Where is communion in the hand permitted

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tafan

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I know it used to be that some countries were allowed communion in the hand by an indult. Is that still the case, or is it permitted everywhere now?
 
tafan said:
I know it used to be that some countries were allowed communion in the hand by an indult. Is that still the case, or is it permitted everywhere now?
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I think last time there was an unofficial poll on these boards, based on people’s own experience or on research done online of Bishops’ websites, the conclusion was that only one diocese in Brazil and another in Italy had refused permission.

That’s going back between five and ten years, though.
 
So it is now decided by the local ordinary, and not based on an undult?
BTW, not trying to start a discussion on which is best, I just want to know the rules.
 
tafan said:
So it is now decided by the local ordinary, and not based on an undult?
BTW, not trying to start a discussion on which is best, I just want to know the rules.
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In my diocese, CliftonDiocese, it up to the communicant whether they receive the Body of Christ in the hands or on the tongue.

At my local Church, about a third receive the Body of Christ on the tongue, the rest receive the Body of Christ in their hands.
 
Della said:
The Holy See issued an indult for communion in the hand for the USA and other countries: ewtn.com/expert/answers/communion_in_hand.htm.
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I was curious about which other countries. For example Mexico: we travel there as a family at times, I had thought it was not permitted there, yet I see a lot of people doing so. When one travels, is not one bound by those local laws?

Not that big of deal, just curious I guess.
 
tafan said:
I was curious about which other countries. For example Mexico: we travel there as a family at times, I had thought it was not permitted there, yet I see a lot of people doing so. When one travels, is not one bound by those local laws?

Not that big of deal, just curious I guess.
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Maybe it is allowed in Mexico, and you missed the change?

Mexico has a lot of interaction with America, people cross the border for various reasons, bringing ideas and practices with them. They see what we do, and if they like it, they may adopt it if they wish. A lot of American culture made it across the boarder, although we have a fair amount of Mexican culture adopted here as well

America has has communion in the hand since I was a young man in the 1970’s.
 
Likely not in Mexico.
100% of the Mexicans here in our parish DO NOT receive int he hand, and get upset if the teachers give them an option.

100% of the Americans receive int he hand though.
 
tafan said:
I know it used to be that some countries were allowed communion in the hand by an indult. Is that still the case, or is it permitted everywhere now?
Click to expand...
The problem with online discussions like this is that people who throw out words like “indult” without having any understanding of how the Church’s liturgical laws work. That’s unfortunate.

An indult is permission to do something that the law itself does not permit. It is very closely related to a dispensation. The difference is that an indult usually applies to a broad group of people, or broader circumstances, while a dispensation is typically more limited.

Yes, an indult was issued in 1969 to allow for Communion in the hand in some places (some countries and diocese). It was an indult because, at the time, the law itself did not permit Communion in the hand.

Remember: an indult is permission to do what the law otherwise forbids.

However (and this is essential) once the law itself changes in such a way that what was previously forbidden is not permitted, the indult no longer has any force of law—because of the simple fact that it is no longer relevant. No one needs permission to do something that the law itself permits.

That is exactly what happened with regard to Communion in the hand.

When the Holy See granted approval to the changes to the General Instruction of the Roman Missal as they apply to each country/region, those changes became “the law itself.” Again, there is no indult needed (or relevant) to do that which the law itself permits.

Currently, we are using the 3rd edition of the Roman Missal. The GIRM (the law itself) permits Communion in the hand (at least in all English speaking countries) . Therefore, receiving in the hand is not a matter of an indult—it is rather the law itself.

People think they can somehow “score points” by saying that Communion in the hand is permitted only by way of indult. Those people are clueless as to how the Church’s laws work. In the past, it was an indult. In the present, the indult is irrelevant except for historic and scholarly reasons.

Every country/region has its own variations to the GIRM. When those variations are approved by Rome (as they must be) they become the law itself for that territory. If such variations were previously permitted by indult, the indult is thereby rendered irrelevant.
 
I wonder how many altar servers in the US would even know what the Communion Paten was for if they were handed one prior to communion…

I know why it’s not used when there are six stations to receive, you just don’t have the bodies!
 
tafan said:
I was curious about which other countries. For example Mexico: we travel there as a family at times, I had thought it was not permitted there, yet I see a lot of people doing so. When one travels, is not one bound by those local laws?

Not that big of deal, just curious I guess.
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I know in Rome and Paris both are used. I attended Mass at different churches in Rome where both were acceptable. I only attended Mass at Notre Dame in Paris, both methods were acceptable.

I would guess one would be bound by the local rule but that is only an assumption. I receive on the tongue so it may not occur to me there may be a rule not to receive in the hand.
 
tafan said:
I was curious about which other countries. For example Mexico: we travel there as a family at times, I had thought it was not permitted there, yet I see a lot of people doing so. When one travels, is not one bound by those local laws?

Not that big of deal, just curious I guess.
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Some years ago, a friend of mine went to Mexico on vacation and when he attempted to receive in the hand from the bishop, the bishop literally slapped him in the face and told him, “…not in my diocese!” :eek:
Crusaderbear said:
I wonder how many altar servers in the US would even know what the Communion Paten was for if they were handed one prior to communion…

I know why it’s not used when there are six stations to receive, you just don’t have the bodies!
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I’ve seen the Communion paten used regardless if it was hand or tongue. 🤷
 
I’m surprised to read that Canada was granted the indult 7 years before the US! It’s clear from the original document that bishops were free to accept it or not accept it. I’ve never lived in a diocese that didn’t allow it. And I noticed when I attended Mass in Italy, France, and the Netherlands that it was allowed there.
 
janeway529 said:
Some years ago, a friend of mine went to Mexico on vacation and when he attempted to receive in the hand from the bishop, the bishop literally slapped him in the face and told him, “…not in my diocese!” :eek:
:
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Assault charges?
 
Crusaderbear said:
Assault charges?
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It wasn’t in America.

Considering the fact that the person wasn’t really injured, it probably wouldn’t have been prosecuted here either.

Although the bishop’s reaction does seem rather extreme, a firm, whispered “no” could have communicated the same message without creating a scene.
 
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