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. The most ancient practice of distributing Holy Communion was, with all probability, to give Communion to the faithful in the palm of the hand. can. However, cases of a deplorable lack of respect towards the Eucharistic species have been reported, cases which are imputable not only to the individuals guilty of such behavior but also to the pastors of the church who have not been vigilant enough regarding the attitude of the faithful towards the Eucharist. At the same time, it is not justified to claim that Communion in the hand is necessarily less reverent or inevitably leads to abuses. 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 Paul Vl approved this Instruction, confirmed it with his authority, and ordered its publication, setting the day of publication as its effective date. If one is right handed the left hand should rest upon the right. I dont read any statement with canonical force saying that only those countries may apply for an indult. Take this from someone who receives in the hand sometimes, I would never do it if I thought it was enabling Lucifer to corrupt my soul. Yugoslavia, 1971 The condition is the complete avoidance of any cause for the faithful to be shocked and any danger of irreverence toward the Eucharist. Your fire, O, Our Lord we have eaten in your offering
The Church in Europe struggled mightilyand some might say in futilityagainst centuries of violence, sect on sect, nation vs nation. They are also to be instructed not to omit after communion the sincere and appropriate thanksgiving that is in keeping with their individual capacities, state, and occupation. Because those vessels are made so for our sakes. 896. St. In the light of the above, we can come to the heart of the matter as to whether a priest may invoke the question of conscience in order to refuse to distribute Communion in the hand. Its just BREAD!!. To signify, seal, and apply to believers all the benefits of the new covenant. Fr. 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. Whatever procedure is adopted, care must be taken not to allow particles of the Eucharistic bread to fall or be scattered. The rationale for Communion on the hands being an ancient practice is from St. Cyril of Jerusalem. Shapiro picked up an abused-looking iPhone from his desk. The rite of communion in the hand must not be put into practice indiscriminately. St. II], Can you direct me to where you obtained this list? [2] 2 Accept Communion in a state of grace. And some who do have lost their strength or nerve. Paul W. Harkins ACW 31 (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1963). 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). 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. divine life. Think of what you receive in your hand and keep it clean of all greed and theft. 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. [23] John Chrysostom, hom. Chad, 18 September 1969 Does anyone have an explanation for why France, Germany, and the Low Countries were not quickly regularized once the opportunity was available? And to demonstrate reverence and. The two ways of receiving communion can without question take place during the same liturgical service. Our worship ought to create common unity under Christ, not destroy it. Do we have faith in the efficacy of the sacraments or not? Because, he says, one should choose the days on which one lives with more purity and self-control in order to approach so great a sacrament worthily. What is the proper way of receiving Communion in the hand? 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. It is bad if it makes us prideful/judgmental and distracts from more important things. Basil the Great, Doctor of the Church (330-379): "The right to receive Holy Communion in the hand is permitted only in times of persecution.". The cultural backing. Indeed, it can be dangerous for contagion. awr. Cyril of Jerusalem [c. 313-386], Catechetical Lectures, 23:21-22) Several more but no room here. 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. The option must not turn out to be the occasion for regarding it as ordinary bread or as just another religious article., I feel this is a underrated point in recent discussions on the reception of Holy Communion, both here on PT and elsewhere. His blood now flows through our veins. Some scholars claim that this part of the Mystical Catechesis is not originally from St. Cyril but a later interpolation into the text. What's at Stake in the Debates Swirling Around Eucharistic Coherence. To increase sanctifying grace and all virtues in our soul. [11] In East Syria (what we would now call the Middle East) we have evidence from Ephrem the Syrian[12] and Narsai. The two ways of receiving communion can without question take place during the same liturgical service. 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. From the point of view of liturgical law, the relevant documents are the following. Our bishops have argued that Communion in the hand is the proper way for the faithful to respond to our Lord's invitation: "All of you, take and eat this." What the bishops overlook is the fact . Madagascar 2 March 1970 The new manner of giving communion must not be imposed in a way that would exclude the traditional practice. In an even more elevated tone, Ephrem the Syrian, in a stunning passage, invites the Christian communicant to feel awe at what is placed in his or her hand, since even the Seraph did not take the divine coal with his hand, nor did the prophet Isaiah eat it (see: Isa 6:6). All who are not receiving Holy Communion are encouraged to express in their hearts a prayerful desire for unity with the Lord Jesus and with one another. [17] See Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 7.9.4. As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. 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. A. Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist: From these documents, we can deduce the following points. The causes are myriad and often interconnected. If you are the body and members of Christ, then it is your sacrament that is placed on the table of the Lord; it is your sacrament that you receive. France, 6 June 1969 4. And of course Pope Paul VI was adamant that all the reforms carried out under him were faithful to the Second Vatican Council. What if our way of calling our fellow Christians to a higher way were based on loving example and not polemics? 6. For you believe, and correctly, that you are answerable if anything falls from there by neglect.[25]. 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. Other way round, it was in the hand and changed to the tongue circa 900 in the west. 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. 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 is precisely why there are occasions when pastoral prudence can lead to suspend the permission. 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. [25] Origen of Alexandria, homily in Ex. 5. 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? 5.21, trans. Pope Benedict XVI 1927-2022 tribute page and access to resources here. I am from India. That said, there are dimensions to this discussion that I think are both valuable and havent been given much screen time overall. [12] Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on Faith 10 and Hymns on Virginity 33.7. Hence any baptized Catholic who is not prevented by law must be admitted to Holy Communion. Follow-up: Objecting to Communion in the Hand (10-16-2018), Pursuant to my reflections on Communion in the hand (October 2), a reader from France claimed that It is totally justified to claim that Communion in the hand is necessarily less reverent or inevitably leads to abuses. 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.