mandated by the Second Vatican Council, and shows complete defiance and contempt for centuries of Catholic teaching and practice before us. is baptized into the priesthood of Jesus, and one of the ways in which ordinary Others maintain that it was never a Catholic custom, but if Communion in the hand was practiced in some limited way in the early Church, it was institutionalized and made widespread by the Arians as a sign of their disbelief in the Divinity of Jesus Christ. He said, We have used ambiguous phrases during the Council and we (the liberal theologians) know how we shall interpret them after., The main ambiguity which probably gave rise to todays proliferation of Extraordinary Ministers was the justification of their use if Mass would be (what was called) unduly prolonged. We say, "That one was a snapping turtle," Yet even here, the experts sometimes forgot the unrepeatable reality of original circumstances so that restoration is never quite the same. WebFirst time I visited an Anglican church, I was afraid to go forward for communion for two reasons. You can check out in the Bible, but it was Judas who left the Last Supper first. Please keep your head still. to remind ourselves of what happens when we receive the Eucharist and how we should extraordinary minister doesn't see it, That should be the overwhelming It is dangerous for your soul. Which is preferable, the hand or the tongue? It is an excommunicable sin actually. The Reception of Holy Communion at Mass | USCCB Actually St. Cyril of Jerusalem in the fourth century is quoted as saying Receive Communion by making a throne, one hand under the other, and receive our great King. Now, when you receive Communion in the hand, there are many things to remember. Even from a political perspective, the disease has impacted billions. Communion on the tongue displays a greater degree of reverence, and it is safer because it is less likely to result in the host, or a particle of the host falling to the floor. That disposition So, this being the case, when one comes to Mass they need to make sure that their hands are clean. How to receive Holy Communion in ones hand - The Compass Or its a position that the proud and pompous in the parish lust after, thereby showing themselves incapable of recognizing a false and petty prestige. It had not yet started in the United States. They are as ordinary and partnparcel of the modern Church as missalettes and collection baskets. But if the bishops seemed indifferent to this scandal, the laity were outraged. But obliterating these without apology and without convincing argument, as has been the case over the last 30 years with the introduction of the New Mass, is not the mark of genuine Catholic renewal, but resembles the New Paganism warned of by Belloc, and its arrogant contempt for tradition. First of all, it is not an act of disloyalty or disobedience to question the wisdom of the document in the first place, particularly when this permission is a revolution against all the pre-Vatican II rubrics that existed for centuries rubrics that existed for reasons of reverence, to safeguard against desecration and that were a matter of Catholic common sense. But unfortunately, this is precisely what happened with the supposedly anti-Communion in the hand document of 1969. WebIf Communion is received in the hand, the hands should first of all be clean. New Season Prophetic Prayers and Declarations - Facebook Catholic.org - with thousands of pages of magisterial content. They must find the courage for opposing this novel practice by remembering that even Pope Paul VI, despite his weaknesses, correctly predicted that Communion in the hand would lead to irreverence and profanation of the Eucharist, and a gradual erosion of correct doctrine and we have seen this prophecy come to pass. Communion in the hand to a trusting, vulnerable people was a campaign of calculated half-truths that didnt tell the whole story. Is there a reason for this? And then we go return to our pew, where we then say prayers of thanksgiving and adoration and contrition to our God who is among us, our God Emmanuel. When permitted, the choice as to the form of reception falls upon the communicant and not upon the priest. rise straight up, thinking about the person right behind you. The permission to receive in the hand reflected in the U.S. version of GIRM par. When we hold a baby or hug a loved one, we do so gently and with care. reverence for the Blessed Sacrament is put into practice of paramount importance. We represent that act to the Father and bring For this to happen, first and foremost, there has to be preparation even before we receive Communion. Is the Synod on Youth and Blah, Blah, Blah Inching Back from the Abyss? WebThe communicant may choose whether to receive the Body of Christ in the hand or on the tongue. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. But the New Paganism has for its very essence contempt for tradition and contempt for ancestry. People become self-conscious or even offended. This is exactly what happened, and this is why we have Communion in the hand today. Church wants me to believe, that Christ truly becomes present on the altar at There are some that claim that it was practiced up until the 6th Century and even cite a passage of St. Cyril to substantiate this assertion. quality that we have to come with, that deep awareness, that deep faith, that So, first we bow physically as a sign of reverence to Jesus who is literally right thereBody, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Our fathers told us these things not just for the sake of handing down a venerable but groundless tradition, they have told us these things through word and example to show fidelity to the Catholic Faith and reverence toward the Blessed Sacrament. So, if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, it is not unfair