The condition is the complete avoidance of any cause for the faithful to be shocked and any danger of irreverence toward the Eucharist. 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. 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? 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. Many of us would treat your claims skeptically as unsupported rumor and gossip. Pope Paul Vl calls attention to the purpose of the InstructionMemoriale Dominiof 29 May 1969, on retaining the traditional practice in use. Bishops who have been permitted to introduce the new rite of communion are asked to send a report to the congregation, six months hence, on the outcome. The Eucharist may not be received while a person has mortal sin in their soul. [23], The great and divine Apostle Paul with loud voice calls man created in the image of God, the body and temple of Christ. 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. 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. 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. They probably never foresaw its subsequent, and occasionally chaotic, development in some parts of the Church. [26] Augustine, Letter 54.3.4, trans. The Council was a start, but we have allowed ourselves to get sidetracked in silly and divisive banter. 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. France, 6 June 1969 Now we feel our affluence threatened, and the Gospel gives no comfort on that front. But to us our Lord has given both . [9] Theodore of Mopsuestia, Catechetical Homilies 6. Unless there is a sense of discipleship rooted in baptism. A. Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist: The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? As to the way to carry out the new rite: one possible model is the traditional usage, which expresses the ministerial functions, by having the priest or deacon place the host in the hand of the communicant. How should this evidence be brought to bear on the modern conversation? As with all historical practices, one must examine the context and circumstances which are usually not repeatable.. So whats missing? [16] Liturgical evidence from Rome is always sparser than one would like, but Eusebius preserves a mention of communion in the hand in a letter written from Dionysius of Alexandria to Sixtus I, bishop of Rome,[17] and in a letter of Cornelius, bishop of Rome. 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. However, he should not refuse to administer Communion to those faithful desirous of availing themselves of a legitimate authorization. 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. We would also do well to teach, as the Fathers do, that reverence is not only about proper reception of the Eucharist, but also about living the kind of life to which the Eucharist commits us. If one is left-handed this is reversed. 160). http://www.kathpedia.com/index.php?title=Handkommunion. 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. Japan, 27 June 1970 By this symbolic action, their denial would be clear to all. 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. 284-287 is to be followed.. But is the impression they give generally correct? 5.21, trans. The liturgical renewal of St. Pius X which promoted the frequent reception of Communion were still quite young. 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. 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.". It is difficult for some of us to embrace this emphasis on Mass as the action of a community rather than an individual act of my own faith and piety, but it is important that we make every effort to do so. 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. The very idea of people regularly receiving Communion (and even receiving Communion as part of the liturgy to the Eucharist itself) were relatively new ideas at the time of the Council. To that which you are you respond Amen (yes, it is true!) and by responding to it you assent to it. Chad, 18 September 1969 We should weigh very well the matters in which we appeal to conscience. Blog Staff and Editorial Advisory Committee, http://www.kathpedia.com/index.php?title=Handkommunion, http://www.cultodivino.va/content/cultodivino/it/rivista-notitiae/indici-annate.html, From the Wires: U.S. Catholic Priests Are Increasingly Conservative as Faithful Grow More Liberal, Yale Organ Week: Now Accepting Applications, The North American Academy of Liturgy, 2023, New Open-Access, Ecumenical Journal Powered by the University of Vienna, Is the Eucharistic Revival a Liturgical Revival (Part 2), What Did Jesus Know? Jesus wants to use our hands, which have now become His hands, to help those in need. I beg to differ. Aaron, this describes what the countries are to do where Communion in the hand was being practiced. Eccl., VII, ix). 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. The cultural backing. More people have received Communion in the past century. If Communion is received in the hand, the hands should first of all be clean. Copyright PrayTellBlog.com The communicant replies, Amen, and receives the Sacrament either on the tongue or, where this is allowed, in the hand, the choice lying with the communicant. First, Cyril: Coming up to receive, therefore, do not approach with your wrists extended or your fingers splayed, but making your left hand a throne for the right (for it is about to receive a King) and cupping your palm, so receive the Body of Christ; and answer: Amen.[20], To receive the Sacrament which is given, a person stretches out his right hand, and under it he places the left hand. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. (I dont direct this at you, I mean it to everyone on all sides.). In the United States, the body of Bishops has determined that "[t]he norm is that Holy Communion is to be received standing, unless an individual member of the faithful wishes to receive Communion while kneeling"and that a bow is the act of reverence made by those receiving (no. The US might have been little-touched by the scorched earth of world war, and perhaps our feel-good stance astride the planet delayed the decay somewhat. Basil the Great considered Communion in the hand so irregular that he did not hesitate to consider it a grave fault. For this reason, since the question of Communion in the hand is not a question of faith as such, and it has been approved by the legitimate authority, I do not believe that a priest can invoke conscience as a motive for refusing to apply a legitimate law. (Catholic Encyclopedia: Genuflexion) Particularly in regard to this way of receiving communion, experience suggests certain matters requiring careful attention. 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). Pope Benedict XVI 1927-2022 tribute page and access to resources here. 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. Pray Tell here documents two statements of the Congregation for Divine Worship issued under Pope Paul VI. W.R., Goa, India. Our procession should move with dignity; our bearing should be that of those who know they have been redeemed by Christ and are coming to receive their God! 