Communion in the hand and sacrilege

[Dave]

I know that if the Church allows something, then it can't possibly be sinful. So how does one respond to those who claim Communion in the hand is sacrilegious and who cite past popes who come right out and say so?

[cappie]

Pope Paul VI made an allowance for the restoration of the ancient tradition of communion in the hand. Now whether that was a prudent choice can indeed be debatable. However, any way you look at it, as this was a practice recognized as acceptable to saints of the Church, one who condemns the current practice as 'vulgar' (as some 'traditionalists' do) must condemn past Saints and Councils as 'vulgar' who recognized it as an acceptable practice. In 1969 in Memoriale Domini, Pope Paul VI did not grant an absolute acceptance of the policy of accepting communion on the hand, but did start a process where it would be possible for the bishops to make a request for a change to the policy of restoring the tradition of communion in the hand. In the Instruction, after not allowing a general acceptance, the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship, with the approval of Pope Paul VI, wrote:

Where a contrary usage, that of placing holy communion on the hand, prevails, the Holy See—wishing to help them fulfill their task, often difficult as it is nowadays—lays on those conferences the task of weighing carefully whatever special circumstances may exist there, taking care to avoid any risk of lack of respect or of false opinions with regard to the Blessed Eucharist, and to avoid any other ill effects that may follow.

In such cases, episcopal conferences should examine matters carefully and should make whatever decisions, by a secret vote and with a two-thirds majority, are needed to regulate matters. Their decisions should be sent to Rome to receive the necessary confirmation, accompanied with a detailed account of the reasons which led them to take those decisions. The Holy See will examine each case carefully, taking into account the links between the different local churches and between each of them and the Universal Church, in order to promote the common good and the edification of all, and that mutual good example may increase faith and piety. [i]Memoriale Domini Instruction on the Manner of Distributing Holy Communion Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship, May 29, 1969. [/i]

Pope Paul VI then wrote that whenever permission was to be given, the tradition of receiving it on the tongue must remain an option and thus retained for those who choose to receive it that way, and he gave guidance to prevent abuse. Thus, in 1973 the conference of Catholic Bishops in the United States made a request for this option. Pope Paul VI then did give approval to this request in 1977. The Vatican’s Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship issued in 1977 the following in response to the request for permission for communion in the hand:

In reply to the request of your conference of bishops regarding permission to give communion by placing the host on the hand of the faithful, I wish to communicate the following. Pope Paul Vl calls attention to the purpose of the Instruction Memoriale Domini of 29 May 1969, on retaining the traditional practice in use. At the same time he has taken into account the reasons given to support your request and the outcome of the vote taken on this matter. The Pope grants that throughout the territory of your conference, each bishop may, according to his prudent judgment and conscience, authorize in his diocese the introduction of the new rite for giving communion. The condition is the complete avoidance of any cause for the faithful to be shocked and any danger of irreverence toward the Eucharist. [i]Sacred Congregation For Divine Worship, Letter "En reponse a la demande," to presidents of those conferences of bishops petitioning the indult for communion in the hand, 29 May 1969: AAS 61 (1969) 546-547; Not 5 (1969) 351-353. Further guidelines are given. [/i]

Then the Sacred Congregation for Divine worship gave norms on the matter, among other things insisting that this change be done in a respectful manner and that while allowing it as an option, the option of receiving on the tongue must be retained. The "Summary of Decrees" on confirmation of the decisions of conferences of bishops in "Notitiae" lists the granting of this faculty to the United States (among other English speaking countries granted this faculty at other times). Then, Pope Paul VI confirmed this instruction with his authority effective that date, June 17, 1977. What is noted along with this permission of receiving Our Lord in our hand is the following:

a. Proper catechesis must be provided to assure the proper and reverent reception of Communion without any suggestion of wavering on the part of the Church in its faith in the Eucharistic presence.

b. The practice must remain the option of the communicant. The priest or minister of Communion does not make the decision as to the manner of reception of Communion. It is the communicant’s personal choice. [i]James Akin, Mass Confusion, p. 154, 155, instruction from the Vatican Sacred Congregation For Divine Worship, - U.S. Bishops, "Appendix to the General Instruction for the Dioceses of the United States." Citation taken from The Sacramentary (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1985), p. 240.[/i]

Thus, it is clear that Catholics have the option of receiving communion in the hand. Some "traditionalists" have taken some of Pope John Paul II’s instructions on reception of the Eucharist and have tried to say that he actually disallows communion in the hand. Actually, nowhere has Pope John Paul II ever rescinded Memoriale Domini, nor the permission for those in the United States that we have seen. In addition, the option of communion on the tongue has also been retained. Anybody who wants to receive communion on the tongue (like we do and many, many people who choose to do so) still can do so.

Here is a quotation from Pope John Paul in Inaestimabile Donum, section 9 that some "traditionalists" have used to actually say that there is no such permission for communion in the hand. I will italicize the part that some "traditionalists" have argued that this supposedly forbade a lay person from touching the Eucharist with his hand. However, one must read the quote in full to understand the context, and note section 10 which I bold which shows that this particular interpretation is impossible. I also note the following sections which give a further context.

9. Eucharistic Communion. Communion is a gift of the Lord, given to the faithful through the minister appointed for this purpose. 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.

