[23], The great and divine Apostle Paul with loud voice calls man created in the image of God, the body and temple of Christ. 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. When the priest gives it he says: The body of Christ. He teaches you by this word not to look at that which is visible, but to picture in your mind the nature of this oblation, which, by the coming of the Holy Spirit, is the body of Christ. Their attitude of reverence must measure up to what they are doing. If Communion is received in the hand, the hands should first of all be clean. If Communion is received in the hand, the hands should first of all be clean. 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. (I dont direct this at you, I mean it to everyone on all sides.). The Netherlands, 18 September 1969 It is adoration of Christ, meal of fellowship, union with other communicants (hence the Church wants us to sing during reception), sharing in Christs self-sacrifice, mystical union with angels & saints, sharing even now in the heavenly banquet, having the life of the Risen Christ in oneself, a call to charity and works of justice and making real on earth the peace foreshadowed in Communion, etc. We should weigh very well the matters in which we appeal to conscience. Wherefore, if any one wishes to be a participator of the immaculate Body in the time of the Synaxis, and to offer himself for the communion, let him draw near, arranging his hands in the form of a cross, and so let him receive the communion of grace. As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. Yet even here, the experts sometimes forgot the unrepeatable reality of original circumstances so that restoration is never quite the same. The custom of placing the Sacred Particle in the mouth, rather than in the hand of the communicant, dates in Rome from the sixth, and in Gaul from the ninth century (Van der Stappen, IV, 227; cf. 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. Eccl., VII, ix). The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. [16] Liturgical evidence from Rome is always sparser than one would like, but Eusebius preserves a mention of communion in the hand in a letter written from Dionysius of Alexandria to Sixtus I, bishop of Rome,[17] and in a letter of Cornelius, bishop of Rome. Featured Image: Rossano Gospels, Last Supper, 6th c.; Source: Wikimedia Commons, PD-Old-100. He can freely share with the faithful his reasons for preferring to adhere to the traditional practice and encourage the faithful to continue doing so. Catholics use birth control, get divorced and fornicate at the same rate as society in general, with the sin of using birth control rarely confessed. After stipulating the historical practice of Communion in the hand, Memoriale Domini: defends the development of discipline that led to Communion on the tongue Father, as to the limitation on what regions might request this indult, Memoriale Domini stipulated that Where a contrary usage, that of placing holy communion on the hand, prevails, the Holy See [] lays on those conferences the task of weighing carefully whatever special circumstances may exist there []. 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. [2] 2 Accept Communion in a state of grace. 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. [5] In Jerusalem, we have the mystagogical catecheses of Cyril of Jerusalem (or perhaps of his successor, John). France, 6 June 1969 So Indian Bishop conference have not got any Indult for communion in hand? United States, 17 June 1977 It is also difficult to ensure that the person who receives Communion effectively consumes the host. St. Look how military inspectors demand very high standards of care when inspecting barracks for cleanliness. 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. 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.. The Council was a start, but we have allowed ourselves to get sidetracked in silly and divisive banter. 96). Jesus wants to use our hands, which have now become His hands, to help those in need. 7. 3. (Original Latin text here, see pp. 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. However, he should not refuse to administer Communion to those faithful desirous of availing themselves of a legitimate authorization. Pope Paul Vl calls attention to the purpose of the InstructionMemoriale Dominiof 29 May 1969, on retaining the traditional practice in use. The option offered to the faithful of receiving the Eucharistic bread in their hand and putting it into their own mouth must not turn out to be the occasion for regarding it as ordinary bread or as just another religious article. [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. But we doyes, verily. The author claims that Communion in the hand could only be authorized in countries where it was an established practice but doesnt give a citation. [16] Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, 4.24. 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. [15] See the council of Auxerre, canon 36 (it directs women not to receive on their bare hands, but with their hand covered by a cloth). SACRED CONGREGATION FOR THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SACRAMENTS, InstructionImmensae caritatis, on facilitating reception of Communion in certain circumstances, 29 January 1973: AAS 65 (1973) 264-271; Not 9 (1973) 157-164. For example, there is ample evidence that the exchange of peace between the people was practiced well into the Middle Ages in several European countries. Your email address will not be published. It is always helpful to review instructions for receiving Communion. When one receives from the chalice, the same proclamation is made by the person distributing Communion and the Communicant again responds, "Amen." Whatever procedure is adopted, care must be taken not to allow particles of the eucharistic bread to fall or be scattered. 