Why the Hands of the Communicant Should Not Extend Past the Communion Rail

[TrueLight]

I am told that in the traditional Latin mass, when receiving communion on the tongue, our hands should not extend past the communion rail. If there is linen on the altar rail, the hands should remain low, beneath the linen. If there is no linen, one hands should not extend over the rails while folded in prayer for example.

Does anyone have a good explanation or links that explain this? Also, does anyone who was around when the TLM was the norm remember being instructed to keep their hands beneath the rails?

Thanks.

 

[SonCatcher]

I’ve never heard this before. The only reason I could guess is to prevent accidental intrusion into the Sanctuary.

 

[corsair]

It is my understanding that, by keeping the hands under the rail linen and/or under the rail top, you are reducing the chance of getting small particles of the Host on your hands. I don’t think it is a matter of your hands extending “into the Sanctuary”.

This idea has been reinforced by some comments made at our FSSP parish and on the few recent ocassions that I have attended the SSPX chapel in Portland, Oregon.

At our Diocesan TLM here near Toledo, WA we use an Altar rail linen and instruct the folks to place their hands under the cloth when recieving communion.

 

[TrueLight]

I’ve never heard this before. The only reason I could guess is to prevent accidental intrusion into the Sanctuary.

I have heard something like this.

It is my understanding that, by keeping the hands under the rail linen and/or under the rail top, you are reducing the chance of getting small particles of the Host on your hands. I don’t think it is a matter of your hands extending “into the Sanctuary”.

I have not heard that one. Interesting.

But the paten is already under my mouth?

 

[Lancer]

The linen on the Communion rail is their to catch (like the linen corporal on the altar) any sacred particles of the Lord’s Body–Sacred Host that may drop off the Host or from the Priest’s fingers…the communion rail linen is carefully handled after mass the same as the corporal linen used by the priest on the altar.

If there is no altar boy with a communion paten (with handle and not the consecrated paten used by the priest for the Sacred Host on the altar)…we would put our hands under the linen cloth and as the priest came to give you Holy Communion…you lift the linen up under you chin just in case the Sacred Host falls out/off tongue…so the linen is both like a corporal and a paten.

Most of time there is an altar boy assisting the priest with a large paten with a handle…he places the paten under the chin as Holy Communion is received…the hands of the communicate must stay off the rail…below is preferred…to not interfere with the placement of the paten under the chin…and if (most importantly) the Sacred Host is not stable on the tongue and/or falls off…the hands of the communicant are not to try to catch the host or reset it on the tongue. A quick reflex action by the communicant to try to catch the host/reset it…would very likely hit the paten and could easily hit the priest hand with the ciborium…could be a major incident.

Lastly…sometimes a priest alone or an altar boy with a paten…with no handle attached just gives the paten to the first communicant to hold under his/her chin…the he/she hands it to the communicant next on the communion rail (always moving from epistle side of altar to gospel side…your right to your left as you face the altar. Last in line hands it back to priest or altar boy…they carry it back to the beginning of the next group of communicants…starting on the epistle side.

Hope this is clear and helpful.
Pax Christi

 

[corsair]

Yes, the paten is there BUT, this further reduces the possibilty of small particles being dropped upon our hands.

I can’t find a link to the study that was done using an unconsecrated host with a background of black cloth. It showed that no matter how carefully the host was handled, there were small particles dropped. It may have been on Fr. Z’s blog. I just don’t remember where I saw it.

 

[dans0622]

I highly doubt there are any official regulations on this matter. My thinking is that keeping one’s hands off the rail or under the cloth prevent those hands from getting in the way of the priest/server as they walk by and distribute Communion. It’s just a practical matter.

Another idea is that the presence of the cloth is for the sake of catching a Host if it should fall and not be caught by the paten and, maybe, if there is no cloth the presence of arms and hands would make it more likely that the Host would end up on the floor after oddly/unpredictably bouncing off those hands/arms.

I don’t think there is anything worse about particles ending up on the hands of communicants as opposed to on the floor or on the rail. So, I would disagree with that explanation.

Just my opinions.
Dan

 

[OraLabora]

Is communion with God in the scrupulous adherence to obscure and detailed rules?

I don’t mean to be rude but these sorts of questions tend to grate on me. Which I guess makes it my problem… but I can’t say strict adherence to minor rules ever made me feel closer to God.

 

[Joe_5859]

Maybe the priest just doesn’t want to bump into everyone’s hands as he distributes Communion.

 

[Neofight]

I don’t think there is anything worse about particles ending up on the hands of communicants as opposed to on the floor or on the rail. So, I would disagree with that explanation.

Just my opinions.
Dan

I agree. Sometimes I think we tend to want to be ritualistic to the extreme, and when we do, we make the yoke of the Lord he made light, heavy…almost a modern day version of Pharisee mindset.

 

[Neofight]

Is communion with God in the scrupulous adherence to obscure and detailed rules?

I don’t mean to be rude but these sorts of questions tend to grate on me. Which I guess makes it my problem… but I can’t say strict adherence to minor rules ever made me feel closer to God.

Agreed. We make loving the Lord just too mind boogling…When Christ instituted the Eucharist, I don’t recall reading him saying, “And take this rule book all of you…”

 

[TrueLight]

Is communion with God in the scrupulous adherence to obscure and detailed rules?

