Articles
Demons Believe and Tremble: A Reflection on the Theft of the Eucharist by Satanists – Msgr. Charles Pope, Archdiocese of of Washington – August 24, 2014
A couple of years ago I wrote of an unusual experience I had at Mass wherein a person who was troubled by a demon had those demons manifest themselves at the consecration... [ read article >> ]
Reconsidering Communion in the Hand – Walking in the Desert – July 6, 2014
Throughout the history of the Catholic Faith specifically in the Roman Rite of the Mass, the reception of Holy Communion kneeling and on the tongue is the established tradition.... [ read article >> ]
“Kneeling and Communion on the Hand” will bring back True Devotion – Catholicism Pure and Simple – February 12, 2014
It is interesting to see how an old post on the topic of receiving Holy Communion devoutly, “Cardinal Ranjith to his clergy – communion on the tongue only and while kneeling is mandatory”, has suddenly had another surge of visitors... [ read article >> ]
Father Mark Kirby: Abuse Of The Holy Eucharist Is A Cancer At The Heart Of The Church! – Courageous Priest – June 27, 2012
How and why does this sort of thing happen? It causes me a piercing sorrow because it is emblematic of the widespread loss of faith in the adorable mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist that is a cancer at the heart of the Church... [ read article >> ]
Kneeling and Communion on the Tongue will bring back True Devotion – Catholicism Pure and Simple – February 12, 2014
It is interesting to see how an old post on the topic of receiving Holy Communion devoutly, “Cardinal Ranjith to his clergy – communion on the tongue only and while kneeling is mandatory”, has suddenly had another surge of visitors and some lively new comments... [ read article >> ]
The Day the Host Dropped – John Vennari
It is a bedrock Catholic truth, taught by the Church since the time of the Apostles, that Our Lord Jesus Christ is truly present in the Most Holy Eucharist: Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity... [ read article >> ]
Nine Ways the Eucharist is Hidden in the Old Testament – Catholic Exchange – October 29, 2013
John Henry Newman once compared Scripture to an inexhaustibly rich wilderness—never failing to reward the faithful explorer with thrilling new discoveries yet always beyond his ability to master it completely... [ read article >> ]
Better Prepare Yourself for Communion – Fr. Ed. Broom, OMV – Catholic Exchange, July 15, 2014
Sacramental Theology teaches a key principal that all Catholics should know so as to derive the most abundant graces that flow from the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Sacraments... [ read article >> ]
Ten Ways to Fall in Love with the Eucharist – Fr. Ed Broom, OMV – Catholic Exchange, June 24, 2014
The saints are the mad-lovers of Jesus; they were on earth and now are in heaven loving God for all eternity. In this article, we will give a list of what some saints have said in an excess of love for the most Holy Eucharist... [ read article >> ]
Altar Rails and Reverence
Altar rails are making a comeback and with their return so is reverence. It is becoming more common these days to see the installation of rails as an integral component of liturgical reform and church architecture... [ read article >> ]
A Modern Athanasius – The Liturgy Guy – June 15, 2014
Saint Athanasius is remembered and venerated today for his unswerving defense of orthodoxy against the Arian heresy of the fourth century... [ read article >> ]
Does Your Belief On Communion Line Up With The Early Church’s Belief?– DavidLGray.info – April 25, 2013
“Christ “established here on earth” only one Church and instituted it as a “visible and spiritual community”, that from its beginning and throughout the centuries has always existed and will always exist... [ read article >> ]
Can a priest order us to stand when receiving Communion? – Catholic Answers
Our priest does not want to give us Communion on the tongue while we are kneeling. He argues it is too hard for the priest to lean down like that... [ read article >> ]
Why you should receive Communion kneeling and on the tongue – Kevin M. Tierney, Catholic Lane – November 15, 2013
In the 13 years I have been a practicing Catholic, I have been a traditionalist all but two of them. As a result, I have received communion on the tongue and kneeling for eleven years... [ read article >> ]
The reform that no one wanted: Communion in the hand – Catholic Review, Dr. H. P. Bianchi – April 10, 2014
Within Catholic circles, the Second Vatican Council is a flashpoint for debate, but there is one point that all Catholics – traditionalists, progressives, liberals, conservatives – agree on... [ read article >> ]
Apostolic Tradition - Communion on the Tongue
The Doctrine of the Church Tells Us Communion on the Tongue is an Apostolic Tradition- Statements from Popes, Saints and Church Councils... [ read article >> ]
The manner of receiving Holy Communion – Catholic News Agency
How we handle objects says a lot about how we regard them. When looking at fine jewelry, for example, we are mindful to handle the gems carefully... [ read article >> ]
Receiving the Eucharist: I Have Decided to Kneel for Jesus – Catholic On Line, Tara E. Brelinsky – May 23, 2013
Hard to really capture in words, the act of kneeling and receiving the Eucharist on the tongue has deepened my affection for Jesus... [ read article >> ]
Did Jesus feed the Apostles on the tongue at the Last Supper? - Fr. Z’s blog - September 11, 2012
From a reader: Father, do you think Jesus fed His apostles on the tongue when he instituted the Eucharist? - I think it is very likely... [ read article >> ]
Can a bishop prohibit receiving Communion on the tongue? – Catholic Answers
Recently I was attending Mass in another diocese, and when I approached the extraordinary minister of the Eucharist to receive on the tongue, I was denied Communion... [ read article >> ]
Defending the Eucharist – Liturgy Guy - April, 2014
I have found myself on several occasions of late having to defend the Eucharist. I don’t mean an actual, physical, defense but rather a historical defense of the Real Presence to non-believers... [ read article >> ]
Should Catholics really kneel to receive Holy Communion at Easter – GloriaTV - April 12, 2014
