Communion

[Daniel Carrington]

I was wondering what the rule is in regards to recieving communion on the hand, or on the tongue, i have always been taught to recieve communion on the tongue, but i notice that it has become very common, in some churches more than others, for people to recieve communion on their hands. Please, what is the teaching in regard to this?

[Stephen Spiteri]

In Australia and other western countries, it is permitted to receive Communion on the hand (since 1976 I believe) and is acceptable.


Then the Sacred Congregation for Divine worship gave norms on the matter, among other things insisting that this change be done in a respectful manner and that while allowing it as an option, the option of receiving on the tongue must be retained. The "Summary of Decrees" on confirmation of the decisions of conferences of bishops in "Notitiae" lists the granting of this faculty to the United States (among other English speaking countries granted this faculty at other times). Then, Pope Paul VI confirmed this instruction with his authority effective that date, June 17, 1977. What is noted along with this permission of receiving Our Lord in our hand is the following:

a. Proper catechesis must be provided to assure the proper and reverent reception of Communion without any suggestion of wavering on the part of the Church in its faith in the Eucharistic presence.

b. The practice must remain the option of the communicant. The priest or minister of Communion does not make the decision as to the manner of reception of Communion. It is the communicant’s personal choice. - http://matt1618.freeyellow.com/communion.html

The manner in which we receive the Eucharist is key be it by receiving the host on the hand or kneeling and receiving it straight on to the tongue. We must receive Communion in a state of grace, with great reverence and fully affirming that we are indeed consuming the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ.


The Church has always required from the faithful respect and reverence for the Eucharist at the moment of receiving it. With regard to the manner of going to Communion, the faithful can receive it either kneeling or standing, in accordance with the norms laid down by the episcopal conference: "When the faithful communicate kneeling, no other sign of reverence towards the Blessed Sacrament is required, since kneeling is itself a sign of adoration. When they receive Communion standing, it is strongly recommended that, coming up in procession, they should make a sign of reverence before receiving the Sacrament. This should be done at the right time and place, so that the order of people going to and from Communion is not disrupted." - Inaestimabile Donum, 9-11, Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, Instruction Concerning Worship Of The Eucharistic Mystery 11 April 3, 1980, approved by Pope John Paul II, April 17, 1980

[DavidObeid]

The normal way of receiving Holy Communion in the Roman Rite is kneeling and on the tongue. An indult was given allowing it to be received in the hand in some places and circumstances. Pope Benedict XVI has recently restricted the manner in which he personally distributes to the normal manner only. (And I, for one, hope it catches on.)

[Maiden Dame]

I personally prefer it on the tongue but i most recently heard by Steve Ray that if you receive it in your clasped hands, that your hands symbolise the Throne of Christ..

[Stephen Spiteri]

I personally prefer it on the tongue but i most recently heard by Steve Ray that if you receive it in your clasped hands, that your hands symbolise the Throne of Christ..
Yep, as St. Cyril of Jerusalem described:


"When thou goest to receive communion go not with thy wrists extended, nor with thy fingers separated, but placing thy left hand as a throne for thy right, which is to receive so great a King, and in the hollow of the palm receive the body of Christ, saying, 'Amen'" - St. Cyril of Jerusalem: "Fifth Mystagogical Catechesis", 21: PG 33. col 1125 (c. 350 AD) as cited by the Quint***t Synod of Trullo Canon 101 (c. 692 AD)

[Maiden Dame]

Thats great.. Ill write that down :)

[DavidObeid]

The idea of the throne is not the that hands ARE a throne, but that if the Eucharist is received on them they are to be held in such a way as to give Our Lord as much reverence as possible.

Without wanting to start a debate on the topic, the Church, as Her understanding of the Real Presence grew, normalised the mode of reception to receiving on the tongue. The fact that a practise is old does not in and of itself make it good or right. This is the error of antiquarianism condemned by Pope Pius XII in the encyclical Mediator Dei (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_20111947_mediator-dei_en.html):


"...obviously unwise and mistaken is the zeal of one who in matters liturgical would go back to the rites and usage of antiquity, discarding the new patterns introduced by disposition of divine Providence to meet the changes of circumstances and situation."

The Church now tolerates (not endorses) Communion on the hand, but Pope Benedict XVI is slowly starting to turn the ship around on this issue. Leading by example, he only gives communion to communicants kneeling and on the tongue.

[New Jack Swinger]

From the hands of the Consecrated, I want to receive The Consecrated.

St. Cyril's quote doesn't necessarily mean the practice was universal.

I found this on a website:


Pope St. Leo the Great (440-461), already in the fifth century, is an early witness of the traditional practice. In his comments on the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John, he speaks of Communion in the mouth as the current usage: "One receives in the mouth what one believes by faith."2 The Pope does not speak as if he were introducing a novelty, but as if this were a well-established fact.

A century and a half later, but still three centuries before the practice (according to the popular account reviewed above) was supposedly introduced, Pope St. Gregory the Great (590-604) is another witness. In his dialogues (Roman 3, c. 3) he relates how Pope St. Agapito performed a miracle during the Mass, after having placed the Body of the Lord into someone's mouth. We are also told by John the Deacon of this Pope's manner of giving Holy Communion.