on Can We Be Required to Receive Communion in the Hand, Because of the Virus? tongue was considered more noble and pure than the hands. When Baby Jesus was born he was adored by the Shepherds and Kings from the East in total silence reference and awe. "[28], Exclusion by canon law from access to Communion is not limited to the cases mentioned in canon 915. We indeed want to share the Eucharist, and receiving in the hand is safer than on the tongue. Whether to receive Communion in the hand or on mouth. But, being a provincial Council, the breaking of the bread and to the prayers. (Acts 2:42). ), Any baptized person not prohibited by law can and must be admitted to holy Communion. As in the case of Catholics who divorce and remarry, if these precautionary measures fail to obtain the desired effect or are impossible, "and the person in question, with obstinate persistence, still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, 'the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it'". Glad the CDF upheld a virtue and Divine Sophia. When public worship resumed, the Bishops of England and Wales specified that communion was not to be administered on the tongue, but some individual priests and bishops chose to ignore that. [23], This ruling of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was cited in an article by Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura in Periodica de re canonica, vol. God knows and sees everything. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Handy and eight of her fellow pro-life rescuers in PAAU are, themselves, now facing jail-time after being arrested by the FBI for conducting a traditional pro-life sit-inin October, 2020, at the very same abortion center from which the late-term deceased babies (mentioned above) were rescued. consecrated bread, thereby desecrating the Eucharist, seems to have been the I get touched five or six times every mass. only to the ordained priest: out of reverence towards this Sacrament, nothing touches Two articles of the 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Church address the reception of the sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion by divorced persons who have remarried. The previous ban on Communion on the tongue was only one example of the Churchs more universal sacramental discipline and legislation being set aside in the name of bodily health. (Can. On December 11, Catholic News Agency published a story on the Vatican upholding Bishop Richard F. Stika decision to suspend reception of Holy Communion on the tongue at public Masses throughout the Diocese of Knoxville for the duration of the public health emergency caused by the coronavirus pandemic., In a letter from the Congregation for Divine Worship, Archbishop Arthur Roche refused to overturn Bishop Stika. [21], In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI released the apostolic exhortation Sacramentum caritatis. People who argue for reception on the tongue on these bases are wrong. A canon lawyer replied on his behalf, claiming that Canon 223.2 gives the bishop power to regulate the exercise of rights Continue reading , Q: The bishop of my diocese has decreed that because of the Coronavirus outbreak, we Catholics can only receive Communion in the hand, not on the tongue. I would note as well that the common practice of giving communion on the tongue while kneeling was coterminous with that of practically no one receiving communion. The measures given by the Bishops and Episcopal Conferences expire when the situation returns to normal. In normal circumstances Catholics may choose to receive Communion on the tongue. The short answer is that according to the 1917 Code of Canon Law, wearing veils was a requirement for all women attending Mass. "[2], In an article written before publication of the 2004 memorandum of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the statement by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, canonist John P. Beal had argued that canon 915 did not apply to pro-choice Catholic politicians. Catholics believe in faith AND reason. Eucharist on the tongue grew in popularity in the Latin Rite. The Surgi-Center,a Washington, D.C. abortion clinicinfamous for offering late, second trimester abortions, and its owner, abortionist Cesare Santangelo, are at the center of a scandalinvolving possible violations of federallaws against partial-birth abortion and infanticide. the faithful received Communion at Mass for about the next 500 years. Priests in Rome have seemed hesitant to honor the wish of the lay faithful to receive Holy Communion on the tongue. in charity with him, and had no complaint against him, nor any quarrel or (Dominicae Cenae 11.9). him on the tongue: He came from the the tongue are liturgical disciplines, not dogmas. [29] Canon 842 1 declares: "A person who has not received baptism cannot be admitted validly to the other sacraments. With regard to the obligations of the diocesan bishop, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops declared in 2004: "The question has been raised as to whether the denial of Holy Communion to some Catholics in political life is necessary because of their public support for abortion on demand. Renewing an old approach to welcoming newcomers to the U.S. It might be good to recall that the first ecumenical council Nicea, in 325, *prohibited* kneeling on Sunday, the Lords day. After the publication by the Holy See in 1994 of the Letter