Reverence for the Most Blessed Sacrament | The Fatima Center These considerations can perhaps help balance our perspective (whether in favor or against the practice of communion in the hand), and alert us to the fact that reverence is a complex phenomenon that, of course, does involve postures of the body, but most importantly, the attitude of the heart. I would like to remind people to indicate clearly how they wish to receive. 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. The two ways of receiving communion can without question take place during the same liturgical service. As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. The causes are myriad and often interconnected. They would find many more areas we all need to work on than just their main focus. Bishop Athanasius Schneider argued along the same lines at the end of February. 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. IMHO no, contrary to what some real traddies may say. 86). Guidelines for the Reception of Communion | USCCB [1] This RCIA Process is the way in which you are prepared to be formally received by the Church; this is necessary before you can take Communion. If one is left-handed this is reversed. [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. http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2014/03/truth-about-communion-in-hand-while.html#.Wpa2wdIUnGg. 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). 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. 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. When receiving Communion in the hand can be sinful - LifeSite 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. The most ancient practice of distributing Holy Communion was, with all probability, to give Communion to the faithful in the palm of the hand. How to Receive the Eucharist | Catholic Answers For Catholics: As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. So whats missing? From the point of view of liturgical law, the relevant documents are the following. Today, both manners of receiving Communion are worthy and licit. Never receive Holy Communion by extending only one hand. Father, as to the limitation on what regions might request this indult, Memoriale Domini stipulated that Where a contrary usage, that of placing holy communion on the hand, prevails, the Holy See [] lays on those conferences the task of weighing carefully whatever special circumstances may exist there []. 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. Receiving Communion - Prayer & Spiritual Life - Greek Orthodox When permitted, the choice as to the form of reception falls upon the communicant and not upon the priest. So the authors claim that he is exactly Vatican II is doubtful. I am just wondering what the reason or reasons were for allowing reception of Communion in the hand to begin with? Theres no simple solution to this issue. First, Chrysostom in one of his Homilies on Ephesians: What, do you not see the holy vessels so thoroughly cleansed all over, so resplendent? 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. In fact, however, this hymn is prayer, the corporate thanksgiving prayer of the members of Christ's Body, united with one another. How to Take Communion in the Catholic Church: 10 Steps - wikiHow 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. University of Notre Dame, McGrath Institute for Church Life 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. It also rules out arguing for an intrinsic link between a rejection of the true presence and communion in the handthe Fathers, on the whole, speak of Christs presence in the Eucharist in highly realistic terms and also received on the hand. 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 difficult for some of us to embrace this emphasis on Mass as the action of a community rather than an individual act of my own faith and piety, but it is important that we make every effort to do so. 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. 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. 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. Ireland, 4 September 1976 This is a fundamental misunderstanding. [22] Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on Faith 10, trans. 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. With regard to the second, we have many early witnesses including Paul (see 1 Cor 11:27) and the Didache (seechapter 14). How should this evidence be brought to bear on the modern conversation? 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. 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. 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. These guidelines replace the guidelines approved by the Administrative Committee of the NCCB in November 1986. It is not solely the result of some weird medieval form of reverence. 1. Library : Holy Communion in the Hand? | Catholic Culture 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: Part 4. But one should not by his own judgment abstain from or return to communion, as he pleases. And of course Pope Paul VI was adamant that all the reforms carried out under him were faithful to the Second Vatican Council. The Proper Way to Receive Holy Communion - Shrub Oak, NY And to demonstrate reverence and. Has the Holy Eucharist any other effect? 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. Fire and Spirit, contrary to nature The debate was interrupted by lunch. Phillip Schaff (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1889). 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. 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. [] It is not permitted for the faithful to take the consecrated Bread or the sacred chalice by themselves and, still less, to hand them on from one to another among themselves. 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. Christ himself at the Last Supper pleaded with his Father: "Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us" (John 17:11, 21).Baptism has joined us to Christ and to one another as the vine and its branches. 