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 Church understands the Communion Procession, in fact every procession in liturgy, as a sign of the pilgrim Church, the body of those who believe in Christ, on their way to the Heavenly Jerusalem. For this is what it is to receive unworthily: if one receives at that time when he ought to be doing penance. We are encouraged to receive Communion devoutly and frequently. 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. We should rejoice in that. What's at Stake in the Debates Swirling Around Eucharistic Coherence. This was the law of the Church for almost 14 centuries, and is still the general norm today. [24] Trans. 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. Q. Never receive Holy Communion by extending only one hand. 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 not appropriate to reach out with the fingers and take the host from the person distributing. This formula should not be altered, as it is a proclamation which calls for a response of faith on the part of the one who receives. 13.3, trans. [17] See Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 7.9.4. 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. Alphonse Mingana (Gorgias Press: Piscataway, NJ, 2009 [1933]). Uruguay,October 15 1969 More people have received Communion in the past century. I think youre right that, without an explicitly limiting clause, there is no canonically binding restriction to those countries, and that the subsequent granting of dispensation ultimately belied such restriction. Eccl., VII, ix). But as time passed it became the practice to receive Communion directly on the tongue in order to assure that the Host was received reverently. This practice has been requested by individual episcopal conferences and has received approval from the Apostolic See. Just look at what making donating money an indulgence-eligible corporal work of mercy resulted in during the Renaissance. In the early Church, the faithful stood when receiving into their hands the consecrated particle can hardly be questioned. St. Dionysius of Alexandria [d. 265], writing to one of the popes of his time, speaks emphatically of one who has stood by the table and has extended his hand to receive the Holy Food (Eusebius [263-339], Hist. 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. 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. The rite of communion in the hand must not be put into practice indiscriminately. What if our way of calling our fellow Christians to a higher way were based on loving example and not polemics? As soon as the communicant receives the host, he or she consumes the whole of it. I did an internet search about the history of communion in the hand in the U.S. and the only thing I found was an article by the NLM. There is so much to Communion. It is clear that this mode of reception was considered reverent and was to be carried out in a reverent manner. Eucharistic sharing in exceptional circumstances by other Christians requires permission according to the directives of the diocesan bishop and the provisions of canon law (canon 844 4). Copyright PrayTellBlog.com My country is not on this list but holy communion is the norm. We welcome our fellow Christians to this celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. The rationale for Communion on the hands being an ancient practice is from St. Cyril of Jerusalem. They would find many more areas we all need to work on than just their main focus. And why so? Father, as to the limitation on what regions might request this indult, Memoriale Domini stipulated that Where a contrary usage, that of placing holy communion on the hand, prevails, the Holy See [] lays on those conferences the task of weighing carefully whatever special circumstances may exist there []. The causes are myriad and often interconnected. Phillip Schaff (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1889). The faithful receive Communion kneeling or standing, as established by the episcopal conference. [6] Cyril of Jerusalem, Mystagogical Catecheses 5.13. 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. Communion in the hand is no more hygienic than Communion in the mouth. We are the Body of Christ, moving forward to receive the Christ who makes us one with himself and with one another. Rather maddeningly, it is the Anglicans who in the West have retained the practice as described by St. Cyril, while contemporary Latin-rite Catholics tend to consume the Host as if it were a potato chip., From the historical point of view, we can say that there is strong evidence that the practice existed in early centuries in some areas of the Church. Mingle and flow into the palms of his disciples![22]. [2] Cyprian, On the Good of Patience 14, On the Lapsed 16 and 26,and Letter 55.9. awr. However, while this text is undoubtedly ancient evidence of the existence of Communion in the hand, it is, like many patristic texts, fraught with interpretative conundrums. [15] See the council of Auxerre, canon 36 (it directs women not to receive on their bare hands, but with their hand covered by a cloth). 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. 915). When one receives from the chalice, the same proclamation is made by the person distributing Communion and the Communicant again responds, "Amen." Have reverence for the honor which God has bestowed upon it, and do not lead it down to the vileness of sin.[27]. 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. Canada, 12 February 1970 Permission for administering Communion in the hand was granted by the Holy See to the United States on June 17, 1977 and has since become almost the universal norm in the Ordinary Form. These considerations can perhaps help balance our perspective (whether in favor or against the practice of communion in the hand), and alert us to the fact that reverence is a complex phenomenon that, of course, does involve postures of the body, but most importantly, the attitude of the heart. Your email address will not be published. 