All rights reserved. The rite of communion in the hand must not be put into practice indiscriminately. The new manner of giving communion must not be imposed in a way that would exclude the traditional practice. We welcome our fellow Christians to this celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. Interestingly, during the Middle Ages, the reception of Holy Communion was restricted to "on the tongue" because of abuses. It also happens, on occasion, that the free choice of those who prefer to continue the practice of receiving the Eucharist on the tongue is not taken into account in those places where the distribution of Communion in the hand has been authorized. On reverence for the Eucharist and belief in the Real Presence among Catholic laity has greatly declined I dont think this has ever been proven. Ireland, 4 September 1976 This article has been selected from the ZENIT Daily Dispatch Innovative Media, Inc. ZENIT International News Agency Via della Stazione di Ottavia, 95 00165 Rome, Italywww.zenit.org, To subscribe http://www.zenit.org/english/subscribe.html or email: english-request@zenit.org with SUBSCRIBE in the "subject" field, Provided Courtesy of: Eternal Word Television Network 5817 Old Leeds Road Irondale, AL 35210www.ewtn.com, HOME - EWTNews - FAITH - TELEVISION - RADIO - LIBRARY - MULTIMEDIAWHAT'S NEW - GENERAL - RELIGIOUS CATALOGUE - PILGRIMAGES - ESPAOL, EWTN | 5817 Old Leeds Rd. To increase sanctifying grace and all virtues in our soul. Communion received on the tongue and while kneeling. The condition is the complete avoidance of any cause for the faithful to be shocked and any danger of irreverence toward the Eucharist. 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. 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. This was the law of the Church for almost 14 centuries, and is still the general norm today. 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. This is a fundamental misunderstanding. Not only was Communion in the hand started in disobedience, it was perpetuated by deceit. [23] John Chrysostom, hom. In this context, I think it is fair to say that the present practice of Communion in the hand is not a simple restoration of a historical custom but rather introduced a new practice in new circumstances which, while it has some historical justification, is essentially motivated by current pastoral concerns in some parts of the world. Fr. 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. 86). [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. For this alone is the eating referred to by our Lord ( John 6:58 ). I honestly get sick of it too. [9] Theodore of Mopsuestia, Catechetical Homilies 6. If one is right handed the left hand should rest upon the right. I quite deliberately eschewed entering the historical argument as it would have digressed from the main point of that article. [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). Some may choose to receive the Lord on the tongue while others choose to receive in the hand. Elizabeth Klein is an Assistant Professor of Theology at the Augustine Institute. 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. It is also difficult to ensure that the person who receives Communion effectively consumes the host. North Africa,October 15 1969 [21] Theodore of Mopsuestia, catech. For real reception of the Blessed Eucharist it is required that the sacred species be received into the stomach. It is not solely the result of some weird medieval form of reverence. 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. 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. Obviously, for better or worse, the NLM has an agenda. In this way, the practice of Communion in the hand is different from other liturgical elements restored after centuries of disuse, such as the prayer of the faithful and the exchange of peace. Others claim that in the context of the discourse St. Cyril was referring to the clergy and not to the faithful. 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 . 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. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal says the following: 160. 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. Middle Africa, 3 February 1970 Since the question involves human attitudes, this mode of communion is bound up with the perceptiveness and preparation of the one receiving. Does anyone have an explanation for why France, Germany, and the Low Countries were not quickly regularized once the opportunity was available? It is now August 2020 and I can say that you have been proven wrong. South Africa, 1971 [13] In the far-flung regions of the empireGaul (modern-day France and Spain) we have the witness of Caesarius of Arles[14] and the council of Auxerre,[15] and in England, we have the Venerable Bede. 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. 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. These guidelines replace the guidelines approved by the Administrative Committee of the NCCB in November 1986. 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. [25] Origen of Alexandria, homily in Ex. The way we communicate the Gospel message is almost as important as the Gospel itself. [10] See John Damascene, On the Orthodox Faith, 4.13. The faithful receive Communion kneeling or standing, as established by the episcopal conference. Will you not then much more carefully keep watch, that not a crumb fall from youSt. St. Catechesis has been virtually non-existent or flat-out heretical for the last 50 years. Over and over again the prayers of the liturgy and the norms of the General Instruction emphasize this fundamental concept of the unity of the baptized, stressing that when we come together to participate in the Eucharistic celebration we come, not as individuals, but as united members of Christ's Body. This means that Jesus has no eyes but our eyes, no feet . 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. 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. A Journal of the McGrath Institute for Church Life, by Elizabeth Klein Pray Tell here documents two statements of the Congregation for Divine Worship issued under Pope Paul VI. 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.. St. Cyril of Jerusalem in 348 gave this instruction to his congregation:When you approach Holy Communion, make the left hand into a throne for the right, which will receive the King. A quick example will be found . 