Advert

Receiving Holy Communion by hand

Frans Said (The Sunday Times, May 9) described me as fanatical, sanctimonious and lacking Christian charity. Nevertheless, I accept his insults with humility.

Mr Said said it was "during the dark ages that abuse was rife and the individual host was produced" thus given on the tongue. He's wrong. St Sixtus (115 AD) said: "It has been decreed that the sacred vessels are not to be handled by others than by those consecrated and dedicated to the Lord".

Is Mr Said implying that for the past 1,900 years the Church was wrong to distribute Communion on the tongue? No. It was a sacrilege to touch the host. If one fell on the floor a bell was placed over it until a priest retrieved it.

The Councils of Trent, Vatican I and Vatican II are crystal clear. None permitted Communion by hand. What safer way to prevent fragments from falling than to be given the host directly in the mouth?

Mr Said's level of psychology is impressive; which is why I want to introduce him to the following "scrupulous" people: St Pius V, St Pius X, St Augustine, Blessed Anne Emmerich and Pope John Paul II, all of whom opposed Communion by hand.

Pope John Paul II said: "It is not permitted that the faithful should themselves pick up the consecrated bread and the sacred chalice, still less that they should hand them from one to another." (Inaestimabile Donum, sec. 9).

Pope Benedict XVI has restored Communion rails - watch the Mass every Sunday direct from Rome.

Mother Teresa once said: "We have chosen to receive Holy Communion on the tongue. If questioned about it, do not enter into discussion; just praise the Lord."

Advert

14 Comments

Post comment

Comments are submitted under the express understanding and condition that the editor may, and is authorised to, disclose any/all of the above personal information to any person or entity requesting the information for the purposes of legal action on grounds that such person or entity is aggrieved by any comment so submitted.

At this time your comment will not be displayed immediately upon posting. Please allow some time for your comment to be moderated before it is displayed.

Your User Profile is incomplete.
Please click here to complete your profile before posting comments.

lgalea

May 16th 2010, 23:40

Joseph Galea Reverence does not come by receiving Holy Communion on the tongue, but by blaspheming. As for others shaking hands it's their business. I don't do it. Not from lack of respect but from lack of hygiene others may have. According to you then there is no need for food handlers to use gloves as they have to according to hygiene and food regulations.

lgalea

May 16th 2010, 15:20

Joseph Galea It is not and I do not shake hands during mass. It is basic hygiene to wash your hands whenever you shake hands with other persons especially before touching food because you never know what the other person had touched and not washed his/her hand.

Advert
Advert