Why Communion in the Hand?

[almightyservant]

I receive on the hand because having somebody put something on my toungue is just plain weird to me. That said, I could care less what someone else does when it comes to receiving the eucharist. My own life is enough for me to worry about.

True, but if there’s a better way to do something that related to the true faith, I want to know about it. That’s why I ask.

 

[almightyservant]

I’ve read a few posts here mentioning that “it’s someone else’s business”.
I’m not judging what other people do. I have a wife who receives on the hand. I’ve never asked her to do differently. I have however been “forced” to receive on my hand once at a church I don’t normally go to.

Anyhow, I don’t know much of anything, and that’s why I seek answers. Please don’t accuse me of getting into someone else’s business or judging what other people do.

I haven’t had a chance to look at all the links some of you posted, but thanks. I’ll check them out soon. I will keep all of you in my prayers. Please don’t spill too much blood in the thread.

 

[almightyservant]

ByzCath:

Never said that it is my body receiving Jesus.

This comparison of receiving Communion in the Hand, something the Church allows for and is a discipline, with abortion, which the Church does not allow and is an immoral act, is plain ignorance and stupidity.

I must agree with Br. David’s point. As much as the thought came to my mind, truevaticanii, it really isn’t the same.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Maybe my opinion is just my opinion, but please bear with me. I really am wanting to know what is going on here.

Let me try to use an example of something else. The Church allows us to do the minimum of receiving the Eucharist only a certain amount of times in the year and confession in the year (I think I read this somewhere or maybe I just completely fabricated it in my head. I think I’m completely crazy sometimes.). I can’t remember the numbers off the top of my head. So isn’t that an example of something that is allowed? So people can choose to only receive Communion and sacrament of penance a few times a year. Does that make it right?

Yes it does make it right. At least for that person. Each person’s spiritual life is their spiritual life, not yours, not mine. It is up to them to decide how to live that spiritual life according to what the Church Teaches (and when I say Teaches I am including what the Church allows).

It is wrong to place any judgment upon anyone for the way they chose to live their spiritual life if it is within what the Church Teaches.

By the way, thanks for letting me know a little about about “your business”.

No problem but I hope this post clears up a bit what I mean about it not being “your business”.

 

[StMonica]

I currently attend a parish near Dallas where they make their own hosts. The recipe is water and wheat with a little bit of olive oil. Yes, I know that olive oil is not allowed but our parish does it anyway. The hosts are cut up into little squares by parishioners who volunteer to make the hosts in their home. A 6" host is made for the priest to hold up in the air. sometimes these hosts are round, sometimes, oval, and sometimes curled. The texture of the little square hosts are sometimes soft and sometimes hard as a cracker. The outcome all depends on the parishioner who bakes them. These homemade hosts drop particles like crazy. After every Mass there are particles all over the floor of the worship space. Yes, the priest knows about it and no he chooses to do nothing about it. He allows Jesus to be stepped on all through Communion and the rest of the Mass, then Jesus is swept up and thrown in the trash along with the rest of the dust that was all over the floor. For this reason I receive Jesus on my tongue so that I do not drop him on the floor. I have prayed prayers of reparation for this act that is done daily at our parish. We are now looking for another parish home. This would be a man-centered parish as the reason given for the homemade hosts is that they are made by human hands. Well the hosts are also desecrated by human feet.

 

[celticsfan1983]

True, but if there’s a better way to do something that related to the true faith, I want to know about it. That’s why I ask.

But there’s not. Which leads to my next question.

Why do you care at all about this??? A debate about receiving on the hand or the mouth has to be the dumbest thing you could debate.

What’s next, a debate on whether we should sit or stand through the entire Mass?

 

[almightyservant]

But there’s not. Which leads to my next question.

Why do you care at all about this??? A debate about receiving on the hand or the mouth has to be the dumbest thing you could debate.

What’s next, a debate on whether we should sit or stand through the entire Mass?

I had a question and I would like to know something. I’m not debating anything. Please be patient with me.

I care about this because like I said already. If there’s a better way for me to live my spiritual life that you or someone else knows, I want to know about it. Is it so bad that I want to become “perfect” as Jesus wants us to be.

 

[almightyservant]

Yes it does make it right. At least for that person. Each person’s spiritual life is their spiritual life, not yours, not mine. It is up to them to decide how to live that spiritual life according to what the Church Teaches (and when I say Teaches I am including what the Church allows).

So let’s say I commit mortal sin on a regular basis. I know it’s best that I should go at least weekly, but since it’s only required once or twice a year it’s fine that I do so? And fine, even though I would receive graces and build a proper relationship with God if I went often so that I may receive the Host each Sunday or more?

Note for everybody: Maybe I wasn’t clear in my OP. I stated a question in the OP of this thread to find some answers, & those answers are for myself. It is not to say this or that or think anything about anyone else.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

So let’s say I commit mortal sin on a regular basis. I know it’s best that I should go at least weekly, but since it’s only required once or twice a year it’s fine that I do so? And fine, even though I would receive graces and build a proper relationship with God if I went often so that I may receive the Host each Sunday or more?

I am confused by the post. The Church only requires reception of the Eucharist a small number of times a year, but it requires that one attend Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation. You do not have to receive the Eucharist at every Mass you attend.

Your reply here looks to me as if you are saying that you would only attend Mass when you can receive.

