communion on the tongue seems to go with the veil-has anyone encountered problems with receiving on the tongue?

[OldConvert]

Around the time I began to veil, I also started to receive communion on the tongue again. For me, this was uncomfortable at first and it caused some big problems with some priests in the parish. One particular priest just stood there looking at my hands and not giving me the host. I remained with my head back and mouth and tongue ready--I felt really silly but I believed that receiving this way was more like being fed--I was more receptive, and respectful this way. He finally gave me communiion and like Liza's experience, he shoved the host down hard onto my tongue---he really gave me communion in anger. Another time this same priest seemed to be so upset by the sight of me in a veil that he dropped the host onto the floor. As he did nothing about it, I bent to retrieve the host...he said to me in a sarcastic tone "you can have that one". I took the host and had to communicate myself...sigh...May God have mercy.
OldConvert

[lizaanne]

I was not covering my head yet, and was going to a very liberal parish at the time. I approached the EMHC for Holy Communion with my hands clasped together, at my waist, held close to my body. I stuck out my tongue to receive, and she just didn't know what to do! So she slipped the Body of Christ into my folded hands. I just stood there and looked at her with my tongue out until she received Him and properly distributed the Eucharist to me.

I happen to know VERY well another person who used to be an EMHC at this parish and they are absolutely trained in how to properly distribute Holy Communion - I don't know if she had a momentary memory loss or what. But it was an extremely awkward experience, for both of us.

After Mass she did approach me (there was some sort of gathering after Mass, can't recall the occasion) and apologized to me. I just said "no problem" and moved along from what I remember. It wasn't long after that when we started going to another parish.

I am a firm believer that we should only receive on the tongue. If you have never read this very short book by Bishop Athanasius Schneider, auxiliary Bishop of Karaganda, Kazakhstan, I can not recommend it enough: Dominus Est ~ It is the Lord!

Bishop Schneider is one of the most holy men I have ever had the good blessing to meet and speak with. I had the opportunity to be his driver on his first visit to the United States last year when he was in the Detroit area. You can also hear him speak on this topic here: Bishop Schneider at RealCatholicTV.com studio

~Liza

[Dolores_IHS]

My goodness, OldConvert and Liza! Those are real horror stories! I can't believe it really happened to you! I have always received on the tongue, except once when the priest had a house Mass and told us we are to hold the Host in our hands as we would receive all at the same time. Otherwise I have always received on the tongue without fail and without any problems. There are a good number of parishioners who receive on the tongue in my church.

Dolores
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[ellenjc]

Having grown up in a pretty liberal area, I was taught to receive Communion in the hand - I didn't even know about receiving on the tongue! My first experience with that was as a young twenty-something in a much more conservative diocese. I began to associate with a group of charismatic women, and they insisted upon reception on the tongue. I felt very awkward, but I learned. Then I had a baby, and became very comfortable with receiving on the tongue, since my hands were generally full! After having my first child, I began to explore more the concept of receiving on the tongue, and find it inherently beautiful. Now, even when my hands are empty (still a rare event, as a mom of 3 under 6), I only receive on the tongue, by choice. I do recall once attending my dad's parish in Philadelphia (which I thought was pretty conservative until I lived in the diocese of Arlington, hahaha!). Pretty much everybody received in the hand there. I approached the priest, and he got a strange look on his face. At first I thought it was just because I wanted to receive on the tongue, but his subsequent actions said differently - he actually felt awkward because there was no altar boy there to keep him from dropping the Host! After a moment, he held the paten up under my chin and placed the Host on my tongue.

[Dolores_IHS]

What I love about receiving on the tongue, is that it feels more like a kiss from Jesus than if I administered Communion to myself from my hand. Receiving in the hand seems less awesome somehow, even though it is not bad as such (the Early Church received like this, and they didn’t do too badly!). To go up and open my mouth for Jesus’ kiss…how romantic Communion can be!

This is also why I love to receive only from the priest – Jesus gives me Himself through His representative. A lay minister, particularly a lady one, is not “In Persona Christi” as a priest is.

It is also nicer to receive on the tongue because I shook any number of person’s hands at the Passing of the Peace, and I don’t know how clean my hands are. It is nice to remember how sacred the Host is – and to not touch It with my hands reminds me of this.

