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). 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. St. Others claim that in the context of the discourse St. Cyril was referring to the clergy and not to the faithful. 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! And some who do have lost their strength or nerve. II], As to the way to carry out the new rite: one possible model is the traditional usage, which expresses the ministerial functions, by having the priest or deacon place the host in the hand of the communicant. For pastoral reasons this manner of receiving communion has been legitimately established as the most common form in the Latin rite. After receiving Communion our bodies become holy chalices. 91). What some call discipleship, others evangelizationnew or whatever, or some speak of discernment and application of spiritual gifts. The Reception of Holy Communion at Mass | USCCB The way you put it, it doesnt sound obsessive-compulsive but salutary. 5. 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.". 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). 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. Archbishop Anthony Fisher, OP, of Sydney published an excellent paper on the topic of conscience and authority which can be found at:https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=7833or, in a slightly briefer form athttps://zenit.org/articles/bishop-fisher-on-conscience-and-authority/. The practice of communion on the tongue with the use of patens in the West, and in both kinds on a spoon with a drop cloth in the East, moreover, are natural developments from the concern of the Early Church to prevent Eucharistic mishaps. 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. The new manner of giving communion must not be imposed in a way that would exclude the traditional practice. Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), 2 October 1971 Space doesn't allow all the details, but the propaganda in the 1970s that was used to sell Communion in the hand to a trusting, vulnerable people was a campaign of calculated half-truths that didn't tell the whole story. 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. Particularly in regard to this way of receiving communion, experience suggests certain matters requiring careful attention. Communion received on the tongue and while kneeling. Q: When the bishop in a diocese allows the faithful to receive Communion in the hand or on the tongue, can a priest, who objects on the grounds of conscience, refuse to give the faithful holy Communion in the hand? 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. North Africa,October 15 1969 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. 6. The condition is the complete avoidance of any cause for the faithful to be shocked and any danger of irreverence toward the Eucharist. We also welcome to this celebration those who do not share our faith in Jesus Christ. Some scholars claim that this part of the Mystical Catechesis is not originally from St. Cyril but a later interpolation into the text. Maybe this is part of a grand conspiracy by . The people administering the sacrament are asked to use hand sanitizer immediately before. A situation that, in the US certainly, was not necessarily governed by external uniformity (given the varieties of ethnic piety and cultural practices). There are particles, and there are particles. Q. Theres no simple solution to this issue. Sacrilege is at an all-time high, yet use of the Sacrament of Confession is at an all-time low. Many of us would treat your claims skeptically as unsupported rumor and gossip. A passage from St. Cyril of Jerusalem is used to persuade Catholics that Communion in the hand is an ancient practice legitimately restored after Vatican II. 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. We are the Body of Christ, moving forward to receive the Christ who makes us one with himself and with one another. These guidelines replace the guidelines approved by the Administrative Committee of the NCCB in November 1986. This practice has been requested by individual episcopal conferences and has received approval from the Apostolic See. The rationale for Communion on the hands being an ancient practice is from St. Cyril of Jerusalem. As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. 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. 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. Or is there more context that is missing? Pope Benedict XVI 1927-2022 tribute page and access to resources here. The author seems to think that liturgical reforms should consist of only what an ecumenical council prescribed. But to us our Lord has given both . 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. When the bishops reassembled, Cardinal John Carberry of St. Louis, a determined opponent of Communion in the hand, was quick to get up to set things straight. In the context of the reception of Communion, this means a cognizance of both Church history and contemporary cultural nuances. Fire consumed the offering Because those vessels are made so for our sakes. [19] This list is by no means exhaustive, and it would be tedious to cite all of these references as a catalog, but let us turn to a few of them to see what the Fathers have to say about the meaning of this practice. Pray Tell here documents two statements of the Congregation for Divine Worship issued under Pope Paul VI. It is a matter of particular seriousness that in places where the new practice is lawfully permitted every one of the faithful have the option of receiving communion on the tongue and even when other persons are receiving communion in the hand. 86). ), Pray Tell: An open forum on faith in South Texas. 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. Cyril of Jerusalem and Theodore of Mopsuestia liken the practice to that of receiving a king, and both of them note the method of reception was in joined hands (also described in other sources as hands in the form of a cross). In North Africa (including Egypt) the practice is mentioned by Tertullian,[1] Cyprian,[2] Augustine,[3] Cyril of Alexandria,[4] and John Climacus. Instead of receiving in my hand, thinking "the other way is better," and quickly gobbling up the Eucharist, I took the "popular way," as a gift: I put my left hand on top of my right . 