When my son received Jesus on the tongue for his first Holy Communion, it was one of the happiest moments of my life. We are in the minority but have the firm support of the pastor.
I asked because this is a conflict in me. I have been an EHMC for some years. I was reluctant to be one in the first place because I felt so unworthy, but my parish priest was persuasive, saying that he had been inspired by Christ himself to pick me, and I relented. At that time, I had not known about the teaching by Saints that only consecrated hands should touch the Holy Eucharist. By the second half of last year, I began to feel uncomfortable about my role as an EHMC. I have taken a break since I had surgery late last year, but the parish is slightly short of EHMC and I have been asked when I will return to duty. So, I am troubled and uncertain about what I should do. Edited to add that I have not received any answer in prayer. But then I never seem to get any answers in prayer or rather, I don't know how to recognise that an answer has been given.
In my parish, all children who receive their first Holy Communion are taught to receive on the tongue; but strangely, everyone reverts to receiving by hand after that. Maybe it's because that's what nearly everyone does. There are very few who receive by tongue, apart from the altar boys.
I have not read of this before, and the mind boggles at the underhanded tactics employed by the modernists at the Vatican In my country, Singapore, there are no girl altar servers. The first time I saw girl altar servers, on a trip to the USA, I was taken aback.
The femenist and liberals in the church introduced this.it was meant for men.....for our future priest.....not women.
I agree. Boy altar servers will most likely feel a stirring of hearts to become priests. I believe there is no proper place for girl altar servers.
Yes, the overwhelming gift of His Presence veiled in the Eucharist is so......It reminds be of those beautiful words in the First Eucharistic Prayer: Almighty God, we pray that your angel may take this sacrifice to your altar in heaven. Then, as we receive from this altar the sacred body and blood of your Son, let us be filled with every grace and blessing. The exchange of gifts is so one-sided! How marvelous the union of Holy Mass and the Heavenly Liturgy! How holy and intimate is our God! Safe in the Flames of the Sacred Heart!
If you don't feel comfortable doing it then I wouldn't. You can explain it to the priest if you wish or not. It is a very personal thing. I know in situations like this when I am unsure of something I always err on the side of caution.
I know it's hard when we don't receive a concrete answer. Most of my prayer life is like that too. But feeling uncomfortable in something is an answer. Just like when we are on the verge of sin we feel uncomfortable. It is God teaching us to pay attention to Him and listen with our hearts. I think you are like me when it comes to loving Christ, in that you would rather die than hurt Him in any way. Some of us He calls to comfort Him, and He asks us to live in that humble walk with His Mother and Himself on this Earth. Never sinning or causing scandal if at all possible, feeling His pain and holding Him gently in our hearts after we receive Him worthily. Then we must realize that although all are called, few are chosen, and those that approach the Holy Eucharist without cleansing themselves in confession, without extreme reverence for Almighty God, feeing it is their "right" to get a Host because they were baptized Catholic, no matter what they believe in or practice outside of Mass, well, those are the persons that we are called to comfort Him from. Those are the ones that either end up opening their hearts to Truth and converting, or bringing themselves to condemnation for being lukewarm or worse. Why is it SO many people are marching up to communion that we need 4-6 extra ministers, yet there is hardly anyone in line at Confession? Why must we feel "odd" or out of place when we show reverence to Christ at Mass, like covering our head, genuflecting or kneeling when we receive, take the Eucharist on the tongue, refuse to clap or participate in social functions that are held directly in the church? Because just like Satan who rules society has thrown God out of their daily life, so will he try to drive Christ out of our Sacred Church, and we just sit back and let it happen. If Jesus can only manage to get one or two of His servants in a Parish, I really feel we must do our part to console Him and show others who want to be reverent that they will not be alone in this. So many women over the years have commented to me that they also want to cover their heads, but are afraid to. I do understand that and am saddened by it.
L Light--I began receiving on the tongue once more like you some years ago and I was the only one it seemed but I offered that up in reparation. It is my right as a Catholic to receive Our Lord on the tongue. It is serious business the way we treat Our Lord in his sacramental presence. I used to genuflect too but our pastor wrote a rather pointed rebuke to those of us who did that in the bulletin so in obedience I stopped but I ask my Guardian Angel to reverence Our Lord for me and the Blessed Mother to let me receive Him through her Immaculate Heart. There a re a few others now that also receive on the tongue.. Interestingly, they are also those who are part of regular Eucharistic Adoration.
