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A Question


Mrvoll

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[quote name='Mrvoll' date='Sep 14 2004, 01:18 PM'] I was wondering, are you allowed to receive communion on the tounge. I  use to but my former priest said I should only take it by the hand. [/quote]
The universal norm is to receive communion on the tongue, but the Vatican has given an indult permitting communion in the hand; thus in the Latin Rite in the United States the communicant is free to receive communion on the tongue or in the hand.

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Some priest may prefer that you recieve Him in the hand for the sake of unity among the congregation, but in the United States it is perfectly acceptable to receive Him either way. I feel unworthy to handle Jesus in my hands so I receive Him directly on my tongue.

[i]*Side note: I actually dropped Jesus on the ground during my first communion, so this may lead to my apprehension...[/i]

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You have every right to do it both ways, a priest cannot force you to receive it on the hand. I now recieve Christ on the tongue, but I have to practice so to make it easier for people to put Christ into my mouth. :lol:

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The Pope said that Priests can't tell you how to receive. :) (I'm probably wrong, but I thought there was something that he said about kneeling being something we're not allowed to refuse at all).

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We aren't allowed to kneel before receieving, we just make a little half hearted head bow...


anyways, the tongue is the norm and the only option in ALL the Eastern Churches.

God bless,

Mikey

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From the perspective of being an altarboy back when we always recieved on the tongue, I'm personally a little grossed out by that. I much prefer recieving in the hand. It vividly reminds me of how the Apostles received Him at the Last Supper. But for the same reason, I really, really, really, don't like the idea of Eucharistic Ministers. I much prefer to receive from the Priest, the representative of Jesus.

I also like really looking at the Eucharist for that half second. It is really awesome to physically see and touch God and to bring to mind the reality of God's manifesting Himself as Bread just to be with me. Tongue or hand, I know I'm not worthy, but when I receive in the hand, I feel like I'm being more aware and appreciative of God coming to me.

Did your priest discuss with you at all why he felt you should recieve in your hand? I feel sure there is more to the story...

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From the document Redemptionis Sacramentum.

[90.] “The faithful should receive Communion kneeling or standing, as the Conference of Bishops will have determined”, with its acts having received the recognitio of the Apostolic See. “However, if they receive Communion standing, it is recommended that they give due reverence before the reception of the Sacrament, as set forth in the same norms”.[176]

[91.] 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”.[177] Hence any baptized Catholic who is not prevented by law must be admitted to Holy Communion. 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.

[92.] Although each of the faithful always has the right to receive Holy Communion on the tongue, at his choice,[178] if any communicant should wish to receive the Sacrament in the hand, in areas where the Bishops’ Conference with the recognitio of the Apostolic See has given permission, the sacred host is to be administered to him or her. However, special care should be taken to ensure that the host is consumed by the communicant in the presence of the minister, so that no one goes away carrying the Eucharistic species in his hand. If there is a risk of profanation, then Holy Communion should not be given in the hand to the faithful.[179]

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lifeteenchick527

[quote name='MichaelFilo' date='Sep 14 2004, 04:55 PM'] We aren't allowed to kneel before receieving, we just make a little half hearted head bow...


anyways, the tongue is the norm and the only option in ALL the Eastern Churches.

God bless,

Mikey [/quote]
mikey....ur not allowed to kneel before communion or is it that u cant genuflect before communion?
God Bless
~LTC~

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HomeTeamFamily

i prefer recieving on the tongue for i guess a couple more practical reasons

first my hands get dirty. i would not want the body of my Lord touching my dirty nasty hands

second, recieving on the tongue ensures that all of the host is in my body, not the least bit is left on my hands and fingers

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Just to clarify, the univerisal norm of the Church is to receive kneeling and on the tongue, forbidding either standing or receiving in the hand. This norm has been deviated from in some places in the world and the Pope has given permission for the norms to be broken because he did not want all the people breaking the norms to be sinning (at least that is a charitable look at the situation). This does not constitute as a good reason to deviate from the norms. Disobedience should not be made into obedience simply by persistence. You should receive on the tongue, regardless of what your priest or anyone else says. This is a Tradition of the Church which cannot be denied. It is antiquarianism to suggest the argument that "because the Apostles (who were all [b]Priests[/b]) received in the hand, so can I." This is false because of the fact that they were all ordained and also because it is antiquarianism. To say that a rite or practice is superior simply because it is more ancient is condemned as error. The superior rite or practice is that which is most reverent and which gives most honor to God. You tell me, in light of the other parts of the Mass and simply common sense, which is more reverent--receiving in the hand and standing up (least reverent possible other than sitting down, which is impractical) or receiving kneeling and on the tongue. There is no way to assert that standing is more reverent without disregarding the concept of posture as a form of reverence (and rejecting the practice of the Church to kneel during times of Mass which require the most reverence). It is impossible to claim that receiving in the hand is more reverent because it leaves opportunity for sacrilege and it asserts the role of the ordained (according to all Popes after the persecutions, and even during the persecutions, up to and including the current Pope).

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Dear Voll,

The Church is not ruled by personal opinons, but by the Magisterium of the Church which Cappie [ who is a priest] posted for you to read.


The Church says we can recieve standing or kneeling and we can recieve in our hands (which was the practice in the ancient Church for communicants] or on our tongue.

This is the practice of the Church in the United States and with the permission of the Vatican.

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