7. Guidelines for Receiving Holy Communion. awr. But back in the West, where most of us at PT are from, the Church is struggling. A. Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist: To be a pledge of everlasting life. I think that settles it. June 29, 2021 | His blood now flows through our veins. 284-287 is to be followed.. 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. All of us are only grasping a hint of it. 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. Finally, the fact that the Communion Procession is a profoundly religious action tells us something about the way in which we should participate in this procession. The Controversy of Communion in the Hand Catholic Insight For example, although Communion in the hand is generally permitted at the Vatican, in recent years ministers administrating Communion at large at papal Masses have been enjoined to distribute Communion only on the tongue. Bishops allowing introduction of the new way of receiving communion are requested to send to this Congregation after six months a report on the result of its concession.. 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. 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. Pope Benedict was asked why he chose to distribute Communion only to those kneeling and on the tongue and he responded, because it highlights "the truth of the real presence [of Christ] in the Eucharist, helps the devotion . 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. The history of the liturgy, however, makes clear that rather early on a . These need to be taken seriously if one wants to effectively engage in these discussions with the likes of Cardinal Sarah and others. If one is right handed the left hand should rest upon the right. For you believe, and correctly, that you are answerable if anything falls from there by neglect.[25]. [10] See John Damascene, On the Orthodox Faith, 4.13. Your email address will not be published. [20] Cyril of Jerusalem, myst. Your email address will not be published. [17] See Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 7.9.4. It preserves us from mortal sin by exciting us to greater fervor and strengthening us against temptation. Receiving Holy Communion | EWTN 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. Eccl., VII, ix). Is the Catholic Church ever going to bring back communion wine? The legitimacy of Communion in the hand is not in question. 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. 5. Hard to believe that Catechesis has never been better if that fundamental is misunderstood. Upper Volta and Niger, 20 February 1970 895. Take a step or two to the side to make way for the next communicant, then receive our Lord. Now we feel our affluence threatened, and the Gospel gives no comfort on that front. 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. Monaco, 31 October 1969 Please remember that there is no "right" way to receive. Interestingly, during the Middle Ages, the reception of Holy Communion was restricted to "on the tongue" because of abuses. Dear Patrick, And why so? 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. [18] See Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 6.43.18. We welcome our fellow Christians to this celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. A situation that, in the US certainly, was not necessarily governed by external uniformity (given the varieties of ethnic piety and cultural practices). A Journal of the McGrath Institute for Church Life, by Elizabeth Klein Liturgical Press | School of Theology Seminary | Saint John's Abbey | Comments Policy | Contact Us 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. Whatever procedure is adopted, care must be taken not to allow particles of the eucharistic bread to fall or be scattered. 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 . . The way you put it, it doesnt sound obsessive-compulsive but salutary. When one receives from the chalice, the same proclamation is made by the person distributing Communion and the Communicant again responds, "Amen." enough bread and wine are made ready for the communication of the faithful at each Mass.45 As a general rule, Holy Communion is given from hosts . 3. Who holds the wind in the palm of his hand? 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. Devotion and reverence toward the Eucharist in the case of communion in the hand. 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. It is not clear as to how widespread it was or if it was a regular practice. Objecting to Communion in the Hand | EWTN It was proved that belief in the Real Presence is abysmal. 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 Guidelines for Receiving Holy Communion - Catholic News Agency The oldest reference to the Eucharist in the New Testament occurs in chapters 11 and 12 of the First Letter to the Corinthians, which has no reference to receiving Holy Communion on the tongue. Communion received on the tongue and while kneeling - Vatican.va (Original Latin text here, see pp. 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. 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. You should thus draw near with great awe and love, according to the greatness of that which is given: with awe, because of the greatness of (its) honour; and with love, because of (its) grace. 896. Unless there is a sense of discipleship rooted in baptism. Indonesia, 27 March 1971 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 . Then he saw that it was futile. The Council was a start, but we have allowed ourselves to get sidetracked in silly and divisive banter. It is now August 2020 and I can say that you have been proven wrong. 