to the Bishops of The Catholic Church Concerning the Reception of Holy Communion by the Divorced and Remarried Members of the Faithful which stated that "the divorced are remarried civilly [] cannot receive Holy Communion as long as this situation persists," Kasper and Lehmann "continued the debate in an informal group of prelates, nicknamed the St. Gallen group after the village in Switzerland where they met." May the Lord teach us true love and mercy for one another especially His so called shepherds on earth. If Communion is received in the hand, the hands should first of all be clean. us, as if you were in good health. Nevertheless, said he, bring me the We healthcare workers are exhausted from such nonsensical selfishness. There is no scientific evidence whatsoever to suggest this. "[9], The general rule of canon law is that "sacred ministers cannot deny the sacraments to those who seek them at appropriate times, are properly disposed, and are not prohibited by law from receiving them";[10] and "any baptized person not prohibited by law can and must be admitted to holy communion". The giving of communion during the pandemic has not been without its challenges. ", However, in September 2016, Pope Francis declared the apostolic exhortation Amoris laetitia to be a teaching of the "authentic magisterium", and agreed with the interpretation of Argentine bishops that "in certain circumstances, a person who has divorced and remarried and is living in an active sexual partnership might not be responsible or culpable for the mortal sin of adultery, 'particularly when a person judges that he would fall into a subsequent fault by damaging the children of the new union.' A sampling includes tape on every other pew to mark where I have never once had my tongue touched by a priests hand. Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, and Peter Claver are buried, a priest publicly denied Holy Communion to a LifeSiteNews reporter kneeling to receive on the tongue. Please SIGN and SHARE this urgent petition to the Department of Justice, asking them to launch an investigation into alleged violations of federal law by Santangelo and the D.C. Surgi-Center, under either the Partial Birth Abortion Act (2003) or the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act (2002). To increase the distance between communicants, side-by-side If Priest accidentally touched tongue a sanitiser nearby should be used With communion in hand more easily would priest touch that persons hand and not noticing it as much as tongue then repeated so contagion from one priest touching one persons hand to priest touching another persons hand and therefore more easily spreading it amongst congregation. James Bradley, assistant professor at the School of Canon Law at The Catholic University of America, disagreed, arguing that that the decision to prohibit the distribution of the Eucharist on the tongue should lie with Rome, not with diocesan bishops. Since died. The priest like cringed away and said I cant! subjected to conditions) or revoked by that same authority, I suggest that the obedient and faithful response is to receive on the hand. receiving Communion from the priest on the tongue. Theyll have to wear masks in church, but at least Catholics in Rome will be able to receive Holy Communion on the tongue on Easter Sunday this year. Others try to bite them off!. My understanding is that reception on the tongue has to do with scrupulosity regarding particles of the blessed sacrament to ensure all are eaten and none are unaccounted for. Since the passage explicitly mentions When confronted in the sacristy after Mass, the celebrant yelled You are proud at the reporter and claimed he was forbidden by the Italian Bishops Conference to give Communion on the tongue. ", "Catholic priest had every right to deny Joe Biden communion over abortion views | Christine Flowers", "Pastor's denial of Eucharist to Biden stirs up recurring debate", "Michigan Catholic Priest Refuses To Offer Communion To Married Lesbian Judge", "Answering Fr. The Vatican promotes Communion on the tongue not only for its long tradition but because it expresses the faithfuls reverence for the Eucharist and removes the danger of profanation of the sacred species (Memorial Domini 1277). However, the Epistle directly on the communicants tongue lessened the need for the recipients The refusal to administer the Blessed Sacrament to a baptized Catholic on the tongue runs contrary to the Churchs universal law concerning the reception of Holy Communion by the lay faithful. A number of people online have been promoting the idea that Canon 223 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law gives bishops the authority to deny the Catholic faithful communion on the tongue and to require communion in the hand for anyone receiving. We can equally, and perhaps more easily, do evil with our tongues. What is important is FAITH and dependence on the Lord. Nevertheless, many priests will testify that, despite this, their fingers are often touched by peoples tongues or lips as they distribute Communion. