Paul W. Harkins ACW 31 (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1963). For example, although Communion in the hand is generally permitted at the Vatican, in recent years ministers administrating Communion at large at papal Masses have been enjoined to distribute Communion only on the tongue. The legitimacy of Communion in the hand is not in question. It may well be the case that the sudden change in practice after Vatican II decreased devotion towards the Eucharist and belief in the true presence, and it may well be the case that there were bad actors who in fact desired this result. The debate was interrupted by lunch. (or: Which Heresy Will You Give Up for Lent? 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Fr. And to demonstrate reverence and. Since practices vary from one church to another, we hope these guidelines help you feel more at home. [11] Council of Constantinople in Trullo, canon 101. Eucharistic sharing in exceptional circumstances by other Christians requires permission according to the directives of the diocesan bishop and the provisions of canon law (canon 844 4). Communion on the tongue remains the usual and common form of administering Holy Communion. In order to be properly disposed to . My country is not on this list but holy communion is the norm. Many pathogens are transmitted through the hands. To signify, seal, and apply to believers all the benefits of the new covenant. But back in the West, where most of us at PT are from, the Church is struggling. The faithful receive Communion kneeling or standing, as established by the episcopal conference. There are particles, and there are particles. The Truth About Communion in the Hand | The Fatima Center In light of some genuinely moving testimonies on the merits of reception in the hand, we cannot ignore that reverence for the Eucharist and belief in the Real Presence among Catholic laity has greatly declined since around the time in which this practice reenterred the Roman Rite after a millennium of absence. The faithful should consume the host before returning to their place; the ministers part will be brought out by use of the usual formulary, The body of Christ, to which the communicant replies: Amen. The option must not turn out to be the occasion for regarding it as ordinary bread or as just another religious article., I feel this is a underrated point in recent discussions on the reception of Holy Communion, both here on PT and elsewhere. We would also do well to teach, as the Fathers do, that reverence is not only about proper reception of the Eucharist, but also about living the kind of life to which the Eucharist commits us. The Holy See has made it abundantly clear that both manners of reception of Communion - on the tongue and in the hand - are permitted, that Communion should be received reverently, and that the manner of reception should not become an occasion of division in the church. Bolivia, October 15 1969 [23], The great and divine Apostle Paul with loud voice calls man created in the image of God, the body and temple of Christ. In the context of the reception of Communion, this means a cognizance of both Church history and contemporary cultural nuances. The recent survey asking Catholics about Holy Communion indicates that 70% DO NOT BELIEVE that Holy Communion is the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus. I dont think reception in the hand is destroying the Church like what some prominent leaders in the Church have implied, but this practice has still had wide ranging [and not entirely positive] ramifications in the Church over the last half century, far beyond the obvious choice of the individual communicant. For one who eats unworthily eats and drinks to his own condemnation (1 Cor 11:29). Confess it and move on. Ireland, 4 September 1976 So it is not just tiresome traditionalists who worry about particles. The sad fact that in recent years hosts consecrated by a Pope have been offered for sale on the Internet further motivates this precautionary measure. Some advocates of communion on the tongue, at least online, seem guilty of thinking that (however much more virtuous than I they probably are in their lives). Our bishops have argued that Communion in the hand is the proper way for the faithful to respond to our Lord's invitation: "All of you, take and eat this." What the bishops overlook is the fact . I beg to differ. Part I - Holy Communion: The Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus - USCCB This helps explain why this line of thought isnt gaining much traction except on the right fringe. They partake not of Him that is in them, they perceive Him not. Personally, I think that when a priest with the care of souls holds the view that Communion on the tongue is preferable to the alternative practice, then the best thing he can do is inform the faithful of the bishops permission. At the same time he has taken into account the reasons given to support your request and the outcome of the vote taken on this matter. How should this evidence be brought to bear on the modern conversation? A Journal of the McGrath Institute for Church Life, by Elizabeth Klein Even if we presume the authenticity of the text we still do not know how long the practice lasted, whether leavened or unleavened bread was used and whether the practice was exclusive to the Church of Jerusalem. It is always helpful to review instructions for receiving Communion. According to Roman Catholic discipline, the Code of Canon Law does not object to the reception of Communion by Christians of these Churches (canon 844 3). With your hand hollowed, receive the Body of Christ and answer 'Amen'. It is now August 2020 and I can say that you have been proven wrong. In the case of communion under both kinds by way of intinction, it is never permitted to place on the hand of the communicant the host that has been dipped in the Lords blood. Above all it is necessary to have the introduction of the rite preceded by an effective catechesis, so that the people will clearly understand the meaning of receiving in the hand and will practice it with the reverence owed to the sacrament. 