6. can. It is clear that this mode of reception was considered reverent and was to be carried out in a reverent manner. Communion received on the tongue and while kneeling. Whatever procedure is adopted, care must be taken not to allow particles of the eucharistic bread to fall or be scattered. However, this is likely to lead to many embarrassing instances for the faithful who approach communion unaware of the situation. The way we communicate the Gospel message is almost as important as the Gospel itself. 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. 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. Our souls ought to be purer than they, more holy, more brilliant. O Solomon, the thing which the Lord of your father North Africa,October 15 1969 Australia, 26 September 1975 Several readers pointed out that I made no mention of a text of St. Cyril when mentioning the historical foundations of the practice. As further documentation,Pray Tell provides this excerpt from the 2002General Instruction of the Roman Missal in Latin and English on the reception of Communion. Later that year approval was given to Luxembourg, Scandinavia (Scandia), North Africa, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Monaco (see Notitiae v. 7 (1970), no. In North Africa (including Egypt) the practice is mentioned by Tertullian,[1] Cyprian,[2] Augustine,[3] Cyril of Alexandria,[4] and John Climacus. Jeffrey T. Wickes FotC 130 (Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press, 2015). It is advisable, therefore, that the rite be introduced gradually and in the beginning within small, better-prepared groups and in favorable settings. A: The answer to this question is somewhat complex. The Eucharist may not be received while a person has mortal sin in their soul. Pray Tell here documents two statements of the Congregation for Divine Worship issued under Pope Paul VI. They probably never foresaw its subsequent, and occasionally chaotic, development in some parts of the Church. But is the impression they give generally correct? [23], The great and divine Apostle Paul with loud voice calls man created in the image of God, the body and temple of Christ. [11] Council of Constantinople in Trullo, canon 101. God has come to live in us. 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. divine life. As seen above, the U.S. bishops were not among the first to permit Communion in the hand. 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. Djibouti, 6 March 1970 We should rejoice in that. It is bad if it makes us prideful/judgmental and distracts from more important things. Hence any baptized Catholic who is not prevented by law must be admitted to Holy Communion. 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. As for decades of poor or heterodox catechesis on the Sacraments, it seems more likely that catechesis has never been better, more Scripture-based, and more soundly theological. Cyril of Jerusalem [c. 313-386], Catechetical Lectures, 23:21-22) Several more but no room here. Cardinals Thorne (Peru) and Caffarra (Bologna) have banned Communion in the hand, citing reasons of abuse and disrespect. 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. 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. 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. Documentation: Approval of Communion in the Hand under - PrayTellBlog This helps explain why this line of thought isnt gaining much traction except on the right fringe. I make no judgment about who is guilty of this- I dont know most of the people by far and am in no position to judge. Papua and New Guinea, 28 April 1976 ADOM :: Communion: in the hand or the tongue All of us should receive with great reverence and respect. Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church: Receiving Communion The Truth About Communion in the Hand | The Fatima Center 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. Per The Baltimore Catechism: I have celebrated Mass in places where there is no Communion in the hand and yet have observed some people approach the Eucharist in a slovenly and distracted manner with nary a trace of reverence in sight. 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. I did an internet search about the history of communion in the hand in the U.S. and the only thing I found was an article by the NLM. I think the Holy Spirit was nudging people closer to the problem, which was already in evidence decades before the Council. 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. 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. Think of what you receive in your hand and keep it clean of all greed and theft. For this is what it is to receive unworthily: if one receives at that time when he ought to be doing penance. 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. [23] John Chrysostom, hom. For it is a deed fraught with destruction to take the tongue which serve such awesome mysteries, which has become purpled with a blood so precious, which has become a sword of gold and to change its course to abuse, insolence and ribald jests. 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. I dont read any statement with canonical force saying that only those countries may apply for an indult. As soon as the communicant receives the host, he or she consumes the whole of it. On the other hand, if the sins are not so great that a person should be judged to deserve excommunication, he ought not to withdraw from the daily medicine of the Lords body.[26]. 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. We are encouraged to receive Communion devoutly and frequently. PDF Instructions on Receiving Holy Communion with Proper Reverence Q. Catechesis has been virtually non-existent or flat-out heretical for the last 50 years. Funny Retirement Quotes For Police Officers, Articles OTHER
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7 rules for receiving communion in the hand

