The debate was interrupted by lunch. 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. W.R., Goa, India. [26] Augustine, Letter 54.3.4, trans. The US might have been little-touched by the scorched earth of world war, and perhaps our feel-good stance astride the planet delayed the decay somewhat. [8] John Chrysostom, Homilies on Ephesians, Baptismal Instruction 12.1516, On the Incomprehensible Nature of God 6.36, and On the Priesthood 3.4. New Zealand, 24 April 1974 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. 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. 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. June 29, 2021 | What some call discipleship, others evangelizationnew or whatever, or some speak of discernment and application of spiritual gifts. [21] Theodore of Mopsuestia, catech. 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. 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. 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. 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). Or is there more context that is missing? But to us our Lord has given both . 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. 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). | Irondale, AL 35210 |. It preserves us from mortal sin by exciting us to greater fervor and strengthening us against temptation. Q. [5] In Jerusalem, we have the mystagogical catecheses of Cyril of Jerusalem (or perhaps of his successor, John). Therefore I stand by what I wrote in the original: 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.. For the first few centuries of the Church, receiving Communion in the hand was a common practice. Whatever procedure is adopted, care must be taken not to allow particles of the eucharistic bread to fall or be scattered. 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 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. It must also increase their faith in the sublime reality of the Lords body and blood, which they touch with their hand. It is bad if it makes us prideful/judgmental and distracts from more important things. The condition is the complete avoidance of any cause for the faithful to be shocked and any danger of irreverence toward the Eucharist. Then he saw that it was futile. We have no nets to cast deeply. How should this evidence be brought to bear on the modern conversation? 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.. Do we have faith in the efficacy of the sacraments or not? Surveys from CARA and Pew reflect this, though I admittedly doubted them until I attended mass with a fellow Catholic at church that predominantly received on the tongue and my friend jeering remarked, why dont they receive in the hand like normal people? The rationale for Communion on the hands being an ancient practice is from St. Cyril of Jerusalem. So the authors claim that he is exactly Vatican II is doubtful. 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. And to demonstrate reverence and. 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. Timothy O'Malley, Copyright 2023 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: Never receive Holy Communion by extending only one hand. Q. What is the proper way of receiving Communion in the hand? No wonder so many people there have given up on Christianity. [6] In Syria (what we now call Turkey and surrounding regions) it is witnessed by Basil the Great,[7] John Chrysostom,[8] Theodore of Mopsuestia,[9] John Damascene[10] and the Council of Constantinople in Trullo (also called the Quinisext council). The General Instruction of the Roman Missal takes this hymn very seriously, mandating that it should begin at the Communion of the priest and extend until the last person has received Communion. It is not clear as to how widespread it was or if it was a regular practice. They would find many more areas we all need to work on than just their main focus. Im not aware of that limitation and would like to see proper documentation. 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. 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 . Yet even here, the experts sometimes forgot the unrepeatable reality of original circumstances so that restoration is never quite the same. Fire and Spirit, contrary to nature Has the Holy Eucharist any other effect? It is standard procedure so I wonder what the basis of this accusation is. This was the law of the Church for almost 14 centuries, and is still the general norm today. Devotion and reverence toward the Eucharist in the case of communion in the hand. 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. The person distributing Communion says audibly to each person approaching, "The Body of Christ." 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. For this is what it is to receive unworthily: if one receives at that time when he ought to be doing penance. Fast forward to 2004, when The Congregation for Divine Worship in its new Instruction named Redemptionis Sacramentum, stated: "Although each of the faithful always has the right to receive Holy Communion on the tongue, at his choice, if any communicant should wish to receive the Sacrament in the hand the sacred host is to be administered . The Eucharist fulfills this call: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? 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. 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 []. [22] Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on Faith 10, trans. 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. 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. can. Our souls ought to be purer than they, more holy, more brilliant. We also welcome to this celebration those who do not share our faith in Jesus Christ. Do we accept an experience of the Real Presence only when the externals and the lingo of 1950 are seen and heard? 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 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 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. This is the reason why you say after him: Amen.[21]. Roland Teske (Hyde Park, NY: New City Press, 2001). It should be noted that it is never permissible for a person to dip the host he or she has received into the chalice. What's at Stake in the Debates Swirling Around Eucharistic Coherence. Please take responsibility for the lies, the bile, and the sinful stuff. [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. On November 14, 1996, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops approved the following guidelines on the reception of Communion. 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. Whatever procedure is adopted, care must be taken not to allow particles of the Eucharistic bread to fall or be scattered. A. Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist: If we follow the example of the Fathers, we will prioritize practices that prevent the dropping of the Eucharist and catechizing communicants not to receive in a state of mortal sin. And some who do have lost their strength or nerve. 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. 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. 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. The faithful receive Communion kneeling or standing, as established by the episcopal conference. 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. A passage from St. Cyril of Jerusalem is used to persuade Catholics that Communion in the hand is an ancient practice legitimately restored after Vatican II. ), Pray Tell: An open forum on faith in South Texas. For Catholics: As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. A letter from the Congregation for Divine Worship to presidents of bishops conferences on May 29, 1969: AAS 61 (1969) 546-547; Notitiae 5 (1969) 351-353: In reply to the request of your conference of bishops regarding permission to give communion by placing the host on the hand of the faithful, I wish to communicate the following. 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 . 1. A: The answer to this question is somewhat complex. 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. [2] 2 Accept Communion in a state of grace. 1396: In Baptism we have been called to form but one body. 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. The two ways of receiving communion can without question take place during the same liturgical service. 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 Yugoslavia, 1971 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). In order to be properly disposed to . Paraguay, 27 September 1971 To continue the sacrifice of the Cross in His Church. in Eph 3, trans. [12] Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on Faith 10 and Hymns on Virginity 33.7. My three hypotheses were less well researched opinions on my part, theyre not (that last one was a joke on Cdl Sarahs comments, sorry if that wasnt clear), but simply launchpoints in an honest discussion on the impact of Pope Pauls Indult, and the circumstances surrounding it, whether or not they hold any real merit. When receiving in the hand, the communicant should be guided by the words of St. Cyril of Jerusalem . Just look at what making donating money an indulgence-eligible corporal work of mercy resulted in during the Renaissance. Your email address will not be published. 48 (Sept/Oct), pg 361. Does anyone have an explanation for why France, Germany, and the Low Countries were not quickly regularized once the opportunity was available? What if we were passionate about all that? 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. Scotland, 7 July 1977 Canada, 12 February 1970 If one is right handed the left hand should rest upon the right. [9] Theodore of Mopsuestia, Catechetical Homilies 6. 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. Reverence can be good if it opens us to God & neighbor and makes us more loving. 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. [4] Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on John 6.1 and 12.1. What if our reception made us all more loving of one another, whatever our views on how to receive? 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. 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. This norm is supported by an Instruction by the Holy See regarding the Eucharist: "In distributing Holy Communion it is to be remembered that 'sacred ministers may not deny the sacraments to those who seek them in a reasonable manner, are rightly disposed, and are not prohibited by law from receiving them'(Code of Canon Law, can. awr. For one who eats unworthily eats and drinks to his own condemnation (1 Cor 11:29). If Communion is received in the hand, the hands should first of all be clean. 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.