The one time I received in my hand was also awesome, but in a different way. I held GOD in my hands…how humbling it was! … But there is a greater danger one could forget what one is doing when receiving in the hand. It doesn’t seem so direct somehow! I said to Jesus that I wanted HIM to make the first move to come to me and kiss me! I want to be powerless in His presence and not have Him in my control (as I would if I had Him in my hand). To receive Communion on the tongue is a great act of submission.

It is such a pity we don’t have altar rails, because receiving on the tongue goes with kneeling, not standing. I ardently wish I could kneel, but it is not practical when everyone is in a queue and you hold it up. And it would be a little funny to kneel for the Host, then go over to the Chalice and kneel again – I would be a distracting sight for others! So I am practically forced to stand. And I, with my vertically abundant 5ft11 stature, have to stoop down all too often (although not with my priest, as he mentioned to me it is hard for him to aim well if I am bobbing my head around ). One of the lady ministers is probably over a foot shorter than me. I have to make a bow/curtsy to get to her!

Oh yes…and when we as ladies, privileged as we are to be able to veil, go and receive Communion with our heads covered, it is a profound reminder that we are the Bride of Christ and stand ready for the blessed kiss of Jesus. (“And now you may kiss the Bride!”)

Dolores
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[Palomas]

Since I've started attending the TLM, I try as much as I can to receive the Lord from a priest on the tongue while at a Novus Ordo Mass, but sometimes it doesn't work out that way, especially when travelling or attending a parish I've never been to. I've had two experiences where I didn't receive the Lord on the tongue while wearing a veil. The first was in a parish we attended with my grandmother -- and when I went to receive on the tongue, the Extraordinary minister said in a huffy tone that "we only distribute communion in the hand" and I felt humiliated and very upset at this. The second time was also when we were visiting another parish -- and the minister upon seeing me approach, smiled, and very firmly held the host down to the area of my waist so that I couldn't receive the Lord on the tongue. After experiences like that, I think that I shouldn't go up to communion if all I see is people receiving in the hand.

[OldConvert]

Palomas,
What terrible experiences you have had. The lay minister should not have turned communion into a time of confrontation. You and I have the right to receive on the tongue. I don't know what I would have done in your place b/c I would have been shocked as I am sure you were. When taken by surprise we usually are stunned and silent.
Pray and ask the Lord what to do should this happen again to you. I suppose one could offer the suffering of that kiind of reception to our Lord...the question for me would be: what situation is so bad that I would refuse communion...I suppose in the case you cite, I would do as you did...receive in the only way offered and then give my sorrow and suffering to our Lord.
I remember an incident (not nearly as bad as yours) where a lay minister held up the host and said "the bread of Christ"--for her, I suppose, communion was just bread...instead of the body of Christ. That too was a suffering for me.
Mass should not be the occasion for suffering for us...May God have mercy.
OldConvert.

[Palomas]

Hi OldConvert,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, it is a confusing situation to find yourself in when it happens. I think that if it happens in the future, I'd probably then refuse communion, but I don't know. On those occasions, I did feel so bad for our Lord, and offered the suffering to Him, in the hopes that respect and honor would return to all Mass-goers and those that assist, that they would recognize Him in the Eucharist and treat Him with the reverence due Him. Wow, the "bread" of Christ... many prayers are needed.

Pax,
Palomas

[Dolores_IHS]

Originally Posted by Palomas

Since I've started attending the TLM, I try as much as I can to receive the Lord from a priest on the tongue while at a Novus Ordo Mass, but sometimes it doesn't work out that way, especially when travelling or attending a parish I've never been to. I've had two experiences where I didn't receive the Lord on the tongue while wearing a veil. The first was in a parish we attended with my grandmother -- and when I went to receive on the tongue, the Extraordinary minister said in a huffy tone that "we only distribute communion in the hand" and I felt humiliated and very upset at this. The second time was also when we were visiting another parish -- and the minister upon seeing me approach, smiled, and very firmly held the host down to the area of my waist so that I couldn't receive the Lord on the tongue. After experiences like that, I think that I shouldn't go up to communion if all I see is people receiving in the hand.

These ministers should know better than to behave so disgracefully. I am very surprised at all these accounts I have heard where the minister, or even the priest, refuses someone Communion on the tongue – and especially when Pope Benedict prefers Communion to be administered that way! I have never had this problem with any priest or minister, including those from other parishes I visited. When they saw my hands clasped, they raised the Host to my mouth in the end. I experienced several times when they were even apologetic when the Host collided with my lips, or was nearly dropped.