6. The wind has left our sails and many of us are adrift on uncertain seas. [8] John Chrysostom, Homilies on Ephesians, Baptismal Instruction 12.1516, On the Incomprehensible Nature of God 6.36, and On the Priesthood 3.4. Unless there is a sense of discipleship rooted in baptism. When permitted, the choice as to the form of reception falls upon the communicant and not upon the priest. [25] Origen of Alexandria, homily in Ex. When receiving in the hand, the communicant should be guided by the words of St. Cyril of Jerusalem . We also welcome to this celebration those who do not share our faith in Jesus Christ. For you hear the words, the Body of Christ and respond Amen. Be then a member of the Body of Christ that your Amen may be true (St. Augustine, Sermon 272: PL 38, 1247). To that which you are you respond Amen (yes, it is true!) and by responding to it you assent to it. http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2014/03/truth-about-communion-in-hand-while.html#.Wpa2wdIUnGg. 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. 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. 86). 2. The problem is a lack of intentionality across the board, starting with the laity. It preserves us from mortal sin by exciting us to greater fervor and strengthening us against temptation. 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. With regard to the first precept, Origen of Alexandria cautions, You who are accustomed to take part in divine mysteries know, when you receive the body of the Lord, how you protect it with all caution and veneration lest any small part fall from it, lest anything of the consecrated gift be lost. (Original Latin text here, see pp. Under the moral aspect will be considered, in reference to Holy Communion: necessity; subject; dispositions. We should weigh very well the matters in which we appeal to conscience. COVID-19 Additional Questions for Catholic Schools, COVID-19 Finance FAQ for Catholic Schools, COVID-19 Personnel FAQ for Catholic Schools, COVID-19 Remote Learning FAQ for Catholic Schools, COVID-19 International Students FAQ for Catholic Schools, Forming a New Prayer and Intercessory Team at Your Parish, Resources for Existing Intercessory Prayer Teams, Mooney Real Estate Holding Company and Parish Incorporations, Stewards for Tomorrow/Archdiocese of Detroit Endowment Foundation. 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. St. Cyril of Jerusalem in 348 gave this instruction to his congregation: "When you approach Holy Communion, make the left hand into a throne for the right, which will receive the King. Why did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist? Communion received on the tongue and while kneeling. 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. All the rites which use leavened bread are reverent but not obsessive. With your hand hollowed, receive the Body of Christ and answer 'Amen'. 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. First, Chrysostom in one of his Homilies on Ephesians: What, do you not see the holy vessels so thoroughly cleansed all over, so resplendent? [18] See Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 6.43.18. 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. If Communion is received in the hand, the hands should first of all be clean. The new manner of giving communion must not be imposed in a way that would exclude the traditional practice. 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. At the same time, it is not justified to claim that Communion in the hand is necessarily less reverent or inevitably leads to abuses. By this symbolic action, their denial would be clear to all. Some advocates of communion on the tongue, at least online, seem guilty of thinking that (however much more virtuous than I they probably are in their lives). If Your Hand/Hands are Impeded . There is also evidence that this was a contested subject (i.e., about what sins prevent someone from receiving), as it would continue to be throughout the history of the Church. awr. 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. Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and dean of theology at the Regina Apostolorum university. 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. Still, while not the direction eventually taken, I believe restriction to be the more natural reading of the Vaticans intent at that moment in time. When we receive Communion, we become members of Christ's Body, the Church. can. Think of what you receive in your hand and keep it clean of all greed and theft. To unite us to Himself and to nourish our soul with His 47), and says of the Communion Chant that "its purpose [is] to express the spiritual union of the communicants by means of the unity of their voices, to show gladness of heart, and to bring out more clearly the 'communitarian' character of the procession to receive the Eucharist" (no. 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. These guidelines replace the guidelines approved by the Administrative Committee of the NCCB in November 1986. Back issue of Notitiae are accessible via the new website of the Congregation for Divine Worship at: http://www.cultodivino.va/content/cultodivino/it/rivista-notitiae/indici-annate.html. The host will then be laid in the palm of the left hand and then taken by the right hand to the mouth. I think that settles it. 