awr. This is a fundamental misunderstanding. There are many devout Catholics who find this practice helpful. Leo P. McCauley FotC 64 (Catholic University of America Press: Washington, DC, 2000 [1970]). The Communion Procession is an action of the Body of Christ. All of us should receive with great reverence and respect. Communion in the hand was officially permitted in the United States in 1977, following an indult that is, special permission given by the Congregation for Divine Sacraments in 1969. [10] See John Damascene, On the Orthodox Faith, 4.13. The Holy See has made it abundantly clear that both manners of reception of Communion on the tongue and in the hand are permitted, that Communion should be received reverently, and that the manner of reception should not become an occasion of division in the church. 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. In fact, each time we move forward together to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord, we join the countless ranks of all the baptized who have gone before us, our loved ones, the canonized and uncanonized saints down through the ages, who at their time in history formed a part of this mighty stream of believers. 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Australia, 26 September 1975 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. [15] See the council of Auxerre, canon 36 (it directs women not to receive on their bare hands, but with their hand covered by a cloth). 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. Look how military inspectors demand very high standards of care when inspecting barracks for cleanliness. If he is a religious priest, what actions can a legitimate superior take as regards the member who denies Communion in the hand? 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. 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. Shapiro picked up an abused-looking iPhone from his desk. [22] Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on Faith 10, trans. The people administering the sacrament are asked to use hand sanitizer immediately before. Interestingly, during the Middle Ages, the reception of Holy Communion was restricted to "on the tongue" because of abuses. In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. This is the quote that is always used: " make your left hand a throne for the right, as for that which is to receive a King. 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 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. Of note for the modern debate, both John Chrysostom and the Council of Constantinople in Trullo argue that human beings, made in the image of God and capable of communing with him, are more worthy to touch the Eucharist than vessels of gold and silver. When the bishops reassembled, Cardinal John Carberry of St. Louis, a determined opponent of Communion in the hand, was quick to get up to set things straight. Germany, 6 June 1969 [4] Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on John 6.1 and 12.1. 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. The rite of communion in the hand must not be put into practice indiscriminately. Still, while not the direction eventually taken, I believe restriction to be the more natural reading of the Vaticans intent at that moment in time. Fire and Spirit, contrary to nature If one is right handed the left hand should rest upon the right. The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? North Africa,October 15 1969 Im not aware of that limitation and would like to see proper documentation. [16] Liturgical evidence from Rome is always sparser than one would like, but Eusebius preserves a mention of communion in the hand in a letter written from Dionysius of Alexandria to Sixtus I, bishop of Rome,[17] and in a letter of Cornelius, bishop of Rome. 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. 21. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. [23] John Chrysostom, hom. A priest who is not directly responsible for the care of souls should be even more respectful of local practice. For you believe, and correctly, that you are answerable if anything falls from there by neglect.[25]. All the rites which use leavened bread are reverent but not obsessive. 96). From these documents, we can deduce the following points. 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. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal says the following: 160. These guidelines replace the guidelines approved by the Administrative Committee of the NCCB in November 1986. Our souls ought to be purer than they, more holy, more brilliant. 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. 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. To fit our bodies for a glorious resurrection. 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 following norms must therefore be respected. 3. If our reader had said that he believed that Communion in the hand was more prone to dangers of accidents and profanation, I would accept the argument. Sure, Ill go along with that. Maybe this is part of a grand conspiracy by Satan to destroy the Church (ok, probably not that). Communion in the hand is no more hygienic than Communion in the mouth. The legitimacy of Communion in the hand is not in question. During the debate by the conference in the 1970s, a bishop said that he had seen a recent photo of Paul VI giving Communion in the hand to a little boy. 