Again, it is a personal preference to this but this is not the same as how you receive. The Church has called for frequent, even daily, reception of the Eucharist. The Church has not stated how you should receive it. Just as the Church has not stated at what Mass, EF or OF, or even an Eucharistic Liturgy of a different Catholic Rite.

So this example of yours, is off, you are comparing apples to oranges.

But at least it is not as bad as comparing reception of the Eucharist in the Hand with abortion.

 

[truevaticanii]

Never said that it is my body receiving Jesus.

This comparison of receiving Communion in the Hand, something the Church allows for and is a discipline, with abortion, which the Church does not allow and is an immoral act, is plain ignorance and stupidity.

You have lost all credibility and I can see there is no use in discussing this with you any longer if you can not tell the difference.

I never said that Communion in the hand was immoral… I merely said that the way that the person phrased their reply on this forum sounded like a weak defense sort of like saying that “my body, my choice” would justify abortion… does “the Church let’s me so it does not matter if particles fall on the ground because I choose to do so” justify not doing all htat you can to prevent the particles from falling?.. that is an honest question.

Look, I love and am grateful for the Eucharist, the Catholic Church, many of the bishops (e.g., Chaput, Bruskewitz, etc.), many cardinals (e.g., Cardinals George, DiNardo, Rigali, etc.), etc. I am not trying to bash anyone or anything… I’ll I am concerned about it preventing particles from the host from falling to the ground… and unless someone can find a better way to prevent this while receiving in the hand than receiving on the tongue, I’m going to keep praying that receiving on he tongue is reversed back into the norm (God-willing–His will be done).

 

[truevaticanii]

I currently attend a parish near Dallas where they make their own hosts. The recipe is water and wheat with a little bit of olive oil. Yes, I know that olive oil is not allowed but our parish does it anyway. The hosts are cut up into little squares by parishioners who volunteer to make the hosts in their home. A 6" host is made for the priest to hold up in the air. sometimes these hosts are round, sometimes, oval, and sometimes curled. The texture of the little square hosts are sometimes soft and sometimes hard as a cracker. The outcome all depends on the parishioner who bakes them. These homemade hosts drop particles like crazy. After every Mass there are particles all over the floor of the worship space. Yes, the priest knows about it and no he chooses to do nothing about it. He allows Jesus to be stepped on all through Communion and the rest of the Mass, then Jesus is swept up and thrown in the trash along with the rest of the dust that was all over the floor. For this reason I receive Jesus on my tongue so that I do not drop him on the floor. I have prayed prayers of reparation for this act that is done daily at our parish. We are now looking for another parish home. This would be a man-centered parish as the reason given for the homemade hosts is that they are made by human hands. Well the hosts are also desecrated by human feet.

You should really report how these hosts are being made to the bishop… this is some serious stuff. Dominus vobiscum.

 

[truevaticanii]

"I think these questions are misplaced. Why not ask the bishops, who have the authority to stop this practice whenever they wish, this question? If people are so concerned with how others receive the Lord, why not go to the people that can stop what you are so against? Discouraging individuals to stop receiving on the hand is not going to solve the “problem.”"
-damooster

We should be contacting the bishops about this! But, here’s the thing, we need to do that while at the same time make sure that people are educated as to why these norms would be changed to that way… also, if the bishops refuse to change the norm, then we want to keep educating people about the reception of Holy Communion on the tongue to prevent the particles from the host from falling to the ground… then, perhaps they will listen, and then less particles will fall to the ground each day. But, you are correct, we should be writing the bishops… and no we shouldn’t scare them out of receiving on the hand, but we do need to inform them as to how COTT prevents Particles from the Host from falling to the ground… then, we can hope and pray that they might come to understand and take action (i.e., write their bishop, write the USCCB, receive on the tongue themselves, etc.).

 

[LilyM]

I currently attend a parish near Dallas where they make their own hosts. The recipe is water and wheat with a little bit of olive oil. Yes, I know that olive oil is not allowed but our parish does it anyway. The hosts are cut up into little squares by parishioners who volunteer to make the hosts in their home. A 6" host is made for the priest to hold up in the air. sometimes these hosts are round, sometimes, oval, and sometimes curled. The texture of the little square hosts are sometimes soft and sometimes hard as a cracker. The outcome all depends on the parishioner who bakes them. These homemade hosts drop particles like crazy. After every Mass there are particles all over the floor of the worship space. Yes, the priest knows about it and no he chooses to do nothing about it. He allows Jesus to be stepped on all through Communion and the rest of the Mass, then Jesus is swept up and thrown in the trash along with the rest of the dust that was all over the floor. For this reason I receive Jesus on my tongue so that I do not drop him on the floor. I have prayed prayers of reparation for this act that is done daily at our parish. We are now looking for another parish home. This would be a man-centered parish as the reason given for the homemade hosts is that they are made by human hands. Well the hosts are also desecrated by human feet.

Very important point - the addition of olive oil quite likely makes the sacrament not just illicit but completely invalid. Meaning it’s NOT the Eucharist, NOT the body and blood of Christ any more than a lasagna would be if the priest prayed the words of consecration over that. And it makes the Mass NOT a valid Mass in terms of fulfilling your Sunday obligation.

Tell the bishop pronto. And find another parish to attend that doesn’t use these hosts. Don’t worry - if you didn’t know about it being invalid vis a vis your Sunday obligation before you’ve committed no sin.