Why is it not an option to simply abstain from communion for a few weeks? I'm dating a traditionalist girl, and she once went on about how rude some priests can get when she kneels for communion, but it makes me wonder - if you're at a place where you disagree with their communion procedure, why commune?? Not that I'm advocating returning to the 19th century where no Catholic laymen ever communed, but what harm would a couple weeks of abstaining do? I don't get this.

I guess we're just gonna have to do like the East and use a spoon from the chalice. That would fix it up.

Gavin, Holy Communion is more than a symbol for us. It is the remission of venial sins, and strength to fight against mortal sins. It is the heart of the spiritual life. Holy Church encourages devout, daily reception. Abstaining for several WEEKS?!? I'd rather die. Lest you misunderstand the "tone" in which I am writing this, I am not into melodrama and I am not lying.

Mia, as far as receiving on the hand in case of necessity, if you plan to do this get a small bottle of Purell or something similar--apply some of it to your hands a few minutes before Communion, and don't allow your hands to touch anything (pew, book, etc.) on your way up to Communion. This will prevent you from catching the swine flu from unwashed hands. After receiving, scrupulously ensure to the best of your ability that your hands and fingers do not have any particles remaining. This is more or less what the first Millennium Christians did, albeit without Purell.

For musicians, having the flu could make for an uncomfortable Sunday. Some of your fellow musicians might be germophobes. Some might have compromised immune systems. Some might even think they can stay home when sick! Best to avoid catching illness, if possible, by taking precautionary measures when engaging in unsanitary behavior like Communion in the hand.

It's not hands that are dirty... it's mouths, right? They don't want the priest touching a whole bunch of people's mouths one right after the other?

"our Sunday obligation is to attend Mass, not receive Holy Communion"

speaking of the faith in terms of obligations... kind of cheapens the whole thing, doesn't it? just because we are not "obligated" to receive communion does not mean that our entire lives are not centered around this, this climax of our spiritual lives, that everything we believe and hold dear does not ride on this sacrament!

Right now, as an orthodox catechumen, I do not receive communion; but I long for the day when I will, with all my being. Abstaining from communion for long periods of time is self excommunication. In the early church, anyone who did not partake for a few Sundays would essentially have self excommunicated themselves. Both the Orthodox and Catholic churches have realized now that the practice of the middle ages of only taking communion once a year was a notion severely damaging to one's spiritual life!

Actually, Daniel is right. Our obligation is to assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. We are obligated to receive Holy Communion at least once a year (Ash Wednesday to Trinity Sunday) as part of our Easter duty.

Our pastor told us that we had to receive Communion in the hand. I am not very comfortable with this, but, did so out of obedience. However, it is interesting to note that when Daniel Cardinal DiNardo sent his letter to his Metropolitan See, he told his priests that he was not obliging them to distribute Holy Communion in the hand; he was only suggesting it. Now, my bishop (we are a suffragen of the Archdiocese of San Antonio) has not made a single statement to the effect of the manner of distributing Holy Communion. However, Nuevo Laredo, Mexican sister-city, which lies just across the Rio Grande from us, has suspended the celebration of Mass this Sunday. I must note that there are no confirmed Swine Flu cases in neither Laredo, Texas (my home) nor Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico.

For whatever it's worth, we also refrained from exchanging the sign of peace. At least people are not holding hands for the Pater Noster. I hope that dies a quick death.

Really? that sounds like a good idea. (because that' s the part I fear the most... it's like eating fingerfood. Those who don't feel that way I think they are blessed. I'm probably too sensitive.) Thanks, Jam.
I'm not a theologian and this is my personal view; I take communion as my 'daily bread', God provides daily bread not only for the body but bread for my spirit. If I can't take the bread of heaven, I'll be starved spiritually.

Father Z did an interesting experiment: he took an unconsecrated Host and held it briefly and gently in his palm while wearing a pair of well-fitting black cloth gloves. The Host left tiny but obvious fragments. The conclusion? The same thing happens even when we can't see it--and shouldn't be encouraged. Communion on the tongue greatly reduces this problem, especially when combined with an altar boy holding a communion patten. This level of reverence and care sends an important message at the same time as it addresses a very real physical situation, one which should not be swept under the rug, literally or figuratively.

Daniel,

do you have a link to this experiment? That would be something very interesting to know.

Jam: Here's the link

sorry for beating this dead horse, but I just thought of something.

Catholics are supposed to look to their leaders as spiritual fathers, no? As examples for how to have faith in God.

Fearing that taking communion would make people sick seems to stem from a lack of faith. That's what it looks like to me. That one doubts God's mercy and ability to work miracles. That one doubts God will take care of those who want to reverently partake of the Holy Gifts. Why would God allow communion to make one sick...? (And if He did, who are we to question that?) I'm not anti-medicine or hand-washing or anything, and certainly we have a role to play in the prevention of sicknesses and diseases, but holding Christ's Body and Blood suspect...?

Sometimes you just have to have faith, right?

Yeah, you would get tipsy if you drank too much from the chalice. It still tastes like wine, and acts like wine, too, in that way. I don't see what your comment about muscle and blood has to do with anything, though, considering your first comment about the "accidents."

I don't see it as being akin to snake-handling, because God never commanded anyone to handle snakes, but He did institute communion Himself. There's a difference between seeking out danger because "God will protect me" and just doing what Christ told you to do, even if it is dangerous.

I guess my thinking would be that, if taking communion in a reverent, careful way (priest washes his hands before liturgy, etc.) caused me to get sick, I would consider it God's will that I get sick. Since it is God's will for us to take communion, I think I would prefer getting sick (or at the least risk getting sick) to abstaining from communion, for example.

I guess it's different for Catholics, because communion in the hand has been officially accepted by your hierarchy. We use a chalice and a spoon, and there is no other way to do it. The spoon sometimes touches your mouth, even if the priest tries hard not to. Especially children; children bite down on the spoon. But thinking about communion in the hand really bothers me, for some reason... It renders so many things, all the precautions taken, such as the priest not opening his two fingers again, the paten to catch crumbs, etc., irrelevant. Especially since the paten isn't even used in most places anymore anyway.

The sacraments aren't magical, but they are miraculous. I'd prefer to trust God than my own human reason when it comes to germs on the sacrament.