5. Receiving Holy Communion | EWTN For tell me, if any one gave you grains of gold, would you not hold them with all carefulness, being on your guard against losing any of them, and suffering loss? Australia, 26 September 1975 Communion in the hand vs. Communion on the tongue | Crux Some scholars claim that this part of the Mystical Catechesis is not originally from St. Cyril but a later interpolation into the text. This action by Christ's body, the Church assembled for the Eucharist, is manifested and supported by the Communion Chant, a hymn in praise of Christ sung by the united voices of those who believe in him and share his life. Communion in the hand was officially permitted in the United States in 1977, following an indult that is, special permission given by the Congregation for Divine Sacraments in 1969. Whatever procedure is adopted, care must be taken not to allow particles of the Eucharistic bread to fall or be scattered. 13.3, trans. Consider that you not only receive this gift in your hand, but that you also bring it up to your mouth, and keep your tongue clean of all disgraceful and outrageous words, blasphemy, perjury and all other sins of this sort. On reverence for the Eucharist and belief in the Real Presence among Catholic laity has greatly declined I dont think this has ever been proven. [18] See Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 6.43.18. This is precisely why there are occasions when pastoral prudence can lead to suspend the permission. Jesus wants to use our hands, which have now become His hands, to help those in need. In such cases, episcopal conferences should examine matters carefully and should make whatever decisions, by a secret vote and with a two-thirds majority, are needed to regulate matters. . If Communion is given only under the species of bread, the Priest raises the host slightly and shows it to each, saying, The Body of Christ. Care must also be taken that the communicants have clean hands and that their comportment is becoming and in keeping with the practices of the different peoples. Back issue of Notitiae are accessible via the new website of the Congregation for Divine Worship at: http://www.cultodivino.va/content/cultodivino/it/rivista-notitiae/indici-annate.html. From the point of view of liturgical law, the relevant documents are the following. Nowhere in this article did I see what the CHURCH says about Holy Communion, only the writers opinion. Communion received on the tongue and while kneeling. At Christ's invitation, extended by the priest acting in Christ's person: "Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb," the members of the community move forward to share in the sacred meal, to receive the Body and Blood of Christ which is the sign and the source of their unity. I think proponents of tongue/kneeling will get a better hearing if they uphold all aspects of Communion. What a Priest Might Do If He Wants to Avoid It. When one receives from the chalice, the same proclamation is made by the person distributing Communion and the Communicant again responds, "Amen." Im skeptical of the claim that collecting absentee ballots for bishops conference votes is unlawful. St. Pandemic will affect Communion rituals for U.S. Christians From a hygienic point of view, the hand carries a huge amount of bacteria. How to Take Communion in the Catholic Church: 10 Steps - wikiHow There is also evidence that this was a contested subject (i.e., about what sins prevent someone from receiving), as it would continue to be throughout the history of the Church. Will you not then much more carefully keep watch, that not a crumb fall from youSt. Jamaica, 12 March 1970 I make no judgment about who is guilty of this- I dont know most of the people by far and am in no position to judge. In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. Who holds the wind in the palm of his hand? W.R., Goa, India. Fast forward to 2004, when The Congregation for Divine Worship in its new Instruction named Redemptionis Sacramentum, stated: "Although each of the faithful always has the right to receive Holy Communion on the tongue, at his choice, if any communicant should wish to receive the Sacrament in the hand the sacred host is to be administered . divine life. 4. The condition is the complete avoidance of any cause for the faithful to be shocked and any danger of irreverence toward the Eucharist. In this way, the practice of Communion in the hand is different from other liturgical elements restored after centuries of disuse, such as the prayer of the faithful and the exchange of peace. The Netherlands, 18 September 1969 The Pope grants that throughout the territory of your conference, each bishop may, according to his prudent judgment and conscience, authorize in his diocese the introduction of the new rite for giving communion. That said, there are dimensions to this discussion that I think are both valuable and havent been given much screen time overall. [16] Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, 4.24. All our lives we who believe in Christ are moving in time toward that moment when we will be taken by death from this world and enter into the joy of the Lord in the eternal Kingdom he has prepared for us. United States, 17 June 1977 Of note for the modern debate, both John Chrysostom and the Council of Constantinople in Trullo argue that human beings, made in the image of God and capable of communing with him, are more worthy to touch the Eucharist than vessels of gold and silver. With regard to the first precept, Origen of Alexandria cautions, You who are accustomed to take part in divine mysteries know, when you receive the body of the Lord, how you protect it with all caution and veneration lest any small part fall from it, lest anything of the consecrated gift be lost. However, it was a brief exchange with ones immediate neighbors and at a time when men and women occupied separate aisles in the church. After receiving Communion our bodies become holy chalices. The Proper Way to Receive Holy Communion - Shrub Oak, NY So Indian Bishop conference have not got any Indult for communion in hand? 2. In 1980 St. John Paul II wrote in the apostolic letterDominicae Cenae: In some countries, the practice of receiving Communion in the hand has been introduced. 6, trans. At the same time he has taken into account the reasons given to support your request and the outcome of the vote taken on this matter.