Even if it is not your parish you are experiencing this problem in, Palomas, perhaps it would be a good idea to speak to their parish priest about it (or you can even write a letter to the Editor of your local Catholic paper. I have done this a lot of times when things upset me, to raise awareness). It should never be the case that people are discouraged from going to receive Communion because of fussy ministers. We should, in any parish, be able to think lovingly of Jesus when we await Him in Communion, not be getting stressed! No one should suffer like this. This is why I say – they should bring the altar rails back into our churches. Then this nonsense won’t happen! If I were you, and that was my parish, I would fight back! I have already been a little thorn in the side of my priest at times and all because I want the best for all in the parish (I also happen to be the sacristan and therefore very defensive of rubrics and things done properly and reverently in Mass).

In the end, it is the Lord who decides, we can only but try!

God bless
Dolores
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[gracelovefaith]

I posted this in the catholic forums awhile back and thought it might be good here.

This reminds me of America's Funniest Home Videos- Catholic Mass Edition. Last Sunday when I tried to be so serious and respectful slowly walking up to the Deacon, God had a laugh! The Body was running short so the Deacon and Priest were flustered trying to get more. When I received on the tongue, the Deacon put it on there weird and so I had to quickly take it in so it wouldn't fall. Well, my tongue and teeth touched his finger. The Deacon paused and looked at his finger in absolute disgust! Has this happened to you?
Do you have a funny moment where God might be laughing with us also to share?

[lizaanne]

Originally Posted by gracelovefaith

The Deacon paused and looked at his finger in absolute disgust! Has this happened to you?

My goodness, all he had to do was remove himself from the line, clean his hands, and come back. It's not an assembly line, someone can wait a minute for him to get to the hand sanitizer.

I've never had a problem, but I was kneeling next to my husband one Sunday when the priest did everything perfectly but for some reason my husband moved at the last minute or something and Jesus went flying right out of his mouth - good thing there was a paten there to catch Him!! I thought it was pretty funny, but not sure he agreed with me.

~Liza

[cjforJesus]

Funny i should find this thread as I also receive Him on the tongue and kneeling.I have also been covering my head almost since i returned to the faith a few years ago.

Something happened this morning at mass and i was looking for a threaD i could share it in.

As I was entering the communion line I had an odd intuition that the older priest was going to drop the Host.Maybe it was just speculation because i have received from him before and though he is a very kind competent priest his hands seem a bit shaky.

Well,as I knelt down before the Blessed sacrament the priest extended his hand and before it even reached my tongue,yep,he dropped the Host.. I reacted instinctively and reached out with my hands and i ended up holding his hand as he caught it and communicated me.It was the strangest moment,and it seemd God was trying to tell me something. As I rose I was STILL holding his hand and as he profusely apologized I just smiled and was glad the body of our dear Lord had not fallen to the floor.

[lizaanne]

Originally Posted by cjforJesus

As I rose I was STILL holding his hand and as he profusely apologized I just smiled and was glad the body of our dear Lord had not fallen to the floor.

Well - I'm glad it turned out well, and he didn't give you a hard time for receiving in that manner as some priests will do.

~Liza

[kiqueen]

I spent the last two years traveling to many different parishes all over the place, and it is very interesting to see all the different kinds of reactions you will receive when you are part of a group of young people who are from out of town, especially when you all receive on the tongue. Most of the time we didn't have a problem, but I remember this one priest. I was the third in line, and to all 5 of us in turn he glared as he shoved the body of our Blessed Lord into our mouths. We have also had the eucharist shoved into our folded hands. I think most people are pretty understanding about it, on the whole, though.

[lizaanne]

Originally Posted by kiqueen

We have also had the eucharist shoved into our folded hands.

This did actually happen to me once. I had my hands folded (not just flat together) in front of my waist as I approached an EMHC for Holy Communion. I opened my mouth, stuck out my tongue, and she shoved Jesus in my folded hands. I stood there - stock still, just smiling nicely at her - until she removed Jesus from my hands and placed Him on my tongue. After Mass she apologized to me, I think I caught her off guard. So in this case I don't think it was a case of her being militant against COTT, it was more of a perfect example of someone who was extremely poorly trained. And this was at a National Shrine too - very sad.

But you are right - these things do happen!
(Oh, don't think I was covering my head yet at this point when this happened.)

~Liza