284-287 is to be followed.. [17] See Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 7.9.4. Shapiro picked up an abused-looking iPhone from his desk. (Original Latin text here, see pp. The option offered to the faithful of receiving the Eucharistic bread in their hand and putting it into their own mouth must not turn out to be the occasion for regarding it as ordinary bread or as just another religious article. Since the question involves human attitudes, this mode of communion is bound up with the perceptiveness and preparation of the one receiving. 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. Pakistan, 29 October 1976 91). The list obviously is not complete, for this article says that Germany and France both received permission from the Holy See on the same day in 1969: [1] This RCIA Process is the way in which you are prepared to be formally received by the Church; this is necessary before you can take Communion. Communion in the hand is allowed in the United States by decision of the American Bishops. Now we feel our affluence threatened, and the Gospel gives no comfort on that front. The causes are myriad and often interconnected. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. Communion received on the tongue and while kneeling. As seen above, the U.S. bishops were not among the first to permit Communion in the hand. Ruff, I think we both agree that internal reverence is the most important aspect of this discussion (and therefore the ways each manner serves that) and I know many reverent people who do both. This is more a question of moral theology than of liturgy. 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. 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. Look how military inspectors demand very high standards of care when inspecting barracks for cleanliness. A perception such as this is a dreadfully inaccurate and impoverished understanding of what is a significant religious action. Those who receive Communion may receive either in the hand or on the tongue, and the decision should be that of the individual receiving, not of the person distributing Communion. Hard to believe that Catechesis has never been better if that fundamental is misunderstood. 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. I dont read any statement with canonical force saying that only those countries may apply for an indult. 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. [11] Council of Constantinople in Trullo, canon 101. I used the wordnecessarilyas an equivalent to in and of itself. There is no inherent reason why Communion in the hand is less reverent. What if our way of calling our fellow Christians to a higher way were based on loving example and not polemics? Under the moral aspect will be considered, in reference to Holy Communion: necessity; subject; dispositions. 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 . Timothy O'Malley, Copyright 2023 Later that year approval was given to Luxembourg, Scandinavia (Scandia), North Africa, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Monaco (see Notitiae v. 7 (1970), no. 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. [21] Theodore of Mopsuestia, catech. 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. [20] Cyril of Jerusalem, myst. 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. As soon as the communicant receives the host, he or she consumes the whole of it. Australia, 26 September 1975 The Holy Eucharist remits venial sins by disposing us to perform acts of love and contrition. For you believe, and correctly, that you are answerable if anything falls from there by neglect.[25]. To continue the sacrifice of the Cross in His Church. 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. 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 . 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. All of us should receive with great reverence and respect. It describes one of the purposes of the opening song of the Mass as to "foster the unity of those who have been gathered" (no. But there is more to the story. (or: Which Heresy Will You Give Up for Lent? I mean WHAT SPECIFIC REASONS were given for requesting it in the first place? http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2014/03/truth-about-communion-in-hand-while.html#.Wpa2wdIUnGg. He said that he had checked with the then Apostolic Delegation and had been assured that the pope was giving the boy a rosary. With your hand hollowed, receive the Body of Christ and answer Amen. Pope Paul Vl calls attention to the purpose of the InstructionMemoriale Dominiof 29 May 1969, on retaining the traditional practice in use. Hence any baptized Catholic who is not prevented by law must be admitted to Holy Communion. 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. 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. 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. 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. [10] See John Damascene, On the Orthodox Faith, 4.13. 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. We are the Body of Christ, moving forward to receive the Christ who makes us one with himself and with one another. 895. It was proved that belief in the Real Presence is abysmal. Thanks for this, Dennis. They partake not of Him that is in them, they perceive Him not. 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. And having hollowed your palm, receive the Body of Christ, saying over it, Amen. I am from India. Since the question involves human attitudes, this mode of communion is bound up with the perceptiveness and preparation of the one receiving. When permitted, the choice as to the form of reception falls upon the communicant and not upon the priest. Your fire, O, Our Lord we have eaten in your offering A quick example will be found . 3. 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. Its just BREAD!!. 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. 5. Whatever one thinks about the practice today and its reemergence after Vatican II, it is important that our conversation be grounded in an accurate picture of the history of this practice. The Eucharist fulfills this call: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? Because those vessels are made so for our sakes. 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. I wholeheartedly agree with your comment on another thread that this ongoing discussion is frivolous and is only causing needless division. Jamaica, 12 March 1970 Paul W. Harkins ACW 31 (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1963). At the same time, it is not justified to claim that Communion in the hand is necessarily less reverent or inevitably leads to abuses. The option offered to the faithful of receiving the Eucharistic bread in their hand and putting it into their own mouth must not turn out to be the occasion for regarding it as ordinary bread or as just another religious article. Since practices vary from one church to another, we hope these guidelines help you feel more at home. 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. France, 6 June 1969 [5] In Jerusalem, we have the mystagogical catecheses of Cyril of Jerusalem (or perhaps of his successor, John). The Eucharist may not be received while a person has mortal sin in their soul. There are many devout Catholics who find this practice helpful. Guidelines for Receiving Holy Communion. We owe the Lord as much attention to detail. 