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. I do make the point that reverence, while important, is not the only or most important aspect of Communion. awr. But back in the West, where most of us at PT are from, the Church is struggling. The large numbers of faithful and the general hustle and bustle at the moment of communion make it quite easy for a host to fall to the ground. ), Pray Tell: An open forum on faith in South Texas. Hence any baptized Catholic who is not prevented by law must be admitted to Holy Communion. One could have perfect adoration of Real Presence in humble posture and, at least in theory, miss the point of Communion. Theres no simple solution to this issue. So Indian Bishop conference have not got any Indult for communion in hand? Our souls ought to be purer than they, more holy, more brilliant. 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. 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? 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. FYI, the announcement that approval for Communion in the Hand was given (in 1969) to Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, and Chad appeared in Notitiae in v. 6 (1969), no. 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. 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. There are particles, and there are particles. Excelling, therefore, every sensible creature, he who by the saving Passion has attained to the celestial dignity, eating and drinking Christ, is fitted in all respects for eternal life, sanctifying his soul and body by the participation of divine grace. Care must also be taken that the communicants have clean hands and that their comportment is becoming and in keeping with the practices of the different peoples. St. If Your Hand/Hands are Impeded . (Original Latin text here, see pp. 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. I think that settles it. 6. 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. [5] In Jerusalem, we have the mystagogical catecheses of Cyril of Jerusalem (or perhaps of his successor, John). 96). [21] Theodore of Mopsuestia, catech. Cardinals Thorne (Peru) and Caffarra (Bologna) have banned Communion in the hand, citing reasons of abuse and disrespect. Indeed, it can be dangerous for contagion. The [Seraph] did not hold it, and [Isaiah] did not eat it [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). . Paraguay, 27 September 1971 2. A priest who is not directly responsible for the care of souls should be even more respectful of local practice. Archbishop Anthony Fisher, OP, of Sydney published an excellent paper on the topic of conscience and authority which can be found at:https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=7833or, in a slightly briefer form athttps://zenit.org/articles/bishop-fisher-on-conscience-and-authority/. But such as, instead of their hands, make vessels of gold or other materials for the reception of the divine gift, and by these receive the immaculate communion, we by no means allow to come, as preferring inanimate and inferior matter to the image of God.[24]. Q: When the bishop in a diocese allows the faithful to receive Communion in the hand or on the tongue, can a priest, who objects on the grounds of conscience, refuse to give the faithful holy Communion in the hand? Monaco, 31 October 1969 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. It describes one of the purposes of the opening song of the Mass as to "foster the unity of those who have been gathered" (no. 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: A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. Pope Paul Vl approved this Instruction, confirmed it with his authority, and ordered its publication, setting the day of publication as its effective date. OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF. I think the Holy Spirit was nudging people closer to the problem, which was already in evidence decades before the Council. http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2014/03/truth-about-communion-in-hand-while.html#.Wpa2wdIUnGg. Yugoslavia, 1971 Why? Fast forward to 2004, when The Congregation for Divine Worship in its new Instruction named Redemptionis Sacramentum, stated: "Although each of the faithful always has the right to receive Holy Communion on the tongue, at his choice, if any communicant should wish to receive the Sacrament in the hand the sacred host is to be administered . Timothy O'Malley on the meaning of Eucharistic coherence in the life of the Church. 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. Can you direct me to where you obtained this list? Scandinavia,October 15 1969 Part 4. The rite of communion in the hand must not be put into practice indiscriminately. can. 895. All of us are only grasping a hint of it. Hence, my theory is that the wide granting of the indult exceeded its initially intended scope as continued prompting from advisors and larger-than-anticipated requests from conferences overcame the popes reluctance. Canada, 12 February 1970 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. 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. Timothy O'Malley, Copyright 2023 It seems appropriate to conclude this reflection on the Communion Procession and the reception of Communion with a quotation from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 5. [11] Council of Constantinople in Trullo, canon 101. The host will then be laid in the palm of the left hand and then taken by the right hand to the mouth. 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. 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. My three hypotheses were less well researched opinions on my part, theyre not (that last one was a joke on Cdl Sarahs comments, sorry if that wasnt clear), but simply launchpoints in an honest discussion on the impact of Pope Pauls Indult, and the circumstances surrounding it, whether or not they hold any real merit. Indonesia, 27 March 1971 University of Notre Dame, McGrath Institute for Church Life Ive updated the post. Since Christ is really, substantially, sacramentally present but not physically, being OC over crumbs is not devotion. divine life. in Eph 3, trans. These views are sometimes strongly held. If one is right handed the left hand should rest upon the right. 13.3, trans. 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). From this brief historical survey, however, we know that this need not be the case, and we can look to the Fathers for a pious example as we seek to foster reverence towards the Eucharist in the liturgy today. However, this is likely to lead to many embarrassing instances for the faithful who approach communion unaware of the situation. 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. This would be done especially if it is very difficult or impossible to fulfill the necessary conditions as outlined in the documents above. Leo P. McCauley FotC 64 (Catholic University of America Press: Washington, DC, 2000 [1970]). Nor did the Vatican interpret it that way, near as I can tell. Roland Teske (Hyde Park, NY: New City Press, 2001). The infamous coffee cup masses Dorothy Day describes in her book may have had good intentions behind them, but the way they appeared to trivialize the Holy Sacrifice of the mass lent no dignity to the then new Pauline mass.
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