The faithful receive Communion kneeling or standing, as established by the episcopal conference. Scotland, 7 July 1977 In an even more elevated tone, Ephrem the Syrian, in a stunning passage, invites the Christian communicant to feel awe at what is placed in his or her hand, since even the Seraph did not take the divine coal with his hand, nor did the prophet Isaiah eat it (see: Isa 6:6). And having hollowed your palm, receive the Body of Christ, saying over it, Amen. The problem of lack of reverence stems not from the manner of receiving Communion but from the lack of faith, awe, and gratitude before this great mystery. Fire and Spirit, contrary to nature 3. I did an internet search about the history of communion in the hand in the U.S. and the only thing I found was an article by the NLM. A. Communion in the hand is legitimate only where permitted, and it remains in the realm of a permission. Ruff, I think we both agree that internal reverence is the most important aspect of this discussion (and therefore the ways each manner serves that) and I know many reverent people who do both. 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. For this reason, since the question of Communion in the hand is not a question of faith as such, and it has been approved by the legitimate authority, I do not believe that a priest can invoke conscience as a motive for refusing to apply a legitimate law. 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. 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.. Therefore, it is not licit to deny Holy Communion to any of Christ's faithful solely on the grounds, for example, that the person wishes to receive the Eucharist kneeling or standing" (Redemptionis Sacramentum, no. 4. Communion on the Tongue Is an Apostolic Tradition Papua and New Guinea, 28 April 1976 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. 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. If Communion is received in the hand, the hands should first of all be clean. This blog is not associated with Pray Tell: An open forum on faith in South Texas. It is not clear as to how widespread it was or if it was a regular practice. As a scholar of the early Church, I was surprised to learn that the practice of communion in the hand is such a hotly debated topic; it came to my attention during the early days of the pandemic, when many dioceses required communicants to receive in this way. I suspect that Christ can cope with particles that get dropped but the care we show, or the lack of care, is what counts. As soon as the communicant receives the host, he or she consumes the whole of it. Is it okay to recieve Communion in the hand? - Catholic Online Maybe this is due to its similarity to practices in most Protestant churches, many of which (Anglicans and Lutherans notwithstanding) fundamentally dont believe in a sacramental Communion substance. Canada, 12 February 1970 To be a pledge of everlasting life. His blood now flows through our veins. FYI, the announcement that approval for Communion in the Hand was given (in 1969) to Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, and Chad appeared in Notitiae in v. 6 (1969), no. The guidelines, which are to be included in missalettes and other participation aids published in the United States, seek to remind all those who may attend Catholic liturgies of the present discipline of the Church with regard to the sharing of Eucharistic Communion. England and Wales, 6 March 1976 Since Christ is really, substantially, sacramentally present but not physically, being OC over crumbs is not devotion. 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. Think of what you receive in your hand and keep it clean of all greed and theft. [22] Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on Faith 10, trans. 284-287 is to be followed.. It is therefore difficult in the context of this present letter not to mention the sad phenomena previously referred to. 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. Communion should not be received on the run, as you're walking back to your place; it should be consumed before you leave the area below the altar. 7. http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2014/03/truth-about-communion-in-hand-while.html#.Wpa2wdIUnGg. Holt Orders cannot sustain the Church, no matter how much traditionalists preach priests are of the utmost importance. Debunking the myth that today's Communion in the hand - LifeSite If you are the body and members of Christ, then it is your sacrament that is placed on the table of the Lord; it is your sacrament that you receive. With your hand hollowed, receive the Body of Christ and answer Amen. Cardinals Thorne (Peru) and Caffarra (Bologna) have banned Communion in the hand, citing reasons of abuse and disrespect. Hard to believe that Catechesis has never been better if that fundamental is misunderstood. 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. 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. Henry Percival and ed. The Council of Saragossa, 380, excommunicated anyone who dared continue to receive Holy Communion in the hand. The usage of communion in the hand must be accompanied by relevant instruction or catechesis on Catholic teaching regarding Christs real and permanent presence under the eucharistic elements and the proper reverence toward this sacrament. Can you direct me to where you obtained this list? Ireland, 4 September 1976 Per The Baltimore Catechism: It is bad if it makes us prideful/judgmental and distracts from more important things. In order to be properly disposed to . So then after having carefully hallowed your eyes by the touch of the Holy Body, partake of it; giving heed lest you lose any portion thereof; for whatever you lose, is evidently a loss to you as it were from one of your own members. Your email address will not be published. Your fire, O, Our Lord we have eaten in your offering Devotion and reverence toward the Eucharist in the case of communion in the hand. Do we have faith in the efficacy of the sacraments or not? But "the sign of communion is more complete when given under both kinds, since in that form the sign of the Eucharistic meal appears more clearly." This is the usual form of receiving communion in the Eastern rites. Q. 95% of parishes shrinking, seminaries empty, young people disengaged: it will happen in Africa and Asia too when the culture of the secular West overwhelms the Third World. Cdl. McElroy doubles down on heresy, pushes Communion for 'sexually Interestingly, during the Middle Ages, the reception of Holy Communion was restricted to "on the tongue" because of abuses. While we have the option of receiving holy Communion either on the tongue or on the hand, we must always be mindful of receiving our Lord respectfully. 