We owe the Lord as much attention to detail. 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. Upper Volta and Niger, 20 February 1970 1. 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.. It is always helpful to review instructions for receiving Communion. Members of the Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Polish National Catholic Church are urged to respect the discipline of their own Churches. 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. In 1980 St. John Paul II wrote in the apostolic letterDominicae Cenae: In some countries, the practice of receiving Communion in the hand has been introduced. Receiving Holy Communion | EWTN Consider that you not only receive this gift in your hand, but that you also bring it up to your mouth, and keep your tongue clean of all disgraceful and outrageous words, blasphemy, perjury and all other sins of this sort. When the bishops reassembled, Cardinal John Carberry of St. Louis, a determined opponent of Communion in the hand, was quick to get up to set things straight. For some, however, the singing of this hymn is perceived as an intrusion on their own prayer, their private thanksgiving after Communion. John Paul II and Mother Theresa on Communion in the Hand So they reintroduced the practice of Communion in the hand (it had been originally introduced as a widespread practice by the Arian heretics of the Fourth Century to deny that Jesus is God). What Everyone Should Know About How To Receive Holy Communion 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: Communion received on the tongue and while kneeling. 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. It is bad if it makes us prideful/judgmental and distracts from more important things. The Truth About Communion in the Hand | The Fatima Center The Eucharist may not be received while a person has mortal sin in their soul. Thanks for this, Dennis. The left hand is extended, with the right hand under the left in support (left handed persons may wish to . Come see, Under the moral aspect will be considered, in reference to Holy Communion: necessity; subject; dispositions. 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. 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. Hard to believe that Catechesis has never been better if that fundamental is misunderstood. In North Africa (including Egypt) the practice is mentioned by Tertullian,[1] Cyprian,[2] Augustine,[3] Cyril of Alexandria,[4] and John Climacus. 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. Permission for administering Communion in the hand was granted by the Holy See to the following countries and regions under Pope Paul VI:[UPDATED 3-2-18], Belgium, 31 May 1969 [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. divine life. New Zealand, 24 April 1974 A. Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist: I would like to remind people to indicate clearly how they wish to receive. 2. England and Wales, 6 March 1976 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. In comparing the indult list provided in this post with the brief history of Fr. It is still the practice of millions of committed Latin-rite Catholics all over the world and of many Eastern Churches who administer the Eucharist under both species on the tongue. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (canon 916). Its just BREAD!!. 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. [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). What some call discipleship, others evangelizationnew or whatever, or some speak of discernment and application of spiritual gifts. Phillip Schaff (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1889). In the context of the reception of Communion, this means a cognizance of both Church history and contemporary cultural nuances. 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. Maybe this is part of a grand conspiracy by Satan to destroy the Church (ok, probably not that). With your hand hollowed, receive the Body of Christ and answer 'Amen'. 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. Cardinals Thorne (Peru) and Caffarra (Bologna) have banned Communion in the hand, citing reasons of abuse and disrespect. 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). University of Notre Dame, McGrath Institute for Church Life The problem is a lack of intentionality across the board, starting with the laity. No wonder so many people there have given up on Christianity. The problem of lack of reverence stems not from the manner of receiving Communion but from the lack of faith, awe, and gratitude before this great mystery. Another will say the opposite; he says, On the contrary, if the wound of sin and the attack of the disease is in fact so great that such medicines need to be postponed, one ought to be removed from the altar by the authority of the bishop in order to do penance, and one ought to be reconciled by the same authority. 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. His blood now flows through our veins. October 13, 2022. Fire consumed the offering 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. 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. Roland Teske (Hyde Park, NY: New City Press, 2001). The manner of receiving holy Communion - Catholic News Agency Receiving Communion - Prayer & Spiritual Life - Greek Orthodox 1396: In Baptism we have been called to form but one body. To be a pledge of everlasting life. Alternatively, it is permissible to adopt a simpler procedure, namely, allowing the faithful themselves to take the host from the ciborium or paten. Malaysia and Singapore, 3 October 1977, * * * * *. Above all, it is necessary to have the introduction of the rite preceded by an effective catechesis so that the people will clearly understand the meaning of receiving in the hand and will practice it with the reverence owed to the sacrament. My overarching point in all this (as someone who receives comfortably in both manners) is that I dont think common concerns with reception in the hand have been treated with adequate seriousness by many its defenders. [23] John Chrysostom, hom. Your email address will not be published. Im not aware of that limitation and would like to see proper documentation. 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 Council of Saragossa (380): Excommunicated anyone who dared continue . 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. I think the Holy Spirit was nudging people closer to the problem, which was already in evidence decades before the Council. 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). Some scholars claim that this part of the Mystical Catechesis is not originally from St. Cyril but a later interpolation into the text. Basil the Great, 330-379 stated, "The right to receive Holy Communion in the hand is permitted only in times of persecution." This statement may very well have been made in response to St. Cyril of Jerusalem in 348. Aaron, this describes what the countries are to do where Communion in the hand was being practiced. 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. The debate was interrupted by lunch. [T]hose who restrict communicants to receive Holy Communion only in the hands are acting against the norms, as are those who refuse to Christ's faithful [the right] to receive Communion in the hand in dioceses that enjoy this indult. A. 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 . The Netherlands, 18 September 1969 Later that year approval was given to Luxembourg, Scandinavia (Scandia), North Africa, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Monaco (see Notitiae v. 7 (1970), no. Do we accept an experience of the Real Presence only when the externals and the lingo of 1950 are seen and heard? 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. Communion in the hand vs. Communion on the tongue | Crux Djibouti, 6 March 1970 Objecting to Communion in the Hand | EWTN If a priest has great personal difficulty due to deeply and sincerely held views regarding this practice, he can always petition the bishop for a personal exemption or a permission to not apply this permission to his parish. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. But back in the West, where most of us at PT are from, the Church is struggling. 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). The Controversy of Communion in the Hand Catholic Insight Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church: Receiving Communion St. [5] In Jerusalem, we have the mystagogical catecheses of Cyril of Jerusalem (or perhaps of his successor, John). The cultural backing. To fit our bodies for a glorious resurrection. The traditional and preferred method is the reception of the Host on the tongue: Step forward and kneel at the Communion rail or station (if you stand, make a sign of reverencesuch as a bow or genuflection or Sign of the Crossbefore receiving the Host and take care not to disrupt the Communion line). 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Why did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist? Since the question involves human attitudes, this mode of communion is bound up with the perceptiveness and preparation of the one receiving. Maybe this is due to decades of poor or heterodox catechesis on the Sacraments. Leo P. McCauley FotC 64 (Catholic University of America Press: Washington, DC, 2000 [1970]). My country is not on this list but holy communion is the norm. They probably never foresaw its subsequent, and occasionally chaotic, development in some parts of the Church. God has come to live in us. As with all historical practices, one must examine the context and circumstances which are usually not repeatable. Nowhere in this article did I see what the CHURCH says about Holy Communion, only the writers opinion. 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.
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