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). This action by Christ's body, the Church assembled for the Eucharist, is manifested and supported by the Communion Chant, a hymn in praise of Christ sung by the united voices of those who believe in him and share his life. Biting, tearing, casting aspersions on the faith of other Catholics: this is a damnable situation in the Church. 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 . 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. This would be done especially if it is very difficult or impossible to fulfill the necessary conditions as outlined in the documents above. The sad fact that in recent years hosts consecrated by a Pope have been offered for sale on the Internet further motivates this precautionary measure. So when received unworthily, it is not only useless, but it is harmful to oneself (a lifestyle of sin continues), our neighbors (increase of violence, arson, looting, murders), and society in general (take a look at the condition of our country), and is extremely offensive to God (hence the wide-spread suffering). For pastoral reasons this manner of receiving communion has been legitimately established as the most common form in the Latin rite. 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. 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. The problem is a lack of intentionality across the board, starting with the laity. And why so? 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. A. 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. 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. IMHO no, contrary to what some real traddies may say. Eucharistic sharing in exceptional circumstances by other Christians requires permission according to the directives of the diocesan bishop and the provisions of canon law (canon 844 4). The two ways of receiving communion can without question take place during the same liturgical service. [17] See Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 7.9.4. vehementer hortatur retention of current practice while invoking the common good of the Church. 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. Pope Paul Vl calls attention to the purpose of the InstructionMemoriale Dominiof 29 May 1969, on retaining the traditional practice in use. To signify, seal, and apply to believers all the benefits of the new covenant. But there is more to the story. Madagascar 2 March 1970 LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Catholics want to know if it is allowed for their bishops and priests to require Communion be received only on in the hand instead of on the tongue. The Council of Saragossa (380): Excommunicated anyone who dared continue . Phillip Schaff (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1889). To be honest, I dont really belong to either camp on this, and like you, I think the polarization on this issue is doing more harm than good. Why did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist? 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. More people have received Communion in the past century. June 29, 2021 | Our worship ought to create common unity under Christ, not destroy it. 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. 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. Part 4. As seen above, the U.S. bishops were not among the first to permit Communion in the hand. Communion in the hand is no more hygienic than Communion in the mouth. Bolivia, October 15 1969 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. OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF. Sacrilege is at an all-time high, yet use of the Sacrament of Confession is at an all-time low. If Communion is received in the hand, the hands should first of all be clean. The rite of communion in the hand must not be put into practice indiscriminately. 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. Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS) TOP I dont mean how did it come about. 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). Since the question involves human attitudes, this mode of communion is bound up with the perceptiveness and preparation of the one receiving. Later that year approval was given to Luxembourg, Scandinavia (Scandia), North Africa, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Monaco (see Notitiae v. 7 (1970), no. The new manner of giving communion must not be imposed in a way that would exclude the traditional practice. Ever since the InstructionMemoriale Dominithree years ago, some of the conferences of bishops have been requesting the Apostolic See for the faculty to allow ministers distributing communion to place the eucharistic bread in the hand of the faithful. The cultural backing. Holt Orders cannot sustain the Church, no matter how much traditionalists preach priests are of the utmost importance. With regard to the second, we have many early witnesses including Paul (see 1 Cor 11:27) and the Didache (seechapter 14). We should weigh very well the matters in which we appeal to conscience. But we doyes, verily. Indonesia, 27 March 1971 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. 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. Gross Alexander NPNF 13, ed. Zambia, 11 March 1974 Ive updated the post. For this is what it is to receive unworthily: if one receives at that time when he ought to be doing penance. 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. I beg to differ. What a Priest Might Do If He Wants to Avoid It. As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. 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. This blog is not associated with Pray Tell: An open forum on faith in South Texas. 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. 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. 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. The Netherlands, 18 September 1969 Please take responsibility for the lies, the bile, and the sinful stuff. On the other hand, this mode of communion is not anywhere associated with lay involvement or accessibility, nor is it thought to de-emphasize the role of the priest. Personally, I think that when a priest with the care of souls holds the view that Communion on the tongue is preferable to the alternative practice, then the best thing he can do is inform the faithful of the bishops permission. It preserves us from mortal sin by exciting us to greater fervor and strengthening us against temptation. 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. Whatever procedure is adopted, care must be taken not to allow particles of the eucharistic bread to fall or be scattered. 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. Archbishop Anthony Fisher, OP, of Sydney published an excellent paper on the topic of conscience and authority which can be found at:https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=7833or, in a slightly briefer form athttps://zenit.org/articles/bishop-fisher-on-conscience-and-authority/. [24] Trans. 