Monday, January 04, 2010

Communion in the Hand


Well, the desecration, abuse and sacrilege of Consecrated Hosts continues as I others share stories. This is true not only locally but in other places as well. I thought about sharing specifically what these abuses consist of and where, but I do not want to give anyone any bad ideas. Suffice to say, the abuses are pretty bad. Yet, in the few instances that I am aware of, I believe the way people are mistreating the Holy Eucharist has a lot to do with ignorance of what exactly the Consecrated Host is, instead of evil intent.

Briefly, to those of you who do not know, a Consecrated Host... the Holy Eucharist... is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a truth of the Catholic Church.

Therefore, even the tiniest speck (particle) of a Consecrated Host contains the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. I like to use the analogy of a mirror to explain this. If a mirror is broken, even the tiniest piece of the mirror would show the entire reflection of a person or object. The same is true with the tiniest particle of a Consecrated Host.

I'd like to share the following video with you because it is self-explanatory regarding Consecrated Hosts and receiving Holy Communion in the hand.




Is it any wonder that our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI gives Holy Communion to those who are kneeling and who receive on the tongue?

It would be a good thing to read Redemptionis Sacramentum's CHAPTER IV Holy Communion 1. Dispositions for the Reception of Holy Communion carefully.

"...92. Although each of the faithful always has the right to receive Holy Communion on the tongue, at his choice, 178 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.179..."
Posted

6 comments:

  1. A Bit of the Blarney2:55 AM

    Excellent post! God Bless you! Cathy

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  2. Mimi8:40 AM

    Since in Orthodoxy, we have Communion from a spoon into the mouth (and leavend bread and wine together) I find this strangly fascinating (full disclosure: I do have a Catholic background, so I have received in the hand in my younger years)

    I really, really, really think that it is great that the Pope is pushing a return to on the tongue reception.

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  3. Sarah - Kala11:01 AM

    I would only receive in the hand if I was ill, otherwise He's on my tongue . . . and I'm rarely ill. Thanks be to God!

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  4. EC Gefroh11:13 AM

    Thanks Cathy.

    That is fascinating Mimi. Thanks for sharing that with us.

    Same here Sarah.

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  5. Anonymous3:18 PM

    To my shock and dismay and disapointment i witnessed on 8th grade boy administering Holy Communion at all school Mass last week.He was smiling and giggling as the school kids came up for communion.I and many other Adults quickly switched over to the next line.Shocked and saddened that our beloved Catholic Church is reduced to this.

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  6. EC Gefroh9:25 AM

    I wonder what the thinking is behind children being involved so actively in the liturgy of the Mass.

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