7 rules for receiving communion in the hand

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. But back in the West, where most of us at PT are from, the Church is struggling. Ive updated the post. 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). 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. Greg., Dial., I, III, c. iii). If one is left-handed this is reversed. Middle Africa, 3 February 1970 All of us should receive with great reverence and respect. And to demonstrate reverence and. It is not solely the result of some weird medieval form of reverence. 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. 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. 896. Aaron, 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. It is also difficult to ensure that the person who receives Communion effectively consumes the host. The rite of communion in the hand must not be put into practice indiscriminately. Others claim that in the context of the discourse St. Cyril was referring to the clergy and not to the faithful. The cultural backing. The question has been asked for a long time since the Church has often allowed both methods of reception. 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. What if we were passionate about all that? These views are sometimes strongly held. [18] Moreover, an early illuminated gospel, the Rosanno Gospels, depicts the last supper as a communion line, where the disciples receive in cupped hands while bowed. 2. [6] In Syria (what we now call Turkey and surrounding regions) it is witnessed by Basil the Great,[7] John Chrysostom,[8] Theodore of Mopsuestia,[9] John Damascene[10] and the Council of Constantinople in Trullo (also called the Quinisext council). The host will then be laid in the palm of the left hand and then taken by the right hand to the mouth. I am from India. 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. The person distributing Communion says audibly to each person approaching, "The Body of Christ." Receiving communion in the hand was the common practice of the Church in both East and West for the first 800 years of Christianity, and it was certainly considered reverent by the Fathers. 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. If Communion is received in the hand, the hands should first of all be clean. 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. Our worship ought to create common unity under Christ, not destroy it. This is a fundamental misunderstanding. The left hand is extended, with the right hand under the left in support (left handed persons may wish to . It must also increase their faith in the sublime reality of the Lords body and blood, which they touch with their hand. 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. 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. The Church in Europe struggled mightilyand some might say in futilityagainst centuries of violence, sect on sect, nation vs nation. [5] In Jerusalem, we have the mystagogical catecheses of Cyril of Jerusalem (or perhaps of his successor, John). However, when they receive Communion standing, it is recommended that the faithful make appropriate reverence, according to the norms established, before receiving the Sacrament. I do make the point that reverence, while important, is not the only or most important aspect of Communion. 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 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. 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. These need to be taken seriously if one wants to effectively engage in these discussions with the likes of Cardinal Sarah and others. 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. There are many devout Catholics who find this practice helpful. 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. And some who do have lost their strength or nerve. Paraguay, 27 September 1971 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. Alphonse Mingana (Gorgias Press: Piscataway, NJ, 2009 [1933]). 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. Fire consumed the offering [2] 2 Accept Communion in a state of grace. 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. 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. This blog is not associated with Pray Tell: An open forum on faith in South Texas. 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. Over the years I have read a multitude of opinions for and against, and occasionally perceived false arguments. Since the question involves human attitudes, this mode of communion is bound up with the perceptiveness and preparation of the one receiving. I dont mean how did it come about. 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. [24] Trans. The showing of tooth and claw by some traditional-leaning Catholics is a scandal that discourages neighbors, and puts a very ugly face on the Body for others to view. 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. [21] Theodore of Mopsuestia, catech. 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. I suspect that Christ can cope with particles that get dropped but the care we show, or the lack of care, is what counts. Many of us would treat your claims skeptically as unsupported rumor and gossip. To increase sanctifying grace and all virtues in our soul. If he is a religious priest, what actions can a legitimate superior take as regards the member who denies Communion in the hand? 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. 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). My country is not on this list but holy communion is the norm. For this is what it is to receive unworthily: if one receives at that time when he ought to be doing penance. 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. 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? 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. Mingle and flow into the palms of his disciples![22]. 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. 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. 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. 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. awr. 91). A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. By this symbolic action, their denial would be clear to all. Cardinals Thorne (Peru) and Caffarra (Bologna) have banned Communion in the hand, citing reasons of abuse and disrespect. 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. Scotland, 7 July 1977 Pray Tell here documents two statements of the Congregation for Divine Worship issued under Pope Paul VI. Follow-up: Objecting to Communion in the Hand (10-16-2018), Pursuant to my reflections on Communion in the hand (October 2), a reader from France claimed that It is totally justified to claim that Communion in the hand is necessarily less reverent or inevitably leads to abuses. Who holds the wind in the palm of his hand? We should weigh very well the matters in which we appeal to conscience. 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. As I read above article, I didnt found name of my country India in the list of countries which have Indult for communion in hand. ), Pray Tell: An open forum on faith in South Texas. One could have perfect adoration of Real Presence in humble posture and, at least in theory, miss the point of Communion. Q. can. 895. Because, he says, one should choose the days on which one lives with more purity and self-control in order to approach so great a sacrament worthily. North Africa,October 15 1969 The people administering the sacrament are asked to use hand sanitizer immediately before. 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. 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. This means that Jesus has no eyes but our eyes, no feet . But is the impression they give generally correct? 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. 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. Pope Benedict XVI 1927-2022 tribute page and access to resources here. 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. 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. If Your Hand/Hands are Impeded . The condition is the complete avoidance of any cause for the faithful to be shocked and any danger of irreverence toward the Eucharist. 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. The Council of Saragossa, 380, excommunicated anyone who dared continue to receive Holy Communion in the hand. What if our way of calling our fellow Christians to a higher way were based on loving example and not polemics? 