By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK
In times of pestilence, Communion on the hand is not necessarily the answer to the problem, as the hands are often the primary way the disease is passed from person to person. No one may be forced to receive Communion in the hand, as is happening in some places in reaction to outbreak of coronavirus, which has now reached every continent except Antarctica. Many of the practices common to the postconciliar Mass are inherently susceptible to passing on the coronavirus: Communion under both Species, use of extraordinary ministers, and shaking hands during the sign of peace followed by reception of Communion in the hand.
Bishop Athanasius Schneider reminded us of the same in a recent opinion piece published by Rorate Caeli: “The Rite of Holy Communion in Times of a Pandemic.”
“Nobody can force us to receive the Body of Christ in a way that constitutes a risk of the loss of the fragments, and a decrease in reverence, as is the way of receiving Communion in the hand. Although it is true that one could receive Communion on a small white and clean handkerchief (purificator, small corporal) directly in the mouth, this way is not always practicable and even refused by some priests.
“In these cases, it is better to make a Spiritual Communion, which fills the soul with special graces. In times of persecution, many Catholics were unable to receive Holy Communion in a sacramental way for long periods of time, but they made a Spiritual Communion with much spiritual benefit.
“Communion in the hand is no more hygienic than Communion in the mouth. Indeed, it can be dangerous for contagion. From a hygienic point of view, the hand carries a huge amount of bacteria. Many pathogens are transmitted through the hands. Whether by shaking other people’s hands or frequently touching objects, such as door handles or handrails and grab bars in public transport, germs can quickly pass from hand to hand; and with these unhygienic hands and fingers people then touch often their nose and mouth. Also, germs can sometimes survive on the surface of the touched objects for days. According to a 2006 study, published in the journal BMC Infectious Diseases, influenza viruses and similar viruses can persist on inanimate surfaces, such as, e.g., door handles or handrails and handles in transport and public buildings for a few days.
“Many people who come to church and then receive Holy Communion in their hands have first touched door handles or handrails and grab bars in public transport or other buildings. Thus, viruses are imprinted on the palm and fingers of their hands. And then during Holy Mass with these hands and fingers they are sometimes touching their nose or mouth. With these hands and fingers they touch the consecrated Host, thus impressing the virus also on the Host, thus transporting the viruses through the Host into their mouth.
“Communion in the mouth is certainly less dangerous and more hygienic compared to Communion in the hand. In fact, the palm and the fingers of the hand, without intense washing, undeniably contain an accumulation of viruses.
“The ban on Communion in the mouth is unfounded compared to the great health risks of Communion in the hand in the time of a pandemic. Such a ban constitutes an abuse of authority. Furthermore it seems, that some Church authorities are using the situation of an epidemic as a pretext. It seems also that some of them have a kind of cynical joy to spread more and more the process of trivialization and desacralization of the Most Holy and Divine Body of Christ in the Eucharistic sacrament, exposing the Body of the Lord Himself to the real dangers of irreverence (loss of fragments) and sacrileges (theft of consecrated Hosts).”
Diana Montagna of LifeSiteNews tweeted the following as a response to reports that pastors are attempting to deny the faithful the right to always receive Communion on the tongue, which remains the ordinary and proper means of doing so. She quotes here from a letter issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments:
“In light of recent attempts to mandate Communion in the hand due to Coronavirus: In 2009 during a flu epidemic, Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship reaffirmed right of the faithful to receive Holy Communion on the tongue.
“In a 2009 letter the congregation reaffirmed that its Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum of March 25, 2004 clearly stipulates that ‘each of the faithful always has the right to receive communion on the tongue’ (n. 92), nor is it licit to deny Holy Communion to any of Christ’s faithful who are not impeded by law from receiving the Holy Eucharist (cf. n. 91).”
Share with your priest the following method for the proper procedure of giving Communion on the tongue while avoiding contact with the saliva or tongue of the communicant.
First, instruct the faithful to extend their tongues beyond their lips. Ask them to hold their heads upright or tilted back, rather than leaning forward.
Offering the faithful the opportunity to receive side by side — kneeling at the communion or altar rail is best as this provides a stable pause so that the communicant is less likely to become a “moving target” which increases the possibility of contact with saliva or dropping the sacred Host.
Many priests lay the near edge of the Host down first, raising the far edge up to do so, for contact with the tongue, or grasp the side of the Host; both increase likelihood of contact with the tongue of the communicant.
When arriving at the position of each communicant, grasp the Host with a minimal contact area on the near edge. This technique, of course, improves with practice. Your palm should be facing downward.
As you move the Host toward the tongue of the communicant point the forward edge of the Host downward and closer to the middle of the tongue to make first contact.
As the forward edge of the Host makes contact with the tongue, release your grasp and allow the Host to fall completely upon the tongue.
I’ve been giving Communion this way for almost 27 years and have rarely made contact with or spread saliva between communicants.
And wash your hands prior to Mass. There’s a prayer to go with it: Da, Domine, virtutem manibus meis ad abstergendam omnem maculam; ut sine pollutione mentis et corporis valeam tibi servire.
“Give virtue to my hands, O Lord, that being cleansed from all stain I might serve you with purity of mind and body.”
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