Last summer I was received into the Catholic Church and one of the first things I had to learn was how to receive Holy Communion in a reverent way. Everybody has been taught to receive on the hand, standing. The idea is that your hands will form a ‘throne’ for the Lord. It didn’t take long for me to change that to receiving on the tongue. This happened during my holiday, a week after I was received into the Church. We were staying at a Benedictine abbey where the custom was to receive kneeling on the tongue at the 17th century Baroque communion rails in the abbey’s church. I noticed that receiving that way helped my devotion to the Blessed Sacrament a lot. I thought it was a pity that the beautiful communion rails of our cathedral aren’t in use anymore, but also could understand why. Communion would take forever if two people would have to give it to people kneeling down at the rails. People who advocate it to take up the practice now usually don’t realise that there are much less Eucharistic ministers available compared to pre-Vatican II days. There aren’t simply as many priests, deacons and the like around during Mass. So in my parish we have two regular Eucharistic ministers: the priest and a hermit / monk who almost finished seminary before becoming a monk.
So although I understand why Holy Communion isn’t distributed anymore at the communion rails, I think it’s a pity I hardly have the opportunity to receive that way.
For me, it’s part of my devotion to Christ to receive on the tongue. It’s a sign of reverence. But I don’t think that people who are receiving on the hand are being irreverent. Both forms are allowed and therefore we shouldn’t look down on one form or the other. After all, even the most ‘reverent’ way can be used very irreverent. Reverence is something that comes from the heart, not from a form. However, I do think one form can help one being more reverent more easily.
I think it’s a pity that, especially in some parts of my country, receiving kneeling on the tongue is perceived to be a way to express Traditionalism and ultra-orthodox Catholicism. Others think I want to receive like that because I’m a new Catholic. And I don’t think this is the case. For me, the way I receive Holy Communion is part of my communication with the Eucharistic Lord. Part of that communication is visible as body language. When talking to people I use body language, talking to the Lord is no exception to it. When I am talking to the Lord, I am kneeling. When I praise the Lord I am standing. When I listen to the Lord’s Word or a sermon, I am sitting. That’s my way of communicating. I always communicated like this with the Lord, becoming Catholic didn’t change that at all. In Protestant Churches you’re supposed to give yourself bread and wine (you take it) during the Lord’s Supper. As a Protestant I never succeeded in communicating with the Lord during the Lord’s Supper, it just didn’t work. Therefore I stopped going years ago.
Apparently, in the Catholic Church there have been people some time in the past who have made a drama out of this, because for some reason the whole ‘receiving on the tongue’ issue is a very delicate topic, at least in the church in the Netherlands. A lot of fellow Catholics will be irritated at least a bit when they see someone during Mass wearing a mantilla or other head covering and/or people who receive Holy Communion on the tongue while kneeling. It’s like there’s a sensitive spot where there used to be a big gaping wound which is ripped open. I really think this is unfortunate. I have no idea what exactly happened in the past, but apparently a lot of people got hurt very badly by all the things that happened in the sixties, seventies and part of the eighties. The have still scratches and bruises left.
According to the Vatican and high Vatican officials, the preferred way of receiving is on the tongue, kneeling. Receiving on the hand, standing is an indulgence. It’s allowed, but it should be an exception. In my country it’s the other way around. Right after these kind of messages, you’ll see Dutch Catholics revolt, because all the pain and hurt from the past is coming back again. This makes the matter complicated. One should be considerate of others, but at the other hand, it’s also not good to allow people to wallow in hurt feelings from the past. We all must move on at some point, but at the same time we shouldn’t hurt people who are already hurt and sensitive again. It’s very complicated for me to stand in the cross fire like that.
A while ago, the new prefect of the Divine Worship, Cardinal Cañizares Llovera, was interviewed by a Spanish newspaper and for some reason the things he had to say became headlines on all sorts of Catholic websites:
[La Razón:] Nevertheless, Benedict XVI has reiterated in some instances the propriety of receiving communion kneeling and in the mouth. Is it something important, or is it a mere matter of form?[Cañizares:] – No, it is not just a matter of form. What does it mean to receive communion in the mouth? What does it mean to kneel before the Most Holy Sacrament? What dies it mean to kneel during the consecration at Mass? It means adoration, it means recognizing the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist; it means respect and an attitude of faith of a man who prostrates before God because he knows that everything comes from Him, and we feel speechless, dumbfounded, before the wondrousness, his goodness, and his mercy. That is why it is not the same to place the hand, and to receive communion in any fashion, than doing it in a respectful way; it is not the same to receive communion kneeling or standing up, because all these signs indicate a profound meaning. What we have to grasp is that profound attitude of the man who prostrates himself before God, and that is what the Pope wants.[La Razón:] Nevertheless, Benedict XVI has reiterated in some instances the propriety of receiving communion kneeling and in the mouth. Is it something important, or is it a mere matter of form?
[Cañizares:] – No, it is not just a matter of form. What does it mean to receive communion in the mouth? What does it mean to kneel before the Most Holy Sacrament? What dies it mean to kneel during the consecration at Mass? It means adoration, it means recognizing the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist; it means respect and an attitude of faith of a man who prostrates before God because he knows that everything comes from Him, and we feel speechless, dumbfounded, before the wondrousness, his goodness, and his mercy. That is why it is not the same to place the hand, and to receive communion in any fashion, than doing it in a respectful way; it is not the same to receive communion kneeling or standing up, because all these signs indicate a profound meaning. What we have to grasp is that profound attitude of the man who prostrates himself before God, and that is what the Pope wants.
