Should I not be receiving Communion in the hand?

[Guest]

I went to Confession yesterday and took Communion today. A Catholic "friend" on Facebook is implying that I shouldn't be receiving in the hand. Usually I never receive Communion so this isn't an issue. Although when I do is receiving in the hand not alright? This girl basically told me I need to look at the history on this and that I'm not showing reverence to God.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Guest

[Gabriela]

41 minutes ago, Josh said:

I went to Confession yesterday and took Communion today. A Catholic "friend" on Facebook is implying that I shouldn't be receiving in the hand. Usually I never receive Communion so this isn't an issue. Although when I do is receiving in the hand not alright? This girl basically told me I need to look at the history on this and that I'm not showing reverence to God.

Many traditional Catholics are against receiving Communion in the hand because, traditionally, only the hands of the priest were to touch the consecrated host. However, today it is permissible to receive in the hand, so you're fine.

If you WISH to receive on the tongue because you feel that it would show more reverence to God, then I encourage you to do that. I receive kneeling and on the tongue because I feel it is more respectful. Do your hands ever do terrible things? If so, maybe those hands shouldn't touch Him. I know awful things come out of my mouth, so I probably shouldn't put Him there. But how else am I to get better if I don't? The least I can do, I figure, is avoid touching Him with my sinful hands. (Then again, I'm sure a priest's hands aren't sinless, but at least at the Mass, I should think, the priest receives the grace of not "transferring" that to the Host, because he is acting in the person of Christ during Mass.)

Still, as I said, it is permitted, so don't fret about it. Just pray over which way is best for you, and do that.

Also, Josh, if you struggle very much with sin, then I would encourage you to receive Communion as much as possible, rather than "usually never". Only after confession if that is needed, of course. But still, receiving Our Lord can give you the strength and grace to resist sin, so you should not avoid it if you are free of mortal sin.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Gabriela

[Spem in alium]

When I was researching in Rome, we would have Mass in the convent chapel every day. We all received the Eucharist by intinction. Until then, I had never received Communion on the tongue and was a bit wary of doing so because of my facial paralysis. I actually really found it meaningful receiving Jesus this way, though receiving on the hand is easier for me - and, I think, for the priest. Mass at the convent would be said by a chaplain who, at the beginning, acted very hesitant to give me Communion on the tongue, but by the end of my time there it was okay.

Ultimately, you should receive Holy Communion in the way in which you can, with the greatest of your ability, give reverence and glory to God. For me, it's making a deep bow and receiving on the hand. I feel like I am giving God glory without making people uncomfortable. For others, it may be receiving on the tongue while kneeling. It ultimately depends on you and God.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies. I thought going to Confession first was the most important thing and making sure with absolute certainty I was in a state of grace. In the hand is how I've always received since First Communion. Although this girl is making assumptions that I think "Jesus is a taco (so tasty) (so tasty) (so tasty). Not the case. I was just always taught to receive in the hand. I didn't realize this angered God and showed him a lack of reverence.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Guest

[Nihil Obstat]

Pray about it, Josh. I can see this thread deteriorating if I get involved, so I will not. But do pray about this, and seek guidance from holy priests.

[Guest]

28 minutes ago, Nihil Obstat said:

Pray about it, Josh. I can see this thread deteriorating if I get involved, so I will not. But do pray about this, and seek guidance from holy priests.

I don't see why it has to deteriorate. I'm not looking for an argument. I'm not opposed to receiving on the tongue. I just never have before. I didn't realize it was such a big deal. I thought you are either in a state of grace or you're not and that's what it boiled down to. I didn't realize I had Catholics judging me and my reverence towards God because I don't receive on the tongue or kneel. I also wasn't aware this angered them. I use the word anger literally. Since this is the case I would like to know how I should proceed.

 

[Ash Wednesday]

Josh, nobody has the right to judge you about whether you receive communion on the tongue or not. Communion in the hand is allowed, so it's not right for someone else to tell you that you can't receive that way.

Threads like this often deteriorate simply because people just have strong opinions about the matter and it can become a touchy subject. The same goes for things like wearing veils, what clothing are appropriate for mass, what music is appropriate, et cetera.

For me, personally -- I do receive on the tongue most of the time because it puts me in a reverent frame of mind. The recent exception being that there was a priest where husband and I used to occasionally attend mass and he'd get really grumpy and throw such a stink about germs and not wanting to distribute communion on the tongue, I would receive by the hand when I had to receive from him because I didn't want to deal with him getting so upset and flustered about it.

If someone says a specific practice is preferred, keep in mind they are evaluating the practice and way of receiving communion itself, not the person doing it. Or at least, that's how it should be. Nobody can judge you on the matter. If someone criticizes the practice itself, I wouldn't take it personally.

At the end of the day, things like this are individual decisions that should be made prayerfully, and everyone will have their viewpoints about it -- but at the end of the day the decision is yours alone. 

[Not A Real Name]

For me after seeing youtube videos with unconsecrated hosts being placed on a gloved hand and then removed, and seeing the particles left behind, I will never ever do communion in the hand. The document allowing communion in the hand I believe states it is only allowed if there is no risk of the Eucharist particles falling to the ground. I have not seen where this can be possible in the OF liturgy unless the parishioners lick their hands clean under a paten before leaving, which they dont. I'm sure particles of the Eucharist (which even a particle is the entire person of Christ) have fallen to the ground, been stepped on, brushed off on clothing, or Lord knows what else. 

IMO, communion in the hand just needs to stop.

