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."