A MEDITATION BEFORE HOLY COMMUNION, TO STIR UP IN THE SOUL THE FEAR AND LOVE OF THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT.... [ read article >> ]
Early Church Fathers on the Eucharist – Eclectic Orthodoxy - August 9, 2012
Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 7 (AD 107)- “They [the heterodox] abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer... [ read article >> ]
ASK FATHER: Sister goes shopping while carrying the Eucharist to the sick. Wherein Fr. Z rants - Fr. Hohn Zuhlsdorf - April 5, 2014
From a reader - I work at a religious supply store and yesterday a local religious sister came in and asked to be shown our selection of pyxes.... [ read article >> ]
Truth About Communion in the Hand While Standing – Ben Yanke - New Liturgical Movement - March 16, 2014
A close friend of mine and my Pastor, Fr. Richard Heilman, brings us our guest post for today on the questionable origins of communion in the hand... [ read article >> ]
Abuse. Blasphemy. Communion in the Hand – Catholic Insight - April 6, 2014
“I’m heartbroken to announce that last week, we discovered a crushed consecrated Host beneath one of the kneelers,” the pastor of a small yet devout Californian parish says... [ read article >> ]
Dramatic Times for Catholic Dogma on Marriage – Rorate Caeli - March, 2014
We live in dramatic times for the integrity of Catholic dogma — the most dramatic since the Pontifical Commission for Studies on Birth Control of 1963-1966 leaked its favorable report... [ read article >> ]
Views from the Choir Loft – Corpus Christi Watershed - Jeff Ostrowski – August 11, 2013
Have you ever heard somebody rail against receiving Communion in the hand in a very disagreeable way?... [ read article >> ]
Is the Eucharist Really Christ’s Body and Blood? - Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan - CatholicCulture.org
Recently, a Gallup poll was taken on Catholic attitudes toward Holy Communion. The poll showed serious confusion among Catholics... [ read article >> ]
“In every dictatorship, the past is censured…” – The Eponymous Flower – December 24, 2013
"In Every Dictatorship The Past is Censured" -- From the Life of a Diocesan Priest Who Discovered the Immemorial Mass of All Ages... [ read article >> ]
Blasphemy. Abuse. Communion in the Hand? – Catholic Insight – November 23, 2013
“I’m heartbroken to announce that last week, we discovered a crushed consecrated Host beneath one of the kneelers,” the pastor of a small yet devout Californian parish says. He pauses for a moment before he goes on,... [ read article >> ]
“Whatever You Can Do to Stop Communion in the Hand Will be Blessed by God” ~ Fr. John Hardon S.J. – ChurchMilitantblog – November 11, 2013
Not to oppose error is to approve it, and not to defend the truth is to suppress it” – Pope St. Felix III... [ read article >> ]
How to get a people to return to communion on the tongue – Father Z’s blog – Sept 15, 2013
During my retreat the subject of Communion in the hand while standing came up. We were told that we need to instill reverence. Our Lord is so mistreated today... [ read article >> ]
“In every dictatorship, the past is censured…” – The Eponymous Flower – December 24, 2013
As the three priests announced their decision according to Summorum Pontificum, there was massive resistance in the diocesan leadership and the rest of the clergy of the diocese who immediately stirred up sedition of the parishioners against their pastor... [ read article >> ]
Blasphemy. Abuse. Communion in the Hand? – Catholic Insight – November 23, 2013
“I’m heartbroken to announce that last week, we discovered a crushed consecrated Host beneath one of the kneelers,” the pastor of a small yet devout Californian parish says. He pauses for a moment before he goes on, his voice choked by just indignation and sadness: “This is God, people. God.” [ read article >> ]
How to get a people to return to communion on the tongue – Father Z’s blog – Sept 15, 2013
During my retreat the subject of Communion in the hand while standing came up. We were told that we need to instill reverence. Our Lord is so mistreated today... [ read article >> ]
Traditional Media and EWTN – Traditional Catholic Priest – September 13, 2013
For all of you who are reading this, your personal experiences in the Church are not to be discounted. They are real. We all can go on telling multiple night mares about what we have personally experienced at our parishes, Catholic schools, and dioceses... [ read article >> ]
Communion in the Hand – Grave Error – Churchmilitantblog – August 24, 2013
I knew it!!! I have been concerned about this practice for years now and I don’t know why this is still allowed. I’ve seen two communicants (in separate Masses) not eating the Host after receiving it by the hand, and bringing it somewhere else... [ read article >> ]
Another Manifesto on Communion in the Hand – Sancto Pater – December 29, 2012
Boy, the claws really come out when a Catholic tries to spread a deeper respect for the Eucharist...[ read article >> ]
Can a bishop prohibit receiving communion on the tongue? – Catholic Answers
Recently I was attending Mass in another diocese, and when I approached the extraordinary minister of the Eucharist to receive on the tongue, I was denied Communion. Not wanting to make a scene, but fairly confident of my rights, I whispered that I can receive this way. The minister apologized but said that the bishop does not permit...[ read article >> ]
How to receive Holy Communion on the tongue – The Integrated Catholic Life
I have noticed, over the past few years, an increase in the number of people who are electing to receive the Sacred Host on the tongue directly from a priest, deacon or extraordinary minister of Holy Communion at Holy Mass instead of in the hand...[ read article >> ]
Abuse. Blasphemy. Communion in the hand? Catholic Insight, June 10, 2013
“I’m heartbroken to announce that last week, we discovered a crushed consecrated Host beneath one of the kneelers,” the pastor of a small yet devout Californian...[ read article >> ]
First Communion, Roman Style – Regina Magazine, April 22, 2013
