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: A perception such as this is a dreadfully inaccurate and impoverished understanding of what is a significant religious action. The Netherlands, 18 September 1969 When the communion is distributed under both kinds, it is never permitted to place in the hands of the communicants hosts which have first been placed in the Blood of the Lord. Your email address will not be published. [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. This helps explain why this line of thought isnt gaining much traction except on the right fringe. It is therefore difficult in the context of this present letter not to mention the sad phenomena previously referred to. Pope Paul Vl approved this Instruction, confirmed it with his authority, and ordered its publication, setting the day of publication as its effective date. At the same time, it is not justified to claim that Communion in the hand is necessarily less reverent or inevitably leads to abuses. 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. 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. I have come to realize in the last few weeks how many of my Roman Rite brethren are actually understanding the Eucharist in a heretical way. awr. 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. In North Africa (including Egypt) the practice is mentioned by Tertullian,[1] Cyprian,[2] Augustine,[3] Cyril of Alexandria,[4] and John Climacus. All rights reserved. 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. If you are the body and members of Christ, then it is your sacrament that is placed on the table of the Lord; it is your sacrament that you receive. It is also difficult to ensure that the person who receives Communion effectively consumes the host. Devotion and reverence toward the Eucharist in the case of communion in the hand. Cardinals Thorne (Peru) and Caffarra (Bologna) have banned Communion in the hand, citing reasons of abuse and disrespect. They should be grave and objective questions related to good and evil. Guidelines for Receiving Holy Communion. So then after having carefully hallowed your eyes by the touch of the Holy Body, partake of it; giving heed lest you lose any portion thereof; for whatever you lose, is evidently a loss to you as it were from one of your own members. 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. Because Catholics believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life, and worship, members of those churches with whom we are not yet fully united are ordinarily not admitted to Holy Communion. If one is receiving in the hand the following is normative: upon approaching the minister of the Host extend the hands in the middle of the chest. If Communion is given only under the species of bread, the Priest raises the host slightly and shows it to each, saying, The Body of Christ. Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church: Receiving Communion So whats missing? [9] Theodore of Mopsuestia, Catechetical Homilies 6. Required fields are marked *. Early Christian Communion in the Hand | Church Life Journal 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. It was proved that belief in the Real Presence is abysmal. I mean WHAT SPECIFIC REASONS were given for requesting it in the first place? 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. 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]. That the conference had voted twice but failed to approve the practice and then only won the third vote by gathering absentee votes which is the article claims was unlawful? Phillip Schaff and Henry Wace in NPNF Second Series, 14 (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1900). 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. From a hygienic point of view, the hand carries a huge amount of bacteria. For one who eats unworthily eats and drinks to his own condemnation (1 Cor 11:29). All the rites which use leavened bread are reverent but not obsessive. Copyright 2023 Eternal Word Television Network, Inc. Irondale, Alabama. 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. [] 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. 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. (Catholic Encyclopedia: Genuflexion) Now we feel our affluence threatened, and the Gospel gives no comfort on that front. (I dont direct this at you, I mean it to everyone on all sides.). They partake not of Him that is in them, they perceive Him not. Communion received on the tongue and while kneeling. 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. 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. ), Pray Tell: An open forum on faith in South Texas. The legitimacy of Communion in the hand is not in question. With your hand hollowed, receive the Body of Christ and answer 'Amen'. I honestly get sick of it too. Instruction on the Manner of Distributing Holy Communion 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. In order to be properly disposed to . Cyril of Jerusalem and Theodore of Mopsuestia liken the practice to that of receiving a king, and both of them note the method of reception was in joined hands (also described in other sources as hands in the form of a cross). The Council was a start, but we have allowed ourselves to get sidetracked in silly and divisive banter. This is precisely why there are occasions when pastoral prudence can lead to suspend the permission. 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.. [T]hose who restrict communicants to receive Holy Communion only in the hands are acting against the norms, as are those who refuse to Christ's faithful [the right] to receive Communion in the hand in dioceses that enjoy this indult. For pastoral reasons this manner of receiving communion has been legitimately established as the most common form in the Latin rite. 3. 86). Communion in the hand is legitimate only where permitted, and it remains in the realm of a permission. There are particles, and there are particles. 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 any danger or hint of danger of profaning the Eucharist. 