In approaching therefore, come not with your wrists extended, or your fingers spread; but make your left hand a throne for the right, as for that which is to receive a King. Take a step or two to the side to make way for the next communicant, then receive our Lord. 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. 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. For pastoral reasons this manner of receiving communion has been legitimately established as the most common form in the Latin rite. The person distributing Communion says audibly to each person approaching, "The Body of Christ." And to demonstrate reverence and. It should be noted that it is never permissible for a person to dip the host he or she has received into the chalice. Never receive Holy Communion in the hand when your hands are impeded; e.g., carrying a cane or some other walking-assistance device, carrying a child in your arms, carrying a purse, have a tissue or handkerchief in your hand, have a cast on your hand, etc. This was the law of the Church for almost 14 centuries, and is still the general norm today. 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. R. E. Heine FotC 21 (Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press, 1982). 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. Im not aware of that limitation and would like to see proper documentation. 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. 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. The guidelines recommend against serving Communion until gatherings of more than 50 people are allowed. [2] Cyprian, On the Good of Patience 14, On the Lapsed 16 and 26,and Letter 55.9. If Your Hand/Hands are Impeded . 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. I used the wordnecessarilyas an equivalent to in and of itself. There is no inherent reason why Communion in the hand is less reverent. Paul W. Harkins ACW 31 (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1963). These practices have wide evidence of use and in some ways never died out completely. The following norms must, therefore, be respected. For whatever reason, reception on the hand does not appear to convey the same level of reverence in the public consciousness as reception on the tongue. 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 . How should this evidence be brought to bear on the modern conversation? 895. Scandinavia,October 15 1969 [16] Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, 4.24. The most ancient practice of distributing Holy Communion was, with all probability, to give Communion to the faithful in the palm of the hand. (or: Which Heresy Will You Give Up for Lent? One could have perfect adoration of Real Presence in humble posture and, at least in theory, miss the point of Communion. The author seems to think that liturgical reforms should consist of only what an ecumenical council prescribed. [20] Cyril of Jerusalem, myst. Some may choose to receive the Lord on the tongue while others choose to receive in the hand. 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. 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. Madagascar 2 March 1970 5. 4. October 13, 2022. The Council was a start, but we have allowed ourselves to get sidetracked in silly and divisive banter. It is bad if it makes us prideful/judgmental and distracts from more important things. According to Roman Catholic discipline, the Code of Canon Law does not object to the reception of Communion by Christians of these Churches (canon 844 3). Cardinals Thorne (Peru) and Caffarra (Bologna) have banned Communion in the hand, citing reasons of abuse and disrespect. If one is right handed the left hand should rest upon the right. 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. Pope Benedict XVI 1927-2022 tribute page and access to resources here. In order to be properly disposed to . 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! [23], The great and divine Apostle Paul with loud voice calls man created in the image of God, the body and temple of Christ. There is so much to Communion. 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. 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 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. 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. The Council of Saragossa, 380, excommunicated anyone who dared continue to receive Holy Communion in the hand. Timothy O'Malley, Copyright 2023 Theres no simple solution to this issue. What if we were passionate about all that? As a scholar of the early Church, I was surprised to learn that the practice of communion in the hand is such a hotly debated topic; it came to my attention during the early days of the pandemic, when many dioceses required communicants to receive in this way. Communion received on the tongue and while kneeling. 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. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal says the following: 160. 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. cites vote tallies to defend a claim that a large majority (longe plurimos) of bishops not only oppose introducing Communion in the hand but consider it tum sensui tum spirituali cultui [] offensioni Confess it and move on. We are encouraged to receive Communion devoutly and frequently. 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. Jesus wants to use our hands, which have now become His hands, to help those in need. And having hollowed your palm, receive the Body of Christ, saying over it, Amen. 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.. To commemorate the death of Christ: "This do in remembrance of me." 2. 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: To continue the sacrifice of the Cross in His Church. Their attitude of reverence must measure up to what they are doing. University of Notre Dame, McGrath Institute for Church Life I dont mean how did it come about. 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. I think the Holy Spirit was nudging people closer to the problem, which was already in evidence decades before the Council. 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. As soon as the communicant receives the host, he or she consumes the whole of it. in Eph 3, trans. 161. 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. A. Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist: This blog is not associated with Pray Tell: An open forum on faith in South Texas. 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. 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. 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. The congregation returned to this issue in the instructionImmensae Caritatis,January 29, 1973: AAS 65 (1973) 264-271; Notitiae 9 (1973) 157-164: Part 4. [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. Look how military inspectors demand very high standards of care when inspecting barracks for cleanliness. (Catholic Encyclopedia: Genuflexion) It must also increase their faith in the sublime reality of the Lords body and blood, which they touch with their hand. He said that he had checked with the then Apostolic Delegation and had been assured that the pope was giving the boy a rosary. The legitimacy of Communion in the hand is not in question. I wholeheartedly agree with your comment on another thread that this ongoing discussion is frivolous and is only causing needless division. The restorers of the rite probably had the beautiful simplicity and symbolism of the medieval rite in mind but did not take the changed circumstances sufficiently into account. I do make the point that reverence, while important, is not the only or most important aspect of Communion. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. Phillip Schaff (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1889). 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. At the same time he has taken into account the reasons given to support your request and the outcome of the vote taken on this matter. Blog Staff and Editorial Advisory Committee, http://www.kathpedia.com/index.php?title=Handkommunion, http://www.cultodivino.va/content/cultodivino/it/rivista-notitiae/indici-annate.html, From the Wires: U.S. Catholic Priests Are Increasingly Conservative as Faithful Grow More Liberal, Yale Organ Week: Now Accepting Applications, The North American Academy of Liturgy, 2023, New Open-Access, Ecumenical Journal Powered by the University of Vienna, Is the Eucharistic Revival a Liturgical Revival (Part 2), What Did Jesus Know? Communion received on the tongue and while kneeling. As with all historical practices, one must examine the context and circumstances which are usually not repeatable.. Eccl., VII, ix). Aaron, this describes what the countries are to do where Communion in the hand was being practiced. It is reported that a bishop shouted out, On the tongue or in the hand?. When we receive Communion, we become members of Christ's Body, the Church. The fire of mercy has become for us a living sacrifice [27] John Chrysostom, Baptismal Instruction, 12.15-16, trans. Does anyone have an explanation for why France, Germany, and the Low Countries were not quickly regularized once the opportunity was available? A Journal of the McGrath Institute for Church Life, by Elizabeth Klein Pope Paul Vl calls attention to the purpose of the InstructionMemoriale Dominiof 29 May 1969, on retaining the traditional practice in use. So it is not just tiresome traditionalists who worry about particles. 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. Fire came down and consumed the sacrifices of Elijah For example, Augustine writes, Someone might say that the Eucharist should not be received daily. Since the question involves human attitudes, this mode of communion is bound up with the perceptiveness and preparation of the one receiving. Whether to receive Communion in the hand or on the tongue are liturgical disciplines, not dogmas. Australia, 26 September 1975 | Irondale, AL 35210 |. Councils establish principles (and rarely go into specific points) and then leave it to a commission to carry out the detailed work after the Council. 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], To receive the Sacrament which is given, a person stretches out his right hand, and under it he places the left hand. Whatever procedure is adopted, care must be taken not to allow particles of the Eucharistic bread to fall or be scattered. Since practices vary from one church to another, we hope these guidelines help you feel more at home. The rite of communion in the hand must not be put into practice indiscriminately. 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. In fact, however, this hymn is prayer, the corporate thanksgiving prayer of the members of Christ's Body, united with one another. 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. But to us our Lord has given both . 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. 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.
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