Papua and New Guinea, 28 April 1976 The liturgical renewal of St. Pius X which promoted the frequent reception of Communion were still quite young. 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). 896. Monaco, 31 October 1969 To fit our bodies for a glorious resurrection. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. 47), and says of the Communion Chant that "its purpose [is] to express the spiritual union of the communicants by means of the unity of their voices, to show gladness of heart, and to bring out more clearly the 'communitarian' character of the procession to receive the Eucharist" (no. Surveys from CARA and Pew reflect this, though I admittedly doubted them until I attended mass with a fellow Catholic at church that predominantly received on the tongue and my friend jeering remarked, why dont they receive in the hand like normal people? As with all historical practices, one must examine the context and circumstances which are usually not repeatable.. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. 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. My country is not on this list but holy communion is the norm. [2] Cyprian, On the Good of Patience 14, On the Lapsed 16 and 26,and Letter 55.9. I wholeheartedly agree with your comment on another thread that this ongoing discussion is frivolous and is only causing needless division. Nowhere in this article did I see what the CHURCH says about Holy Communion, only the writers opinion. For you believe, and correctly, that you are answerable if anything falls from there by neglect.[25]. 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. Look how military inspectors demand very high standards of care when inspecting barracks for cleanliness. Unless there is a sense of discipleship rooted in baptism. Hence, my theory is that the wide granting of the indult exceeded its initially intended scope as continued prompting from advisors and larger-than-anticipated requests from conferences overcame the popes reluctance. 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. 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. 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. This reply aged like Milk (currently January 2022). My overarching point in all this (as someone who receives comfortably in both manners) is that I dont think common concerns with reception in the hand have been treated with adequate seriousness by many its defenders. As soon as the communicant receives the host, he or she consumes the whole of it. It must also increase their faith in the sublime reality of the Lords body and blood, which they touch with their hand. 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. There is so much to Communion. Basil the Great considered Communion in the hand so irregular that he did not hesitate to consider it a grave fault. Your fire, O, Our Lord we have eaten in your offering 915). [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. 160). 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. For some, however, the experience of the Communion Procession is far more prosaic, analogous perhaps to standing in line in the supermarket or at the motor vehicle bureau. Roland Teske (Hyde Park, NY: New City Press, 2001). But we doyes, verily. There are particles, and there are particles. In the light of the above, we can come to the heart of the matter as to whether a priest may invoke the question of conscience in order to refuse to distribute Communion in the hand. The condition is the complete avoidance of any cause for the faithful to be shocked and any danger of irreverence toward the Eucharist. Since the question involves human attitudes, this mode of communion is bound up with the perceptiveness and preparation of the one receiving. If one is right handed the left hand should rest upon the right. All rights reserved. Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS) TOP Reverence can be good if it opens us to God & neighbor and makes us more loving. They probably never foresaw its subsequent, and occasionally chaotic, development in some parts of the Church. Communion in the hand is legitimate only where permitted, and it remains in the realm of a permission. Bishop Athanasius Schneider argued along the same lines at the end of February. Alternatively, it is permissible to adopt a simpler procedure, namely, allowing the faithful themselves to take the host from the ciborium or paten. The very idea of people regularly receiving Communion (and even receiving Communion as part of the liturgy to the Eucharist itself) were relatively new ideas at the time of the Council. This helps explain why this line of thought isnt gaining much traction except on the right fringe. Germany, 6 June 1969 First, Chrysostom in one of his Homilies on Ephesians: What, do you not see the holy vessels so thoroughly cleansed all over, so resplendent? Come see, In this ordinance Christ ratifies his promises to his people, and they on their part solemnly consecrate themselves to him and to his entire service. To signify, seal, and apply to believers all the benefits of the new covenant. 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. I think youre right that, without an explicitly limiting clause, there is no canonically binding restriction to those countries, and that the subsequent granting of dispensation ultimately belied such restriction. 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. What if our way of calling our fellow Christians to a higher way were based on loving example and not polemics? Jesus wants to use our hands, which have now become His hands, to help those in need. (or: Which Heresy Will You Give Up for Lent? 6. When permitted, the choice as to the form of reception falls upon the communicant and not upon the priest. With your hand hollowed, receive the Body of Christ and answer 'Amen'. On this point, I will leave you with a beautiful exhortation from the Golden Tongue: Think of what you receive in your hand and never lift it to strike another and never disgrace with the sin of assault the hand that has been honored with so great a gift. 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. 895. In each of the Eucharistic Prayers, though the petition is worded in slightly different ways, God is asked to send his Holy Spirit to make us one body, one spirit in Christ; the General Instruction admonishes the faithful that "they are to form one body, whether in hearing the Word of God, or in taking part in the prayers and in the singing" (no. It is bad if it makes us prideful/judgmental and distracts from more important things. Communion in the hand is allowed in the United States by decision of the American Bishops. (Catholic Encyclopedia: Genuflexion) Has the Holy Eucharist any other effect? Ive updated the post. Fr. Excelling, therefore, every sensible creature, he who by the saving Passion has attained to the celestial dignity, eating and drinking Christ, is fitted in all respects for eternal life, sanctifying his soul and body by the participation of divine grace. In this he shows a great fear, and since the hand that is stretched out holds a higher rank, it is the one that is extended for receiving the body of the King, and the other hand bears and brings its sister hand, while not thinking that it is playing the role of a servant, as it is equal with it in honour, on account of the bread of the King, which is also borne by it. It preserves us from mortal sin by exciting us to greater fervor and strengthening us against temptation. Among Catholics, there is a sincere difference of opinion with respect to the opportunity of this practice, as to its possible spiritual benefits or detriments. It is not solely the result of some weird medieval form of reverence. O Solomon, the thing which the Lord of your father These views are sometimes strongly held. It was proved that belief in the Real Presence is abysmal. I am a daily witness at the Basilique du Sacr-Cur de Montmartre (Paris).. 