[11] In East Syria (what we would now call the Middle East) we have evidence from Ephrem the Syrian[12] and Narsai. To continue the sacrifice of the Cross in His Church. Required fields are marked *. Fr. 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. 6. R. E. Heine FotC 21 (Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press, 1982). Reverence for the Most Blessed Sacrament | The Fatima Center These considerations can perhaps help balance our perspective (whether in favor or against the practice of communion in the hand), and alert us to the fact that reverence is a complex phenomenon that, of course, does involve postures of the body, but most importantly, the attitude of the heart. I would like to remind people to indicate clearly how they wish to receive. 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. The two ways of receiving communion can without question take place during the same liturgical service. As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. The causes are myriad and often interconnected. They would find many more areas we all need to work on than just their main focus. Bishop Athanasius Schneider argued along the same lines at the end of February. 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. IMHO no, contrary to what some real traddies may say. 86). Guidelines for the Reception of Communion | USCCB [1] This RCIA Process is the way in which you are prepared to be formally received by the Church; this is necessary before you can take Communion. If one is left-handed this is reversed. [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. http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2014/03/truth-about-communion-in-hand-while.html#.Wpa2wdIUnGg. 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). 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. 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. When receiving Communion in the hand can be sinful - LifeSite 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. The most ancient practice of distributing Holy Communion was, with all probability, to give Communion to the faithful in the palm of the hand. How to Receive the Eucharist | Catholic Answers For Catholics: As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. So whats missing? From the point of view of liturgical law, the relevant documents are the following. Today, both manners of receiving Communion are worthy and licit. Never receive Holy Communion by extending only one hand. Father, as to the limitation on what regions might request this indult, Memoriale Domini stipulated that Where a contrary usage, that of placing holy communion on the hand, prevails, the Holy See [] lays on those conferences the task of weighing carefully whatever special circumstances may exist there []. 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. Receiving Communion - Prayer & Spiritual Life - Greek Orthodox When permitted, the choice as to the form of reception falls upon the communicant and not upon the priest. So the authors claim that he is exactly Vatican II is doubtful. I am just wondering what the reason or reasons were for allowing reception of Communion in the hand to begin with? Theres no simple solution to this issue. First, Chrysostom in one of his Homilies on Ephesians: What, do you not see the holy vessels so thoroughly cleansed all over, so resplendent? 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. In fact, however, this hymn is prayer, the corporate thanksgiving prayer of the members of Christ's Body, united with one another. How to Take Communion in the Catholic Church: 10 Steps - wikiHow 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. University of Notre Dame, McGrath Institute for Church Life 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. It also rules out arguing for an intrinsic link between a rejection of the true presence and communion in the handthe Fathers, on the whole, speak of Christs presence in the Eucharist in highly realistic terms and also received on the hand. 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 difficult for some of us to embrace this emphasis on Mass as the action of a community rather than an individual act of my own faith and piety, but it is important that we make every effort to do so. 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. 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. 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. Ireland, 4 September 1976 This is a fundamental misunderstanding. [22] Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on Faith 10, trans. 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. With regard to the second, we have many early witnesses including Paul (see 1 Cor 11:27) and the Didache (seechapter 14). How should this evidence be brought to bear on the modern conversation? 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. 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. 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. These guidelines replace the guidelines approved by the Administrative Committee of the NCCB in November 1986. It is not solely the result of some weird medieval form of reverence. 1. Library : Holy Communion in the Hand? | Catholic Culture 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: Part 4. But one should not by his own judgment abstain from or return to communion, as he pleases. And of course Pope Paul VI was adamant that all the reforms carried out under him were faithful to the Second Vatican Council. The Proper Way to Receive Holy Communion - Shrub Oak, NY And to demonstrate reverence and. Has the Holy Eucharist any other effect? 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. Fire and Spirit, contrary to nature The debate was interrupted by lunch. Phillip Schaff (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1889). 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. 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. [] It is not permitted for the faithful to take the consecrated Bread or the sacred chalice by themselves and, still less, to hand them on from one to another among themselves. 