The Manner of Receiving Holy Communion by the Laity

Picture source here

My friend Sue posted an interesting article by Fr. Paul McDonald regarding Communion in the hand.

St. Thomas Aquinas reminds us that reverence demands that only what has been consecrated should touch the Blessed Sacrament. By baptism, the Christian has been consecrated to receive the Lord in Holy Communion, but not to distribute the Sacred Host to others or unnecessarily to touch It. “To touch the sacred species and to distribute them with their own hands is a privilege of the ordained, one which indicates an active participation in the ministry of the Eucharist” (Dominicae Cenae, 11).

In recent days, I have seriously been rethinking my service as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. Since I know better than to believe things are coincidental any more, it is not surprising that Sue would post this particular article.