Why Are Some People Strongly Opposed to Communion on the Tongue?

[nsper7]

Personally, I now receive Communion on the Tongue while kneeling and I have never had any serious problems (i.e. the Priest/EMHC ‘missing’ as it were and the Host ending up on the floor or something). I admit it feels a little weird, especially having to compensate for the forward motion of dropping to my knees (sometimes I feel like I get too close to the Priest when I kneel), but it is not a problem.

Why are some people so against receiving on the Tongue? I think I understand why many Traditionalists are against receiving in the Hand (personally, I see no problem with it since it is allowed these days, although I will continue to receive on the Tongue).

 

[damooster]

I don’t think I’ve read anything that suggests people are against receiving on the tongue (maybe you have), they just prefer in the hand. Personally, I want to receive on the tongue but I’m too nervous that I’ll mess up and drop the host, or that the priest will notice the large cut on my tongue (it’s not attractive).

 

[CapIV]

The kinds of people who don’t like people receiving Communion on the tongue are the kinds of people who don’t like tradition.

 

[Lightning]

I’m not sure I can answer this question either. Our church has a communion rail and we use it. I receive on the tongue while kneeling.

I tried receiving in the hand at the last church where I was a parishioner, but I felt very uncomfortable. It just felt wrong. I didn’t like putting my hand out and ‘taking’ the host. It didn’t take more than a few times and I had to go back to communion on the tongue.

Communion on the tongue is ‘receiving’ vs communion on the hand which is more of a ‘taking’.

Well, that’s my opinion anyway.

 

[brigid12]

Communion on the tongue is ‘receiving’ vs communion on the hand which is more of a ‘taking’

I feel that way too.

To answer the OP, I think that the people who are against Communion on the tongue probably think one of the following (this is an assumption on my part ):

  1. Communion on the tongue smacks of being traditional and they don't want any waves in the parish.
  2. Communion on the tongue was changed in many parishes in the US after VII and they don't want to have anything to do with liturgical matters pre-VII. I heard one priest saying that since the Pope has brought back (his words) Communion on the tongue, he's probably going to change back to 12 hr. fasts before Communion, etc., too.
  3. They prefer the historical (?) simplicity of Communion in the hand.
  4. They don't know how to do it and it's new (and scary) to them.
  5. The theology of Communion on the tongue indicates to them some submission and they don't want any part of that. ;)

 

[adelore]

I’m not sure I can answer this question either. Our church has a communion rail and we use it. I receive on the tongue while kneeling.

I tried receiving in the hand at the last church where I was a parishioner, but I felt very uncomfortable. It just felt wrong. I didn’t like putting my hand out and ‘taking’ the host. It didn’t take more than a few times and I had to go back to communion on the tongue.

Communion on the tongue is ‘receiving’ vs communion on the hand which is more of a ‘taking’.

Well, that’s my opinion anyway.

Our church has a communion rail and we use it. I receive on the tongue while kneeling.

You are so very Blessed to have a kneeling rail and to recieve on the tongue. I wish the churchs around here still had the kneeling rail. People who’ve never got to recieve Communion this way have no idea of the “special blessing and the wonderful awsomeness” of recieveing this way. I just can’t put it into words. I miss it so much.

 

[adelore]

The kinds of people who don’t like people receiving Communion on the tongue are the kinds of people who don’t like tradition.

You are so Very right!

 

[adelore]

I don’t think I’ve read anything that suggests people are against receiving on the tongue (maybe you have), they just prefer in the hand. Personally, **I want to receive on the tongue but I’m too nervous that I’ll mess up and drop the host, or that the priest will notice the large cut on my tongue (it’s not attractive)./**QUOTE]

Believe me you won’t drop the host. The Priest will place it so you won’t. As far as your large cut on your tongue, don’t worry about it. The Priest has seen a lot worse in someones mouth. (I know to you it doesn’t seem this way…but believe me after working as a Dental Assistant, a large cut on your tongue is nothing to worry about.) And Truely the Priest is more into the moment of giving you the Scaretment more than he is looking to see who has “no teeth, bad teeth, missing teeth, fake teeth, bridges, braces, clift lip or pallet, or any other problem that most of us truely have.” The looks of your tongue is the last thing on his mind. Sharing our Lord in this way is such an awsome moment that your tongue wont even cross his mind, I promise.