51 (Feb), pg 62). As soon as the communicant receives the host, he or she consumes the whole of it. Sacrilege is at an all-time high, yet use of the Sacrament of Confession is at an all-time low. 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. It must also increase their faith in the sublime reality of the Lords body and blood, which they touch with their hand. In order to be properly disposed to . I happen to accept the role of darkness within the Church, but it strikes me as being perpetrated all too often by those who style themselves the most faithful or loyal to God. However, since it is a permission, it does not generate an absolute right, and the pastors can rescind the permission, either generally or in particular circumstances if objective motives exist for doing so. 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. If one is receiving in the hand the following is normative: upon approaching the minister of the Host extend the hands in the middle of the chest. When the communion is distributed under both kinds, it is never permitted to place in the hands of the communicants hosts which have first been placed in the Blood of the Lord. A perception such as this is a dreadfully inaccurate and impoverished understanding of what is a significant religious action. 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. [18] See Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 6.43.18. This is the reason why you say after him: Amen.[21]. Todd, yes, the Church as a whole is growing thanks to the great efforts of missionaries in Africa and Asia (many are now coming back here), and yes, more people are receiving the Sacraments now than ever. vehementer hortatur retention of current practice while invoking the common good of the Church. There is so much to Communion. The person distributing Communion says audibly to each person approaching, "The Body of Christ." Particularly in regard to this way of receiving communion, experience suggests certain matters requiring careful attention. Rather maddeningly, it is the Anglicans who in the West have retained the practice as described by St. Cyril, while contemporary Latin-rite Catholics tend to consume the Host as if it were a potato chip., From the historical point of view, we can say that there is strong evidence that the practice existed in early centuries in some areas of the Church. ), Pray Tell: An open forum on faith in South Texas. 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. A. Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist: First, Cyril: Coming up to receive, therefore, do not approach with your wrists extended or your fingers splayed, but making your left hand a throne for the right (for it is about to receive a King) and cupping your palm, so receive the Body of Christ; and answer: Amen.[20], To receive the Sacrament which is given, a person stretches out his right hand, and under it he places the left 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. The US might have been little-touched by the scorched earth of world war, and perhaps our feel-good stance astride the planet delayed the decay somewhat. To signify, seal, and apply to believers all the benefits of the new covenant. The new manner of giving communion must not be imposed in a way that would exclude the traditional practice. It is bad if it makes us prideful/judgmental and distracts from more important things. Some may choose to receive the Lord on the tongue while others choose to receive in the hand. We owe the Lord as much attention to detail. 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. Alphonse Mingana (Gorgias Press: Piscataway, NJ, 2009 [1933]). Hence any baptized Catholic who is not prevented by law must be admitted to Holy Communion. I suspect that Christ can cope with particles that get dropped but the care we show, or the lack of care, is what counts. Liturgical Press | School of Theology Seminary | Saint John's Abbey | Comments Policy | Contact Us 160-161; English translation here) Communion in the hand is allowed in the United States by decision of the American Bishops. 48 (Sept/Oct), pg 361. When we receive Communion, we become members of Christ's Body, the Church. 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. The faithful must be taught that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior and that therefore the worship of latria or adoration belonging to God is owed to Christ present in this sacrament. 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. 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. Communion in the hand is no more hygienic than Communion in the mouth. I am just wondering what the reason or reasons were for allowing reception of Communion in the hand to begin with? From this brief historical survey, however, we know that this need not be the case, and we can look to the Fathers for a pious example as we seek to foster reverence towards the Eucharist in the liturgy today. As further documentation,Pray Tell provides this excerpt from the 2002General Instruction of the Roman Missal in Latin and English on the reception of Communion. Please remember that there is no "right" way to receive. The faithful must be taught that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior and that therefore the worship of latria or adoration belonging to God is owed to Christ present in this sacrament. It is advisable, therefore, that the rite be introduced gradually and in the beginning within small, better-prepared groups and in favorable settings. 