Exactly where is it laid down that Holy Communion in the Extraordinary Form must be given in os? My 1912 Rituale makes clear that communicants must be kneeling and that men and women should be separate, but I can't find in os.
Dear father Hunwicke, I m not shure that you will find a positive regualtion in any rubrics to answer your question. I would rather think the correct answer is "ex negativo". When Paul VI granted the right for dispensation in "Memoriale Domini" 1969, that was clearly post VAT II. Now the rubrics and regulations from the Holy See in and in addition to "Summorum pontificium" make clear that for the extraordinary form any rules and regulations made after 1962 are void. Therefore, in the EF of Holy Mass, giving the eucharist into the hand of the faithful is not permitted, as the dispens would not be valid. Q.e.d.
Jo. Card. Bona, Rerum liturgicarum libri duo, Liber II, Cap. XVII, No. VII https://books.google.de/books?id=qxplAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA487 (near end of page) "quando vero coeperit in os immiti, sicut hodie fit, incertum est" and the following explanation. He thinks that this custom began in the 7th century, "cum in pane azymo confici coepit", for fear, that particles of the fragile bread might escape the hand and fall to the ground. He doesn't cite applicable canones, which usually means there are none.
The law was in that it was universal and immemorial custom. It may be that it never needed to be codified except occasionally perhaps in more regional 1st millennium documents. I am answering without all the research time that I would like, but Memoriale Domini, a document with some significant weakness (not to speak of its enforcement) regards "in os" as universal law for the Roman rite at least until 1969 without ever citing any written prescriptive norm. I avoid, and am not entering into, at this time how this applies to the traditional Roman rite in different countries.
Not instructions to the priest but to the communicant (from the 1908 Catechism of St Pius X)
The Way to Go to Communion
47 Q. How should we act while receiving Holy Communion? A. In the act of receiving Holy Communion we should be kneeling, hold our head slightly raised, our eyes modest and fixed on the sacred Host, our mouth sufficiently open, and the tongue slightly out over the lips.
48 Q. How should the Communion cloth be held? A. The Communion cloth should be held in such a way as to receive the sacred Host in case it should fall.
49 Q. When should the sacred Host be swallowed? A. We should try to swallow the sacred Host as soon as possible, and we should avoid spitting for some time.
Summa theologica Tertia Pars q. 82 art. 3 – Respondeo dicendum ... Tertio quia ... consecrantur similiter et manus sacerdotis ad tangendum hoc sacramentum. Unde nulli alii tangere licet ...
The Catechismus Romanus mentions that only a priest is allowed to touch the sacred vessels, linen, and anything used for the consecration (which certainly implies that a consecrated host should not be touched).
Incidentally,a plea from a priest I know: if you wish to receive on the tongue, please ensure that the tongue comes out - slightly over the lips, as the catechism of Pius X says. Otherwise the priest has to poke his fingers into you mouth and touch the tongue, which is unhygenic and unedifying at the best of times and needs to be avoided especially in a pandemic. This used to be drummed into children preparing for First Communion.
Another option may be eucharistic tweezers, which were used in the Black Death and survive in museums.
I don't believe it does. However, I think there are SRC decisions that mandate it is administered the same way as to the Deacon and Subdeacon.
ReplyDeleteDear father Hunwicke,
ReplyDeleteI m not shure that you will find a positive regualtion in any rubrics to answer your question. I would rather think the correct answer is "ex negativo". When Paul VI granted the right for dispensation in "Memoriale Domini" 1969, that was clearly post VAT II. Now the rubrics and regulations from the Holy See in and in addition to "Summorum pontificium" make clear that for the extraordinary form any rules and regulations made after 1962 are void. Therefore, in the EF of Holy Mass, giving the eucharist into the hand of the faithful is not permitted, as the dispens would not be valid. Q.e.d.
Jo. Card. Bona, Rerum liturgicarum libri duo, Liber II, Cap. XVII, No. VII
ReplyDeletehttps://books.google.de/books?id=qxplAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA487 (near end of page)
"quando vero coeperit in os immiti, sicut hodie fit, incertum est"
and the following explanation.
He thinks that this custom began in the 7th century, "cum in pane azymo confici coepit", for fear, that particles of the fragile bread might escape the hand and fall to the ground.
He doesn't cite applicable canones, which usually means there are none.
The law was in that it was universal and immemorial custom. It may be that it never needed to be codified except occasionally perhaps in more regional 1st millennium documents. I am answering without all the research time that I would like, but Memoriale Domini, a document with some significant weakness (not to speak of its enforcement) regards "in os" as universal law for the Roman rite at least until 1969 without ever citing any written prescriptive norm. I avoid, and am not entering into, at this time how this applies to the traditional Roman rite in different countries.
ReplyDeleteNot instructions to the priest but to the communicant (from the 1908 Catechism of St Pius X)
ReplyDeleteThe Way to Go to Communion
47 Q. How should we act while receiving Holy Communion?
A. In the act of receiving Holy Communion we should be kneeling, hold our head slightly raised, our eyes modest and fixed on the sacred Host, our mouth sufficiently open, and the tongue slightly out over the lips.
48 Q. How should the Communion cloth be held? A. The Communion cloth should be held in such a way as to receive the sacred Host in case it should fall.
49 Q. When should the sacred Host be swallowed? A. We should try to swallow the sacred Host as soon as possible, and we should avoid spitting for some time.
Some things come to mind, such as:
ReplyDeleteSumma theologica Tertia Pars q. 82 art. 3 – Respondeo dicendum ... Tertio quia ... consecrantur similiter et manus sacerdotis ad tangendum hoc sacramentum. Unde nulli alii tangere licet ...
The Catechismus Romanus mentions that only a priest is allowed to touch the sacred vessels, linen, and anything used for the consecration (which certainly implies that a consecrated host should not be touched).
Incidentally,a plea from a priest I know: if you wish to receive on the tongue, please ensure that the tongue comes out - slightly over the lips, as the catechism of Pius X says. Otherwise the priest has to poke his fingers into you mouth and touch the tongue, which is unhygenic and unedifying at the best of times and needs to be avoided especially in a pandemic. This used to be drummed into children preparing for First Communion.
ReplyDeleteAnother option may be eucharistic tweezers, which were used in the Black Death and survive in museums.