to ask why are our modern churchmen imitating self-proclaimed infidels who reject core sacramental teaching of Catholicism? It must be presumed that a priest has sufficient formation in moral principles so as to exclude an erroneous conscience in such matters. But lay-readers within the New Mass was not the only necessary step. Great question! The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ (1 Cor. Others claim that in the context of the discourse St. Cyril was referring to the clergy and not to the faithful. Since the question involves human attitudes, this mode of communion is bound up with the perceptiveness and preparation of the one receiving. The priest, a man who had been called by God and who had been specifically trained in the study and dispensing of the sacred mysteries had to step aside, either willingly or reluctantly, to allow unqualified, out-of-place, part-time dabblers to trespass and profane His sacred domain of sanctuary and altar. As a result, the Pontifical Commission officially ruled that when Ordinary Ministers (bishops, priests) are present at the Eucharist, whether celebrating or not, and are in sufficient number and are not prevented from doing so by other ministries, the Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist are not allowed to distribute Communion either to themselves or to the Faithful.. Todays Eucharistic Ministers actually operate in defiance of existing Vatican norms. The hands should be one underneath the other, usually the dominant hand on the bottom. The legitimacy of Communion in the hand is not in question. The bigger the cast, the better, and the gripping drama of the Mass became an amateur show. In fact, if it were forbidden, it seems impossible the Church would alter such an important rule. And I have to say, "Father, you cannot demand that", If you are going You can be sure there were many Catholics willing to become part of this lay-elite who distribute Holy Communion, but there were also Catholics whose good Catholic sense was initially opposed to this practice, but who eventually allowed themselves to be talked into it by persuasive clergymen. When we receive our Lord in holy Communion, we should receive him in the way we encounter a loved one: with reverence, care, gentleness and humility. First Holy Communion - Receiving on the Hand - YouTube 2. Hence, it is not lawful for anyone else to touch It, except from necessity, for instance, if It were to fall upon the ground or else in some other case of urgency. (ST, III, Q.82, Art. For the vast majority of us Roman Catholics the last time that we were actually taught or instructed on how to receive Holy Communion was when we were eight-years-old in second grade. parish church, and most Catholics think nothing of it proving that men can become desensitized to desecration. It depends on who interprets it. one of the French revolutionaries who said, "If I truly believed what the A: The answer to this question is somewhat complex. Catholic Online Saints - thousands of saints bios. How often have we heard even our Church leaders lament that we have lost the sense of the sacred. This is one of the most astounding statements a Churchman can utter as if it were some sort of mystery. The tragedy of it all is, if it is optional for the laity, in practice it is not optional for the clergy. One, you are not receiving some thing. baptized Catholics exercise that priesthood is by receiving Holy Communion. For us, the communion is an altar call. We are being called to the altar once again, to receive Christ. Communion on the tongue remains the usual and common form of administering Holy Communion. WebInstruction video for receiving on the hand for those preparing for First Holy Communion. Phone: 920-272-8208 disposition with which we approach Holy Communion: "It is the Lord!". And it must be noted that at this time, the abuse was limited to a few European countries. The mindless behavior of this superficially trained laity brings to the sanctuary a pomposity that is both embarrassing and saddening to watch.. Fr. We as Catholics do this first and foremost by making sure that were in the state of grace, that we have received sacramental Confession, particularly from the state of mortal sin. In summary, the letters (which can be found in Michael Davies Privilege of the Ordained) stated that Rome has received many complaints of abuses regarding Extraordinary Ministers. and we're like everyone else. And all those pre-Vatican II barriers that prevented desecration are indispensable to the life of the Church and the holiness of the Faithful. Todays Eucharistic Ministers actually operate in defiance of, Though there is no hard proof that the loose wording of, was done on purpose, there is ample proof that the ambiguity in the Vatican II documents was deliberate. In all sixteen documents of Vatican II, there is no mention of Communion in the hand, nor was it mentioned during any of the debates during the Council. It means were getting up and were not getting in a line. It was the indignation of large numbers of the Faithful which prompted Pope Paul VI to take some action. 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. We are simply doing what Jesus said to do, and trusting him to make himself present to us. I quite deliberately eschewed entering the historical argument as it would have digressed from the main point of that article. "I believe." They conducted the tedious, Let us pray to the Lord Lord hear our prayer. , but within that document the bishops used the curious phrase norms for licit dissent. Originally, Fr. So we bow, the priest or the deacon is going to say The Body of Christ, and we say Amen, it is true, I believe. But when Humanae Vitae was issued, there was a tidal wave of scandalous opposition from Catholic priests and Ph.D.s. It is simply reading too much into this practice, and it is not correct to support something one favors by denigrating another practice. 