AED Regarding genuflecting before receiving Holy Communion, I do not know if the priest has the authority to demand that it not happen, but I do believe he has no authority to demand you not kneel to receive Our Lord in Holy Communion. There is a now practice at Mass, that is getting stronger of no-one kneeling until the last person has received. the effect of this is to have one's thoughts directed to knowing when the last one has received Him, before you can give Him your undivided Thanksgiving. God Bless
Wow AED your pastor really wrote something in the bulletin about genuflecting?? That is horrible! I usually do it while in light when the person in front of me is receiving the Host, and as I come up from the genuflect, the Priest is ready to give me the host. In that way, you are not holding anyone up. I would try that.
Wow I hope that is not taken seriously! I try to kneel as soon as possible after receiving so that I am kneeling while I am consuming the host. That practice sounds really protestant to me like the hand holding during the Our Father.
Thanks, Carmel. I guess I suspected that, but it's really hard for me to know when it's my head that's speaking and when it's really God who's stirring these feelings in me. I agree that the good is seen as bad, while the bad is hailed as good. I remember that some years ago, a priest here mentioned in his homily that the people who insist on kneeling to receive and on covering their heads are 'stuck' on pre-Vatican II practices. He sounded condescending - I am sure that those who may have been considering doing those things would have been greatly discouraged. I can't imagine/understand how people accepted the changes introduced by Vatican II without any resistance, when in fact the changes downplayed the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist and made people become irreverent towards the King of all Kings.
Last week at Mass a man in the pew across the aisle from me started sobbing loudly during the consecration. Then, while others were coming up to get Communion, he prostrated himself in front of altar blocking the way. The priest walked over to him and offered him communion, but the man refused. I have seen him a lot in church over the years and he is very devout but also seems mentally disabled. His actions disrupted the ceremony and were disorderly. If this is the kind of thing that priests feel is disruptive I agree. We must try to act in an orderly manner and not let our emotions rule our actions at Mass. But wearing a veil (as required in Acts) and genuflecting for a brief moment while facing the tabernacle are NOT disruptive. Also I've seen people come up and kneel down on the floor to receive, and yes it takes 10 seconds longer, but that is not disruptive either really.
SgCatholic - Although I am not keen on lay people touching the Consecrated Host, it occurs to me that you may wish to continue, praying for God's blessing until he tells you otherwise, if there is any chance of your PP asking someone else who is less devoted to the Eucharist than you are. I think Our Lord would rather you touch him than someone who thinks the Mass is a 'meal' where we all celebrate each other. Ask the Lord to lay it on your heart if he does not want you to continue as an extraordinary minister.
Just a thought on this Clare. I have great respect for your posts and often get a lot of insight from them. However I would not think that SG should take it on herself to stay doing something she is uncomfortable with out of fear that her replacement may not be as reverent to the Holy Eucharist as she is. She is only responsible for her relationship with The Lord and how she treats Him. Unfortunately Eucharistic abuses are all too common today, so I understand where you are coming from, but I would respectfully disagree. Just my 2 cents.
Yes, Light. they tried that here for awhile but that practice I did disobey because I will kneel when I carry the Body and Blood Soul and Divinity of my Savior and no one is going to "shame" me out of it! I was not alone. Others were of the same heart and mind too I think. As to the genuflecting, I guess he felt it was disturbing to people. I don't see how because like you I always did it in a way that didn't get in anyone's way (and so did the others who genuflected) and signified my/our understanding of just what was happening there. the presence of Our Lord! But when he made a public announcement I decided I would comply. Fortunately I am able to go to Mass at a Eucharistic Chapel where I also do hours of Adoration and everyone there not only genuflects, they kneel on the floor! (my knees aren't going to do that for long I'm afraid but genuflecting I can manage.) The (retired)priest who celebrates Mass is so reverent to the Holy Eucharist and so straight arrow. We are beyond blessed that he's in the area.