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. The traditional and preferred method is the reception of the Host on the tongue: Step forward and kneel at the Communion rail or station (if you stand, make a sign of reverencesuch as a bow or genuflection or Sign of the Crossbefore receiving the Host and take care not to disrupt the Communion line). Ever since the InstructionMemoriale Dominithree years ago, some of the conferences of bishops have been requesting the Apostolic See for the faculty to allow ministers distributing communion to place the eucharistic bread in the hand of the faithful. Therefore I stand by what I wrote in the original: In this context I think it is fair to say that the present practice of Communion in the hand is not a simple restoration of a historical custom but rather introduced a new practice in new circumstances which, while it has some historical justification, is essentially motivated by current pastoral concerns in some parts of the world.. I honestly get sick of it too. Churches are closing, priests are dying off, masses young people are dropping their faith, and the Church is slowly slipping into obscurity in its own homeland. 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. I have come to realize in the last few weeks how many of my Roman Rite brethren are actually understanding the Eucharist in a heretical way. There is a twofold purpose here: that none will find in the new rite anything disturbing to personal devotion toward the Eucharist; that this sacrament, the source and cause of unity by its very nature, will not become an occasion of discord between members of the faithful. To signify, seal, and apply to believers all the benefits of the new covenant. Early Christian Communion in the Hand | Church Life Journal The cultural backing. Particularly in regard to this way of receiving communion, experience suggests certain matters requiring careful attention. Those who receive Communion may receive either in the hand or on the tongue, and the decision should be that of the individual receiving, not of the person distributing Communion. 21. How should this evidence be brought to bear on the modern conversation? Then he saw that it was futile. The Truth About Communion in the Hand | The Fatima Center Many pathogens are transmitted through the hands. Pope Benedict was asked why he chose to distribute Communion only to those kneeling and on the tongue and he responded, because it highlights "the truth of the real presence [of Christ] in the Eucharist, helps the devotion . Many of us would treat your claims skeptically as unsupported rumor and gossip. [] It is not permitted for the faithful to take the consecrated Bread or the sacred chalice by themselves and, still less, to hand them on from one to another among themselves. What's at Stake in the Debates Swirling Around Eucharistic Coherence. It is a matter of particular seriousness that in places where the new practice is lawfully permitted every one of the faithful has the option of receiving communion on the tongue and even when other persons are receiving communion in the hand. What is the proper way of receiving Communion in the hand? St. Cyril of Jerusalem in 348 gave this instruction to his congregation:When you approach Holy Communion, make the left hand into a throne for the right, which will receive the King. 5. My sense is that if theres something demonic in all this it is the Galatians moment in which many Catholics find themselves, especially those on the traditional side. Guidelines for Receiving Holy Communion - Catholic News Agency The symptoms are myriadI certainly would assent to much of what you cite. [T]hose who restrict communicants to receive Holy Communion only in the hands are acting against the norms, as are those who refuse to Christ's faithful [the right] to receive Communion in the hand in dioceses that enjoy this indult. 2. Australia, 26 September 1975 So when received unworthily, it is not only useless, but it is harmful to oneself (a lifestyle of sin continues), our neighbors (increase of violence, arson, looting, murders), and society in general (take a look at the condition of our country), and is extremely offensive to God (hence the wide-spread suffering). [1] This RCIA Process is the way in which you are prepared to be formally received by the Church; this is necessary before you can take Communion. After stipulating the historical practice of Communion in the hand, Memoriale Domini: defends the development of discipline that led to Communion on the tongue Others claim that in the context of the discourse St. Cyril was referring to the clergy and not to the faithful. Indonesia, 27 March 1971 This norm is supported by an Instruction by the Holy See regarding the Eucharist: "In distributing Holy Communion it is to be remembered that 'sacred ministers may not deny the sacraments to those who seek them in a reasonable manner, are rightly disposed, and are not prohibited by law from receiving them'(Code of Canon Law, can. In the context of the reception of Communion, this means a cognizance of both Church history and contemporary cultural nuances. For example, Augustine writes, Someone might say that the Eucharist should not be received daily. On November 14, 1996, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops approved the following guidelines on the reception of Communion. 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. It is clear that this mode of reception was considered reverent and was to be carried out in a reverent manner. 6. I guess my point is that regardless of our internal reverence (or lack thereof), the way we verbally and literally communicate our faith to others, especially our children, is still very important. 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? This is precisely why there are occasions when pastoral prudence can lead to suspend the permission. If one is right handed the left hand should rest upon the right. [13] In the far-flung regions of the empireGaul (modern-day France and Spain) we have the witness of Caesarius of Arles[14] and the council of Auxerre,[15] and in England, we have the Venerable Bede. So it is not just tiresome traditionalists who worry about particles. II], Communion in the hand is allowed in the United States by decision of the American Bishops. Instead, this option must increase in them a consciousness of the dignity of the members of Christs Mystical Body, into which they are incorporated by baptism and by the grace of the Eucharist. All of us should receive with great reverence and respect. O Solomon, the thing which the Lord of your father They are also to be instructed not to omit after communion the sincere and appropriate thanksgiving that is in keeping with their individual capacities, state, and occupation. [2] 2 Accept Communion in a state of grace. 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. Councils establish principles (and rarely go into specific points) and then leave it to a commission to carry out the detailed work after the Council. I wholeheartedly agree with your comment on another thread that this ongoing discussion is frivolous and is only causing needless division. For one who eats unworthily eats and drinks to his own condemnation (1 Cor 11:29).