that the reception of Communion in the hand has contributed to a general sense of “carelessness” about the Eucharist, as well as some flagrant abuses. The archbishop makes his remarks in the preface to Dominus Est, by Bishop Athanasisus Schneider.

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:extrahappy::extrahappy::extrahappy:

Great news! Let’s pray that Communion in the hand goes back to Communion on the tongue!

In Christ,
Rand
 
I’ll be praying that Communion in the hand doesn’t go back to mandatory Communion on the tongue!

Seems to me that if the Cardinal is concerned about a general sense of “carelessness” about the Eucharist, as well as some flagrant abuses that he should be calling for better education of the faithful.
 
the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle, biggest church in the valley, and the de facto cathedral, since Immaculate Conception in Brownsville is small and not centrally located, has recently returned to communion on the tongue only, and they are not offering the precious blood anymore, either. this is due to a new rector and concern about rampant abuse that has been observed by the many tourists who visit the shrine.
 
puzzleannie said:
the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle, biggest church in the valley, and the de facto cathedral, since Immaculate Conception in Brownsville is small and not centrally located, has recently returned to communion on the tongue only, and they are not offering the precious blood anymore, either. this is due to a new rector and concern about rampant abuse that has been observed by the many tourists who visit the shrine.
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That seem slike a good idea. But being a EOM, that does not stop one from taking it from the tongue to pocket it.

I, myself, has started taking the Eucharist on my tongue.🙂
 
Shoshana said:
That seem slike a good idea. But being a EOM, that does not stop one from taking it from the tongue to pocket it.

I, myself, has started taking the Eucharist on my tongue.🙂
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it does if the ushers and EMHCs watch you like a hawk so you don’t move until you swallow, they are very good, very observant, having been instructed to do so.
 
Changing how we receive communion is not going to make reception by the faithful more reverent any more than changing the mass will accomplish it. We can change externals all we want. We will only attain reverence at mass when people have an interior change of heart and recognize they are in God’s presence. Let’s start catechizing and stop playing around with things that aren’t going to change anything.
 
Let’s start catechizing
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I agree a 100%! Luckily, by changing how people recieve communion we can teach them a sacred Truth.

People aren’t going to go to an Adult Catechism class. For centuries this is how The Church has taught her children; by the actions she has us do, by the prayers she has us say. By the pictures, statues, stained glass, kneeling, standing, by the symbols of our faith, we learn our faith.

If we’re taught that Communion isn’t something that we aught to handle like we would something fragile, that it’s something that is actually so Holy that it aught to just be placed on the tongue and not touched by unconsecrated hands, The Church is catechising adults at Mass.
 
cspb56 said:
Changing how we receive communion is not going to make reception by the faithful more reverent any more than changing the mass will accomplish it. We can change externals all we want. We will only attain reverence at mass when people have an interior change of heart and recognize they are in God’s presence. Let’s start catechizing and stop playing around with things that aren’t going to change anything.
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As humans, we are living in our carnal nature (bodies) and as such have no other way to demonstrate awe and reverence than by “EXTERNAL” displays of it.

Communion on the tongue shows a humility towards the Presence.

If you were to see Jesus in Person, would you:

a) Go up to Him and shake His hand

OR

b) Bow down before Him and feel unworthy to even touch the ground where He stands?

Same with the Eucharist. I NEVER touched His Divine Presence with my sinful hands in my entire life and NEVER will.
 
Receiving communion on the tongue makes me nervous, because I’m always afraid it’s going to drop - irrational maybe, but true nonetheless.

To me, changing to ‘tongue only’ interfere with the reverence that I should show the Lord’s Body since I would be too worried about doing it right.

People who fail to show proper reverence probably are not in a proper state for receiving at all…Let there be prominent signs placed, informing people of what is and is not accetable and let them face immediate, public consequences when the rules are broken. I have seen a priest walk to someone in a pew and request the Eucharist back. Let’s do that if we have to - once the word gets out it will act as a deterrent.
 
Excellent news!!!

Communion in the hand has played a major role in the decrease in respect shown to the Eucharist. There is a reason that this practice was forbidden by the Church for centuries. Here is a good article about this practice:

Rethinking Communion in the Hand
catholic-pages.com/mass/inhand.asp

I’m suprised that those in favour of this practice have not mentioned that famous quote my St Cyril of Jerusalem. Before anyone does, I would like to point out that the authenticity of this text has been questioned due to the fact that it also tells people to smear their mouths and eyes with the Eucharist before receiving it. It has been said that this text is a forgery.