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. [6] In Syria (what we now call Turkey and surrounding regions) it is witnessed by Basil the Great,[7] John Chrysostom,[8] Theodore of Mopsuestia,[9] John Damascene[10] and the Council of Constantinople in Trullo (also called the Quinisext council). Zambia, 11 March 1974 France, 6 June 1969 The liturgical assembly of the baptized that comes together for the celebration of the Eucharist is a witness to, a manifestation of, the pilgrim Church. There are many devout Catholics who find this practice helpful. In such cases, episcopal conferences should examine matters carefully and should make whatever decisions, by a secret vote and with a two-thirds majority, are needed to regulate matters. But to us our Lord has given both . 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. [4] Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on John 6.1 and 12.1. Q. The history of the liturgy, however, makes clear that rather early on a . I quite deliberately eschewed entering the historical argument as it would have digressed from the main point of that article. We owe the Lord as much attention to detail. Thanks for this, Dennis. But back in the West, where most of us at PT are from, the Church is struggling. For example, Augustine writes, Someone might say that the Eucharist should not be received daily. For real reception of the Blessed Eucharist it is required that the sacred species be received into the stomach. 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. It is standard procedure so I wonder what the basis of this accusation is. St. 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. I used the wordnecessarilyas an equivalent to in and of itself. There is no inherent reason why Communion in the hand is less reverent. 895. Timothy O'Malley, Copyright 2023 II], Australia, 26 September 1975 LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Catholics want to know if it is allowed for their bishops and priests to require Communion be received only on in the hand instead of on the tongue. 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 . To fit our bodies for a glorious resurrection. 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. Because those vessels are made so for our sakes. The fire of mercy has become for us a living sacrifice Some scholars claim that this part of the Mystical Catechesis is not originally from St. Cyril but a later interpolation into the text. This action by Christ's body, the Church assembled for the Eucharist, is manifested and supported by the Communion Chant, a hymn in praise of Christ sung by the united voices of those who believe in him and share his life. R. E. Heine FotC 21 (Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press, 1982). In the context of the reception of Communion, this means a cognizance of both Church history and contemporary cultural nuances. 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. The person distributing Communion says audibly to each person approaching, "The Body of Christ." [13] In the far-flung regions of the empireGaul (modern-day France and Spain) we have the witness of Caesarius of Arles[14] and the council of Auxerre,[15] and in England, we have the Venerable Bede. The Church in Europe struggled mightilyand some might say in futilityagainst centuries of violence, sect on sect, nation vs nation. However, he should not refuse to administer Communion to those faithful desirous of availing themselves of a legitimate authorization. You should thus draw near with great awe and love, according to the greatness of that which is given: with awe, because of the greatness of (its) honour; and with love, because of (its) grace. England and Wales, 6 March 1976 Interestingly, during the Middle Ages, the reception of Holy Communion was restricted to "on the tongue" because of abuses. A: The answer to this question is somewhat complex. 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. Some may choose to receive the Lord on the tongue while others choose to receive in the hand. It is not solely the result of some weird medieval form of reverence. What a Priest Might Do If He Wants to Avoid It. On the other hand, this mode of communion is not anywhere associated with lay involvement or accessibility, nor is it thought to de-emphasize the role of the priest. Basil the Great considered Communion in the hand so irregular that he did not hesitate to consider it a grave fault. The communicant may choose whether to receive the Body of Christ in the hand or on the tongue. All our lives we who believe in Christ are moving in time toward that moment when we will be taken by death from this world and enter into the joy of the Lord in the eternal Kingdom he has prepared for us. Japan, 27 June 1970 Communion on the tongue is recommended and considered the most consonant way to receive the Eucharist, while Communion on the hand is permitted, provided that certain precautions are observed, such as checking to see if any fragments of the Host remain on the palm of the hand. We have no nets to cast deeply. I would like to remind people to indicate clearly how they wish to receive. [21] Theodore of Mopsuestia, catech. Germany, 6 June 1969 It was designed: 1. [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. This catechesis must succeed in excluding any suggestion that in the mind of the Church there is a lessening of faith in the eucharistic presence and in excluding as well any danger or hint of danger of profaning the Eucharist. Cyril of Jerusalem [c. 313-386], Catechetical Lectures, 23:21-22) Several more but no room here. Therefore I stand by what I wrote in the original: In this context I think it is fair to say that the present practice of Communion in the hand is not a simple restoration of a historical custom but rather introduced a new practice in new circumstances which, while it has some historical justification, is essentially motivated by current pastoral concerns in some parts of the world.. 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. Pope Benedict XVI 1927-2022 tribute page and access to resources here.
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