In 155 AD – roughly 125 years after Christ’s death – St. Justin Martyr wrote to Emperor Antoninus to explain what Christians actually did during their rituals. Christians were persecuted for their ‘atrocities’ and the Saint was appealing to reason, pleading for the Emperor’s clemency...[ read article >> ]
Communion received on the tongue and while kneeling – Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff
Saint Thomas Aquinas also refers to the practice of receiving Holy Communion only on the tongue. He affirms that touching the Body of the Lord is proper only to the ordained priest...[ read article >> ]
Communion – the Sacrament of Unity – A Blog for Dallas Area Catholics – May 1, 2013
God’s union with us crowns the divine work of rehabilitation accomplished by Communion. Communion! The very name is significant!...[ read article >> ]
What is transubstantiation” – GotQuestions.org
Transubstantiation is a doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines this doctrine in section 1376:... [ read article >> ]
Father John A. Hardon, Archives – Eucharist
On the hopeful side of the Constitution on the Liturgy, Pope Paul emphasized one of the main pastoral desires of the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council. They wanted “the faithful to participate actively with sound faith and utmost devotion in the celebration of this most holy mystery... [ read article >> ]
Mysterium Fidei – Some Thoughts – Father Z’s Blog – November 10, 2010
History shrouds exactly how the non-Scriptural mysterium fidei was inserted into the consecration formula. In 1202, Bishop John of Lyon wrote to Pope Innocent III (+1216) asking about the consecration... [ read article >> ]
Another Manifesto on Communion in the Hand – Sancte Pater – December 29, 2012
Boy, the claws really come out when a Catholic tries to spread a deeper respect for the Eucharist. The discussion always takes on a preternatural quality... [ read article >> ]
Communion in the Hand? A Heart for God – December 31, 2012
I have always received communion on the tongue; Mom taught me catechism and told me that it was a sacrilege to receive communion on the hand and thus I never received Our Lord that way... [ read article >> ]
Holy Communion in the Hand? Knights of Divine Mercy, Fr. Rick Heilman – November 15,2012
Father Regis Scanlon, who is spiritual director for Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, has said that “the doctrine of the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist is one of those wonderful truths by which Christianity shines forth as a religion of mysteries far exceeding the capacity of the human mind... [ read article >> ]
Cranmer's Godly Order by Michael Davies
In their vindication of the Bull Apostolicae Curae, the English Catholic bishops urged a comparison of the Missal with Cranmer's 1549 Prayer Book which would reveal a series of omissions "of which the evident purpose was to eliminate the idea of ... [ read article >> ]
Real Roman Catholic – Only One Way To Receive Holy Communion, Part One – January 8,2011
I have always received the Eucharist on the tongue…This is not something I usually get all political or righteous about. I understand that many devout people hold different opinions on this topic and that “good” Catholics are free to receive on the hand or on the tongue. For me, though, receiving on the tongue has always felt like the most appropriate way to recognize and respect Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist... [ read article >> ]
Catholic Quotations – December 23, 2007
"I am convinced that the crisis in the Church that we are experiencing today is to a large extent due to the disintegration of the liturgy.” - Pope Benedict XVI, "Milestones: Memoirs 1927-1977" (SF, CA: Ignatius), p. 149... [ read article >> ]
Bring Back the Communion Rails, Amen! Les Femmes – The Truth – January 21, 2013
A deacon calls for a return to reverent reception of the Eucharist. I couldn't agree more. But don't wait. If you are receiving in the hand consider a return to Communion on the tongue... [ read article >> ]
My Experience of the Altar Rail – iPadre Catholic Podcasting – January 5, 2013
Recently there has been a lot of buzz about returning altar rails in the last few years. One of the latest blog post was by Deacon Greg Kandra over at the Deacon’s Bench. After the Second Vatican Council... [ read article >> ]
Communion in the Hand: How it came to the U.S. – California Catholic Daily – August 9, 2012
When considering the possibility of Communion received in the hand rather than on the tongue, the Holy See pointed out “certain dangers” of such a change. These included: “the danger of a loss of reverence for the august sacrament... [ read article >> ]
Catholic and Loving It! – Blogged by James Preece – June 25, 2012
Did you know that everybody who received communion from Pope Benedict during the Papal visit was told that receiving on the tongue was a requirement... [ read article >> ]
Five Myths About Worship in the Early Church – Crisis Magazine, Michael P. Foley – June 13, 2011
After studying free-standing altars in early churches, liturgists in the 1930s concluded that priests once celebrated Mass “facing the people,” and that it was only under the influence of decadent medieval clericalism that they “turned their backs” to them... [ read article >> ]
Communion Rails: Restoring a Sense of the Sacred - Deacon Ken Kandra – January 14, 2013
I've watched a mother receive communion, her toddler in tow, then take it back to the pew and share it with him like a cookie. At least four or five times a year, I have to stop someone who just takes the host and wanders away with it and ask them to consume it on the spot... [ read article >> ]
The Day the Host Dropped – Catholic Family News, John Vennari – January 10, 2013
This means that Our Lord is present even in the smallest particle of the Host, and in the smallest particle that may fall to the ground. Thus the reverence that we owe to the Blessed Sacrament demands that we take every precaution that no particle of the Host — not even the smallest — is left open for desecration in any way... [ read article >> ]
Some Queries Regarding Communion on the Tongue – Mark Lambert, September 11, 2012
With regard to choice: my study of the subject leads me to understand that the Church is clearly not happy with CITH, which has been introduced by the back-door, as it were, and yet, by means of indult, has regularised it to avoid mass scandal... [ read article >> ]
