This was the law of the Church for almost 14 centuries, and is still the general norm today. Their attitude of reverence must measure up to what they are doing. can. The recent survey asking Catholics about Holy Communion indicates that 70% DO NOT BELIEVE that Holy Communion is the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus. 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. Per The Baltimore Catechism: Receiving communion in the hand was the common practice of the Church in both East and West for the first 800 years of Christianity, and it was certainly considered reverent by the Fathers. I think youre right that, without an explicitly limiting clause, there is no canonically binding restriction to those countries, and that the subsequent granting of dispensation ultimately belied such restriction. His blood now flows through our veins. Guidelines for Receiving Holy Communion. 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. 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. 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. 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. For one who eats unworthily eats and drinks to his own condemnation (1 Cor 11:29). Sacrilege is at an all-time high, yet use of the Sacrament of Confession is at an all-time low. 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. There are particles, and there are particles. I am just wondering what the reason or reasons were for allowing reception of Communion in the hand to begin with? Think of what you receive in your hand and keep it clean of all greed and theft. 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. Pray Tell here documents two statements of the Congregation for Divine Worship issued under Pope Paul VI. 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.". They would find many more areas we all need to work on than just their main focus. 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. 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). I honestly get sick of it too. For Catholics: As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. From a hygienic point of view, the hand carries a huge amount of bacteria. (Catholic Encyclopedia: Genuflexion) 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. 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. Nor did the Vatican interpret it that way, near as I can tell. Its just BREAD!!. Roland Teske (Hyde Park, NY: New City Press, 2001). (I dont direct this at you, I mean it to everyone on all sides.). The faithful receive Communion kneeling or standing, as established by the episcopal conference. Particularly in regard to this way of receiving communion, experience suggests certain matters requiring careful attention. On the one hand, I think this evidence precludes describing communion in the hand as intrinsically irreverent. Unless there is a sense of discipleship rooted in baptism. To lessen our evil inclinations. 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. 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. It is advisable, therefore, that the rite be introduced gradually and in the beginning within small, better-prepared groups and in favorable settings. Germany, 6 June 1969 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. Papua and New Guinea, 28 April 1976 Biting, tearing, casting aspersions on the faith of other Catholics: this is a damnable situation in the Church. Featured Image: Rossano Gospels, Last Supper, 6th c.; Source: Wikimedia Commons, PD-Old-100. A Journal of the McGrath Institute for Church Life, by Elizabeth Klein [17] See Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 7.9.4. 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. The same Instruction contained a reminder that the laws of the Church and the writings of the Fathers give ample witness of a supreme reverence and utmost caution toward the Eucharist and that this must continue. For you hear the words, the Body of Christ and respond Amen. Be then a member of the Body of Christ that your Amen may be true (St. Augustine, Sermon 272: PL 38, 1247). But as time passed it became the practice to receive Communion directly on the tongue in order to assure that the Host was received reverently. 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. Permission for administering Communion in the hand was granted by the Holy See to the United States on June 17, 1977 and has since become almost the universal norm in the Ordinary Form. Excelling, therefore, every sensible creature, he who by the saving Passion has attained to the celestial dignity, eating and drinking Christ, is fitted in all respects for eternal life, sanctifying his soul and body by the participation of divine grace. 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. This practice has been requested by individual episcopal conferences and has received approval from the Apostolic See. Communion in the hand is legitimate only where permitted, and it remains in the realm of a permission. R. E. Heine FotC 21 (Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press, 1982). divine life. And of course Pope Paul VI was adamant that all the reforms carried out under him were faithful to the Second Vatican Council. The Communion Procession is an action of the Body of Christ. If Communion is received in the hand, the hands should first of all be clean. Your email address will not be published. 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. Fire and Spirit, contrary to nature 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. James Shapiro, a literature prof at Columbia, says the situation is catastrophic: One reason was the way of the world. 2. From these documents, we can deduce the following points. 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 . Chad, 18 September 1969 The fire of mercy has become for us a living sacrifice 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. 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. He said that he had checked with the then Apostolic Delegation and had been assured that the pope was giving the boy a rosary. 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. 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.. 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. I dont mean how did it come about. What if we were passionate about all that? 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. Uruguay,October 15 1969 In the context of the reception of Communion, this means a cognizance of both Church history and contemporary cultural nuances. 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. To continue the sacrifice of the Cross in His Church. For you believe, and correctly, that you are answerable if anything falls from there by neglect.[25]. But to us our Lord has given both . in Eph 3, trans. Whatever procedure is adopted, care must be taken not to allow particles of the eucharistic bread to fall or be scattered. What is the proper way of receiving Communion in the hand? Others claim that in the context of the discourse St. Cyril was referring to the clergy and not to the faithful. 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. These views are sometimes strongly held. Fire consumed the offering They probably never foresaw its subsequent, and occasionally chaotic, development in some parts of the Church. 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 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. It is not clear as to how widespread it was or if it was a regular practice. The same Instruction contained a reminder that the laws of the Church and the writings of the Fathers give ample witness of a supreme reverence and utmost caution toward the Eucharist and that this must continue. We welcome our fellow Christians to this celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. The condition is the complete avoidance of any cause for the faithful to be shocked and any danger of irreverence toward the Eucharist. Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread (1 Cor 10:16-17). University of Notre Dame, McGrath Institute for Church Life However, when they receive Communion standing, it is recommended that the faithful make appropriate reverence, according to the norms established, before receiving the Sacrament. 