4Real Forums: Communion - one kind or both?

Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.

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Topic: Communion - one kind or both?

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LucyP
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Posted: March 10 2008 at 2:04pm \| IP Logged

I was reading our diocese newspaper when we got back from seeing Father, and I saw there was an article from the Bishop asking us all to examine how we recieve Holy Communion. This has been much on my mind, obviously, because I want to do it properly, reverantly and without clumsiness. One thing Bishop Michael urged very strongly was that we partake of the chalice too, saying that Christ is there fully in only one kind, but that the sacramental signs should be as full as possible, and quotes the General Instruction of the Roman Missal "the sign of the Eucharistic banquet is more clearly evident and clear expression is given to the divine will" when both kinds are recieved.

I had planned to only recieve the Host. Largely it is because I am uncomfortable with the lay people who have the chalices - which is likely not a good reason. It is also because I am worried about the germs - I am sure I contracted glandular fever from a shared chalice when I started to take communion in evangelical churches. Neither reason is that good, I suppose. I think it would be easier to avoid the cup because I will be carrying a baby.

I am just interested in the reasons for others only partaking of one kind, if you do?

guitarnan
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Posted: March 10 2008 at 2:20pm \| IP Logged

When we have illness in our home, I refrain from partaking from the chalice.

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CrunchyMom
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Posted: March 10 2008 at 3:30pm \| IP Logged

I am really uncomfortable with everybody in church taking the chalice and drinking from it. It makes me very nervous since it seems so possible for a spill, and while a host can be picked up and consumed if dropped and perhaps the crumbs mourned as having hit the floor, the idea of the precious blood spilling onto the floor is horrifying to me.

I also prefer to receive kneeling which doesn't really work with the chalice.

And, if I were comfortable with the chalice in general, I don't think I would consider taking it with a child in arms. Its definitely a two handed job, imo.

Just my feelings.

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CKwasniewski
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Posted: March 10 2008 at 3:31pm \| IP Logged

Germs definitely!
And one-handed with a baby....

The uncomfortableness with "extraordinary ministers" is also normal. Esp. for someone with a "high church" background.

Praying for you!
ck

SusanJ
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Posted: March 10 2008 at 4:53pm \| IP Logged

I don't think you are supposed to receive if you have only one hand free for the chalice--I guess that doesn't account for amputess, but . . . (ETA: and you wouldn't want to risk your baby grabbing the chalice!) Anyway, I do receive both if I'm not carrying a baby but that is a new thing for me. A couple years ago on the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas I felt very strongly that I should receive both, when possible.

I used to be most concerned, actually, with spilling some of the Precious Blood. That has never happened to me. I also don't do both if the line for the Precious Blood is very long because I don't think that standing in a queue is very prayerful and I think it's distracting for those who have to pick their way through a crowd to get back to their seats.

Susan

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