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. 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. Monaco, 31 October 1969 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 . I dont read any statement with canonical force saying that only those countries may apply for an indult. [23], The great and divine Apostle Paul with loud voice calls man created in the image of God, the body and temple of Christ. [3] Augustine, Answer to Petilian 2.23.53and Against Parmenian 2.7.13. Maybe this is part of a grand conspiracy by Satan to destroy the Church (ok, probably not that). What's at Stake in the Debates Swirling Around Eucharistic Coherence. This practice has been requested by individual episcopal conferences and has received approval from the Apostolic See. [17] See Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 7.9.4. For example, there is ample evidence that the exchange of peace between the people was practiced well into the Middle Ages in several European countries. Aaron, this describes what the countries are to do where Communion in the hand was being practiced. As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. Debunking the myth that today's Communion in the hand - LifeSite As I read above article, I didnt found name of my country India in the list of countries which have Indult for communion in hand. 47), and says of the Communion Chant that "its purpose [is] to express the spiritual union of the communicants by means of the unity of their voices, to show gladness of heart, and to bring out more clearly the 'communitarian' character of the procession to receive the Eucharist" (no. This was the law of the Church for almost 14 centuries, and is still the general norm today. So it is not just tiresome traditionalists who worry about particles. Leo P. McCauley FotC 64 (Catholic University of America Press: Washington, DC, 2000 [1970]). Just look at what making donating money an indulgence-eligible corporal work of mercy resulted in during the Renaissance. Alphonse Mingana (Gorgias Press: Piscataway, NJ, 2009 [1933]). Or is there more context that is missing? The question has been asked for a long time since the Church has often allowed both methods of reception. 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. To signify, seal, and apply to believers all the benefits of the new covenant. And of course Pope Paul VI was adamant that all the reforms carried out under him were faithful to the Second Vatican Council. Australia, 26 September 1975 Whether to receive Communion in the hand or on the tongue are liturgical disciplines, not dogmas. 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. Another will say the opposite; he says, On the contrary, if the wound of sin and the attack of the disease is in fact so great that such medicines need to be postponed, one ought to be removed from the altar by the authority of the bishop in order to do penance, and one ought to be reconciled by the same authority. It preserves us from mortal sin by exciting us to greater fervor and strengthening us against temptation. What is Communion? It's Meaning and Symbolism Explained - Bible Study Tools Finally, to the end that their coming to this heavenly table may be completely worthy and fruitful, the faithful should be instructed on its benefits and effects, for both the individual and society, so that their familial relationship to the Father who gives us our daily bread, may reflect the highest reverence for him, nurture love, and lead to a living bond with Christ, in whose flesh and blood we share.. 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. In the case of communion under both kinds by way of intinction, it is never permitted to place on the hand of the communicant the host that has been dipped in the Lords blood.. And why so? 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. The causes are myriad and often interconnected. The liturgical assembly of the baptized that comes together for the celebration of the Eucharist is a witness to, a manifestation of, the pilgrim Church. This formula should not be altered, as it is a proclamation which calls for a response of faith on the part of the one who receives. 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. This would be done especially if it is very difficult or impossible to fulfill the necessary conditions as outlined in the documents above. The author claims that Communion in the hand could only be authorized in countries where it was an established practice but doesnt give a citation. 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. 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. Chad, 18 September 1969 It is not appropriate to reach out with the fingers and take the host from the person distributing. Yugoslavia, 1971 5. Hence, my theory is that the wide granting of the indult exceeded its initially intended scope as continued prompting from advisors and larger-than-anticipated requests from conferences overcame the popes reluctance. The life of Christ, the Holy Spirit, animates each of us individually, and all of us corporately and guides us together in our efforts to become one in Christ. James Shapiro, a literature prof at Columbia, says the situation is catastrophic: One reason was the way of the world. Thanks for this, Dennis. Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), 2 October 1971 IMHO no, contrary to what some real traddies may say. I wholeheartedly agree with your comment on another thread that this ongoing discussion is frivolous and is only causing needless division. We welcome our fellow Christians to this celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. 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. 