For more information simply search google.
 
No bishop is allowed to prohibit Communion on the tongue.

And yet, my archdiocese does NOT teach the First Holy Communicants how to receive on the tongue. They are taught in the hand ONLY.

Am I missing something here? Has anyone here seen a youngster receive on the tongue in their diocese?
 
I pondered this some more and still can’t see what the issue is for the truly faithful. Not to knock Church tradition, but isn’t the tongue as unworthy as the hand, to receive the Body of Christ?

For that matter, the whole person is unworthy of such an honor. That the Lord allows us this privilege at all is part of the mystery of the Eucharist for me.

Time and time again through the prophets, God reminded His people that true reverence to Him means, not properly performed ceremonies, but a proper attitude of heart. This is just as true today.
 
Exactly Seekerz. If a person has no respect for the eucharist it doesn’t matter how it is received. Plenty of abuse can happen receiving on the tongue. Again, it’s not the external gesture but the internal disposition of the person. Ones mouth can be just as vile and filthy as ones hands.
 
cspb56 said:
Exactly Seekerz. If a person has no respect for the eucharist it doesn’t matter how it is received. Plenty of abuse can happen receiving on the tongue. Again, it’s not the external gesture but the internal disposition of the person. Ones mouth can be just as vile and filthy as ones hands.
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Now I feel a bit bad to respond in the manner in which I had planned on doing before I read your post. Call me a whatever you want but I was thinking in terms of my lips being an erogenous area. I’d rather have the hands and eyes of others off or away from my lips. It isn’t that I feel that I’ve done anything bad - God made my female lips and I am thankful. I just don’t think it is necessary or theologically justified to make reception by tongue the law of the land.

Wikkipedia says this about lips:
Because of its high amounts of nerve endings, the lips make an erogenous zone. Lips play a crucial role in kissing and other acts of intimacy.
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Lips are a visible expression of fertility. It has been shown that the more estrogen a woman has the fuller her lips are, and that full lips are considered attractive. Indeed lipstick “tricks” men into thinking that a women has more estrogen than she actually has and thus finding her more attractive.
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Lips are often viewed as a symbol for sensuality. This has many origins; above all that they are very sensitive as a tactile organ and feel pleasantly soft. It has been suggested that female lips are seen as sexually attractive because they mimic the appearance and sexual swelling of the you know what.
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To put it bluntly - I say - stay away from my mouth - thank you.
 
I remember me days as an altar boy – with the Platten making sure the Host or crumbs didn’t fall to the floor. You got to see a lot of tongues that way, and a lot of people have really **ugly **tongues.

We used to discuss how they got that ugly – the prize was one lady with a tongue so unsightly we decided she had been licking the icing off the beater and someone plugged it in.😃
 
seekerz said:
I pondered this some more and still can’t see what the issue is for the truly faithful. Not to knock Church tradition, but isn’t the tongue as unworthy as the hand, to receive the Body of Christ?

For that matter, the whole person is unworthy of such an honor. That the Lord allows us this privilege at all is part of the mystery of the Eucharist for me.

Time and time again through the prophets, God reminded His people that true reverence to Him means, not properly performed ceremonies, but a proper attitude of heart. This is just as true today.
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The hands are the outer extremity of the body. Hands are not always washed by many folks. Most sins include the hands. The hands are an ADDED part of our imperfections.
 
vern_humphrey said:
I remember me days as an altar boy – with the Platten making sure the Host or crumbs didn’t fall to the floor. You got to see a lot of tongues that way, and a lot of people have really **ugly **tongues.

We used to discuss how they got that ugly – the prize was one lady with a tongue so unsightly we decided she had been licking the icing off the beater and someone plugged it in.😃
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😃 funny
I could imagine just about any young altar boy comparing horror stories. Your thought is on the flip-side of my thinking - kinda’. What about the lovely lips that priests must pass through to place the host on the tongue. Priests should not be forced into that - not full knowing the facts today - that lips are an erogenous zone. Keep thy eyes and hands away!
 
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