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. John Paul II states, In some countries the practice of receiving Communion in the hand has been introduced. WebAnswered by Fr. The Dominican church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva also recently refused Communion to the same reporter desiring to receive the Blessed Sacrament on the tongue during a weekday evening Mass. WebAnswer: The universal law of the Latin rite is that we receive Communion on the tongue. (Can. Also he article and several comments seem to assume that receiving on the tongue is more likely to transmit infections than receiving in the hand. (Venerable Bede, Ecclesiastical History of England, Book 4 Ch. Aquinas wrote in the 13th century that touching the Blessed Sacrament is proper We should start with the nature of the liturgy and the mysteries it celebrates, and think of reverence in terms of that, not in terms of veneration of the Host as the starting point. To receive in the hand is an indult or special permission that does not exist in most parts In 1993 German bishops Walter Kasper, Karl Lehmann, and Oskar Saier had a letter read in the churches of their dioceses saying this question of Communion for divorced Catholics "in complex, individual cases" needed to be addressed. With regard to divorced persons living in irregular unions, Benedict XVI stated, "Finally, where the nullity of the marriage bond is not declared and objective circumstances make it impossible to cease cohabitation, the Church encourages these members of the faithful to commit themselves to living their relationship in fidelity to the demands of God's law, as friends, as brother and sister; in this way they will be able to return to the table of the Eucharist, taking care to observe the Church's established and approved practice in this regard. If we want true reverence it these unprecedented times, why cant we receive the Eucharist on the hand, while kneeling . lines have given way to one-way single lines and tape along the aisle marks the The USCCBs instructions say, Those who receive Communion may receive either in the hand or on the tongue, and the decision should be that of the Can he do that? ", Tireless pro-life activist Dr. Monica Miller, the director of Citizens for a Pro-Life Society and leader of Red Rose Rescue, told LifeSiteNews that "this is the first time any of them are facing federal charges. And I find this appalling. The share buttons above are provided by third-party "AddThis". Is it Valid If I Marry Him Just For His Money? An anonymous Twitter account has shared this fascinating photograph from 1965: (1) Notice the pope gives Holy Communion to those who kneel. Some argue that it was because the In 2006, after Josef Ratzinger was elected, the group disbanded, but when Bergoglio was elected in 2013, Kasper returned to prominence on this issue. 6th century Pope Agapitus healing a lame man, then administering Communion to grace and wishes to be united to Christ through holy Communion. The distribution of Communion has Unsigned/anonymous questions are not read, much less answered (why is it necessary even to mention this?). The shocked pro-lifers then gavethe aborted babies to the police andbrought the matter to the attention of the D.C. Medical Examiner's office. When asked by Maria what do you regret the most they said wasted time in vain pursuits etc. If we look to the first Mass the One should receive kneeling. The coronavirus has altered the way In doing so, I show reverence for them and for the Lord. Some rules became even stricter, drawing sharp criticism, as they came shortly after the Bishops Conference eased rules for priests and the faithful. wishes to be a participator of the immaculate Body in the time of the Synaxis, Some rules became even stricter, drawing sharp. Please note that the two events - the pro-life rescue in 2020 and the gruesome discovery of the fivenear-to-full-term babies in the Surgi-Center's "bio-medical waste" earlier this year - are almost one-and-a-half years apart. [4] Anyone aware of having committed a grave sin is obliged to refrain from receiving Communion without first obtaining absolution in the sacrament of Reconciliation. If the information on this website has helped you, please consider making a contribution so that it can continue to help others. on Ephesians 347-407 AD), For the sacraments AD), Wherefore, if anyone and of the presence of Christ in it, there came a greater feeling of reverence In December 2021 at the Ges, the Jesuit church in which SS. The minister apologized but said that the bishop does not permit Communion on the tongue. Saint Thomas Aquinas also refers to the practice of receiving Holy Communion only on the tongue. He affirms that touching the Body of the Lord is proper only to the ordained priest. in the Ordinary Form. The story goes on to say that there was once a Hindu priest who had a pet cat which at times became a nuisance during the prayer service. Even apart from not being able to reach those who are isolated in nursing homes, hospitals, prisons and other locked-down facilities. (n.161). Archived post. individual to decide whether to receive the host in the hand or on the tongue, St. Thomas Can We Be Required to Receive Communion in the Hand, Because of the Virus? of James warns of the tongues deceitfulness: For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, Canon 915, one of the canons in the 1983 Code of Canon Law of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church, forbids the administration of Holy Communion to those upon whom the penalty of excommunication or interdict has been imposed or declared, or who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin: Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion. The CBCEW Step 4 guidance says Communion is recommended to be distributed in