Cardinal says Communion received kneeling and on the tongue is most reverent

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Comments: 19

Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani

Lima, Peru, Sep 22, 2009 / 01:31 pm (CNA).- In a homily Sunday at the Cathedral of Lima, Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani said, “The most respectful manner of receiving the Eucharist is kneeling and on the tongue. We must recover the respect and reverence that the Eucharist deserves, because the love of Jesus is the center of our Christian life. The soul is at stake.”

During his homily the cardinal explained that this is the most solemn form of receiving Communion and those participating in the Mass followed his recommendation as they approached to receive the Eucharist.

He also encouraged the faithful to participate in Eucharist adoration in the more than 70 adoration chapels that have been built throughout the Archdiocese of Lima since the Year of the Eucharist, thus making the Peruvian capital a “Eucharistic city.”

“Lima is a Eucharistic city with more than 70 chapels of Eucharistic adoration, where the Lord is exposed and where you can speak to Him, because He listens to you and helps you. We need to adore Him and allow our hearts to be filled with the joy and the beauty of His wisdom,” the cardinal said.

Comments: 19

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Anne Van Tilburg
Melbourne Ausrtalia 09/26/2009 05:07 AM EST

At every apparition of Our Lady you will find that the seers are kneeling. Our Lady is a creature like us, although holy beyond understanding. If people kneel for Our Lady, and I think they should, is it not more proper to kneel for Our Lord? At the ordination of the priest, the most important part of that Sacrament is the blessing of the hands. The reason this is so important is because the priest, not only changes the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, but he actually holds it. How dare we think that we are good enough to hold the Body of Christ. The reason that the priest should be giving us Holy Communion is that he never complains that his fingers may touch the tongue of someone, unlike some lay people.

Published by: Fr. Joachim
Enugu, Nigeria 09/25/2009 08:58 AM EST

I have lived in Nigeria for more than 20 years. Here the only form of giving communion is on the tongue. And I have never felt that people "are constantly leaking my fingers". Here we still keep the custom of kneeling down from the beginning of the Eucharistic prayer till the Our Father. And, when it is possible (because many masses are celebrated in the open) we kneel down to received communion.

Published by: JT
Atlanta GA 09/25/2009 07:27 AM EST

You pick, either kneel now or kneel later, at one point every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Published by: Robert Herrick
West Covina, CA 09/23/2009 09:48 PM EST

Please refer to the writings of St. Cyprian. He gave the instructions to the people in the 4th century how to receive communion in the hand. I am 91 years old. If I would kneel I would not be able to get back on my feet. The apostles did not kneel, nor did they receive on the tongue as Jesus directed them to "take and eat". Note that they were very probably reclining when they received communion. Let's follow the order of Jesus and consider the circumstances of the Last Supper.

Published by: Laurie
Ottawa,ON, Canada 09/23/2009 08:34 PM EST

Everyone seems to quote faith or what we should believe. What about basic acts we do even today? If for so few us, we are given the GRACE for a special individual blessing from the Holy Father; do we stand to recieve such a blessing? We do not! We kneel, we kiss his ring. We even bow for the Queen of England; Yet we all have a problem of kneeling to receive the greatest blessing, Our King, Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Do you see a problem with this? I do!

Published by: mary jo
new York Ny 09/23/2009 04:42 PM EST

Rate: Regular

Jesus did not put the "First Communion" of the apostles on theis toungue. He told them to take and eat. reverence is not measured by kneeling but by what is in one's heart. I for one will refuse to be treated like a child.

Published by: Robert
Isla Vista, Ca. USA 09/23/2009 03:23 PM EST

Kneeling is not the only way to receive the Eucharist respectfully, The Orthodox Church has been receiving the Eucharist STNDING for 2,000 years. Kneeling is WESTERN, STANDING is EASTERN.

Published by: Francis Xavier T
Washington, D.C. 09/23/2009 02:15 PM EST

Do you research people! The original Christians before the Roman Catholics bend their knees while receiving the Holy Eucharist. As I said before, "It is in our hearts and in our souls that we are intensely reverent to express our gratitude to Our Lord." If Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani is correct, the Vatican II and Pope John Paul II must be wrong then. I hope that Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani always Facing East as Lord Jesus Christ has taught us. JT, for your information, I stand and bow in obdience to my Holy Bishop too. He and I are both lucky. I suspect that you will bow to "ALL" the bishops in America or some other places in the world. Cardinal Bernard Law in Boston lost 90 priests and 22 churches because they didn't want to bow to him. He can tell you how you should reverent to Our Lord all day long. Keep your eye on the investigation of the Archbishop in California.