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. Yet even here, the experts sometimes forgot the unrepeatable reality of original circumstances so that restoration is never quite the same. 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). Jamaica, 12 March 1970 The following norms must therefore be respected. This is the reason why you say after him: Amen.[21]. It is advisable, therefore, that the rite be introduced gradually and in the beginning within small, better-prepared groups and in favorable settings. It is clear that this mode of reception was considered reverent and was to be carried out in a reverent manner. Aaron, this describes what the countries are to do where Communion in the hand was being practiced. The condition is the complete avoidance of any cause for the faithful to be shocked and any danger of irreverence toward the Eucharist. 4. Your email address will not be published. The legitimacy of Communion in the hand is not in question. For one who eats unworthily eats and drinks to his own condemnation (1 Cor 11:29). 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. 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. 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. The Truth About Communion in the Hand | The Fatima Center Phillip Schaff and Henry Wace in NPNF Second Series, 14 (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1900). What is the proper way of receiving Communion in the hand? - AOD 3. ODonaghues post, I note with interest that the countries in which Communion in the hand is alleged to have been most prevalent either did not apply for or at any rate receive an indult in these first 8 years of results. My country is not on this list but holy communion is the norm. This reply aged like Milk (currently January 2022). A. Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist: 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. 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.. 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. For you believe, and correctly, that you are answerable if anything falls from there by neglect.[25]. [4] Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on John 6.1 and 12.1. What if our reception made us all more loving of one another, whatever our views on how to receive? 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. 3. 6, trans. Basil the Great considered Communion in the hand so irregular that he did not hesitate to consider it a grave fault. Pope Paul Vl calls attention to the purpose of the InstructionMemoriale Dominiof 29 May 1969, on retaining the traditional practice in use. 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. 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. To that which you are you respond Amen (yes, it is true!) and by responding to it you assent to it. Take this from someone who receives in the hand sometimes, I would never do it if I thought it was enabling Lucifer to corrupt my soul. It should be noted that it is never permissible for a person to dip the host he or she has received into the chalice. 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. For whatever reason, reception on the hand does not appear to convey the same level of reverence in the public consciousness as reception on the tongue. Their decisions should be sent to Rome to receive the necessary confirmation, []. The document does not have numbered paragraphs to cite, but youll find it a few paragraphs after the tabulation of votes collected from bishops. The way we communicate the Gospel message is almost as important as the Gospel itself. Jesus wants to use our hands, which have now become His hands, to help those in need. The wind has left our sails and many of us are adrift on uncertain seas. I think proponents of tongue/kneeling will get a better hearing if they uphold all aspects of Communion. Elizabeth Klein is an Assistant Professor of Theology at the Augustine Institute. Ireland, 4 September 1976 Its just BREAD!!. Has done Abuse. Blasphemy. Communion in the hand? Catholic Insight The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. A. 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. Uruguay,October 15 1969 To commemorate the death of Christ: "This do in remembrance of me." 2. 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. I think the Holy Spirit was nudging people closer to the problem, which was already in evidence decades before the Council. The Eucharist fulfills this call: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? Nowhere in this article did I see what the CHURCH says about Holy Communion, only the writers opinion. I wholeheartedly agree with your comment on another thread that this ongoing discussion is frivolous and is only causing needless division. Your fire, O, Our Lord we have eaten in your offering The restorers of the rite probably had the beautiful simplicity and symbolism of the medieval rite in mind but did not take the changed circumstances sufficiently into account. 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. No wonder so many people there have given up on Christianity. 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 am just wondering what the reason or reasons were for allowing reception of Communion in the hand to begin with? It preserves us from mortal sin by exciting us to greater fervor and strengthening us against temptation. Mingle and flow into the palms of his disciples![22]. It is always helpful to review instructions for receiving Communion. It is also difficult to ensure that the person who receives Communion effectively consumes the host. 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. After stipulating the historical practice of Communion in the hand, Memoriale Domini: defends the development of discipline that led to Communion on the tongue Pandemic will affect Communion rituals for U.S. Christians However, while this text is undoubtedly ancient evidence of the existence of Communion in the hand, it is, like many patristic texts, fraught with interpretative conundrums. If a priest has great personal difficulty due to deeply and sincerely held views regarding this practice, he can always petition the bishop for a personal exemption or a permission to not apply this permission to his parish. 895. For you hear the words, the Body of Christ and respond Amen. Be then a member of the Body of Christ that your Amen may be true (St. Augustine, Sermon 272: PL 38, 1247). Other way round, it was in the hand and changed to the tongue circa 900 in the west. 