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. Over the years I have read a multitude of opinions for and against, and occasionally perceived false arguments. Our procession should move with dignity; our bearing should be that of those who know they have been redeemed by Christ and are coming to receive their God! I do make the point that reverence, while important, is not the only or most important aspect of Communion. 4. So whats missing? We should weigh very well the matters in which we appeal to conscience. Jamaica, 12 March 1970 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. It is not appropriate to reach out with the fingers and take the host from the person distributing. Ireland, 4 September 1976 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.. This would be done especially if it is very difficult or impossible to fulfill the necessary conditions as outlined in the documents above. Whatever procedure is adopted, care must be taken not to allow particles of the eucharistic bread to fall or be scattered. Scandinavia,October 15 1969 The new manner of giving communion must not be imposed in a way that would exclude the traditional practice. 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. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal says the following: 160. France, 6 June 1969 With your hand hollowed, receive the Body of Christ and answer 'Amen'. Aaron, 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. [16] Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, 4.24. Under the moral aspect will be considered, in reference to Holy Communion: necessity; subject; dispositions. 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. 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. All of us are only grasping a hint of it. For some, however, the singing of this hymn is perceived as an intrusion on their own prayer, their private thanksgiving after Communion. 48 (Sept/Oct), pg 361. 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. Obviously, for better or worse, the NLM has an agenda. It is not solely the result of some weird medieval form of reverence. 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? For pastoral reasons this manner of receiving communion has been legitimately established as the most common form in the Latin rite. [23] John Chrysostom, hom. 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. But there is more to the story. Australia, 26 September 1975 [11] Council of Constantinople in Trullo, canon 101. 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. Most often when speaking of reverence, however, the Fathers emphasize two main things: 1) that every precaution should be taken lest the Eucharist fall to the ground and 2) that communicants should be from serious sin and quarrels with other Christians. 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 . II], vehementer hortatur retention of current practice while invoking the common good of the Church. 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. Paraguay, 27 September 1971 The divine coal is a common image of the Eucharist in Syrian theology. 161. For this reason, since the question of Communion in the hand is not a question of faith as such, and it has been approved by the legitimate authority, I do not believe that a priest can invoke conscience as a motive for refusing to apply a legitimate law. Follow-up: Objecting to Communion in the Hand (10-16-2018), Pursuant to my reflections on Communion in the hand (October 2), a reader from France claimed that It is totally justified to claim that Communion in the hand is necessarily less reverent or inevitably leads to abuses. All of us should receive with great reverence and respect. The cultural backing. 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. This is more a question of moral theology than of liturgy. As to the way to carry out the new rite: one possible model is the traditional usage, which expresses the ministerial functions, by having the priest or deacon place the host in the hand of the communicant . Im not aware of that limitation and would like to see proper documentation. Hard to believe that Catechesis has never been better if that fundamental is misunderstood. [3] Augustine, Answer to Petilian 2.23.53and Against Parmenian 2.7.13. 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. A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all. To fit our bodies for a glorious resurrection. Jeffrey T. Wickes FotC 130 (Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press, 2015). 895. 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. Bishop Athanasius Schneider argued along the same lines at the end of February. Copyright 2023 Eternal Word Television Network, Inc. Irondale, Alabama. Sure, Ill go along with that. One said: When [the practice was] introduced in the U.S. Cyril of Jerusalem was quoted make your hands a throne for the King, take and eat.Is anyone denying the quote?, Concerning Communion in the hand, please consult the Mystical Catechesis of St. Cyril of Jerusalem for a description of the practice around A.D. 345. 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. Confess it and move on. If one is right handed the left hand should rest upon the right. We owe the Lord as much attention to detail. 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. It is clear that this mode of reception was considered reverent and was to be carried out in a reverent manner. 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. We have no nets to cast deeply. 1. 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. [12] Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on Faith 10 and Hymns on Virginity 33.7. 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. I used the wordnecessarilyas an equivalent to in and of itself. There is no inherent reason why Communion in the hand is less reverent. Receiving Communion The Sacrament of Holy Communion (also known as The Lord's Supper or Eucharist) has been precious and life-giving to Christians for 2,000 years. (Original Latin text here, see pp. 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. Their attitude of reverence must measure up to what they are doing. The debate was interrupted by lunch. Fr. The person distributing Communion says audibly to each person approaching, "The Body of Christ." A: The answer to this question is somewhat complex. Pope Paul Vl calls attention to the purpose of the InstructionMemoriale Dominiof 29 May 1969, on retaining the traditional practice in use. 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. With your hand hollowed, receive the Body of Christ and answer Amen. This helps explain why this line of thought isnt gaining much traction except on the right fringe. 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. 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). 915). 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. New Zealand, 24 April 1974 . North Africa,October 15 1969 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. It is advisable, therefore, that the rite be introduced gradually and in the beginning within small, better prepared groups and in favorable settings. [25] Origen of Alexandria, homily in Ex. 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. However, cases of a deplorable lack of respect towards the Eucharistic species have been reported, cases which are imputable not only to the individuals guilty of such behavior but also to the pastors of the church who have not been vigilant enough regarding the attitude of the faithful towards the Eucharist. 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. The question has been asked for a long time since the Church has often allowed both methods of reception. The rite of communion in the hand must not be put into practice indiscriminately. Christ himself at the Last Supper pleaded with his Father: "Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us" (John 17:11, 21).Baptism has joined us to Christ and to one another as the vine and its branches. Shapiro picked up an abused-looking iPhone from his desk. 96). As with all historical practices, one must examine the context and circumstances which are usually not repeatable. 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. Elizabeth Klein is an Assistant Professor of Theology at the Augustine Institute.
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