Only on the tongue, on our knees from the priest. I'm 51 and thrashed my knees when I was in the Army when I was young. Sometimes when I kneel it sounds like a couple of saplings breaking lol. I will kneel as long as I can physically. Sometimes people look at me but I don't really care, I wish to be as reverent as I can before The True Presence. Communion in the hand has been a grave error IMHO
Outrageous! Intinction is a means of receiving Holy Communion, but norms require the following: A: “Intinction” is the practice of dipping the consecrated host into the Precious Blood and then receiving the “intincted” host in Holy Communion. Distribution of holy communion to the lay faithful in the Roman Rite can take place in a number of ways: either “by drinking from the chalice directly, or by intinction, or by means of a tube or a spoon” (General Instruction of the Roman Missal [=GIRM] 245). These latter methods—via tube or spoon—as suggested by the U.S. Bishops’ Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion Under Both Kinds in the Dioceses of the United States of America (Norms)are “not customary in the Latin dioceses of the United States of America.” Reception by way of intinction, however, is an option foreseen by both the GIRM and the U.S. Bishops. The GIRM instructs: “If Communion from the chalice is carried out by intinction, each communicant, holding a Communion-plate under the mouth, approaches the Priest who holds a vessel with the sacred particles, with a minister standing at his side and holding the chalice. The Priest takes a host, intincts it partly in the chalice and, showing it, says, The Body and Blood of Christ. The communicant replies, Amen, receives the Sacrament in the mouth from the Priest, and then withdraws” (287; see also Norms 48). The priest celebrant or concelebrants may also receive by way of intinction, where the priest himself dips the host into the Precious Blood and self-communicates (GIRM 249). Deacons and the lay faithful, however, may never intinct the host themselves and then receive: “The communicant must not be permitted to intinct the host himself in the chalice, nor to receive the intincted host in the hand” (Redemptionis Sacramentum 104). The US Bishops also emphasize this point: “The communicant, including the extraordinary minister, is never allowed to self-communicate, even by means of intinction. Communion under either form, bread or wine, must always be given by an ordinary or extraordinary minister of Holy Communion” (Norms 50).
The rules are not obeyed are they? I've seen intinction done in some parishes here too and it's not allowed either - it's very painful. We were out of town yesterday and went to a different parish and I was so shocked and saddened by the way the priest gave me communion, literally tossing it into my mouth to avoid any contact with microbes I guess. He actually tossed the Host! It could have flown onto the floor! They also brought in 6 lay people to distribute communion when the 2 priests and deacon would have been enough all just to speed up the time of communion - also not allowed by the rules. I know that trad priests are suffering with everything going on but at times I wish we could get one of those priests assigned to our parish. I know they would suffer from this but so many parishioners need to receive from priests giving communion with love and profound reverence.
I appreciate knowing this. I have never done it but in one Mass I have attended--since covid--the Host is offered on the Patton to take and intinct. I won't. But I have taken the just the Host that way feeling uncomfortable. Now I know why. Is this something I should confess?
AED, My understanding of what you said in the above is that when you came up to receive Holy Communion, the priest or extraordinary minister offered you Holy Communion already placed on the Paten, so that you had to personally pick up the Sacred Host to receive. Is that correct? First, if so, you were placed in a predicament outside your control. Second, whoever organized this manner of distributing was the one violating protocol. Third, it appears no alternative was offered. So I presume, aside from your rightful hesitation, your desire to receive the Lord into your heart was your driving motivation. It sounds for the most part you were thrust into circumstances where you had no time to sort things out or ask questions. I don't see this as a consequence of scrupulosity. I would suggest confessing it only as a means to express your love for Jesus. If anything the priest may raise an eyebrow; let him be touched by the sincerity of your heart!
Thank you Terry. You have described the circumstances accurately. Except that I attended this Mass several times thinking that if this how the priest is doing ut then it must be okay. He is on balance a very good priest. Now I know to avoid that Mass. Thanks again.
In parishes where I assist in distributing Holy Communion, less than 20% receive on the tongue. I do not find placing the Sacred Host on the tongue difficult because I place It near the tip of the tongue so my hand is below the mouth and does not touch the communicant. Unless the person receiving has a very, very, very dry tongue for some strange reason; otherwise, one's tongue is sufficiently moist so that the Sacred Host always adheres. To tell the truth, I actually find myself worried about the elderly who sometimes use only one hand to receive and I end up watching them out of the corner of my eye to make sure the Sacred Host is not dropped. I am not without fault, however; there is a parishioner who receives Our Lord in a glutton-free Sacred Host. Once, the little vessel attached to my ciborium which held her Sacred Host slipped off, and the Sacred Host fell out of the vessel onto the rug. Mea Culpa a hundred times! So I no longer use those attachable vessels. We are only human!
Yes, only human, so sorry it happened to you. In my parish, apparently this lady has an agreement with the pastor. She goes into the sacristy and obtains an unconsecrated gluten free host, puts it in what I think is a small pyx. She places it on the altar before Mass. She sits close to the front and comes up before anyone else, by agreement. Sometimes she receives from the priest, sometimes the deacon….but before the distribution from the ciborium has begun.
Yes I know where your heart is - and love covers every fault, so I don't think you have to worry! I'm not judging the lay people who give communion either in my post because it's not their fault either, it's just so painful to see the big picture of all these things that add up and make it hard for us all to be fully with Jesus in the mass, communion and afterwards. But at times I think that there could be more merit for us and consolation for Jesus if accept to go to Mass strictly out of love for Him than to obtain any form of personal benefit so we can say honestly I do this only for You.
I think that some people are extra sensitive to gluten - so sensitive that they are afraid there will be fragments of the full gluten host on the priest's hand. That may be the reason the lady in your parish receives before everyone else.
You could be right. I also meant to clarify that the Host is low gluten. It can’t be gluten free because it has to be made from wheat.
At Mass today I got really upset with a Eucharistic minister who was at my end of the church when he proceeded to put on blue vinyl disposable gloves to distribute communion. So I went to receive from the priest at the other end of the Church but I did not have a great mindset as I was so upset with what I saw that such disrespect for our Lord. Has anyone else seen this at their local Mass? Time to go back to the old ways - kneeling and the tongue only.