 

[adelore]

I feel that way too.

To answer the OP, I think that the people who are against Communion on the tongue probably think one of the following (this is an assumption on my part ):

  1. Communion on the tongue smacks of being traditional and they don't want any waves in the parish.
  2. Communion on the tongue was changed in many parishes in the US after VII and they don't want to have anything to do with liturgical matters pre-VII. I heard one priest saying that since the Pope has brought back (his words) Communion on the tongue, he's probably going to change back to 12 hr. fasts before Communion, etc., too.
  3. They prefer the historical (?) simplicity of Communion in the hand.
  4. They don't know how to do it and it's new (and scary) to them.
  5. The theology of Communion on the tongue indicates to them some submission and they don't want any part of that. ;)

I couldn’t agree more! They truely have no idea of the moment they are missing.

 

[Malkin71]

I feel that way too.

To answer the OP, I think that the people who are against Communion on the tongue probably think one of the following (this is an assumption on my part ):

  1. Communion on the tongue smacks of being traditional and they don't want any waves in the parish.
  2. Communion on the tongue was changed in many parishes in the US after VII and they don't want to have anything to do with liturgical matters pre-VII. I heard one priest saying that since the Pope has brought back (his words) Communion on the tongue, he's probably going to change back to 12 hr. fasts before Communion, etc., too.
  3. They prefer the historical (?) simplicity of Communion in the hand.
  4. They don't know how to do it and it's new (and scary) to them.
  5. The theology of Communion on the tongue indicates to them some submission and they don't want any part of that. ;)

You hit it 100% right on the head.

 

[Charioteer]

I don’t think very many are “Strongly Opposed to Communion on the Tongue.” That’s really nothing more than a canard used to tacitly gig those who don’t share your choice of how to receive. I think they simply prefer to receive on the tongue because:

• Some prefer the ancient practice. It was the early church practice.
• Choose to safeguard the Blessed Sacrament as best they can by receiving communion in a manner that best insures it will not be dropped on the floor.
• Interpret “TAKE this all of you and eat it…” quite literally.
• Take Saint Bail’s writings quite seriously.
• Insecure about showing teeth/gums/tongue
• Uncomfortable receiving on tongue.
• Potentially more hygienic for both the distributor and receiver of communion. Many archdioceses/dioceses have officially limited communion to in-hand during this swine flue problem.

Just as it would be wrong to OPPOSE communion on tongue, OPPOSING common in hand is every bit as misplaced and wrong.

 

[Charioteer]

The kinds of people who don’t like people receiving Communion on the tongue are the kinds of people who don’t like tradition.

That is simply not true. I know some older people who are very traditional yet feel embarrassed baring their mouths.

 

[ElizabethPH]

That is simply not true. I know some older people who are very traditional yet feel embarrassed baring their mouths.

I think that perhaps that is because they are out of the practice; if they are older they more then likely received on the tongue and kneeling before VII; when it rolled around they fell into the habit of taking the most Blessed Sacrament in their hands along with everyone else. Thus now they would be uncomfortable receiving the old way.

Most everyone takes in the hands. And they don’t want to stand out.

 

[damooster]

Believe me you won’t drop the host. The Priest will place it so you won’t. As far as your large cut on your tongue, don’t worry about it. The Priest has seen a lot worse in someones mouth. (I know to you it doesn’t seem this way…but believe me after working as a Dental Assistant, a large cut on your tongue is nothing to worry about.) And Truely the Priest is more into the moment of giving you the Scaretment more than he is looking to see who has “no teeth, bad teeth, missing teeth, fake teeth, bridges, braces, clift lip or pallet, or any other problem that most of us truely have.” The looks of your tongue is the last thing on his mind. Sharing our Lord in this way is such an awsome moment that your tongue wont even cross his mind, I promise.

Thank you for your encouragement. I’m still nervous about it though; I’m just really self conscious.

 

[ElizabethPH]

Thank you for your encouragement. I’m still nervous about it though; I’m just really self conscious.

once you have done it you more then likely will wonder how come it took you so long!! I am from before VII I got in the habit of taking in the hands and finally I went back to receiving on the tongue, I was nervous as well, but after that first time I never felt nervous about it again.