QUAERITUR: Did Jesus feed the Apostles on the tongue at the Last Supper? Fr. John Zuhlsdorf, September 11, 2012
Father, do you think Jesus fed His apostles on the tongue when he instituted the Eucharist? I think it is very likely. You may try to respond that He didn’t. Gratis asseritur... [ read article >> ]
Hand Sanitizer at Communion Time – ZENIT – December 18, 2012
If the use of a hand sanitizer is deemed necessary, then it would be better for the extraordinary ministers to use it in the sacristy before beginning their services... [ read article >> ]
Broken Altar Rails – The Remnant Newspaper – December 12, 2012
A few years ago Pope Benedict XVI decreed that all his communicants should kneel and receive Holy Communion on their tongues. This practice was the universal norm before Vatican II but was widely rejected by most bishops after the Council... [ read article >> ]
Altar Rails: Hopefully Coming Soon to a Church Near You! – My Broken Fiat: A Catholic Mom’s Journey – July 7, 2011
Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!!! Not only are altar rails making a comeback, but courtesy of our wonderful Holy Father, Pope Benedict, accepting the Eucharist while kneeling may finally be making a comeback as well!... [ read article >> ]
Altar Rails and the Holy Mass – California Catholic Daily – June 25, 2012
…Firstly, we call it an altar rail; the name has reference to the altar. This rail can be seen as an extension of the altar. Christ becomes present on the altar and invites us to be fed at His altar via the rail... [ read article >> ]
Altar Rail Returning to the U.S. – National Catholic Register – July 2, 2011
In Tiverton, R.I., when some parishioners suggested returning altar rails to the sanctuary of Holy Ghost Catholic Church, Father Jay Finelli gladly accepted, little knowing shortly thereafter the Pope’s 2007 motu proprio letter Summorum Pontificum... [ read article >> ]
Altar Rail Question – Fish Eaters Traditional Catholic Forum – May 15, 2007
Where I attend the Traditional mass there is a white cloth draped across the altar rail, when the communicates kneels down to receive communion they place their hands underneath the cloth... [ read article >> ]
Will There Be Take-Out Communion Next? – The Thinking Housewife, November, 2012
THE indignities to which the Holy Eucharist has been subjected since Vatican II are enough to make one physically sick. They make me nauseous and slightly dizzy, as I would feel if I saw, say, a small child slapped across the face... [ read article >> ]
Why I Receive Communion on the Tongue – Patheos, September 17,2012
If a visitor entered a home and some stood to welcome him, others knelt when he crossed the doorframe, and still others approached him and firmly shook his hand, one thing would be certain: They all have different relationships to the visitor... [ read article >> ]
Benedict XVI and Communion in the Hand: Put Aside Your Illusions - Doctrina Liturgica, November 22, 2010
EVER SINCE the post-Vatican II revolution began, the liturgical change that faithful Catholics regarded as most horrifying was communion in the hand. It overthrew everything — everything — we had been taught to believe about the ineffable holiness of the Real Presence and the sacred character of the priesthood... [ read article >> ]
A Patron Saint for children and First Communion - St Gemma Galgani website
At the time when Gemma was a child in the late 1880's, children normally did not receieve Jesus for the first time in Holy Commuinion until around the age 12. It was Pope Pius X who some thirty years later lowered the age from age 12 years to 7 years... [ read article >> ]
First Communion Saints – CatholicCity.org, Fr. Roger Landry, May 7, 2010
The first time a believer receives the flesh and blood of the eternal Son of God in holy Communion ought to be one of the greatest occasions in that person's life... [ read article >> ]
The great Catholic horror story: the pseudo-historical deception of Communion in the hand – Rorate Caeli, October, 2011
If you do not believe in the Real Presence, how hyperbolic it must sound... For those who know that He is there, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, "horror" does not begin to describe the problems surrounding the handling of the Most Holy Sacrament in post-Conciliar settings, based on pseudo-historical "sources" and outright deception... [ read article >> ]
How to Receive Holy Communion on the Tongue – The Integrated Catholic Life – October 21, 2011
I have noticed, over the past few years, an increase in the number of people who are electing to receive the Sacred Host on the tongue directly from a priest, deacon or extraordinary minister of Holy Communion at Holy Mass instead of in the hand... [ read article >> ]
Receiving Communion on the Tongue - A Catholic Thinker – 2009-2012
" "Each day recite the prayers of the Rosary. With the Rosary pray for the bishops and priests. The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church. One will see cardinals opposing other cardinals... and bishops confronting other bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and condemned by their confreres." [ read article >> ]
QUAERITUR: Did Jesus feed the Apostles on the tongue at the Last Supper? – Sept. 11, 2012
Father, do you think Jesus fed His apostles on the tongue when he instituted the Eucharist? I think it is very likely. You may try to respond that He didn’t. Gratis asseritur. But, I’ll play along...... [ read article >> ]
Our Lady of Akita & Communion on the Tongue – A Catholic Thinker
The book, unexpectedly to me, makes very strongly the case for receiving Communion on the tongue. It does this first of all using evidence from the miraculous happenings at Akita itself, but backs up its claim with quotes from documents by Paul VI and John Paul II, as well as the observed behavior of these pontiffs... [ read article >> ]
Can a bishop prohibit receiving Communion on the tongue? – Catholic Answers
Recently I was attending Mass in another diocese, and when I approached the extraordinary minister of the Eucharist to receive on the tongue, I was denied Communion... [ read article >> ]
The manner of receiving Holy Communion – Catholic News Agency – October, 2012