284-287 is to be followed.. More people have received Communion in the past century. [6] Cyril of Jerusalem, Mystagogical Catecheses 5.13. Communion on the Tongue Is an Apostolic Tradition St. When receiving in the hand, the communicant should be guided by the words of St. Cyril of Jerusalem . Here in India Communion is distributed both on tongue and in hand. The missal of 1570 eliminated almost all sequences and moved the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar to the beginning of the Order of Mass though the Council of Trent never said a word about either. I quite deliberately eschewed entering the historical argument as it would have digressed from the main point of that article. Our bishops have argued that Communion in the hand is the proper way for the faithful to respond to our Lord's invitation: "All of you, take and eat this." What the bishops overlook is the fact . Holt Orders cannot sustain the Church, no matter how much traditionalists preach priests are of the utmost importance. In this he shows a great fear, and since the hand that is stretched out holds a higher rank, it is the one that is extended for receiving the body of the King, and the other hand bears and brings its sister hand, while not thinking that it is playing the role of a servant, as it is equal with it in honour, on account of the bread of the King, which is also borne by it. It must also increase their faith in the sublime reality of the Lords body and blood, which they touch with their hand. PDF Instructions on Receiving Holy Communion with Proper Reverence 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. The fire of mercy has become for us a living sacrifice To unite us to Himself and to nourish our soul with His The liturgical renewal of St. Pius X which promoted the frequent reception of Communion were still quite young. 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. 4. I am just wondering what the reason or reasons were for allowing reception of Communion in the hand to begin with? To continue the sacrifice of the Cross in His Church. 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. 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. So the authors claim that he is exactly Vatican II is doubtful. The left hand is extended, with the right hand under the left in support (left handed persons may wish to . 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. In fact, however, this hymn is prayer, the corporate thanksgiving prayer of the members of Christ's Body, united with one another. Some scholars claim that this part of the Mystical Catechesis is not originally from St. Cyril but a later interpolation into the text. Has done Church Life Journal 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 . 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. 896. The Communion Procession is an action of the Body of Christ. The General Instruction asks each country's Conference of Bishops to determine the posture to be used for the reception of Communion and the act of reverence to be made by each person as he or she receives Communion. [26] Augustine, Letter 54.3.4, trans. If he is a religious priest, what actions can a legitimate superior take as regards the member who denies Communion in the hand? What is the proper way of receiving Communion in the hand? It is always helpful to review instructions for receiving Communion. The Council of Saragossa (380): Excommunicated anyone who dared continue . 1. 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. On November 14, 1996, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops approved the following guidelines on the reception of Communion. Think of what you receive in your hand and keep it clean of all greed and theft. can. When permitted, the choice as to the form of reception falls upon the communicant and not upon the priest. Receiving Holy Communion | EWTN From the point of view of liturgical law, the relevant documents are the following. 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. [18] See Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 6.43.18. In such cases, episcopal conferences should examine matters carefully and should make whatever decisions, by a secret vote and with a two-thirds majority, are needed to regulate matters. We have no nets to cast deeply. 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. Middle Africa, 3 February 1970 Mingle and flow into the palms of his disciples![22]. 51 (Feb), pg 62). 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. Biting, tearing, casting aspersions on the faith of other Catholics: this is a damnable situation in the Church. [11] Council of Constantinople in Trullo, canon 101. United States, 17 June 1977 What is the proper way of receiving Communion in the hand? - AOD The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. Have reverence for the honor which God has bestowed upon it, and do not lead it down to the vileness of sin.[27]. Communion in the hand is no more hygienic than Communion in the mouth. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. 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. The wind has left our sails and many of us are adrift on uncertain seas. 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). Germany, 6 June 1969 His blood now flows through our veins. How to Take Communion in the Catholic Church: 10 Steps - wikiHow Elizabeth Klein is an Assistant Professor of Theology at the Augustine Institute. Reverence for the Most Blessed Sacrament | The Fatima Center Receiving Communion - Prayer & Spiritual Life - Greek Orthodox Communion on the tongue is recommended and considered the most consonant way to receive the Eucharist, while Communion on the hand is permitted, provided that certain precautions are observed, such as checking to see if any fragments of the Host remain on the palm of the hand. Part 4. 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. We should rejoice in that. 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. It is bad if it makes us prideful/judgmental and distracts from more important things. This blog is not associated with Pray Tell: An open forum on faith in South Texas. Pope Benedict XVI 1927-2022 tribute page and access to resources here. CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Holy Communion - New Advent 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). "You're talking to someone who has only owned a smartphone for a yearI resisted," he said.