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. Christ himself at the Last Supper pleaded with his Father: "Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us" (John 17:11, 21).Baptism has joined us to Christ and to one another as the vine and its branches. 7. Guidelines for Receiving Holy Communion. awr. But back in the West, where most of us at PT are from, the Church is struggling. A. Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist: To be a pledge of everlasting life. I think that settles it. June 29, 2021 | His blood now flows through our veins. 284-287 is to be followed.. 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. All of us are only grasping a hint of it. 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. Finally, the fact that the Communion Procession is a profoundly religious action tells us something about the way in which we should participate in this procession. The Controversy of Communion in the Hand Catholic Insight For example, although Communion in the hand is generally permitted at the Vatican, in recent years ministers administrating Communion at large at papal Masses have been enjoined to distribute Communion only on the tongue. Bishops allowing introduction of the new way of receiving communion are requested to send to this Congregation after six months a report on the result of its concession.. 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. 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. Pope Benedict was asked why he chose to distribute Communion only to those kneeling and on the tongue and he responded, because it highlights "the truth of the real presence [of Christ] in the Eucharist, helps the devotion . 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. The history of the liturgy, however, makes clear that rather early on a . These need to be taken seriously if one wants to effectively engage in these discussions with the likes of Cardinal Sarah and others. If one is right handed the left hand should rest upon the right. For you believe, and correctly, that you are answerable if anything falls from there by neglect.[25]. [10] See John Damascene, On the Orthodox Faith, 4.13. Your email address will not be published. [20] Cyril of Jerusalem, myst. Your email address will not be published. [17] See Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 7.9.4. It preserves us from mortal sin by exciting us to greater fervor and strengthening us against temptation. Receiving Holy Communion | EWTN 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. Eccl., VII, ix). Is the Catholic Church ever going to bring back communion wine? The legitimacy of Communion in the hand is not in question. 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. 5. Hard to believe that Catechesis has never been better if that fundamental is misunderstood. Upper Volta and Niger, 20 February 1970 895. Take a step or two to the side to make way for the next communicant, then receive our Lord. Now we feel our affluence threatened, and the Gospel gives no comfort on that front. 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. Monaco, 31 October 1969 Please remember that there is no "right" way to receive. Interestingly, during the Middle Ages, the reception of Holy Communion was restricted to "on the tongue" because of abuses. Dear Patrick, And why so? 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. [18] See Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 6.43.18. We welcome our fellow Christians to this celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. A situation that, in the US certainly, was not necessarily governed by external uniformity (given the varieties of ethnic piety and cultural practices). A Journal of the McGrath Institute for Church Life, by Elizabeth Klein Liturgical Press | School of Theology Seminary | Saint John's Abbey | Comments Policy | Contact Us 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. Whatever procedure is adopted, care must be taken not to allow particles of the eucharistic bread to fall or be scattered. 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 . . The way you put it, it doesnt sound obsessive-compulsive but salutary. When one receives from the chalice, the same proclamation is made by the person distributing Communion and the Communicant again responds, "Amen." enough bread and wine are made ready for the communication of the faithful at each Mass.45 As a general rule, Holy Communion is given from hosts . 3. Who holds the wind in the palm of his hand? 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. Devotion and reverence toward the Eucharist in the case of communion in the hand. 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. It is not clear as to how widespread it was or if it was a regular practice. Objecting to Communion in the Hand | EWTN It was proved that belief in the Real Presence is abysmal. 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 Guidelines for Receiving Holy Communion - Catholic News Agency The oldest reference to the Eucharist in the New Testament occurs in chapters 11 and 12 of the First Letter to the Corinthians, which has no reference to receiving Holy Communion on the tongue. Communion received on the tongue and while kneeling - Vatican.va (Original Latin text here, see pp. 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. 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. You should thus draw near with great awe and love, according to the greatness of that which is given: with awe, because of the greatness of (its) honour; and with love, because of (its) grace. 896. Unless there is a sense of discipleship rooted in baptism. Indonesia, 27 March 1971 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 . Then he saw that it was futile. The Council was a start, but we have allowed ourselves to get sidetracked in silly and divisive banter. It is now August 2020 and I can say that you have been proven wrong. 