Topic:  How should I receive Communion?

Source of this posting: Moderator response

Date originally posted: January 28, 2003

Moderator who originally posted this source: Father Phillip

Question:   Not long ago, I was told that the most 'proper' (and even orthodox, according to early recordings of early christianity) to receive communion was with your own hands. Is it wrong to do it with the left one and not the right hand?, and if the case, to be told that it was wrong, in the middle of a service?

Answer: 

Thank you for your question about receiving Holy Communion.

Of course, for us Catholics receiving the gift of the Lord's Real Presence in the Most Holy Eucharist is of such profound significance that you are wise to think about it as carefully as possible.

In the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, faithful persons are given two options about how best to receive Holy Communion. Moreover, the Church says that the individual person is perfectly free to make the decision for him/herself.

Option 1:
Receiving Holy Communion in the hand. Normally, I believe, persons are encouraged to place the right hand under the left so as to create a "throne" for the Eucharistic Lord. Then, the person can take his/her right hand out from under the left hand, reverently pick up the Consecrated Host and lovingly put the Host into his/her mouth.

Option 2:
Receiving Holy Communion on the tongue. Normally, a person would put his/her hands together in front of the heart, open the mouth fairly wide, and extend the tongue somewhat so that the Minister of Holy Communion can reverently place the Consecrated Host on the tongue.

In either case, the person receiving Holy Communion should respond "Amen" to the proclamation, "The Body of Christ."

In our Diocese more people tend to receive in the hand though the Church is very clear that either of these two options is perfectly acceptable. The individual person must make up his/her mind about how best to receive the Eucharist after prayer, examining the practice of the community in which the person usually worships, and seeking guidance from a Campus Minister, priest, or other qualified catechist.

Generally, instructions about how best to receive Holy Communion are done not "in the middle of a service."

If you have questions, I would encourage you to make an appointment with your Campus Minister or Pastor and talk with him about the issue.

Thank you for writing to www.CatholicQandA.org!

Blessings,
Father Phillip