When to speak after Holy Communion

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SebastianMary

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I have understood that speaking with the Eucharist in your mouth is sacrilege. How long should one wait after Holy Communion to speak? I was concerned that there could be particles left in the mouth by the time people’s start talking again. (For clarification, I mean praying vocally as well)
 
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The good thing is that Catholic doctrine is something we can research and know.

First, it is rude to speak while chewing food. It is also rude to speak during Mass.

Unless there is an emergency or urgent reason (you notice the curtains are on fire or someone faints in the pew next to you), simply refrain from talking before Mass ends.

Rude does not equal Sacrilege. From the Catechism paragraph 2120 Sacrilege consists in profaning or treating unworthily the sacraments and other liturgical actions, as well as persons, things, or places consecrated to God. Sacrilege is a grave sin especially when committed against the Eucharist, for in this sacrament the true Body of Christ is made substantially present for us.
 
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By speaking, I also was including any sort of noise from vocal cords, including participating in mass. So this can be difficult.
 
After mass would be good. We aren’t supposed to talk during mass anyhow. If someone is prodding your shoulder, just ignore them if it is right after communion.

edit: as for singing, I would just wait and make sure you have completely consumed the Eucharist before singing.
 
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SebastianMary said:
I have understood that speaking with the Eucharist in your mouth is sacrilege.
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I speak the word “amen” when I receive the precious blood at Mass and have not had time to swallow the Eucharist first, and do not consider that a sacrilege. And it most definitely is not a sacrilege to speak after you have already swallowed the host.
 
I was worried about having particles unnoticed in the mouth. Maybe after mass, it would be good practice to drink water to make sure?
 
The particles will dissolve in time because of the saliva. No need to drink water. You can if you want, but if done obsessively, it could lead to scruples.
 
There are no responses until the end of Mass when we respond to the dismissal.
 
SebastianMary said:
How long should one wait after Holy Communion to speak?
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The GIRM assumes that singing and praying take place during and following communion. For example:
  1. While the Priest is receiving the Sacrament, the Communion Chant is begun, its purpose being to express the spiritual union of the communicants by means of the unity of their voices, to show gladness of heart, and to bring out more clearly the “communitarian” character of the procession to receive the Eucharist. The singing is prolonged for as long as the Sacrament is being administered to the faithful.[73] However, if there is to be a hymn after Communion, the Communion Chant should be ended in a timely manner.
Care should be taken that singers, too, can receive Communion with ease.
  1. …However, if there is no singing, the antiphon given in the Missal may be recited either by the faithful, or by some of them, or by a reader; otherwise, it is recited by the Priest himself after he has received Communion and before he distributes Communion to the faithful.
  2. When the distribution of Communion is over, if appropriate, the Priest and faithful pray quietly for some time. If desired, a Psalm or other canticle of praise or a hymn may also be sung by the whole congregation.
  3. To bring to completion the prayer of the People of God, and also to conclude
    the whole Communion Rite, the Priest pronounces the Prayer after Communion, in which he prays for the fruits of the mystery just celebrated.
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Unnoticed particles would no longer have the appearance of bread (or you would notice them!). The Real Presence remains as long as the appearance of bread/wine remain.

Be careful that you are not sliding into scrupulosity.

Receive the host, chew and swallow. This takes all of 5 seconds. Then be at peace.
 
SebastianMary said:
Another Catholic told me
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This sort of falls into the area of “Grandma taught it and we bought it.” A little critical thinking is required. When someone tells me that “it is a sacrilege to speak while the Eucharist is still in your mouth”, my response is “Oh, really? And what is the source for that statement?”

D
 
I think you are sliding into scrupulous territory.

Here’s my method: Approach for communion, with body of christ still in my mouth, approach for blood of christ, saying amen, take blood of christ and swallow all of body and blood at one time. Sign of the Cross, return to seat. Sing and respond as normal through end of Mass.

On the rare occasions I have started to choke, I cover my mouth with my hand, clear my throat so that everything goes down the right way and carry on.
 
You often don’t have that amount of time before the prayer after Communion and the Blessing and Dismissal.
 
No, but it usually works out that way when you consume both, or I’m just weird.
 
Hi. Caring about the faith is a good thing. You include ‘praying vocally’, yet I still have to echo TheLittleLady’s answer, that being…no, within reason. I believe one ought to refrain.

Although, as veritatisstella said, we respond with “Amen”, which is a prayer in acknowledgement / agreement form, an assertion and ascent of faith, the answer remains the same, because ‘praying’ - especially the “Amen” given during the taking of Blood, which is an obligatory part of our participation in the Mass, even if said quietly or whispered - is not ‘speaking’, in the usual sense of the word.

Vocal prayer is more ‘communication’, ‘offering’, ‘supplication’, or ‘communion’ even, than it is ‘speaking’, as such; at Mass, including the responses, all is worship.
 
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If that is simply your method, cool.

There may be some people reading who believe the old wives tale that “you must not chew the host”.
 
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