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. Greg., Dial., I, III, c. iii). A situation that, in the US certainly, was not necessarily governed by external uniformity (given the varieties of ethnic piety and cultural practices). For real reception of the Blessed Eucharist it is required that the sacred species be received into the stomach. First, Chrysostom in one of his Homilies on Ephesians: What, do you not see the holy vessels so thoroughly cleansed all over, so resplendent? 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] Here is what Theodore says: 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. Elizabeth Klein is an Assistant Professor of Theology at the Augustine Institute. 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. [11] In East Syria (what we would now call the Middle East) we have evidence from Ephrem the Syrian[12] and Narsai. The person distributing Communion says audibly to each person approaching, "The Body of Christ." Scandinavia,October 15 1969 It is now August 2020 and I can say that you have been proven wrong. For this is what it is to receive unworthily: if one receives at that time when he ought to be doing penance. 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. In the United States, the body of Bishops has determined that "[t]he norm is that Holy Communion is to be received standing, unless an individual member of the faithful wishes to receive Communion while kneeling"and that a bow is the act of reverence made by those receiving (no. As seen above, the U.S. bishops were not among the first to permit Communion in the hand. I wholeheartedly agree with your comment on another thread that this ongoing discussion is frivolous and is only causing needless division. It is not solely the result of some weird medieval form of reverence. Later that year approval was given to Luxembourg, Scandinavia (Scandia), North Africa, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Monaco (see Notitiae v. 7 (1970), no. Japan, 27 June 1970 in Eph 3, trans. 160). My overarching point in all this (as someone who receives comfortably in both manners) is that I dont think common concerns with reception in the hand have been treated with adequate seriousness by many its defenders. In comparing the indult list provided in this post with the brief history of Fr. Unless there is a sense of discipleship rooted in baptism. However, while this text is undoubtedly ancient evidence of the existence of Communion in the hand, it is, like many patristic texts, fraught with interpretative conundrums. On the one hand, I think this evidence precludes describing communion in the hand as intrinsically irreverent. Roland Teske (Hyde Park, NY: New City Press, 2001). Think of what you receive in your hand and keep it clean of all greed and theft. Sacrilege is at an all-time high, yet use of the Sacrament of Confession is at an all-time low. What is the proper way of receiving Communion in the hand? Why? If, however, Communion is given under both kinds, the rite prescribed in nos. From the point of view of liturgical law, the relevant documents are the following. SACRED CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP, Letter En reponse a la demande, to presidents of those conferences of bishops petitioning the indult for communion in the hand, 29 May 1969: Acta Apostolicae Sedis 61 (1969) 546-547; Notitiae 5 (1969) 351-353. When we move in procession, particularly the procession to receive the Body and Blood of Christ in Communion, we are a sign, a symbol of that pilgrim Church "on the way.". The symptoms are myriadI certainly would assent to much of what you cite. I am just wondering what the reason or reasons were for allowing reception of Communion in the hand to begin with? Some of the online advocates of kneeling/tongue seem to focus only on adoration of the Real Presence and now a cardinal has said that those who receive standing in the hand most Catholics by far! The Council of Saragossa, 380, excommunicated anyone who dared continue to receive Holy Communion in the hand. Communion on the tongue remains the usual and common form of administering Holy Communion. A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all. Take a step or two to the side to make way for the next communicant, then receive our Lord. 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. June 29, 2021 | 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. This would be done especially if it is very difficult or impossible to fulfill the necessary conditions as outlined in the documents above. The elements were placed in the hands (not in the mouth) of each communicant by the clergy who were present, or, according to Justin, by the deacons alone, amid singing of psalms by the congregation (Psalm 34), with the words: The body of Christ; The blood of Christ, the cup of life; to each of which the recipient responded Amen. (eminent Church historian Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church: Ante-Nicene Christianity: A.D. 100-325 [Vol. St. Instead of receiving in my hand, thinking "the other way is better," and quickly gobbling up the Eucharist, I took the "popular way," as a gift: I put my left hand on top of my right . Jeffrey T. Wickes FotC 130 (Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press, 2015). 