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 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. Pope Benedict XVI 1927-2022 tribute page and access to resources here. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal says the following: 160. 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. 21. October 13, 2022. 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. 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. And why so? Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), 2 October 1971 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. 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. Why did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist? 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. After receiving Communion our bodies become holy chalices. 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. While we cannot admit them to Holy Communion, we ask them to offer their prayers for the peace and the unity of the human family. That the conference had voted twice but failed to approve the practice and then only won the third vote by gathering absentee votes which is the article claims was unlawful? 1396: In Baptism we have been called to form but one body. 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. It is advisable, therefore, that the rite be introduced gradually and in the beginning within small, better-prepared groups and in favorable settings. 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. Those who receive Communion may receive either in the hand or on the tongue, and the decision should be that of the individual receiving, not of the person distributing Communion. Paul VI had a measure of it in 1974, and we hav emostly missed the wisdom of Evangelii Nuntiandi. The person distributing Communion says audibly to each person approaching, "The Body of Christ." http://www.kathpedia.com/index.php?title=Handkommunion. 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. These views are sometimes strongly held. But we doyes, verily. Upper Volta and Niger, 20 February 1970 Gross Alexander NPNF 13, ed. | Irondale, AL 35210 |. OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF. [24] Trans. 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. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. 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. Has done 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. [2] Cyprian, On the Good of Patience 14, On the Lapsed 16 and 26,and Letter 55.9. Fire and Spirit, contrary to nature By this symbolic action, their denial would be clear to all. St. 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. 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. This would be done especially if it is very difficult or impossible to fulfill the necessary conditions as outlined in the documents above. The Council of Saragossa, 380, excommunicated anyone who dared continue to receive Holy Communion in the hand. [25] Origen of Alexandria, homily in Ex. The rite of communion in the hand must not be put into practice indiscriminately. Communion should not be received on the run, as you're walking back to your place; it should be consumed before you leave the area below the altar. This is precisely why there are occasions when pastoral prudence can lead to suspend the permission. [4] Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on John 6.1 and 12.1. 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: First, Chrysostom in one of his Homilies on Ephesians: What, do you not see the holy vessels so thoroughly cleansed all over, so resplendent? 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. Some of the online advocates of kneeling/tongue seem to focus only on adoration of the Real Presence and now a cardinal has said that those who receive standing in the hand most Catholics by far! It is simply reading too much into this practice, and it is not correct to support something one favors by denigrating another practice. What is the proper way of receiving Communion in the hand? 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. 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. 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? 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. I would like to remind people to indicate clearly how they wish to receive. 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. Germany, 6 June 1969 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 . Church Life Journal How should this evidence be brought to bear on the modern conversation? Who holds the wind in the palm of his hand? Devotion and reverence toward the Eucharist in the case of communion in the hand. If Communion is received in the hand, the hands should first of all be clean. 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.. That rhetorical flow and its further implicit objections (i.e., take care lest XYZ) *could* be a setup for a generous grant of indults, but given the overall negative tone I dont think it accidental or inconsequential that the prospect of permission is only mentioned in these cases where contrary practice already prevails. Copyright 2023 Eternal Word Television Network, Inc. Irondale, Alabama. 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. Think of what you receive in your hand and keep it clean of all greed and theft. Communion in the hand is legitimate only where permitted, and it remains in the realm of a permission. 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. Scandinavia,October 15 1969 When receiving in the hand, the communicant should be guided by the words of St. Cyril of Jerusalem . Interestingly, during the Middle Ages, the reception of Holy Communion was restricted to "on the tongue" because of abuses. 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. 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. 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. When we receive Communion, we become members of Christ's Body, the Church. The author seems to think that liturgical reforms should consist of only what an ecumenical council prescribed. 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). Basil the Great considered Communion in the hand so irregular that he did not hesitate to consider it a grave fault. The way you put it, it doesnt sound obsessive-compulsive but salutary. Was changing the mode reception of Communion one of them? All of us are only grasping a hint of it. 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. Many pathogens are transmitted through the hands. To lessen our evil inclinations. If, however, Communion is given under both kinds, the rite prescribed in nos. This is a fundamental misunderstanding. Can you direct me to where you obtained this list? Luxembourg, October 15 1969 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. It is therefore difficult in the context of this present letter not to mention the sad phenomena previously referred to. 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. It preserves us from mortal sin by exciting us to greater fervor and strengthening us against temptation. A. Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist: I think proponents of tongue/kneeling will get a better hearing if they uphold all aspects of Communion. 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). 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. 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.