How we handle objects says a lot about how we regard them. When looking at fine jewelry, for example, we are mindful to handle the gems carefully. When observing fine works of art, we don’t even touch them at all... [ read article >> ]
"For the first time in almost 40 years I received Communion on the tongue..." Fr. John Zuhlsdorf – March 10, 2012
I have been debating for a long time, due to your witness and also that of some faithful friends and relatives. I’m trying to find the words to express what I want to say about it, the best I can do right now is the ‘rightness’ of receiving that way... [ read article >> ]
The Altar Rail and Kneeling - Paul Kokoski, September 23, 2012
The present option or permission of receiving Holy Communion standing and in the hand has largely contributed to a crisis of faith... [ read article >> ]
Why I receive communion on the tongue? September 17, 2012 – Patheos.com by Marc
How one in spirit are we, a man may be tempted to ask, if we are so diverse in expression and in body, some kneeling, some standing, some receiving on the tongue, and others on the hand? Do the actions of the body not arise from the spirit?... [ read article >> ]
Communion in the Hand while Standing: What’s the problem? – The Remnant, by Howard Toon – September 25, 2012
There can be no denying that Holy Communion is now almost universally received in the hand and that this has been the case since... [ read article >> ]
Receiving communion in the hand – Orate Fratres – July 16, 2012
Then considering the possibility of Communion received in the hand rather than on the tongue, the Holy See pointed out “certain dangers” of such a change... [ read article >> ]
QUAERITUR: Sitting instead of kneeling during the Consecration - 30 July 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf
It is the universal law in the Latin Church that the faithful kneel for the consecration. GIRM 43 says that we kneel the epiclesis to the “Mysterium Fidei“. However, there is particular law in the USA. The practice in the USA is to kneel from after the Sanctus until the end of the Doxology, that is, during the entire Eucharistic Prayer: [ read article >> ]
Communion in the Hand is a Sacrilege? – David Martin, St. Michael’s World Apostolate - August 29, 2012
Clergy have failed to acknowledge that at the very crux of the problem is the practice of receiving Communion in the hand... [ read article >> ]
Eucharistic Miracle of Rome – Italy, 6th – 7th Century
Among the most important works in which this Eucharistic Miracle, which occurred in Rome in the year 595, is mentioned is The Life of Blessed Pope Gregory, written by a deacon named Paul in 787. It was the custom in those days that the bread used for the Eucharistic Celebration was prepared by... [ read article >> ]
What we to think of communion in the hand? - Walking with God – May 27, 2009
Communion in the hand depressed Mother Theresa as well. When asked what she thought the worst problem in the world was, the saint of a woman replied: “Wherever I go in the whole world, the thing that makes me the saddest is watching people receive Communion in the hand." Not abortion or war, but communion in the hand... [ read article >> ]
Cum Amore Ac Timore - Auxiliary Bishop Athanasius Schneider – CatholicCulture.org – 2008
Awareness of the greatness of this mystery is shown in the way in which Christ's Body is given and received. Being aware of the importance of the moment of Holy Communion, the Church in her bimillenary tradition has tried to find a ritual expression to testify to her faith, love and respect in the most perfect possible way... [ read article >> ]
The Eucharist is Alive! - from 7 Secrets of the Eucharist, by Vinny Flynn (reprinted from CatholicCity.com)
The Eucharist is alive. That may seem obvious to you. I guess it was to me, at some intellectual level, but somehow I never really thought very deeply about what that actually meant... [ read article >> ]
From The Mail: Viewers Express Strong Views On Communion On Tongue Versus In The Hand – Spirit Daily – January, 2010
While Communion in the hand is fully approved by the Church, and is practiced by the large majority of Catholics, those who do receive on the tongue are vigorous in their advocacy of that way of receiving and raise a strong voice in urging a return to the older manners of reception... [ read article >> ]
What are we to think of Communion in the Hand? – Walking with God – May, 2009
Communion in the hand depressed Mother Theresa as well. When asked what she thought the worst problem in the world was, the saint of a woman replied: “Wherever I go in the whole world, the thing that makes me the saddest is watching people receive Communion in the hand." [ read article >> ]
Receptivity Fitting for The Lord – Fr. Roger J. Landry – CatholicCity.com – July 11, 2008
In a June 25 interview with the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, the Papal Master of Ceremonies Msgr. Guido Marini caught the attention of the Catholic world when he announced that henceforth Pope Benedict would distribute Holy Communion only on the tongue to people who are kneeling... [ read article >> ]
Communion in the Hand? – Semper Fidelis – Catholic Apologetics of America - September 17, 2007
As a someone who formerly received Communion in the hand from my First Communion until Mother Angelica encouraged my family and I to receive Communion on the tongue beginning in 1993 and as a theologian with two theology degrees, I hope and pray that this composition will lead Catholics away from receiving CITH to receiving Our Blessed Savior [who is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament] on the tongue... [ read article >> ]
Holy Communion in the Hand? – Paul Kokowski – CatholicCulture.org – 2012
Father Regis Scanlon, who is spiritual director for Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity, has said that "the doctrine of the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist is one of those wonderful truths by which Christianity shines forth as a religion of mysteries far exceeding the capacity of the human mind... [ read article >> ]
Why Communion in the Hand is Forbidden – The Fatima Crusader – 1996-2012
It must be remembered that Communion on the tongue is the law of the Church...
