In order to be properly disposed to . Church Life Journal Maybe this is part of a grand conspiracy by . It is clear that this mode of reception was considered reverent and was to be carried out in a reverent manner. The bishop, however, might sometimes deal with the religious priest through his superior in these matters. It must also increase their faith in the sublime reality of the Lords body and blood, which they touch with their hand. At Christ's invitation, extended by the priest acting in Christ's person: "Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb," the members of the community move forward to share in the sacred meal, to receive the Body and Blood of Christ which is the sign and the source of their unity. 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). 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. [18] See Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 6.43.18. Communion in the hand is allowed in the United States by decision of the American Bishops. Here in India Communion is distributed both on tongue and in hand. We pray that our common baptism and the action of the Holy Spirit in this Eucharist will draw us closer to one another and begin to dispel the sad divisions which separate us. All of us are only grasping a hint of it. A. Maybe this is due to its similarity to practices in most Protestant churches, many of which (Anglicans and Lutherans notwithstanding) fundamentally dont believe in a sacramental Communion substance. Because those vessels are made so for our sakes. 96). 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. Their attitude of reverence must measure up to what they are doing. To that which you are you respond Amen (yes, it is true!) and by responding to it you assent to it. Phillip Schaff (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1889). 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. Has done 4. It is not solely the result of some weird medieval form of reverence. Chad, 18 September 1969 5. 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 . 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. 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. Alphonse Mingana (Gorgias Press: Piscataway, NJ, 2009 [1933]). On November 14, 1996, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops approved the following guidelines on the reception of Communion. 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 . A Journal of the McGrath Institute for Church Life, by Elizabeth Klein We are encouraged to receive Communion devoutly and frequently. This is the quote that is always used: " make your left hand a throne for the right, as for that which is to receive a King. I mean WHAT SPECIFIC REASONS were given for requesting it in the first place? Today, both manners of receiving Communion are worthy and licit. 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. Library : Holy Communion in the Hand? | Catholic Culture The condition is the complete avoidance of any cause for the faithful to be shocked and any danger of irreverence toward the Eucharist. Fire came down and consumed the sacrifices of Elijah 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. 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. 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.. Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), 2 October 1971 21. This is a fundamental misunderstanding. Receiving Holy Communion | EWTN From these documents, we can deduce the following points. With your hand hollowed, receive the Body of Christ and answer 'Amen'. So whats missing? 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. Aaron, this describes what the countries are to do where Communion in the hand was being practiced. Many pathogens are transmitted through the hands. That said, there are dimensions to this discussion that I think are both valuable and havent been given much screen time overall. 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. To signify, seal, and apply to believers all the benefits of the new covenant. However, it was a brief exchange with ones immediate neighbors and at a time when men and women occupied separate aisles in the church. Whether to receive Communion in the hand or on the tongue are liturgical disciplines, not dogmas. It was designed: 1. It was proved that belief in the Real Presence is abysmal. What if we were passionate about all that? Several readers pointed out that I made no mention of a text of St. Cyril when mentioning the historical foundations of the practice. 1. For Catholics: As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. 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. 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. They probably never foresaw its subsequent, and occasionally chaotic, development in some parts of the Church. The rationale for Communion on the hands being an ancient practice is from St. Cyril of Jerusalem. are on the side of Lucifer. 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. 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. 915). All rights reserved. http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2014/03/truth-about-communion-in-hand-while.html#.Wpa2wdIUnGg. I used the wordnecessarilyas an equivalent to in and of itself. There is no inherent reason why Communion in the hand is less reverent. Particularly in regard to this way of receiving communion, experience suggests certain matters requiring careful attention. 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. What a Priest Might Do If He Wants to Avoid It. 5.21, trans. What if our reception made us all more loving of one another, whatever our views on how to receive? A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all. [16] Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, 4.24. I suspect that Christ can cope with particles that get dropped but the care we show, or the lack of care, is what counts. It is reported that a bishop shouted out, On the tongue or in the hand?. 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. Aaron, [6] Cyril of Jerusalem, Mystagogical Catecheses 5.13. To be a pledge of everlasting life. Bishops Cannot Mandate Communion on the Hand or Forbid Communion on the Australia, 26 September 1975 My sense is that if theres something demonic in all this it is the Galatians moment in which many Catholics find themselves, especially those on the traditional side. 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. In an even more elevated tone, Ephrem the Syrian, in a stunning passage, invites the Christian communicant to feel awe at what is placed in his or her hand, since even the Seraph did not take the divine coal with his hand, nor did the prophet Isaiah eat it (see: Isa 6:6). These need to be taken seriously if one wants to effectively engage in these discussions with the likes of Cardinal Sarah and others. Indonesia, 27 March 1971 The left hand is extended, with the right hand under the left in support (left handed persons may wish to . Our souls ought to be purer than they, more holy, more brilliant. Why? The Council of Saragossa, 380, excommunicated anyone who dared continue to receive Holy Communion in the hand. It is always helpful to review instructions for receiving Communion. Their attitude of reverence must measure up to what they are doing. Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and dean of theology at the Regina Apostolorum university. The manner of receiving holy Communion - Catholic News Agency [23] John Chrysostom, hom. 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. 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. Obviously, for better or worse, the NLM has an agenda. [5] In Jerusalem, we have the mystagogical catecheses of Cyril of Jerusalem (or perhaps of his successor, John). [2] 2 Accept Communion in a state of grace. 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. For example, Augustine writes, Someone might say that the Eucharist should not be received daily.