6. can. It is clear that this mode of reception was considered reverent and was to be carried out in a reverent manner. Communion received on the tongue and while kneeling. Whatever procedure is adopted, care must be taken not to allow particles of the eucharistic bread to fall or be scattered. However, this is likely to lead to many embarrassing instances for the faithful who approach communion unaware of the situation. The way we communicate the Gospel message is almost as important as the Gospel itself. 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. 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. Our souls ought to be purer than they, more holy, more brilliant. O Solomon, the thing which the Lord of your father North Africa,October 15 1969 Australia, 26 September 1975 Several readers pointed out that I made no mention of a text of St. Cyril when mentioning the historical foundations of the practice. As further documentation,Pray Tell provides this excerpt from the 2002General Instruction of the Roman Missal in Latin and English on the reception of Communion. Later that year approval was given to Luxembourg, Scandinavia (Scandia), North Africa, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Monaco (see Notitiae v. 7 (1970), no. In North Africa (including Egypt) the practice is mentioned by Tertullian,[1] Cyprian,[2] Augustine,[3] Cyril of Alexandria,[4] and John Climacus. Jeffrey T. Wickes FotC 130 (Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press, 2015). It is advisable, therefore, that the rite be introduced gradually and in the beginning within small, better-prepared groups and in favorable settings. A: The answer to this question is somewhat complex. The Eucharist may not be received while a person has mortal sin in their soul. Pray Tell here documents two statements of the Congregation for Divine Worship issued under Pope Paul VI. They probably never foresaw its subsequent, and occasionally chaotic, development in some parts of the Church. But is the impression they give generally correct? [23], The great and divine Apostle Paul with loud voice calls man created in the image of God, the body and temple of Christ. [11] Council of Constantinople in Trullo, canon 101. God has come to live in us. 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. divine life. As seen above, the U.S. bishops were not among the first to permit Communion in the hand. 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. Djibouti, 6 March 1970 We should rejoice in that. It is bad if it makes us prideful/judgmental and distracts from more important things. Hence any baptized Catholic who is not prevented by law must be admitted to Holy Communion. 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. As for decades of poor or heterodox catechesis on the Sacraments, it seems more likely that catechesis has never been better, more Scripture-based, and more soundly theological. Cyril of Jerusalem [c. 313-386], Catechetical Lectures, 23:21-22) Several more but no room here. Cardinals Thorne (Peru) and Caffarra (Bologna) have banned Communion in the hand, citing reasons of abuse and disrespect. 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. 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. 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. Documentation: Approval of Communion in the Hand under - PrayTellBlog This helps explain why this line of thought isnt gaining much traction except on the right fringe. I make no judgment about who is guilty of this- I dont know most of the people by far and am in no position to judge. Papua and New Guinea, 28 April 1976 ADOM :: Communion: in the hand or the tongue All of us should receive with great reverence and respect. Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church: Receiving Communion The Truth About Communion in the Hand | The Fatima Center 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. Per The Baltimore Catechism: I have celebrated Mass in places where there is no Communion in the hand and yet have observed some people approach the Eucharist in a slovenly and distracted manner with nary a trace of reverence in sight. 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. I did an internet search about the history of communion in the hand in the U.S. and the only thing I found was an article by the NLM. I think the Holy Spirit was nudging people closer to the problem, which was already in evidence decades before the Council. 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. 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. Think of what you receive in your hand and keep it clean of all greed and theft. For this is what it is to receive unworthily: if one receives at that time when he ought to be doing penance. 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. [23] John Chrysostom, hom. For it is a deed fraught with destruction to take the tongue which serve such awesome mysteries, which has become purpled with a blood so precious, which has become a sword of gold and to change its course to abuse, insolence and ribald jests. 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. I dont read any statement with canonical force saying that only those countries may apply for an indult. As soon as the communicant receives the host, he or she consumes the whole of it. On the other hand, if the sins are not so great that a person should be judged to deserve excommunication, he ought not to withdraw from the daily medicine of the Lords body.[26]. 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. We are encouraged to receive Communion devoutly and frequently. PDF Instructions on Receiving Holy Communion with Proper Reverence Q. Catechesis has been virtually non-existent or flat-out heretical for the last 50 years.

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7 rules for receiving communion in the hand

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7 rules for receiving communion in the hand

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