[ read article >> ]
Holy Communion – on the tongue or in the hand? – St. Joseph’s Church Bulletin, New Malden, England – January 23, 2011
It was noted that the Pope, teaching by example, gives Holy Communion only on the tongue and kneeling at all Papal Masses including in Britain last September... [ read article >> ]
What Does The Prayer Really Say? – Fr. Z’s Blog – May 25, 2012
ST. LOUIS — Mercy Sr. Margaret Farley addressed for the first time publicly Friday evening the Vatican’s harsh criticism of one of her books, saying it points to “profoundly important” questions facing the Catholic community regarding the roles of truth and... [ read article >> ]
The Terrible Impact of the Shifting of the Focus of the Mass – A blog of Dallas Areas Catholics – May 31, 2012
The centrality of the Eucharist in the mystery of the Catholic religion means that its degrading leads to the degrading of all the other Sacraments that lead up to it. [ read article >> ]
How to Eradicate Communion On The Tongue – April 22, 2012 – Kneeling Catholic
St. ------ parish, a wealthy parish on the north side of San Antonio has found a way to make certain no-one can receive Holy Communion on the tongue. [ read article >> ]
Nil by mouth – the controversy over Communion on the tongue: a compromise? – February 25, 2012 - Dominus mihi adjutor
A couple of weeks ago Elizabeth Harrington, writing as the Education Officer for the Liturgical Commission of the archdiocese of Brisbane, penned an article in the diocesan tabloid, The Catholic Leader, on the issue of the reception of... [ read article >> ]
Fighting Back With Truth and Clarity – October 18, 2011 – Vox Cantoris
How amazing is the internet for our ability to communicate and cooperate and spread the truth. No wonder they have closed the CCCB Plenary to everyone but Pepper & Darknessa. What is it that they are afraid of? [ read article >> ]
The Prairie Messenger: Source of the Problem? – December 3, 2011 – Vox Cantoris
Much has been written on this blog over the last ten months on the matter of kneeling in Canada. Some have perhaps found it boring, some have found it informative and helpful. Regardless, I have been blogging on this because... [ read article >> ]
Communion on the Tongue and Pope St. Leo the Great – November 10, 2011 – Canterbury Tales
“This indeed is received by means of the mouth which we believe by means of faith. "Ore" is here in the ablative and in the context it denotes instrumentation. So then, the mouth is the means by which the Holy Eucharist is received. [ read article >> ]
Apostolic Nuncio to Canada on Kneeling after Communion – Some Canadian bishops are in gross error! - February 6, 2012 – Vox Cantoris
I received a letter today from the Apostolic Nuncio to Canada regarding the issue of some bishops and priests forcing people to stand after Holy Communion. This has come about as misinterpretation of the GIRM (General Instruction on the Roman Missal) as it is in the Third Edition in force since the First Sunday of Advent past... [ read article >> ]
FIUV – PP3 The Manner of Receiving Communion – April 1, 2012 – Rorate Caeli, Communion on the Tongue
Today I can publish the third paper in our series, on the Manner of Receiving Communion, about receiving communion directly in the mouth, as opposed to in the hand... [ read article >> ]
To Kneel Or Not To Kneel – Roman Catholic Cop – August 16, 2011
To kneel or not to kneel. On the tongue or in the hand. That is the question. A couple weeks ago, Catholic "shock-jock" Michael Voris posted a video on RealCatholicTV.com about kneeling for communion and taking the Eucharist in the hand vs on the tongue. It's something that I, a Catholic who grew up post Vatican II and who has never received on the tongue has pondered... [ read article >> ]
Father Mark Kirby: Abuse Of The Holy Eucharist Is A Cancer At The Heart Of The Church! – April 12, 2012 – Courageous Priest
"Several years ago, in the context of a course I was teaching, I suggested that the erosion of faith in the Most Holy Eucharist was, in fact, fostered by a number of liturgical and disciplinary changes:"... [ read article >> ]
Communion in the Hand while Standing: What's the Problem? - February 16, 2012
"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."... [ read article >> ]
Communion in the Hand: "A Grave Fault" - by David Martin, Our Lady's Workers of Southern California
With the crisis in the Church ever intensifying, clergy have failed to acknowledge that at the very crux of the problem is the practice of receiving Communion in the Hand... [ read article >> ]
Archdiocese of Winnipeg teaches Heresy on the Real Presence – Witness for Church and Pope - February 15, 2012
The Archdiocese of Winnipeg has a very disturbing document on the Mass entitled: Toward a Full, Conscious and Active participation: A process of liturgical renewal for the Archdiocese of Winnipeg... [ read article >> ]
Australian Archdiocesan paper: Communion in the tongue is "unhygienic", disruptive and based on "over-emphasis on Christ's divinity" - February 14, 2012
The following is an excerpt from "Communion in the Hand", a short essay authored by Elizabeth Harrington, the education officer of the Liturgy Commission of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane... [ read article >> ]
Hand Communion Causes Loss of Faith That Can't Be Denied - January 24, 2012
Hand Communion promotes the erroneous assertion that the Host is a precious little piece of bread, that one can simply snap up. Hand Communion could not be banned like a revolution... [ read article >> ]
Bishop Follows Pope Benedict's Example: Kneeling Only - December 31, 2011
He is following the example of Pope Benedict XVI in this and is intending to support the "reform of the reform"... [ read article >> ]
Sicilian Priest Refuses Communion in the Hand - November 20, 2011
The police were called 'to intervene and restore calm to a faithful Pastor in Acquaviva Platani, Don Francesco Novara, had refused delivery of the Host in his hand... [ read article >> ]
Father Keith Michael Carroll - November 11, 2011
Again a year or two after being elected to lead the Catholic Church, His holiness Pope Benedict XVI invited people who received from him at papal Masses, to kneel and receive communion on the tongue... [ read article >> ]
The Great Catholic Horror Story: The Pseudo-historical Deception of Communion in the Hand – October, 2011
The acorn is a potential oak tree; the oak tree is an acorn that has come to perfection. For the oak to return to being an acorn, presuming that it could do so without dying, would be a regression... [ read article >> ]
Speaking of the Liturgy - July 6, 2011
Professor Hull argues (among many, many other things) that the use of (un)extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, and the reception of Communion in the hand, are two of the gravest abuses of the post-conciliar times... [ read article >> ]
Cardinal Ranjith's Reforms in His Archdiocese - June 25, 2011
In his address to the Conference he spoke of the lack of faith in many parts of the Church itself, a lack of faith in the objective presence of the Lord in the Holy Eucharist... [ read article >> ]
Catholic and Welsh: Communion in the Hand - More Arguments Against - April 18, 2011
I know I am not a theologian, nor a bishop, nor a priest; but I cannot help but notice that Communion in the hand is growing in countries where belief in the Real Presence, including belief that the Host is the ENTIRE BODY, BLOOD, SOUL AND DIVINITY of OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, is on the decline... [ read article >> ]
CatholicHearld.co.uk: Communion on the hand or on the tongue? - February 24, 2011
This is a question I had not thought about until recently: is it more reverent to receive Holy Communion standing and in the hand or kneeling and on the tongue?... [ read article >> ]
A Letter from Our Cathedral Rector by Very Rev. Fr. John Lankeit, Rector, Ss. Simon & Jude Cathedral, Phoenix, AZ January 30, 2011
I want to thank all of you who have recently started receiving Holy Communion on the tongue, not to mention those of you who already had been... [ read article >> ]
QUAERITUR: Lay people decide on their own to have a Communion service, help themselves.
