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MarilynW
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| Posted: June 20 2009 at 6:41pm | IP Logged
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Please could someone point me in the direction of guidance on two matters:
1) Taking Holy Communion on the tongue rather than the hand. Our church does not do this - unless you have a baby in your arms or other physical reason you cannot take Communion in your hands. FHC children are told to take Holy Communion in their hands. I have always thought there was some reason it is better to take Communion directly onto your tongue - but I don't know where to find guidance on this.
2) Is there clear guidance as to whether churches should offer Body and Blood? (bread and wine) - our church only does the Body of Christ. We went to a different church yesterday which offered both and my children have been asking - not sure of the correct way to answer.
Thanks for any help.
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stellamaris
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Marilyn, here's an article about intinction and offering Communion under both forms. And a quote from the GIRM:
#281 “Holy Communion has a fuller form as a sign when it is distributed under both kinds.”
#282 Our faith teaches that Christ, whole and entire, is received even under only one species.
#283 “The Bishop has the faculty to permit Communion under both kinds whenever it may seem appropriate to the priest to whom, as its own shepherd, a community has been entrusted, provided that the faithful have been well instructed and there is no danger of profanation of the Sacrament or of the Rite becoming difficult because of the large number of participants or some other reason.” The Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion under Both Kinds in the Dioceses of the United States of America are to be followed.
These Norms were approved by the Conference of Catholic Bishops on June 14, 2001, and approved by The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on March 22, 2002. The rest of this article will deal with these Norms.
I also found out that the Vatican issued an instruction in 1969 allowing Bishops to permit reception of the Eucharist in the hand, however our Holy Father receives on the tongue. Maybe someone else can find some official documents on this... I'm out of computer time!
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JodieLyn
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I know there is something about how to recieve.. but right at the moment I couldn't even begin to figure out what/where.. I believe it says something like recieving in the hand may be permitted but that they are not supposed to prohibit anyone from recieving on the tongue..  but I may not be 100% right on how that goes..
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MaryM
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| Posted: June 20 2009 at 9:08pm | IP Logged
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There is a lot to this question, Marilyn. This is more complex than it may seen and there is hardly time to really address it before the boards are closed for the Sunday closure. Caroline's quotes above from the GIRM are helpful.
I thought that possibly this document/instruction from the Vatican's CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP AND THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SACRAMENT, published in 2004 would be of interest as well.
Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum: On certain matters to be observed or to be avoided
regarding the Most Holy Eucharist
Cardinal Arinze wrote this introduction to the document.
Chapter IV addressed the "The Distribution of Holy Communion" and "Communion under Both Kinds." These are some of the most pertainent quotes, but I suggest reading the full text of that chapter.
Quote:
[91.] 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”. Hence any baptized Catholic who is not prevented by law must be admitted to Holy Communion. Therefore, it is not licit to deny Holy Communion to any of Christ’s faithful solely on the grounds, for example, that the person wishes to receive the Eucharist kneeling or standing.
[92.] 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, in areas where the Bishops’ Conference with the recognitio of the Apostolic See has given permission, the sacred host is to be administered to him or her. However, special care should be taken to ensure that the host is consumed by the communicant in the presence of the minister, so that no one goes away carrying the Eucharistic species in his hand. If there is a risk of profanation, then Holy Communion should not be given in the hand to the faithful. |
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Quote:
[100.] So that the fullness of the sign may be made more clearly evident to the faithful in the course of the Eucharistic banquet, lay members of Christ’s faithful, too, are admitted to Communion under both kinds, in the cases set forth in the liturgical books, preceded and continually accompanied by proper catechesis regarding the dogmatic principles on this matter laid down by the Ecumenical Council of Trent.
[101.] In order for Holy Communion under both kinds to be administered to the lay members of Christ’s faithful, due consideration should be given to the circumstances, as judged first of all by the diocesan Bishop. It is to be completely excluded where even a small danger exists of the sacred species being profaned. With a view to wider co-ordination, the Bishops’ Conferences should issue norms, once their decisions have received the recognitio of the Apostolic See through the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, especially as regards “the manner of distributing Holy Communion to the faithful under both kinds, and the faculty for its extension”. |
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And as Cardinal Arinze says it is helpful to read this document in light of Pope John Paul II's 2003 encyclical letter, Ecclesia de Eucharistia.
More to come.....
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MarilynW
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| Posted: June 22 2009 at 6:29am | IP Logged
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Thank you all - lots to read and think about here.
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Marilyn
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Questions on the Eucharist