 

[barb_finnegan]

I think that perhaps that is because they are out of the practice; if they are older they more then likely received on the tongue and kneeling before VII; when it rolled around they fell into the habit of taking the most Blessed Sacrament in their hands along with everyone else. Thus now they would be uncomfortable receiving the old way.

Most everyone takes in the hands. And they don’t want to stand out.

With regards to the last comment: NOT EVERYONE takes in the hands. I never have, except during a couple of retreats when it was ‘forced’, and that when the paten was passed around and all ‘self-communicated’ [a liturgical ‘no-no’].

Who cares if you stand out? In this case, don’t go along with ‘the crowd’!

 

[Charioteer]

I don’t think very many are “Strongly Opposed to Communion on the Tongue.” That’s really nothing more than a canard used to tacitly gig those who don’t share your choice of how to receive. I think they simply prefer to receive in their hands because:

• Some prefer the ancient practice. It was the early church practice.
• Choose to safeguard the Blessed Sacrament as best they can by receiving communion in a manner that best insures it will not be dropped on the floor.
• Interpret “TAKE this all of you and eat it…” quite literally.
• Take Saint Bail’s writings quite seriously.
• Insecure about showing teeth/gums/tongue
• Uncomfortable receiving on tongue.
• Potentially more hygienic for both the distributor and receiver of communion. Many archdioceses/dioceses have officially limited communion to in-hand during this swine flue problem.

Just as it would be wrong to OPPOSE communion on tongue, OPPOSING common in hand is every bit as misplaced and wrong.

 

[Charioteer]

I think that perhaps that is because they are out of the practice; if they are older they more then likely received on the tongue and kneeling before VII; when it rolled around they fell into the habit of taking the most Blessed Sacrament in their hands along with everyone else. Thus now they would be uncomfortable receiving the old way.

Most everyone takes in the hands. And they don’t want to stand out.

I don’t think the question asked by the OP is really valid. I don’t think many people are opposed to CoT. I think about the same number are opposed to CiH but they are just far more vociferous here on CAF.

It’s also disingenuous to in any way infer that one method is better or worse than the other. They are not. One or the other might be preferred by a given person but one technique is not better or worse than the other – so long as they are approved by the Church.

 

[Cat]

I agree with charioteer. I don’t think people are opposed to Communion on the tongue. I certainly am not. In fact, in the last few months, I have received Holy Communion on the tongue because I’ve been using crutches.

I don’t think most Catholics care one way or the other. Good heavens, when we are on our deathbed, there is a good chance that we will receive our last Holy Communion on the tongue, right?

But I do think people are opposed to those who oppose Communion in the hand. I am. As long as the U.S. has the indult, then it is not our place to oppose the practice that has been approved by the local bishop.

And I’ll be honest–I expected some kind of mystical eye-opening feeling or rush of emotions when I first received Holy Communion on the tongue. It didn’t happen. I honestly think that the reason why so many people prefer to receive Holy Communion on the tongue is that they were raised that way. Same for people who receive in the hand.

Interestingly, I discovered something while I’ve been convalescing. Obviously, I cannot kneel at all in this CAM boot. I tried, and it got stuck under the kneeler and it was quite embarrassing! So I sit. But I don’t just sit up straight. I found myself returning to the practice that I grew up with in the Protestant churches–sitting in the pew, hiding my head in my hands and leaning on the pew in front of me. If you drop by evangelical church services, you will see many of the faithful doing this.

I just kind of did it because I didn’t want to sit up straight in the pew and interfere with the people behind me who were kneeling. I also wanted to be reverent in the Presence of the Lord Jesus.

It’s amazing–the EMOTIONS that flooded through me when I assumed this childhood posture, this posture that I was used to for so many years! I was crying. It seemed like every prayer of the priest was so very intense, even though the liturgy was the same liturgy of the Mass (OF) that I have experienced since becoming Catholic. But I found it easier to pay attention, to truly PRAY the Mass, in this childhood position, this “Protestant” position–because it’s what I was raised doing.

Ever since I have become Catholic, I have had a hard time with kneeling because I wasn’t raised with it. It doesn’t seem reverent to me, to kneel and keep the back straight and the head up and the eyes open! It doesn’t seem like a “prayer position”, at least to me!