10. The faithful, whether religious or lay, who are authorized as extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist can distribute Communion only when there is no priest, deacon or acolyte, when the priest is impeded by illness or advanced age, or when the number of the faithful going to Communion is so large as to make the celebration of Mass excessively long. Accordingly, a reprehensible attitude is shown by those priests who, though present at the celebration, refrain from distributing Communion and leave this task to the laity.

11. The Church has always required from the faithful respect and reverence for the Eucharist at the moment of receiving it. With regard to the manner of going to Communion, the faithful can receive it either kneeling or standing, in accordance with the norms laid down by the episcopal conference: "When the faithful communicate kneeling, no other sign of reverence towards the Blessed Sacrament is required, since kneeling is itself a sign of adoration. When they receive Communion standing, it is strongly recommended that, coming up in procession, they should make a sign of reverence before receiving the Sacrament. This should be done at the right time and place, so that the order of people going to and from Communion is not disrupted." [i]Inaestimabile Donum, 9-11, Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, Instruction Concerning Worship Of The Eucharistic Mystery 11 April 3, 1980, approved by Pope John Paul II, April 17, 1980,[/i]

In fact section 9 does say that the lay person is not to touch the consecrated host. Some "traditionalists" have argued that this means that one is supposedly disobeying the Holy Father when a non-ordained person does touch it. However, the important point to note is ‘At which point are we talking about?’ He is not speaking of a lay person never touching the consecrated host. Otherwise, the Pope would have rescinded the permission to grant communion in the hand. Why would the Pope mean that the lay people can never touch it, if in the very next sentence he says that there can be extraordinary ministers who can touch it? It is obvious. It is because what he is talking about in section 9, is that they can not pick up the chalice from the altar. It does not say that they can not receive the chalice. It means that a Lay Minister can not go pick up the chalice from the altar. Only the priest is allowed to touch the Eucharist at the altar to give the cup or chalice to the Extraordinary Minister.

Then the Lay Ministers are given the responsibility as Extraordinary Ministers to distribute. How do they distribute except holding the Body and Blood in their hand? Now yes, in too many places there has been a laxity in enforcing the fact that Extraordinary Ministers are extraordinary, and are not to be the ordinary distributors of the Eucharist. In too many places Extraordinary Ministers are used when they are not necessary. However, in my (Matt’s) Church for example, the Priest does not use Extraordinary Ministers at all, and the priests that we have, come out during Mass to distribute communion.

Some "Traditionalists" will selectively quote Pope John Paul II, in Dominicae Cenae, 11, to say that only the ordained can distribute the Eucharist with their own hands (and thus contradict the instructions just cited in Inaestimabile Donum and Pope Paul's permission granted in 1977). I will italicize the part that "traditionalists" sometimes cite, but also give the rest of the citation to again give a fuller context.

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. It is obvious that the Church can grant this faculty to those who are neither priests nor deacons, as is the case with acolytes in the exercise of their ministry, especially if they are destined for future ordination, or with other lay people who are chosen for this to meet a just need, but always after an adequate preparation.

Some have even used the italicized citation to say that "universal liturgical law" forbids communion in the hand." Yes the Pope says that it is a privilege of the ordained to touch the host. Yes, this is a privilege where only the Priest holds up the bread and wine and it becomes the Body and Blood of Our Lord through the power of Our Lord. Nevertheless the encyclical did not end at the selected part that "traditionalists" wanted to cite. Included above is the full paragraph. In the very next sentence, it says that it is obvious that this faculty of the Church can be granted to lay people!!!! Thus, any person who selectively cites one sentence disregards this obvious fact.

In fact, in the very same section, of the same encyclical, Pope John Paul II does deplore that there have been some abuses. He insists that those who want to receive on the tongue be allowed to do so. However, he does write just a few sentences before in the same section we have just read:

In some countries the practice of receiving Communion in the hand has been introduced. This practice has been requested by individual episcopal conferences and has received approval from the Apostolic See. However, cases of a deplorable lack of respect towards the Eucharistic species have been reported, cases which are imputable not only to the individuals guilty of such behavior but also to the pastors of the church who have not been vigilant enough regarding the attitude of the faithful towards the Eucharist. It also happens, on occasion, that the free choice of those who prefer to continue the practice of receiving the Eucharist on the tongue is not taken into account in those places where the distribution of Communion in the hand has been authorized. It is therefore difficult in the context of this present letter not to mention the sad phenomena previously referred to. This is in no way meant to refer to those who, receiving the Lord Jesus in the hand, do so with profound reverence and devotion, in those countries where this practice has been authorized. [i]Pope John Paul II,Dominicae Cenae, On The Mystery And Worship Of The Eucharist, [/i]

How in the world can it be "universal liturgical law forbidding communion in the hand", as some "traditionalists" argue, when the Holy Father writes that in those countries where it has been authorized, it can be done with profound reverence and devotion? This argument that the Holy Father is allowing "universal liturgical law" to be broken is ridiculous as in the very same encyclical he accepts the practice as long as it is done in a reverential fashion. Any "Traditionalist" who tries to cite the Holy Father against a lay person being able to touch the Eucharist with their hand, totally ignores the fact that he says one indeed can receive the Lord on their hand with reverence and devotion. Thus, it has been granted to not only Extraordinary Ministers to touch the host, who then can distribute the host, but also the people who can receive it in either fashion of on the tongue or in the hand.

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