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. The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? The life of Christ, the Holy Spirit, animates each of us individually, and all of us corporately and guides us together in our efforts to become one in Christ. Some of the online advocates of kneeling/tongue seem to focus only on adoration of the Real Presence and now a cardinal has said that those who receive standing in the hand most Catholics by far! The host will then be laid in the palm of the left hand and then taken by the right hand to the mouth. Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), 2 October 1971 It seems appropriate to conclude this reflection on the Communion Procession and the reception of Communion with a quotation from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1. 5. In defending his push to give Communion to grave sinners, McElroy reiterated his belief that conscience has the "privileged place" over doctrine in decision-making and suggested that it can . Maybe this is due to decades of poor or heterodox catechesis on the Sacraments. In approaching therefore, come not with your wrists extended, or your fingers spread; but make your left hand a throne for the right, as for that which is to receive a King. Communion in the hand is no more hygienic than Communion in the mouth. It must also increase their faith in the sublime reality of the Lords body and blood, which they touch with their hand. For this alone is the eating referred to by our Lord ( John 6:58 ). South Africa, 1971 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). (I dont direct this at you, I mean it to everyone on all sides.). Dear Patrick, 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. The rite of communion in the hand must not be put into practice indiscriminately. All of us are only grasping a hint of it. For example, to say that Communion in the hand is a sign of spiritual maturity, or that Communion on the tongue reduces the lay faithful to infancy, is belied by centuries of lay saints who received in this manner. 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. 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. 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 Holy Eucharist remits venial sins by disposing us to perform acts of love and contrition. For some, however, the singing of this hymn is perceived as an intrusion on their own prayer, their private thanksgiving after Communion. 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. Many pathogens are transmitted through the hands. are on the side of Lucifer. We have no nets to cast deeply. It is not clear as to how widespread it was or if it was a regular practice. Bolivia, October 15 1969 The [Seraph] did not hold it, and [Isaiah] did not eat it Our procession should move with dignity; our bearing should be that of those who know they have been redeemed by Christ and are coming to receive their God! 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. This catechesis must succeed in excluding any suggestion that in the mind of the Church there is a lessening of faith in the eucharistic presence and in excluding as well any danger or hint of danger of profaning the Eucharist. 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. ), Pray Tell: An open forum on faith in South Texas. 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. One said: When [the practice was] introduced in the U.S. Cyril of Jerusalem was quoted make your hands a throne for the King, take and eat.Is anyone denying the quote?, Concerning Communion in the hand, please consult the Mystical Catechesis of St. Cyril of Jerusalem for a description of the practice around A.D. 345. University of Notre Dame, McGrath Institute for Church Life I quite deliberately eschewed entering the historical argument as it would have digressed from the main point of that article. A Journal of the McGrath Institute for Church Life, by Elizabeth Klein My simple point is that the individual ways our Church evolves over history have a significant impact on its life thereafter, often in ways we dont expect. Over the years I have read a multitude of opinions for and against, and occasionally perceived false arguments. The Council of Saragossa (380): Excommunicated anyone who dared continue . The divine coal is a common image of the Eucharist in Syrian theology. But there is more to the story. Alphonse Mingana (Gorgias Press: Piscataway, NJ, 2009 [1933]). 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. All who are not receiving Holy Communion are encouraged to express in their hearts a prayerful desire for unity with the Lord Jesus and with one another. On the one hand, I think this evidence precludes describing communion in the hand as intrinsically irreverent. 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. Who holds the wind in the palm of his hand? Why? 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). Required fields are marked *. It also happens, on occasion, that the free choice of those who prefer to continue the practice of receiving the Eucharist on the tongue is not taken into account in those places where the distribution of Communion in the hand has been authorized. A parish priest, or the rector of a sanctuary, might have objective reasons for not applying the permission if there is any danger of profanation or lack of respect. When we receive Communion, we become members of Christ's Body, the Church. [5] In Jerusalem, we have the mystagogical catecheses of Cyril of Jerusalem (or perhaps of his successor, John). Our souls ought to be purer than they, more holy, more brilliant. 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. 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. Particularly in regard to this way of receiving communion, experience suggests certain matters requiring careful attention. For Catholics: As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. If one is right handed the left hand should rest upon the right. But is the impression they give generally correct? Elizabeth Klein is an Assistant Professor of Theology at the Augustine Institute. The fire of mercy has become for us a living sacrifice It is still the practice of millions of committed Latin-rite Catholics all over the world and of many Eastern Churches who administer the Eucharist under both species on the tongue. Thanks for this, Dennis. All of us should receive with great reverence and respect. 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. 1. [11] Council of Constantinople in Trullo, canon 101. Whatever one thinks about the practice today and its reemergence after Vatican II, it is important that our conversation be grounded in an accurate picture of the history of this practice. The same Instruction contained a reminder that the laws of the Church and the writings of the Fathers give ample witness of a supreme reverence and utmost caution toward the Eucharist and that this must continue.