5.21, trans. awr. They partake not of Him that is in them, they perceive Him not. The divine coal is a common image of the Eucharist in Syrian theology. 96). The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? The rationale for Communion on the hands being an ancient practice is from St. Cyril of Jerusalem. 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. 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. Jesus wants to use our hands, which have now become His hands, to help those in need. Bishops who have been permitted to introduce the new rite of communion are asked to send a report to the congregation, six months hence, on the outcome. 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. Canada, 12 February 1970 W.R., Goa, India. They probably never foresaw its subsequent, and occasionally chaotic, development in some parts of the Church. But to us our Lord has given both . Germany, 6 June 1969 It is clear that this mode of reception was considered reverent and was to be carried out in a reverent manner. 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. 5. 21. 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. 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. I dont read any statement with canonical force saying that only those countries may apply for an indult. Dear Patrick, The communicant replies, Amen, and receives the Sacrament either on the tongue or, where this is allowed, in the hand, the choice lying with the communicant. Pope Benedict XVI 1927-2022 tribute page and access to resources here. The infamous coffee cup masses Dorothy Day describes in her book may have had good intentions behind them, but the way they appeared to trivialize the Holy Sacrifice of the mass lent no dignity to the then new Pauline mass. Luxembourg, October 15 1969 The Eucharist may not be received while a person has mortal sin in their soul. These guidelines replace the guidelines approved by the Administrative Committee of the NCCB in November 1986. His blood now flows through our veins. . 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. To lessen our evil inclinations. [18] See Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 6.43.18. 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 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. awr. [20] Cyril of Jerusalem, myst. Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA. It must also increase their faith in the sublime reality of the Lords body and blood, which they touch with their hand. Devotion and reverence toward the Eucharist in the case of communion in the hand. Interestingly, during the Middle Ages, the reception of Holy Communion was restricted to "on the tongue" because of abuses. The list obviously is not complete, for this article says that Germany and France both received permission from the Holy See on the same day in 1969: While we cannot admit them to Holy Communion, we ask them to offer their prayers for the peace and the unity of the human family. For some, however, the singing of this hymn is perceived as an intrusion on their own prayer, their private thanksgiving after Communion. Take a step or two to the side to make way for the next communicant, then receive our Lord. He said that he had checked with the then Apostolic Delegation and had been assured that the pope was giving the boy a rosary. Permission for administering Communion in the hand was granted by the Holy See to the following countries and regions under Pope Paul VI:[UPDATED 3-2-18], Belgium, 31 May 1969 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. Guidelines for Receiving Holy Communion. That rhetorical flow and its further implicit objections (i.e., take care lest XYZ) *could* be a setup for a generous grant of indults, but given the overall negative tone I dont think it accidental or inconsequential that the prospect of permission is only mentioned in these cases where contrary practice already prevails. 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. St. 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! 160-161; English translation here) The following norms must therefore be respected. Their attitude of reverence must measure up to what they are doing. This reply aged like Milk (currently January 2022). It is bad if it makes us prideful/judgmental and distracts from more important things. They would find many more areas we all need to work on than just their main focus. 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). The rite of communion in the hand must not be put into practice indiscriminately. | Irondale, AL 35210 |. 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! Has done 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. I think the Holy Spirit was nudging people closer to the problem, which was already in evidence decades before the Council. What is the proper way of receiving Communion in the hand? On the other hand, this mode of communion is not anywhere associated with lay involvement or accessibility, nor is it thought to de-emphasize the role of the priest. [27] John Chrysostom, Baptismal Instruction, 12.15-16, trans. Not only was Communion in the hand started in disobedience, it was perpetuated by deceit. 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. 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. 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 as any danger or hint of danger of profaning the Eucharist. 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 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. So Indian Bishop conference have not got any Indult for communion in hand? 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. What is the proper way of receiving Communion in the hand? 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. (Catholic Encyclopedia: Genuflexion) Most often when speaking of reverence, however, the Fathers emphasize two main things: 1) that every precaution should be taken lest the Eucharist fall to the ground and 2) that communicants should be from serious sin and quarrels with other Christians. 2. 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. 915). But whatever the case, it is the Pope who decides to authorize it for countries, and it is indisputable that he did so. The two ways of receiving communion can without question take place during the same liturgical service. 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. Pope Paul Vl calls attention to the purpose of the InstructionMemoriale Dominiof 29 May 1969, on retaining the traditional practice in use. Cyril of Jerusalem [c. 313-386], Catechetical Lectures, 23:21-22) Several more but no room here. Maybe this is part of a grand conspiracy by Satan to destroy the Church (ok, probably not that). Basil the Great, 330-379 stated, "The right to receive Holy Communion in the hand is permitted only in times of persecution." This statement may very well have been made in response to St. Cyril of Jerusalem in 348. Gross Alexander NPNF 13, ed. 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.. 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. For you believe, and correctly, that you are answerable if anything falls from there by neglect.[25]. Paul VI had a measure of it in 1974, and we hav emostly missed the wisdom of Evangelii Nuntiandi. 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. A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all. A priest who is not directly responsible for the care of souls should be even more respectful of local practice. Chad, 18 September 1969 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? The General Instruction asks each country's Conference of Bishops to determine the posture to be used for the reception of Communion and the act of reverence to be made by each person as he or she receives Communion. II], 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. Ireland, 4 September 1976 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. 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. It is not appropriate to reach out with the fingers and take the host from the person distributing. [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. Its just BREAD!!. I wholeheartedly agree with your comment on another thread that this ongoing discussion is frivolous and is only causing needless division. For this alone is the eating referred to by our Lord ( John 6:58 ). 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.

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