Source: Rorate Cæli, “Kneeling for communion and communion on the tongue:
“Profound meaning,” says Cañizares“
I agree with the Cardinal, but I also see how people are struggling with these developments. They have a visceral reaction to these kind of things because of their past. I think they won’t be as opposed as they are now when they really understand where both the Cardinal and I are coming from, but in the mean while they still think there are many ‘Rules from Rome’ that are forced upon them in a totalitarian way, therefore their reaction is to fight it in order to maintain freedom.
This must be a cultural thing. Maybe it’s because it was illegal to be a practicing Catholic for almost three centuries in this country. Catholics are living in an area dominated by Protestants, especially Calvinists. Protestant churches, especially Calvinist ones are ruled in a totally different way then the Catholic Church is. The National Synod of the Protestant Church is the body that imposes rules on which are affecting local congregations of elders. If the Synod agrees on something, this is the new reality. This also explains why there are so many schisms, but that’s another story. Point is that to me it looks like that Dutch Catholics confuse the Vatican with a sort of super National Protestant Synod. They don’t seem to realise that Catholic hierarchy doesn’t work like that. The rules in a certain Catholic area aren’t established by the Vatican, but by the local bishop, which means they can be different from the general rules. Doesn’t happen often, but technically that’s possible. Lot’s of those Catholics also don’t realise that Dutch bishops allowed them to do some things differently compared to other countries. Instead, they have this idea that all sorts of very old-fashioned rules are being reinstated again, and the only thing one can do is fighting very hard to retain their freedom. I want to stress that there’s nothing wrong with the Calvinist church model, in the sense that I don’t think it’s something intrinsically evil. If Calvinists are happy with that model, that’s fine with me. The point I want to make is that it’s not a Catholic model. The Catholic Church doesn’t function like this.
I’m lucky that receiving on the tongue is fairly normal in our parish, I cannot kneel because my knees won’t allow it. Also, kneeling slows down the whole queue of people behind you. Therefore I kneel and receive on the tongue when that’s possible. I also receive on the tongue standing when that’s safe. If a priest isn’t used to it, it can cause misunderstandings while receiving Communion and the last thing I want is to see Christ drop on the floor because a miscommunication between me and the priest. So in the current situation, receiving on the hand is unfortunately the safest way to receive.
I have a personal devotion to receiving on the tongue, kneeling. I show this way that I am 100% dependent on Him to live. If he doesn’t feed me with the spiritual food, my soul dies and I turn into a ‘zombie’. Apart from that factor, I think receiving on the tongue is way more intimate than receiving on the hand: it’s like getting a kiss from the Lord. Both aspects don’t necessarily go back to reverence in my case. But it’s just nicer for me to receive that way. Therefore I cherish the few opportunities I have to receive on the tongue kneeling. When I miss it very much, I just can go to Latin Mass to give my devotion a boost. In the mean time I just try to fit in during normal High Mass. I hope things will get easier in showing your own devotions publicly without people feeling offended or something in the future, when the negative feelings attached to the past won’t be as present as they are now.
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Hi Inge. I respect those who which to receive the Lord on the tongue, but… as you say, it is more the interior attitude that is the most important. I am sure you receive Him with all of your undivided love for Him, as I do as well and many others too.
One of the aspects I prefer on the hands is hygiene and that is also one of the reasons why it changed. Each time a Eucharistic Minister gives Jesus on someone’s tongue, s/he touches that persons mouth and lots of times gets in contact with saliva. Then s/he passes it to the next person via the next Eucharistic that s/he takes or touching the other’s person mouth. I was a Eucharistic Minister in Peru for a couple of years and your hands can get… You understand.
Another reason I prefer to receive Jesus on my hands is the fact of the 1st Holy Supper on Holy Thursday. Jesus said: “Take and eat…”, “Take and drink…” He did not put the Eucharistic in their mouths, but passed it around after consecrating it.
When I approach the priest or a Eucharistic Minister, I bend my head slightly with all of my reverence to God, while I prepare my hands as a throne, all with lots of love. My “Amen” is firm and I am not shy to say it out loud. He is my Lord and I know He is present and alive in the Eucharist!
If we had communion rails, I would receive Him kneeling, but in my hands. I do miss our communion rails on each bench, be it for the moment of consecration as for personal time of prayer before/after mass or after receiving Him in the Eucharist. They don’t have the communion rails on each bench anymore here in Belgium. I know they do have them in all German Catholic churches. How is it in The Netherlands?
Again, thanks for sharing.
Hi Inge,
Its so interesting how things are different in different countries, even different parishes. Its funny, but I prefer receiving in my hand for very similar reasons to yours. But, mine came about differently. I am a cradle Catholic. When I was little, no one was allowed to touch the host except the priest. I was about 12 when the Vatican II changes to the Mass occurred here in the US. However, the indult to receive in the hand did not occur until much later. I learned that the changes occurred in order to bring the people much closer to our Lord. The priest was our mediator, but we all should participate in the Liturgy as the Body of Christ. With the priest now facing us we could see and be part of the Liturgy, as opposed to the priest doing everything on our behalf without our participation. It becomes our offering too now.
I remember when it was announced that we could receive in the hand. I was about 22 years old then and it was the best news I’d heard. I was overjoyed. I could touch our Lord! It made receiving Communion so much more meaningful for me. I was in intimate contact with our Lord. I was \good enough\ to touch Him and He wanted to touch me. This holds until this day and even though many, many people in the parish I attend prefer to receive on the tongue, I receive in the hand and will do so as long as the Church allows. Very different experiences with very much the same feelings. This makes me see why the Church allows both and why God inspired the Church fathers to allow both ways of receiving.