[little2add]

hands or on the tongue are both right, personally i prefer the pre-vatican way but I'm very old school

[Nihil Obstat]

7 hours ago, Ash Wednesday said:

At the end of the day, things like this are individual decisions that should be made prayerfully, and everyone will have their viewpoints about it -- but at the end of the day the decision is yours alone. 

Mostly, but not entirely. While it is uncommon, it is well within a priest's right to refuse to distribute in the hand, and bishops are permitted to forbid it in their diocese. As far as I know there is one diocese which has done so. The inverse is not true; communion on the tongue cannot be legally prohibited for any reason.

[KnightofChrist]

Bishop Athanasius Schneider on the history of communion in the hand and why the Church traditionally prefers communion on the tongue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jii6NCfTW68

Edited April 4, 2016 by KnightofChrist

[Gabriela]

2 hours ago, KnightofChrist said:

Bishop Athanasius Schneider on the history of communion in the hand and why the Church traditionally prefers communion on the tongue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jii6NCfTW68

That was such a great video. I think I'm going to watch all his interviews now. I hadn't seen any before. He's a very lovable person. Thanks, KoC!

[NadaTeTurbe]

This is your individual decision. I receive on the hands because for me it's more respectfull than sticking out the tongue, plus I've never seen it done in my parish. I've taken it on the tongue in Spain, because everbody took it kneeling and on the tongue and I did not want to make myself seen. Anyway, in the moment of the communion, we all should be focusing on our communion and praying about it, and not watching how other people take communion. I used to do this a lot - not watching other people taking communion, but just watching them and thinking "nice dress... cute baby...". 

[Nihil Obstat]

 

[Nihil Obstat]

BIshop Schneider had been in Vancouver just over the summer to give a talk to their Una Voce chapter. We had looked into flying him to Calgary immediately afterwards for the same thing, but unfortunately it did not quite work out. He is an incredible person. In my opinion he is one of the best bishops we have in the entire Church.

[Basilisa Marie]

Yeah what matters more is your internal disposition. What posture is going to help you receive the Lord most reverently and openly? For many people receiving on the tongue helps them cultivate a reverent disposition in ways much more powerful than receiving in the hand, which can often feel ordinary. On the other hand, the idea of receiving on the tongue weirds some people out, makes them more focused on the method of reception than the fact that you're receiving Jesus, or causes people to worry about Jesus falling off or the minister reacting weirdly or... you get the idea. Some people receive on the tongue while also kneeling as if they were at a communion rail. Some people think that draws too much attention to themselves. 

What really matters is your internal disposition. People get into arguments about whether or not some method objectively cultivates a certain disposition, along with other issues.  If receiving communion a certain way affords you the best internal disposition, don't let anyone talk you out of it. That might be kneeling with your mouth open or standing and receiving in your hands. 

Unless you're doing what some of my first communion students STILL insist on doing, which is to receive in both hands and bring their hands up to their face and lick the unconsecrate host off their palms. Or receive on the tongue and munch down on Jesus with a big ole crunch.  Second graders, man.  and their parents. 

At the same time don't make it a death hill. If the priest is making a big stink about getting it into your hands, just accept Jesus reverently. If everyone else is kneeling at the altar rail and opening their mouths, do the same. Don't make the manner more important than the moment. 

[PhuturePriest]

I usually receive on the tongue. When I'm sick I receive on the hand out of deference to the health of the priest.

Strictly speaking, the norm is to receive on the tongue. How we got the indult to receive on the hand stems from blatant and unapologetic disobedience to the Church by bishops and priests, and their reasons for doing so were misguided and sketchy, having been prompted by that all-permitting "spirit" of Vatican II. But I don't think you're a bad Catholic if you receive on the hand. It is and has been allowed by the Church for a very long time now. Anyone who says you're a bad Catholic for doing what the Church allows you to do is in fact being the bad Catholic in the situation.

"In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and in all things, charity." -- Saint Augustine

[Nihil Obstat]

Veering somewhat off topic, I strongly believe that the indult for Communion in the hand should be rescinded. For the good of the Church.

[Peace]

I sometimes wonder how many Catholics  are even aware of what it is they are receiving?

I am not a big hand person. I am not sure if I have ever received that way. I don't have any clear memory of having done so.

At the same time, its not like the apostles themselves received on the tongue. I don't think there is anything inherently irreverent about receiving in the hand, although there is just something that irks me the wrong way when I see it.

But complaining about that might be like the grumpy folks who frown and think "He just genuflected on the wrong knee!"

And I would guess that in some cultures receiving food on the tongue might be considered sloppy or disrespectful. So I dunno if you would want to enforce a rule that would cause some folks to feel like they were acting disrespectfully.

I dunno.

[Gabriela]

4 hours ago, PhuturePriest said:

I usually receive on the tongue. When I'm sick I receive on the hand out of deference to the health of the priest.

Strictly speaking, the norm is to receive on the tongue. How we got the indult to receive on the hand stems from blatant and unapologetic disobedience to the Church by bishops and priests, and their reasons for doing so were misguided and sketchy, having been prompted by that all-permitting "spirit" of Vatican II. But I don't think you're a bad Catholic if you receive on the hand. It is and has been allowed by the Church for a very long time now. Anyone who says you're a bad Catholic for doing what the Church allows you to do is in fact being the bad Catholic in the situation.

"In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and in all things, charity." -- Saint Augustine

 

3 hours ago, Nihil Obstat said:

Veering somewhat off topic, I strongly believe that the indult for Communion in the hand should be rescinded. For the good of the Church.

2 hours ago, Peace said:

"He just genuflected on the wrong knee!"

There's a "right" and a "wrong" knee? I mean, I know there's a right one. I just didn't know there's a wrong one.

Edited April 5, 2016 by Gabriela