13). Only as a sign of piety; it's not necessary to genuflect, So remember to Or you have are no flagrant violations or extreme problems here, but it's good always 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. 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. Bow, kneel, make the sign of the cross? Receiving with faith means that we have been baptized, that we believe in him, that we repent of our sins, and that we turn to Jesus for our salvation. Communion and it's all right to kneel remember that, when you Lay people giving out Holy Communion during Mass was rightly considered an unthinkable act of sacrilege and irreverence only 35 years ago, and for centuries preceding. To be sure, the Church permits Catholics to receive the Eucharist either on the tongue or in their hands, at the discretion of the one receiving holy Communion. When the priest puts the Host on your hand, you say, Amen. Take a step or two to the side to make way for the next communicant, then receive our Lord. is received in the Latin Church: We receive either on the tongue or in the hand. 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. Throughout the centuries, the Popes, bishops and priests taught us this same thing, not so much by words, but by example and especially by the celebration of the Old Latin Mass, where profound reverence for the Blessed Sacrament as the true Body of Christ was in every move the priest made. The rite of communion in the hand must not be put into practice indiscriminately. Finally, we receive by faith together. It is worth noting that, when Holy Communion is received kneeling, No other sign of reverence (such as the bow that is required when Holy Communion is received standing) is required (Eucharisticum Mysterium 34). 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. Recently I spoke to "How to Receive the Eucharist." Communion on the tongue in no way detracts from the dignity of the communicant. I Crossed the Line at Mass Sometimes if you keep your eyes open, theres this desire to move forward. , James W. Demers said, Of those responsible for the lack of beauty in the Church, no one is more culpable than todays lay ministers. In summary, the document states: The document further says the Supreme Pontiff judged that the long received manner of ministering Holy Communion to the Faithful should not be changed. It will air, But the introduction of Communion in the hand and lay ministers of the Eucharist shows an arrogant disregard for what our fathers taught us. should be bent back slightly, and the head should be held erect, but kind of tilted Even priests can become slovenly in the He polled the bishops of the world on this issue, and they voted overwhelmingly to. can God, be contained in what appears to be a small wafer of bread? What Everyone Should Know About How To Receive Holy These practices have wide evidence of use and in some ways never died out completely. When they receive, St. John Damascene counseled that they should put their hands in the form of a cross. They should receive right away, not when they return to their seat. 2023 The Compass | All Rights Reserved. Parcher, But unfortunately, this is precisely what happened with the supposedly anti-Communion in the hand document of 1969. So, we bow because its Jesus, we say Amen to the to the declaration that This is the Body of Christ. Its really cool, actually, as a priest when I say The Body of Christ, The Body of Christ, The Body of Christ. I am reaffirming every single time that this is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. The bishop, however, might sometimes deal with the religious priest through his superior in these matters. the table of the Lord, I would say without hesitation that the first is faith stands just behind the one who is rising. 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. I think it was Whatever the case, it is clear that Communion on the tongue is of Apostolic origins (that is, taught by Christ Himself), Communion in the hand was condemned as an abuse at the Synod of Rouen in 650 A.D., and the practice of Communion in the hand is never reflected in the artwork of any period whether it be in the East or West that is, up until, The teaching that only the priests may touch the Sacred Host, that the priests hands are consecrated for this purpose, and that no precaution was too great to safeguard reverence and prevent desecration had been incorporated into the Liturgy of the Church; that is, the, Priests were trained in the Old Latin Mass to celebrate Mass with precise rubrics that safeguarded the reverence the Blessed Sacrament deserves. I beg to differ. We pray that our common baptism and the action of the Holy is a traditional Dominican priest. If one chooses to receive Holy Communion in the hand, special care should be taken to ensure that the host is consumed by the communicant in the presence of the The office of Eucharistic minister is therefore the illegitimate offspring from the union of the New Liturgys lay involvement and Communion in the hand living together in the modern Church. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited. But even taking this document at face value, it is difficult to envisage circumstances that would justify the use of Extraordinary Ministers outside of mission lands. And it must be noticed, the Instruction said where the abuse had already become firmly established. Marlene Watkins. WebWith COVID protocols, many diocese are suspending communion on the tongue. The Truth About Communion in the Hand | The Fatima Center Communion received on the tongue and while kneeling - Vatican This unlawful abuse is so well established as local custom that even Pope John Paul II, who made at least a paper attempt to curb the abuse, was completely unsuccessful. A priest can't say, "I'm I would like to remind people to indicate Well, here we go. Naturally, a physical posture that represents the most humility and gives the Lord the most dignity is preferable. A true Catholic renewal would either leave these gestures of reverence intact, or enhance them. Ive been christened myself but my wife and I didnt go to church and never had our children christened. Even the most ordinary parents are smart enough not to give their children the option to accept or reject parental commands. COVID-19 Additional Questions for Catholic Schools, COVID-19 Finance FAQ for Catholic Schools, COVID-19 Personnel FAQ for Catholic Schools, COVID-19 Remote Learning FAQ for Catholic Schools, COVID-19 International Students FAQ for Catholic Schools, Forming a New Prayer and Intercessory Team at Your Parish, Resources for Existing Intercessory Prayer Teams, Mooney Real Estate Holding Company and Parish Incorporations, Stewards for Tomorrow/Archdiocese of Detroit Endowment Foundation. He has also served at several parishes, prior to being names as the pastor of four parishes in Dearborn County, IN. Many of the Fathers of the early Church recognized that our hands could be a throne for receiving holy Communionthe Lord, the King of Kings. To be sure, the Church permits Catholics to receive the Eucharist either on the tongue or in their hands, at the discretion of the one receiving holy Communion. Communion in the hand was introduced under a false ecumenism, allowed to grow due to weakness in authority, approved through compromise and a false sense of is to put one hand down and put the other hand on top of it and make, as Tertullian He explains: The dispensing of Christs Body belongs to the priest for three reasons. is to receive with reverence and dignity. In other words, the person who distributes Holy Communion, or the altar server holding the communion paten under the communicants hands (Redemptionis Sacramentum 93), must see the recipient place the sacred host in his mouth upon receiving It. The teaching that only the priests may touch the Sacred Host, that the priests hands are consecrated for this purpose, and that no precaution was too great to safeguard reverence and prevent desecration had been incorporated into the Liturgy of the Church; that is, the Old Latin Mass. It is therefore difficult in the context of this present letter not to mention the sad phenomena previously referred to. For some, touching the Eucharist makes them feel more connected to Jesus Christ himself. Remember that scene, you leave the area below the altar. But, for whatever reason, this 1980 document contained no threat of penalty to any layman, priest or bishop who ignored the Popes plea. When you get closer, dont go forward with the palms of your hands stretched out, nor with your fingers apart; instead, with your left hand make a throne for your right hand, because this hand must receive the King and, in the cavity of your hand, receive Christs Body saying Amen. Take a step or two to the side to make way for Third, because out of reverence for this Sacrament, nothing touches It but what is consecrated; hence the corporal and the chalice are consecrated, and likewise the priests hands for touching this Sacrament. On January 29, 1973, an Instruction, called. A person who uses a cane to steady his First of all, it is not an act of disloyalty or disobedience to question the wisdom of the document in the first place, particularly when this permission is a revolution against all the pre-Vatican II rubrics that existed for centuries rubrics that existed for reasons of reverence, to safeguard against desecration and that were a matter of Catholic common sense. It is the Lord who is giving us in the Eucharist a special way to participate We believe this means that we should confess our sins, and be committed to reconciliation with others, and then come to the table. do not tell the reader that the practice was started by clergymen in defiance of established liturgical law but make it sound as if it were a request from the laity. So, when you receive in the hand, you have to receive immediately. Someone is being placed there and that Someone is God himself. In his letter Domincae Cenae of February 24, 1980, the Pope restated the Churchs teaching that to touch the sacred species and to administer them with their own hands is a privilege of the ordained. But, for whatever reason, this 1980 document contained no threat of penalty to any layman, priest or bishop who ignored the Popes plea. A letter from the Congregation for Divine Worship to presidents of bishops conferences on May 29, 1969: AAS 61 (1969) 546-547; Notitiae 5 (1969) 351-353: 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. Second, I wasnt sure how to receive in a spiritual sense. The Fathers of the Council of Trent defined the Blessed Sacrament with precision and care. When we talk about all these logistics and how this works, theres this phrase in the Churchlex orandi, lex credendi, how we pray shows what we believe and what we believe forms how we pray. The only time a bow is appropriate and, in fact, required is before the host is received if the communicant chooses to receive Holy Communion standing. Receiving with faith does not mean that you have to have a specific theology on how Christ is present through bread and wine, his body and blood. It's an act of worship and 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. Bishop Sheen once wrote that both men and women are slaves to fashion, but with this difference he said if women are slaves to fashions of clothing, men are slaves to fashions of thought. The sense of the sacred is found wherever safeguarding the reverence for the Blessed Sacrament is put into practice of paramount importance. to receive on the tongue, you should keep certain things in mind.
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