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. [4] Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on John 6.1 and 12.1. It is not clear as to how widespread it was or if it was a regular practice. 6, trans. For the first few centuries of the Church, receiving Communion in the hand was a common practice. 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. We are the Body of Christ, moving forward to receive the Christ who makes us one with himself and with one another. "You're talking to someone who has only owned a smartphone for a yearI resisted," he said. Paraguay, 27 September 1971 Timothy O'Malley, Copyright 2023 A situation that, in the US certainly, was not necessarily governed by external uniformity (given the varieties of ethnic piety and cultural practices). 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 I am a daily witness at the Basilique du Sacr-Cur de Montmartre (Paris).. 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. The Communion Procession is an action of the Body of Christ. 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 must be presumed that a priest has sufficient formation in moral principles so as to exclude an erroneous conscience in such matters. We should rejoice in that. Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), 2 October 1971 Monaco, 31 October 1969 ), Pray Tell: An open forum on faith in South Texas. 1. It is therefore difficult in the context of this present letter not to mention the sad phenomena previously referred to. How should this evidence be brought to bear on the modern conversation? The Holy Eucharist remits venial sins by disposing us to perform acts of love and contrition. His blood now flows through our veins. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (canon 916). 6. University of Notre Dame, McGrath Institute for Church Life Their attitude of reverence must measure up to what they are doing. The large numbers of faithful and the general hustle and bustle at the moment of communion make it quite easy for a host to fall to the ground. This helps explain why this line of thought isnt gaining much traction except on the right fringe. awr. [11] Council of Constantinople in Trullo, canon 101. Pope Benedict XVI 1927-2022 tribute page and access to resources here. So it is not just tiresome traditionalists who worry about particles. [2] Cyprian, On the Good of Patience 14, On the Lapsed 16 and 26,and Letter 55.9. These practices have wide evidence of use and in some ways never died out completely. For tell me, if any one gave you grains of gold, would you not hold them with all carefulness, being on your guard against losing any of them, and suffering loss? [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. There is also evidence that this was a contested subject (i.e., about what sins prevent someone from receiving), as it would continue to be throughout the history of the Church. October 13, 2022. Since Christ is really, substantially, sacramentally present but not physically, being OC over crumbs is not devotion. But whatever the case, it is the Pope who decides to authorize it for countries, and it is indisputable that he did so. I think the Holy Spirit was nudging people closer to the problem, which was already in evidence decades before the Council. Required fields are marked *. I would like to remind people to indicate clearly how they wish to receive. Whatever procedure is adopted, care must be taken not to allow particles of the eucharistic bread to fall or be scattered. However, it was a brief exchange with ones immediate neighbors and at a time when men and women occupied separate aisles in the church. 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 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. W.R., Goa, India. Yugoslavia, 1971 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. Whatever procedure is adopted, care must be taken not to allow particles of the Eucharistic bread to fall or be scattered. 1. I am just wondering what the reason or reasons were for allowing reception of Communion in the hand to begin with? 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]. are on the side of Lucifer. 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. 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). awr. In order to be properly disposed to . Unless there is a sense of discipleship rooted in baptism. Fire came down and consumed the sacrifices of Elijah II], 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. Now we feel our affluence threatened, and the Gospel gives no comfort on that front. Other way round, it was in the hand and changed to the tongue circa 900 in the west. This is precisely why there are occasions when pastoral prudence can lead to suspend the permission. 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. The wind has left our sails and many of us are adrift on uncertain seas. Cyril of Jerusalem [c. 313-386], Catechetical Lectures, 23:21-22) Several more but no room here. Bishop Athanasius Schneider argued along the same lines at the end of February. The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? The infamous coffee cup masses Dorothy Day describes in her book may have had good intentions behind them, but the way they appeared to trivialize the Holy Sacrifice of the mass lent no dignity to the then new Pauline mass. 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. Theres no simple solution to this issue. 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. But such as, instead of their hands, make vessels of gold or other materials for the reception of the divine gift, and by these receive the immaculate communion, we by no means allow to come, as preferring inanimate and inferior matter to the image of God.[24]. 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. So Indian Bishop conference have not got any Indult for communion in hand? To commemorate the death of Christ: "This do in remembrance of me." 2. 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. Reverence can be good if it opens us to God & neighbor and makes us more loving. 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 are particles, and there are particles. We owe the Lord as much attention to detail. 284-287 is to be followed.. It is clear that this mode of reception was considered reverent and was to be carried out in a reverent manner. 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.
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