I don’t mean to be rude but these sorts of questions tend to grate on me. Which I guess makes it my problem… but I can’t say strict adherence to minor rules ever made me feel closer to God.

My friend, I’m afraid you are being rude, and actually a bit disrespectful by labeling the question as scrupulosity. This is actually something that is practiced at a lot of traditional parishes, so are traditional parishes scrupulous? This is not a “is this a sin” question. Nor am I stating that it should be applied to any other form.

I am asking those who attend the Traditional Latin Mass, or those who study the TLM about practices and traditions/rubrics specific to that Mass. I also want to know if this is practiced widely in parishes that celebrate the TLM.

I’m not asking whether one thinks those rules or recommendations should exist or not.

Agreed. We make loving the Lord just too mind boogling…When Christ instituted the Eucharist, I don’t recall reading him saying, “And take this rule book all of you…”

Please see above.

 

[MissRose73]

I did not know some of those things mentioned. I usually have kept my hands below the rail when receiving in the TLM but now will always keep them there. I’ve always received from a priest with an altar server placing the paten he extends and places under my chin.

 

[catharina]

I am told that in the traditional Latin mass, when receiving communion on the tongue, our hands should not extend past the communion rail. If there is linen on the altar rail, the hands should remain low, beneath the linen. If there is no linen, one hands should not extend over the rails while folded in prayer for example.

Does anyone have a good explanation or links that explain this? Also, does anyone who was around when the TLM was the norm remember being instructed to keep their hands beneath the rails?

Thanks.

I’ve never heard of it. I’ve been Catholic for 66 yrs.
The Latin Mass was the only available Mass until my adulthood,
yet even back then, some folks invented ‘rules’ that had no basis in fact.

 

[TrueLight]

I’ve never heard of it. I’ve been Catholic for 66 yrs.
The Latin Mass was the only available Mass until my adulthood,
yet even back then, some folks invented ‘rules’ that had no basis in fact.

I suppose it might be newer or just something that is done. I would love to know if there is anything written that says this.

 

[Neofight]

My friend, I’m afraid you are being rude, and actually a bit disrespectful by labeling the question as scrupulosity. This is actually something that is practiced at a lot of traditional parishes, so are traditional parishes scrupulous? This is not a “is this a sin” question. Nor am I stating that it should be applied to any other form.

I am asking those who attend the Traditional Latin Mass, or those who study the TLM about practices and traditions/rubrics specific to that Mass. I also want to know if this is practiced widely in parishes that celebrate the TLM.

I’m not asking whether one thinks those rules or recommendations should exist or not.

Please see above.

Wow!

First let me apologize if I offended you. I made no contention that the practice was sinful, I merely opined I thought it was a non-issue…so your claim of scrupulosity is an non-sequitor.

And, for that, because it did bother me (and I’m probably being as thin skinned as you were), I forgive you.

I do so for two reasons:

1. the Lord teaches us that we cannot expect divine forgiveness if we do not forgive others,
2. he also mandates that things besettled between brothers before approaching the alter.

So, I both humbly apologize and forgive you ; and for the sake of your soul, hope you can do the same.

Pax

 

[OraLabora]

This is actually something that is practiced at a lot of traditional parishes, so are traditional parishes scrupulous?

Yes, if they believe this to be necessary.

 

[TimothyH]

I suppose it might be newer or just something that is done. I would love to know if there is anything written that says this.

I’ll bet it has something to do cantankerous old sacristans who got fed up with having to wash stained linens. You should hear them at my parish when the priest spills some wine on the altar.

We have the most gentle priest from India, and our 83 year old sacristan said to him, “You need to be more careful Father. You know its difficult to get that wine out of the altar cloths.” He gave her a hug and said in that Indian accent, “I will tell the Pope when I see him” and walked away with a big smile.

I’m willing to bet that the oils from people’s hands make the linens all dingy and dirty, and so the sacristans took it upon themselves to institute a new Church tradition… er… I mean discipline.

-Tim-

 

[dans0622]

…I am asking those who attend the Traditional Latin Mass, or those who study the TLM about practices and traditions/rubrics specific to that Mass. I also want to know if this is practiced widely in parishes that celebrate the TLM. …

Hello,

I’ve only been to four different churches with the Extraordinary form and only one of those had a cloth over the rail, which I like (an FSSP parish). The others did not have the cloth and I never heard any directive from anyone as to what we are expected to do with our hands. These are not FSSP parishes. I always keep my hands under the rail but I haven’t noticed what other people do. My “study” of the rubrics is limited to the 1962 Roman Missal. In it, there is nothing about this issue (as far as I know/remember).

As far as scrupulosity/devotion to the rule book goes, I’m all for trying to understand the rationale behind our practices and following those practices. Legalism/scrupulosity does not apply to your good question.

Dan

 

[catharina]

I’ll bet it has something to do cantankerous old sacristans who got fed up with having to wash stained linens. You should hear them at my parish when the priest spills some wine on the altar.

We have the most gentle priest from India, and our 83 year old sacristan said to him, “You need to be more careful Father. You know its difficult to get that wine out of the altar cloths.” He gave her a hug and said in that Indian accent, “I will tell the Pope when I see him” and walked away with a big smile.

I’m willing to bet that the oils from people’s hands make the linens all dingy and dirty, and so the sacristans took it upon themselves to institute a new Church tradition… er… I mean discipline.

-Tim-

What a LOVELY priest!