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.. What a Priest Might Do If He Wants to Avoid It. However, it was a brief exchange with ones immediate neighbors and at a time when men and women occupied separate aisles in the church. The most ancient practice of distributing Holy Communion was, with all probability, to give Communion to the faithful in the palm of the hand. . And having hollowed your palm, receive the Body of Christ, saying over it, Amen. [6] Cyril of Jerusalem, Mystagogical Catecheses 5.13. http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2014/03/truth-about-communion-in-hand-while.html#.Wpa2wdIUnGg. When one receives from the chalice, the same proclamation is made by the person distributing Communion and the Communicant again responds, "Amen." We welcome our fellow Christians to this celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. Holt Orders cannot sustain the Church, no matter how much traditionalists preach priests are of the utmost importance. It was designed: 1. [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. The two ways of receiving communion can without question take place during the same liturgical service. [5] In Jerusalem, we have the mystagogical catecheses of Cyril of Jerusalem (or perhaps of his successor, John). In North Africa (including Egypt) the practice is mentioned by Tertullian,[1] Cyprian,[2] Augustine,[3] Cyril of Alexandria,[4] and John Climacus. Just look at what making donating money an indulgence-eligible corporal work of mercy resulted in during the Renaissance. 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. Space doesn't allow all the details, but the propaganda in the 1970s that was used to sell Communion in the hand to a trusting, vulnerable people was a campaign of calculated half-truths that didn't tell the whole story. So they reintroduced the practice of Communion in the hand (it had been originally introduced as a widespread practice by the Arian heretics of the Fourth Century to deny that Jesus is God). If Communion is received in the hand, the hands should first of all be clean. What some call discipleship, others evangelizationnew or whatever, or some speak of discernment and application of spiritual gifts. St. [24] Trans. He can freely share with the faithful his reasons for preferring to adhere to the traditional practice and encourage the faithful to continue doing so. IMHO no, contrary to what some real traddies may say. As a scholar of the early Church, I was surprised to learn that the practice of communion in the hand is such a hotly debated topic; it came to my attention during the early days of the pandemic, when many dioceses required communicants to receive in this way. Does anyone have an explanation for why France, Germany, and the Low Countries were not quickly regularized once the opportunity was available? 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. 284-287 is to be followed.. South Africa, 1971 I beg to differ. The guidelines recommend against serving Communion until gatherings of more than 50 people are allowed. Now we feel our affluence threatened, and the Gospel gives no comfort on that front. 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. Phillip Schaff and Henry Wace in NPNF Second Series, 14 (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1900). It is advisable, therefore, that the rite be introduced gradually and in the beginning within small, better-prepared groups and in favorable settings. 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. cites vote tallies to defend a claim that a large majority (longe plurimos) of bishops not only oppose introducing Communion in the hand but consider it tum sensui tum spirituali cultui [] offensioni These need to be taken seriously if one wants to effectively engage in these discussions with the likes of Cardinal Sarah and others. 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 . The traditional and preferred method is the reception of the Host on the tongue: Step forward and kneel at the Communion rail or station (if you stand, make a sign of reverencesuch as a bow or genuflection or Sign of the Crossbefore receiving the Host and take care not to disrupt the Communion line). 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. Canada, 12 February 1970 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. Paul W. Harkins ACW 31 (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1963). 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. Cardinals Thorne (Peru) and Caffarra (Bologna) have banned Communion in the hand, citing reasons of abuse and disrespect. Papua and New Guinea, 28 April 1976 I dont mean how did it come about. Ireland, 4 September 1976 can. This is more a question of moral theology than of liturgy. Phillip Schaff (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1889). I quite deliberately eschewed entering the historical argument as it would have digressed from the main point of that article. I similarly think Cardinal Sarahs frankly ridiculous comments about Lucifer are draining credibility from his cause (one that I admittedly align with sometimes), even if some of his proposals are good ones. 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. 896. 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. Elizabeth Klein is an Assistant Professor of Theology at the, The Abandoned: Toward a Christocentric Phenomenology of Prayer, The Conclusion of Karl Rahner's Dissertation on the Origin of the Church from the Side Wound of the Crucified Christ. This means that Jesus has no eyes but our eyes, no feet . One could have perfect adoration of Real Presence in humble posture and, at least in theory, miss the point of Communion. 