So re-discovering my “Protestant” prayer position was quite an awakening! I truly understand now what it means to “pray the Mass.”

So I can sympathize with those who wish to receive Holy Communion the way they were raised to receive. In the future, I will very likely continue to pray during Mass the way I was raised to pray in church–sitting, with my head hidden in my hands and leaning on the pew in front of me. One thing about this position–there is NO WAY that someone will stop and chat with me!

I don’t know if it’s a correct posture for Catholics during Mass. I don’t think that there is a “correct” way to pray; from what I have seen, the rubrics make allowances for those who cannot kneel.

And I’m certainly not going to tell all the rest of the Catholics that they should try my Protestant prayer position! It’s not what they were raised with!

 

[I_Believe]

-There are reasons for kneeling to receive - Adoration being one
-There are reasons to receive on the tongue - the Doctrine of Persona Christi being one. After all Priests administer the Blessed Sacrament
-There’s a reason to use a Communion Paten - to assure the Host does not fall to the ground and to catch any precious particles

Knowing these reasons, I find it hard for one who truly believes in the Real Presence could argue against any of these reasons, or to argue the reasons given for receiving in the hand, especially standing, could possibly outweigh the reasons given for receiving on the tongue from a priest, while kneeling.

And considering the practice of receiving in the hand, and the use of EMHC is Not a practice introduced by Rome, but rather a privilege granted by Rome after some parishes and priests took it upon themselves to rewrite the rubrics without proper authority, the arguments against receiving in the traditional manner are weakened further.

So yes, the Church does now give us a choice. But it’s important that even though those who prefer receiving in the hand, to be aware it is a novelty. The fact that early Liturgies once used this practice isn’t a very good argument because the Church was young and forming Her identity. Once the Church determined that the (now) traditional manner was best due to solid reasons of Faith and Doctrine, this stood for a very long time.

The EMHC ministry has been deemed acceptable by the Church, and we accept must it, whether we agree or not. This does not change the fact that it too is a sort of novelty. Again, it is a practice born out of what some felt “was a good idea”. Not a practice or ministry introduced or encouraged by Rome after careful consideration.

H.H. JPII on the matter…

Examine Handling of Body And Blood
It is from this admonition that the priest’s attitude in handling the bread and wine which have become the body and blood of the Redeemer should draw its inspiration. Thus, it is necessary for all of us who are ministers of the Eucharist to examine carefully our actions at the altar, in particular the way in which we handle that food and drink which are the body and blood of the Lord our God in our hands: the way in which we distribute Holy Communion; the way in which we perform the purification. All these actions have a meaning of their own. Naturally, scrupulosity must be avoided, but God preserve us from behaving in a way that lack respect, from undue hurry, from an impatience that causes scandal. Over and above our commitment to the evangelical mission, our greatest
commitment consists in exercising this mysterious power over the body of the Redeemer, and all that is within us should be decisively ordered to this. We should also always remember that to this ministerial power we have been sacramentally consecrated, that we have been chosen from among men “for the good of men.” We especially, the priests of the Latin Church, whose ordination rite added in the course of the centuries the custom of anointing the priest’s hands, should think about this.

Receiving in the Hand or on the Tongue
In some countries the practice of receiving Communion in the hand has been introduced. This practice has been requested by individual episcopal conferences and has received approval from the Apostolic See. However, cases of a deplorable lack of respect towards the eucharistic species have been reported, cases which are imputable not only to the individuals guilty of such behavior but also to the pastors of the church who have not been vigilant enough regarding the attitude of the faithful towards the Eucharist. It also happens, on occasion, that the free choice of those who prefer to continue the practice of receiving the Eucharist on the tongue is not taken into account in those places where the distribution of Communion in the hand has been authorized. It is therefore difficult in the context of this present letter not to mention the sad phenomena previously referred to. This is in no way meant to refer to those who, receiving the Lord Jesus in the hand, do so with profound reverence and devotion, in those countries where this practice has been authorized.
myfathershouse.com/pdf/Pope_John_Paul_II_and_the_Eucharist.pdf

To those who prefer to receive in the hand, I ask, what reasons can you give for the practice of using EMHC and receiving in the hand, other than the time saved ?

And is the time saved, along with any reasons you may add, of benefit to us or God ?