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. For some, however, the singing of this hymn is perceived as an intrusion on their own prayer, their private thanksgiving after Communion. Required fields are marked *. Per The Baltimore Catechism: Bishop Athanasius Schneider argued along the same lines at the end of February. Paraguay, 27 September 1971 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. vehementer hortatur retention of current practice while invoking the common good of the Church. England and Wales, 6 March 1976 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. I would like to remind people to indicate clearly how they wish to receive. All rights reserved. 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.. So the authors claim that he is exactly Vatican II is doubtful. It must be presumed that a priest has sufficient formation in moral principles so as to exclude an erroneous conscience in such matters. 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. Why did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist? 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. 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. Djibouti, 6 March 1970 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. Not only was Communion in the hand started in disobedience, it was perpetuated by deceit. The Council of Saragossa, 380, excommunicated anyone who dared continue to receive Holy Communion in the hand. 6. The Church understands the Communion Procession, in fact every procession in liturgy, as a sign of the pilgrim Church, the body of those who believe in Christ, on their way to the Heavenly Jerusalem. Greg., Dial., I, III, c. iii). SACRED CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP, Letter En reponse a la demande, to presidents of those conferences of bishops petitioning the indult for communion in the hand, 29 May 1969: Acta Apostolicae Sedis 61 (1969) 546-547; Notitiae 5 (1969) 351-353. Has the Holy Eucharist any other effect? But is the impression they give generally correct? [9] Theodore of Mopsuestia, Catechetical Homilies 6. 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. Bishops Cannot Mandate Communion on the Hand or Forbid Communion on the Look how military inspectors demand very high standards of care when inspecting barracks for cleanliness. The True Story of Communion in the Hand Revealed - OnePeterFive [22] Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on Faith 10, trans. [21] Theodore of Mopsuestia, catech. 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. R. E. Heine FotC 21 (Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press, 1982). What a Priest Might Do If He Wants to Avoid It. [26] Augustine, Letter 54.3.4, trans. If Your Hand/Hands are Impeded . 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 . Im skeptical of the claim that collecting absentee ballots for bishops conference votes is unlawful. Scotland, 7 July 1977 2. 160). Papua and New Guinea, 28 April 1976 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! 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. The bishop, however, might sometimes deal with the religious priest through his superior in these matters. If our reader had said that he believed that Communion in the hand was more prone to dangers of accidents and profanation, I would accept the argument. The question has been asked for a long time since the Church has often allowed both methods of reception. Members of the Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Polish National Catholic Church are urged to respect the discipline of their own Churches. New Zealand, 24 April 1974 Communion on the tongue is recommended and considered the most consonant way to receive the Eucharist, while Communion on the hand is permitted, provided that certain precautions are observed, such as checking to see if any fragments of the Host remain on the palm of the hand. The missal of 1570 eliminated almost all sequences and moved the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar to the beginning of the Order of Mass though the Council of Trent never said a word about either. 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. Debunking the myth that today's Communion in the hand - LifeSite 896. Australia, 26 September 1975 Yugoslavia, 1971 I beg to differ. That the conference had voted twice but failed to approve the practice and then only won the third vote by gathering absentee votes which is the article claims was unlawful? For this alone is the eating referred to by our Lord ( John 6:58 ). What Everyone Should Know About How To Receive Holy Communion The Controversy of Communion in the Hand Catholic Insight IMHO no, contrary to what some real traddies may say. Instruction on the Manner of Distributing Holy Communion Elizabeth Klein is an Assistant Professor of Theology at the, The Abandoned: Toward a Christocentric Phenomenology of Prayer, The Conclusion of Karl Rahner's Dissertation on the Origin of the Church from the Side Wound of the Crucified Christ. Battered Gargoyles & The Human Future - Rod Dreher's Diary 160-161; English translation here) [25] Origen of Alexandria, homily in Ex. 1396: In Baptism we have been called to form but one body. In reply to the request of your conference of bishops regarding permission to give communion by placing the host on the hand of the faithful, I wish to communicate the following. Timothy O'Malley, Copyright 2023 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.. Receiving the host in one's hand has been an option in the United States since the bishops authorized this in May 1977 and the Holy See confirmed it. 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. Particularly in regard to this way of receiving communion, experience suggests certain matters requiring careful attention. We pray that our common baptism and the action of the Holy Spirit in this Eucharist will draw us closer to one another and begin to dispel the sad divisions which separate us. These need to be taken seriously if one wants to effectively engage in these discussions with the likes of Cardinal Sarah and others. July 2, 2020 ( LifeSiteNews) Many bishops around the world are attempting to compel Catholics, who are in the right dispositions to approach the Holy Eucharist, to receive Our Lord in the. Receiving the Host in the Hand | Franciscan Media