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. ODonaghues post, I note with interest that the countries in which Communion in the hand is alleged to have been most prevalent either did not apply for or at any rate receive an indult in these first 8 years of results. Pray Tell here documents two statements of the Congregation for Divine Worship issued under Pope Paul VI. 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. 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. Aaron, this describes what the countries are to do where Communion in the hand was being practiced. To be a pledge of everlasting life. 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. Basil the Great, Doctor of the Church (330-379): "The right to receive Holy Communion in the hand is permitted only in times of persecution.". And of course Pope Paul VI was adamant that all the reforms carried out under him were faithful to the Second Vatican Council. The [Seraph] did not hold it, and [Isaiah] did not eat it 6. The congregation returned to this issue in the instructionImmensae Caritatis,January 29, 1973: AAS 65 (1973) 264-271; Notitiae 9 (1973) 157-164: Part 4. 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. 1996, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. [17] See Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 7.9.4. When we receive Communion, we become members of Christ's Body, the Church. What is the proper way of receiving Communion in the hand? This is in no way meant to refer to those who, receiving the Lord Jesus in the hand, do so with profound reverence and devotion, in those countries where this practice has been authorized.. Your fire, O, Our Lord we have eaten in your offering Whatever procedure is adopted, care must be taken not to allow particles of the eucharistic bread to fall or be scattered. Their attitude of reverence must measure up to what they are doing. 4. 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: 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. Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA. 5. Fire consumed the offering It describes one of the purposes of the opening song of the Mass as to "foster the unity of those who have been gathered" (no. 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. Whatever procedure is adopted, care must be taken not to allow particles of the Eucharistic bread to fall or be scattered. Others claim that in the context of the discourse St. Cyril was referring to the clergy and not to the faithful. 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. OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF. I suspect that Christ can cope with particles that get dropped but the care we show, or the lack of care, is what counts. They partake not of Him that is in them, they perceive Him not. Members of the Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Polish National Catholic Church are urged to respect the discipline of their own Churches. 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. 2. Pakistan, 29 October 1976 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. It is reported that a bishop shouted out, On the tongue or in the hand?. Yet even here, the experts sometimes forgot the unrepeatable reality of original circumstances so that restoration is never quite the same. In the early Church, the faithful stood when receiving into their hands the consecrated particle can hardly be questioned. St. Dionysius of Alexandria [d. 265], writing to one of the popes of his time, speaks emphatically of one who has stood by the table and has extended his hand to receive the Holy Food (Eusebius [263-339], Hist. Bishop Athanasius Schneider argued along the same lines at the end of February. Has the Holy Eucharist any other effect? 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. Obviously, for better or worse, the NLM has an agenda. With your hand hollowed, receive the Body of Christ and answer Amen. Do we have faith in the efficacy of the sacraments or not? The communicant should audibly respond, "Amen," indicating by that response his or her belief that this small wafer of bread, the wine in this chalice are in reality the body and blood of Christ the Lord. 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. In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. 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. 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. [26] Augustine, Letter 54.3.4, trans. Those who receive Communion may receive either in the hand or on the tongue, and the decision should be that of the individual receiving, not of the person distributing Communion. 895. 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. Mingle and flow into the palms of his disciples![22]. Luxembourg, October 15 1969 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. Gross Alexander NPNF 13, ed. 86). For example, Augustine writes, Someone might say that the Eucharist should not be received daily. October 13, 2022. 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. "You're talking to someone who has only owned a smartphone for a yearI resisted," he said. 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. [2] Cyprian, On the Good of Patience 14, On the Lapsed 16 and 26,and Letter 55.9. [16] Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, 4.24. Since the question involves human attitudes, this mode of communion is bound up with the perceptiveness and preparation of the one receiving. Because those vessels are made so for our sakes.