QUESTION: Are EMHCs allowed to open the Tabernacle and distribute Consecrated Hosts when no priest or deacon is present? [ read article >> ]
Questions to be respectfully asked of your bishop and parish priest from communion-on-the-tongue.org
In response to rogue European bishops who had allowed communion-in-the-hand without permission, Pope Paul VI polled bishops worldwide. He wanted to discern whether other bishops wished to open the door to communion-in-the-hand... [ read article >> ]
In Defense of Communion on the Tongue – Knight of Divine Mercy, Fr. Rick Heilman - January 24, 2011
In a recent issue of our diocesan newspaper, they ran an article from Fr. John Dietzen. This particular topic is a passion of mine, since I believe the loss of a sense of the sacred in the Holy Eucharist has led to a desacralized world, including life in our mothers’ wombs... [ read article >> ]
A Letter from Our Cathedral Rector by Very Rev. Fr. John Lankeit, Rector, Ss. Simon & Jude Cathedral, Phoenix, AZ January 23, 2011
During my last year in the seminary, I deliberately stopped receiving Holy Communion in the hand, and began receiving on the tongue. It was awkward at first and I was particularly anxious about dropping the Host, since I no longer had the "control"... [ read article >> ]
Fr. Z's blog - A note on communion in the hand - November, 2010
Yesterday at Mass, my husband noticed that on the floor of our pew, by our feet, was a quarter of an unconsumed Host. He picked it up and consumed it... [ read article >> ]
Did the Church Fathers Practice Communion in the Hand? (Not Exactly)
The recent post entitled "Five Tips for Receiving the Communion on the Tongue" received a over 9,000 visits in its first day up and many more after that. I never imagined that this single topic would generate so much interest on the internet. [ read article >> ]
QUAERITUR: Why do deacons distribute Communion? Are they just glorified EMHC’s?
What makes a Deacon an “ordinary” minister of the Eucharist? Is it simply that he is ordained? I tried to ask our local Deacon, and was expecting a more theological treatment, but maybe I was expecting too much. I wanted to be able to explain to our entourage of EMHC’s that what they did was different than what the Deacon does/represents. Why isn’t the Deacon simply a glorified EMHC with a title? [ read article >> ]
5 Tips on Receiving the Holy Eucharist on the Tongue
Five tips on receiving the Holy Eucharist on your tongue:
- Open your mouth wide. Make your mouth into a landing pad, not a quarter slot.
- Stick out your tongue. Don't be embarrassed.
- Close your eyes. Why? If you leave your eyes open you'll be tempted to move your head toward the priest. Moving targets are hard to hit. Close your eyes and keep your head still.
- ... [ read article >> ]
Opinion: Fr. Greg J. Markey on 'Communion on the Hand'
I encourage parishioners to give prayerful consideration to following Pope Benedict XVI’s lead by receiving Holy Communion on the tongue in the New Year. [ read article >> ]
Receptivity Fitting For The Lord by Fr. Roger J. Landry - July 11, 2008
In a June 25 interview with the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, the Papal Master of Ceremonies Msgr. Guido Marini caught the attention of the Catholic world when he announced that henceforth Pope Benedict would distribute Holy Communion only on the tongue to people who are kneeling. [ read article >> ]
Holy Communion in the Hand: The True Story by Rev. Paul J. McDonald, Pastor, St. Patrick's Church, from on-line edition of Mary's Anawim, July, 2008
The history of Communion in the hand is often presented in certain quarters as follows: From the Last Supper on, Holy Communion was, as the norm, continually given in the hand. So it was during the age of the martyrs. And it continued... [read more >>]
Archbishop Ranjith: "Communion in the hand needs to be revisited" by Gregor Kollmorge February 21, 2008
Bruno Volpe, of Petrus, has interviewed Msgr. Albert Malcom Ranjith, Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments... [ read article >> ]
Benedict XVI and Communion in the Hand: Put Aside Your Illusions
EVER SINCE the post-Vatican II revolution began, the liturgical change that faithful Catholics regarded as most horrifying was communion in the hand. It overthrew everything — everything — we had been taught to believe about the ineffable holiness of the Real Presence and the sacred character of the priesthood... [ read article >> ]
Receiving Communion In The Hand Is Contrary To Tradition
Mysterium Fidei, the bulletin of religious information edited in Brussels by Alfredo Denoyelle, has published a study on tradition in relation to the manner in which the faithful receive Holy Communion... [ read article >> ]
Editorial by John-Henry Westen LifeSite News, Wednesday January 9, 2008
Although it may seem a little strange, there is a definite battle being waged within the Catholic Church. It is the same "culture war" being waged by secular moderns against those who uphold traditional morality, it is pro-life vs. pro-choice. But within the Catholic Church the same battle is fought along liturgical lines, and the publication in the Vatican newspaper of an article calling for Catholics to receive Holy Communion kneeling and on the... [ read article >> ]
The Beauty and Spirituality of the Traditional Latin Mass-- by David Joyce, Latin Mass Society of England and Wales
"...when the faithful themselves receive Communion, they receive It kneeling at the altar rail, and directly onto their tongue. This is very significant. Receiving Communion whilst kneeling means that the faithful line up in a row before the sanctuary, and thus have time to prepare themselves for this most sacred of events: [ read article >> ]
Ranjith on Kneeling for Communion during the liturgy and Communion on the Tongue – January, 2008
Libreria Editrice Vaticana has published a book, Dominus Est by Bishop Athansius Schnedier, where that Bishop analyzes the question of communion received kneeling and on the tongue.
Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith has written the forward to this book, and an unofficial translation follows:
In the Book of Revelation, St. John tells how he... [ read article >> ]
Bernardus Johannes Cardinal Alfrink - January 17, 2006 - Catholic Church Conservation
As early as 1965, the Vatican had taken to task Cardinal Alfrink of the Netherlands for not stopping the abusive practice of Communion in the hand: “Preserve the traditional manner of distributing Holy Communion. [ read article >> ]
Vatican on Communion in the hand - Adoremus Bulletin, Online Edition - Vol. VIII, No. 10: February 2003
This response by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments was sent to us by Father Paul McDonald, of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Diocese of Saint Catherines in Ontario, Canada. The response appeared in Notitiae (April 1999), the official publication of the CDW, regarding the reception of Communion... [read more >>]
Rethinking Communion in the Hand by Jude A. Huntz HOMILETIC & PASTORAL REVIEW March 1997
Has the practice of Communion in the hand really strengthened and clarified our faith in the Real Presence? [ read article >> ]
Do it yourself Sacraments? by Fr. Frederick Hauser
Communion in the hand has played a part in making the priesthood less important in the eyes of many of the faithful.
Do you look at something you have seen hundreds of times and really see it for the first time? Perhaps it is a bush that has been dormant all winter and all of a sudden it's ablaze with color, or a child who you have known for years all of a sudden is an adolescent. Very often we need someone to point these things out to us or we will never see then with our mind's eye. [ read article >> ]
Historical Considerations on Communion on the Hand, Rev. Fr. Paul J. McDonald, Parish Priest
Here are some patristic and historical considerations on our theme, as well as an additional aspect. [ read article >> ]
By Their Fruits … Discerning Whether To Receive Communion In The Tongue vs. In The Mouth
When discerning rather to receive Holy Communion in the tongue or in the hand its always best to discern the fruits of the Holy Spirit. It much more simple than one would imagine especially when discerning something with a 40+ year track record... [read more >>]
Valid Objections to Communion In The Hand, Rev. Fr. Paul J. McDonald, Parish Priest
The time has come to begin to do everything we reasonably and licitly can to discourage the practice of Communion-in-the-Hand. In fact, the time is long past that we started doing this. It is much better to receive Holy Communion in the traditional manner, than it is to receive the Sacred Host into our hands. In Canada and the United States, it is true, that one may receive “on the hand”, with due precautions, but it is better to receive on the tongue. Here are twelve reasons why. [ read article >> ]
“Communion in the hand should be rejected," Dietrich von Hildebrand, November 8, 1973
There can be no doubt that Communion in the hand is an expression of the trend towards desacralization in the Church in general and irreverence in approaching the Eucharist in particular. [ read article >> ]
Fr. John Hardon, Call to Holiness Conference, Detroit, Michigan, November 1st, 1997
"We were at concelebrated Mass with the Holy Father, and we were absolutely forbidden to give Communion in the hands. [ read article >> ]
Excerpts from the Pastoral Statement on the Manner of Distributing and Receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion (issued for the Diocese of Sandhurst, Australia, by the Most Reverend Bishop Bernard D. Stewart, on the Feast of Corpus Christi, 1976)
Decline and abolition [of Communion in the hand]
Communion by hand stayed in use for nearly nine centuries. Already earlier it had begun to grow less common when reservation of the Blessed Eucharist became limited to churches and administration of the Sacrament restricted to priests and deacons. It lost favor when the doctrine of the Real Presence was doubted or denied by... [ read article >> ]
Sermon of the opening mass of the 8th colloquium. Mgr Juan Rodolfo Laise, emeritus bishop of San Luis
Dear CIEL friends,
It is, as always, a great joy to be with you again on the occasion of your Annual Congress. This year you have chosen the theme of The Sacred. It seems to me that that is of the highest importance. [ read article >> ]
“Communion in the Hand: Documents and History” – Bishop Juan Rodolfo Laise, San Luis, Argentina explains his decision to ban this sacrilegious practice
"Although the Church recognizes legitimate change, it nonetheless considers that 'the temerity and daring of those who introduce novel liturgical practices, or call for the revival of obsolete rites out of harmony with prevailing laws and rubrics, deserve severe reproof'. We must keep in mind that reversing the course of a development and returning to a previous phase, is not a development but rather a corruption. [ read article >> ]
Communion in the Hand and Similar Frauds by Michael Davies - Protestant Reformers Insist on Communion in the Hand
The Protestant Reformers were particularly sensitive concerning the symbolism of liturgical ceremonies, and particular attention was therefore paid to eliminating anything which could perpetuate belief in a sacrificing priesthood possessing powers denied to the laity or in the Real Presence of Christ in the Sacrament. In his 1549 Communion Service, Cranmer allowed the Sacrament to be placed on the tongue of the communicant by the minister. This was severely criticized by Martin Bucer, who demanded that Communion should be given in the hand. Cranmer complied and changed the rubric for his 1552 Prayer Book, to bring it into line with Protestant practice on the Continent. The reasons Bucer gives for insisting on this change are quite... [ read article >> ]
Communion-in-the-Hand: An Historical View, from Aquinas Multimedia, May-June 1996 issue
If you are among the many who have wondered over the past decade just how the practice of communion-in-the-hand originated and for what reasons, the following provides a concise history as well as a brief look into what has resulted from the...[ read article >> ]
The Regulations of the Vatican Concerning Communion in the Hand – The Fatima Crusader – 1987, Issue Number 7
While recalling the subject of the enclosed instruction of May 29, 1969, by which the traditional practice is maintained, the Holy Father has taken into consideration the reasons in support of your request and the results of the vote taken in this matter... [ read article >> ]
