The participants to the Mass are entitled to receive Holy Communion on their hands or in the mouth, on their knees or standing, unless the Bishop has decided otherwise due to specific risks

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Dear Father Angelo,

I am a 13-year-old boy and I am an altar boy in a church a few km from my house. I’m writing because I like a lot to be an altar boy. But my priest requires me to receive Communion from an extraordinary minister saying that it is a right thing and that thinking differently is an “unhealthy” idea.

With the priest previously in charge I took Communion directly from him and in my mouth. Now this no longer happens, and I am undecided whether to give up being an altar boy and go to Mass in other places or to keep doing what I like to do and be patient remaining there.

What do you suggest, Father?

Thank you,

The Priest’s answer

Dearest,

1. it is not an unhealthy idea to receive Holy Communion from the hand of the priest because, as Christ himself delivered his body and blood with his own hands to the apostles, so the priest – who is the living image of Jesus on the altar, the eternal High Priest and Good Shepherd – with his own hands distributes the body and blood of the Lord.

2. For this reason only the priest and the deacon are Ordinary Ministers of the Holy Communion.

The others are extraordinary ministers, as replacements.

3. Moreover, the faithful is entitled to receive the Holy Communion in the mouth or on the hand.

Giving it in the mouth or putting it on the hand is not at the discretion of the Minister.

The Minister must serve being loyal to the laws of the Church, he must not impose.

If the Church leaves to the discretion of the faithful to take Holy Communion in the mouth or on the hand, the Minister (lay or cleric) must do what the faithful say.

4. Only under extraordinary circumstances, such as during the pandemic, can the authority of the Church ask everyone to receive it on the hand.

But now the Episcopal Conference has again left it to the discretion of the faithful whether receiving Holy Communion on the hand or in the mouth, standing or kneeling, unless a Bishop in his Diocese decides otherwise because of particular risks.

5. Just as the Bishop in liturgical celebrations does not delegate, but distributes to the Ministers the Holy Communion with his own hands, so too should the priest.

Above all, he cannot require to receive it from an extraordinary minister, who in turn arbitrarily requires to receive it as he wants.

6. I would advise you to talk calmly to the priest and ask him to be respectful of your position, as it is your right and as it is his duty.

Obviously I would not talk to him that way, but that is the gist.

7. I conclude by reporting the norms of the Church on the distribution of the Holy Communion.

They are written in the instruction Redemptionis sacramentum of 2004.

Here they are:

[88.] The faithful should normally receive sacramental Communion of the Eucharist during Mass itself, at the moment laid down by the rite of celebration, that is to say, just after the Priest celebrant’s Communion. It is the Priest celebrant’s responsibility to minister Communion, perhaps assisted by other Priests or Deacons; and he should not resume the Mass until after the Communion of the faithful is concluded. Only when there is a necessity may extraordinary ministers assist the Priest celebrant in accordance with the norm of law.

[90.] “The faithful should receive Communion kneeling or standing, as the Conference of Bishops will have determined”, with its acts having received the recognitio of the Apostolic See. “However, if they receive Communion standing, it is recommended that they give due reverence before the reception of the Sacrament, as set forth in the same norms”. 

[91.] In distributing Holy Communion it is to be remembered that “sacred ministers may not deny the sacraments to those who seek them in a reasonable manner, are rightly disposed, and are not prohibited by law from receiving them”. Hence any baptized Catholic who is not prevented by law must be admitted to Holy Communion. Therefore, it is not licit to deny Holy Communion to any of Christ’s faithful solely on the grounds, for example, that the person wishes to receive the Eucharist kneeling or standing.

[92.] Although each of the faithful always has the right to receive Holy Communion on the tongue, at his choice,if any communicant should wish to receive the Sacrament in the hand, in areas where the Bishops’ Conference with the recognitio of the Apostolic See has given permission, the sacred host is to be administered to him or her. However, special care should be taken to ensure that the host is consumed by the communicant in the presence of the minister, so that no one goes away carrying the Eucharistic species in his hand. If there is a risk of profanation, then Holy Communion should not be given in the hand to the faithful.

8. Before speaking with the parish priest, pray the Holy Rosary so that the Lord may dispose him to listen to you and to fulfill your legitimate requests. This is also important. Indeed, it is indispensable.

I accompany you with my prayer and I bless you.

Padre Angelo