the hand but those who wish to receive on the tongue may do so. PETITION: Investigate notorious abortionist for possible partial-birth abortions, infanticide, , including the ban on Communion on the tongue. Here is the post. This is what has happened to the Eucharist as well. , and receives the Sacrament either on the tongue or, where this is allowed and if the communicant so chooses, in the hand. the laity. varied and both the Scriptures and liturgical history provide evidence that WebCanon 915, one of the canons in the 1983 Code of Canon Law of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church, forbids the administration of Holy Communion to those upon whom the The Italian Bishops Conference has updated its COVID guidelines and suggestions for liturgical celebrations during Holy Week. As I usually go up to receive Communion with at least one baby in my arms, I have a purely practical preference for Communion on the tongue when it is safe to do so, of course. Article 1650 continues, "Reconciliation through the sacrament of Penance can be granted only to those who have repented for having violated the sign of the covenant and of fidelity to Christ, and who are committed to living in complete continence". [35][40][37][41] The Diocese of Grand Rapids issued a statement supporting the decision of its priest. Cordileone invoked canon 915 writing that a "Catholic legislator who supports procured abortion, after knowing the teaching of the Church, commits a manifestly grave sin which is a cause of most serious scandal to others. For your convenience, please find in attachment the full text of this letter.. I was taught in parochial school by nuns to never touch the Host. Or without having any idea what Jesus was doing when he said take and eat.take and drink..do this in memory of me? Thank you for SIGNING and SHARINGthis urgent petition! Eastern Catholic Children Receiving Latin Catholic Sacraments. on the Manner of Distributing Holy Communion, Memoriale Domini). canonlawmadeeasy@yahoo.com Worship, in the document Memoriale Domini, offers this brief history of I am absolutely thankful that this decision was upheld. Permission Even if your Bishop is wrong in restricting your right to receive Communion on the tongue, a right which is granted by the Church and can be modified (e.g. Whether to receive Communion in the hand or on the tongue are liturgical disciplines, not dogmas. Recently I was attending Mass in another diocese, and when I approached the extraordinary minister of the Eucharist to receive on the tongue, I was denied Communion. Respect for the Holy Eucharist, in particular, demands that it be received worthily and that it be seen as the source for our common mission in the world. The Church instructs that it In addition, not a few people curl their hands around the host as it is being given. place the consecrated host directly in the hands of the faithful. A canon lawyer replied on his behalf, claiming that Canon 223.2 gives the bishop power to regulate the exercise of Edward McIlmail, LC. Usually I have no issues getting communion on the tongue. To contribute to the legal defense of Lauren Handy and the other eight members of PAAU, please CLICK on the following linkto find out more about their LifeFunder campaign (also operated by LifeSiteNews):https://www.lifefunder.com/victims, 'EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Pro-life hero raided by FBI speaks about the aborted babies she was trying to honor' -https://rumble.com/vzsslx-exclusive-pro-life-hero-raided-by-fbi-speaks-about-the-aborted-babies-she-w.html, 'Pro-lifers arrested in FBI raids, face 11 years in prison for blocking access to late-term abortion mill' -https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/pro-lifers-raided-charged-and-face-11-years-in-jail-for-blocking-access-to-infamous-dc-abortion-mill/, 'BREAKING: Video surfaces of FBI raid, arrest of nonviolent pro-life activists' -https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-video-surfaces-of-biden-fbi-raid-arrest-of-nonviolent-pro-life-activists/, 'Court Docs reveal previously unknown patient death due to negligence at late-term abortion facility'-https://www.operationrescue.org/archives/court-docs-reveal-previously-unknown-patient-death-due-to-negligence-at-late-term-abortion-facility/. I believe in the Real Presence, not in magic. Article 2390 states that outside of marriage, the sexual act "constitutes a grave sin and excludes one from sacramental communion". Web1385; Code of Canon Law, canons 916 and 919). blessed it, broke it and said to his disciples: Take it; this is my body. (Mk 14:22). Therefore Communion should not be distributed at all in times of pandemic. At the same time, the D.C. Medical Examiner's office does not seem interested in discovering the truth about the deaths of thefive abortedbabies and possible illegal partial-birth abortions or infanticidehappening at the D.C. Surgi-Center. falling to the floor. take in hand the sacrament of God worthily or unworthily, yet that which is Hosts falling to the ground in such circumstances are in fact quite common. Whats the Difference Between a Pastor, and a Parish Administrator? choose to come to the Sacrifice with unwashed hands? Then s/he rubs hands frantically together in a futile attempt to get it rubbed in before /she is standing before the minister. Nor were they on their knees. The Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts (PCLT) issued on 24 June 2000 