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. If we follow the example of the Fathers, we will prioritize practices that prevent the dropping of the Eucharist and catechizing communicants not to receive in a state of mortal sin. What some call discipleship, others evangelizationnew or whatever, or some speak of discernment and application of spiritual gifts. [25] Origen of Alexandria, homily in Ex. For pastoral reasons this manner of receiving communion has been legitimately established as the most common form in the Latin rite. On the part of both the minister and the recipient, whenever the host is placed in the hand of a communicant there must be careful concern and caution, especially about particles that might fall from the hosts. These need to be taken seriously if one wants to effectively engage in these discussions with the likes of Cardinal Sarah and others. 4. Zambia, 11 March 1974 When permitted, the choice as to the form of reception falls upon the communicant and not upon the priest. Fire came down and consumed the sacrifices of Elijah But as time passed it became the practice to receive Communion directly on the tongue in order to assure that the Host was received reverently. Do we have faith in the efficacy of the sacraments or not? October 13, 2022. The people administering the sacrament are asked to use hand sanitizer immediately before. The condition is the complete avoidance of any cause for the faithful to be shocked and any danger of irreverence toward the Eucharist. 896. [22] Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on Faith 10, trans. Finally, to the end that their coming to this heavenly table may be completely worthy and fruitful, the faithful should be instructed on its benefits and effects, for both the individual and society, so that their familial relationship to the Father who gives us our daily bread, may reflect the highest reverence for him, nurture love, and lead to a living bond with Christ, in whose flesh and blood we share. 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. Part 4. Their attitude of reverence must measure up to what they are doing. This is the quote that is always used: " make your left hand a throne for the right, as for that which is to receive a King. Bishops allowing introduction of the new way of receiving communion are requested to send to this Congregation after six months a report on the result of its concession.. 1996, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. To be honest, I dont really belong to either camp on this, and like you, I think the polarization on this issue is doing more harm than good. I do make the point that reverence, while important, is not the only or most important aspect of Communion. We pray that these will lessen and finally disappear, in keeping with Christ's prayer for us "that they may all be one" (Jn 17:21). The congregation returned to this issue in the instructionImmensae Caritatis,January 29, 1973: AAS 65 (1973) 264-271; Notitiae 9 (1973) 157-164: Part 4. The rite of communion in the hand must not be put into practice indiscriminately. (or: Which Heresy Will You Give Up for Lent? In the United States, the body of Bishops has determined that "[t]he norm is that Holy Communion is to be received standing, unless an individual member of the faithful wishes to receive Communion while kneeling"and that a bow is the act of reverence made by those receiving (no. 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. Hard to believe that Catechesis has never been better if that fundamental is misunderstood. Never receive Holy Communion in the hand when your hands are impeded; e.g., carrying a cane or some other walking-assistance device, carrying a child in your arms, carrying a purse, have a tissue or handkerchief in your hand, have a cast on your hand, etc. First, Cyril: Coming up to receive, therefore, do not approach with your wrists extended or your fingers splayed, but making your left hand a throne for the right (for it is about to receive a King) and cupping your palm, so receive the Body of Christ; and answer: "Amen." [20] Here is what Theodore says: 160). When we move in procession, particularly the procession to receive the Body and Blood of Christ in Communion, we are a sign, a symbol of that pilgrim Church "on the way.". Germany, 6 June 1969 It is reported that a bishop shouted out, On the tongue or in the hand?. My country is not on this list but holy communion is the norm. 3. 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 would be done especially if it is very difficult or impossible to fulfill the necessary conditions as outlined in the documents above. I think proponents of tongue/kneeling will get a better hearing if they uphold all aspects of Communion. http://www.kathpedia.com/index.php?title=Handkommunion. Permission for administering Communion in the hand was granted by the Holy See to the United States on June 17, 1977 and has since become almost the universal norm in the Ordinary Form.
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