a declaration on the application of canon 915 of the Code of Canon Law to divorced Catholics who have remarried. When Can a Layperson Be a Pastor of a Parish. Daily Nass if possible. todays choices are worthy ones, capable of offering God devotion and 4 Family Life Lane Public denial of Communion must be avoided and so the reasons for exclusion must be explained to them, but if such precautionary measures fail to obtain the desired effect or are impossible, Communion is not to be given to them. urgency. (Summa Theologiae, III, 82, 3). Posted on May 14, 2020 by Cathy Caridi. Very interesting to read all these logically sound views. Thank you, I would only like to say, the reverence in your heart is more important than either the hand or the tongue and secondly, that love your neighbour as yourself implies that our concern should be the welfare of others rather than our idea of what is reverence and holiness, Your email address will not be published. Communion on the tongue remains the usual and common form of administering Holy Communion. 912). We However, cases of a deplorable lack of respect toward the eucharistic species have been reported, cases that 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 toward the Eucharist. Liturgical Press | School of Theology Seminary | Saint John's Abbey | Comments Policy | Contact Us we celebrate Mass. exclusive videointerview with LifeSiteNews, https://rumble.com/vzsslx-exclusive-pro-life-hero-raided-by-fbi-speaks-about-the-aborted-babies-she-w.html, https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/pro-lifers-raided-charged-and-face-11-years-in-jail-for-blocking-access-to-infamous-dc-abortion-mill/, https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-video-surfaces-of-biden-fbi-raid-arrest-of-nonviolent-pro-life-activists/, https://www.operationrescue.org/archives/court-docs-reveal-previously-unknown-patient-death-due-to-negligence-at-late-term-abortion-facility/. Archbishop Roche referred to Cardinal Sarahs circular letter from August which states that in times of difficulty (e.g., wars, pandemics), Bishops and Episcopal Conferences can give provisional norms which must be obeyed. At that time most took that to be a recognition of the legitimacy of local bishops banning Communion on the tongue during the pandemic. Deep within, if one believes in the true presence and a particular way to respect it, then perhaps one should wait till the time is right. The DOJ press release claims that the pro-lifers: "engaged in a conspiracy to create a blockade at the reproductive health care clinic to prevent the clinic from providing, and patients from receiving, reproductive health services. During this epidemic situation communion on the tongue is ltesting the Lord, after all that He has informed us via medical expertise. When has the Church ever taught that the hand is a less honourable part of the body than the tongue, or standing a less reverent posture than kneeling? Hamilton, ON L8L 4S4. main reason for the custom of receiving Communion on the tongue. This blog is not associated with Pray Tell: An open forum on faith in South Texas. In other words, it is to Sarahs declaration coram ecclesia that this particular point of law owes its authority. According to a press release in September 2020, 27 medical doctors wrote to the German bishops that there were no medical reasons for a ban of Communion on the tongue. Earlier that year, 21 doctors in Austria supported the professional opinion of Professor Filippo Maria Boscia that Communion on the tongue is safer than hand Communion. Boscia is the president of the Association of Catholic Doctors of Italy. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. 24 672-735 The section on the distribution of Holy Communion in Chapter 4 of the document reads: 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. Regarding your second point, priests are trained to deliver the host into peoples mouths with a technique rather like posting a letter in the slot of a mailbox, precisely so as to avoid contacting the communicants tongue. Donatist, Book 2, #88 354-430 AD, Venerable Bede, Ecclesiastical History of England, Book 4 Ch. A sure principle in order not to err is obedience. In hisDialogues, St. Gregory the Great chronicles the The liturgy provides for showing and adoring the Host and Chalice, but this is very modest, held in right proportion, and part of the larger whole. [14], Neither an attitude of defiance nor a prior warning are required to determine the existence of obstinate persistence in manifest grave sin. The Guidelines state: When giving communion in the hand seek to ensure you place the host in the hand of the recipient in such a way that you do not touch their hands. But what has been retained in many The guidelines also lift distancing requirements, but they keep masks mandatory until April 30 and leave holy water fonts empty. I can understand absolutely why some priests may be reluctant to distribute on the tongue, especially during a pandemic. episcopal conferences requested permission from the Holy See to once again Q: We contacted our bishop in protest, because he is insisting we can only receive Communion in the hand. It is this wish that is routinely ignored. Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, and Peter Claver are buried, a priest publicly denied Holy Communion to a LifeSiteNews reporter kneeling to receive on the tongue.
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