Published by: DAVID LARSEN
scituate Mass 09/23/2009 10:04 AM EST

Receiving Christ in the Eucharist is attitude,the attitude of reverence,gratitude,thanksgiving and praise and in repentance,as one knows that Christ paid the price for us,because we sin and need God's forgiveness. What we receive is the Grace of God through Christ,as we constantly need conversion,to the way and the truth of living in Christ,so God can be with us,through the power of the Holy Spirit. We are the "Temple Of the Holy Spirit"! I was taught to make an Altar to God while cupping my hands to receive Christ in the Eucharist. I reverently think of this teaching every time that I receive Christ. Technique is not reverence in my opinion. Obedience is reverence! What our Church decides is what is appropriate. Attitude with gratitude is everything!

Published by: JT
Cedar Springs, MI 09/23/2009 09:55 AM EST

To Francis Xavier: Huh? I did not see the Cardinal quoted in the above article as saying anything about the "original" Christians. And what in the world does this teaching on Holy Reverence for Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament have to do with priestly scandals? How sad for you to feel the need bring it up. In the book of Revelation it says that John "fell down as though dead" before Jesus in his glory. John was with Jesus on this earth, and yet in his glory, Jesus' presence was to overwhelming for John. For those who remain standing (I stand and bow in obedience to our Holy Bishop, although I agree wholeheartedly with Cardinal Cipriani), I hope that their knees are knocking!

Published by: Helen.
Michigan 09/22/2009 10:50 PM EST

The Blessed Sacrament(Eucharist) is the source and summit of our Catholic Faith. It is about time as catholics we begin again treating Our Lord with the respect and sense of sacredness due His Holy Presence at communion. If the Scriptures say every knee in heaven on earth and under the earth must bend at the mention of the name of Jesus, what must we do in His Presence???????

Published by: jim
austin, TX 09/22/2009 09:08 PM EST

This is a no-brainer to me I agree with the Cardinal on both points.

Published by: Michael Mateyk
Toronto 09/22/2009 07:26 PM EST

I'm torn on this one. On one hand it can be more reverent to kneel but I have to believe that if one has gone to confession and done their penance then there is nothing wrong or less reverent to receive communion in the hands standing. One could kneel just before receiving communion. Also...as a Eucharistic minister I really hate when my fingers get licked when people want communion on the tongue. It's not very hygienic for the people after then. Go to confession and then stand up.

Published by: Mark
Edison/NJ/USA 09/22/2009 06:56 PM EST

I have to agree. The respect and reverence for the Eucharist is important for the soul. Kneeling and receiving on the tongue brings a greater reverence. Prayer after receiving the Eucharist also is extremely important.

Published by: Mike
Oklahoma City, OK, USA 09/22/2009 05:14 PM EST

There are many points of view on this. But regardless of what your opinion is all of the new churches in the US are not designed for people to knee while receiving the Eucharist. And our children are being taught to receive in their hands not on the tounge.

Published by: lucy
McKinney, TX, USA 09/22/2009 03:54 PM EST

"That is why I kneel before the FAther from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name." Ephesians 3:14 Thank you Cardinal Cipriani.

Published by: lh
McKinney, TX, USA 09/22/2009 03:50 PM EST

Servant of God, Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. used to tell us that the reason God gave us knees is so that we could bend them in adoration of the Lord. What better way to show our deep reverence for the Lord than on our knees. "Every knee shall shall bow..." Isaiah 45:23

Published by: Dan in Calgary
Calgary Alberta Canada 09/22/2009 03:17 PM EST

I agree that this is one of the most important liturgical problems that needs correcting. But, there are numerous other grievously irreverant practises in today's Liturgy, all having been falsely introduced as being purportedly sanctioned by Vatican II, including ugly new "music", excusing of bad singing, trash for liturgical art, liturgical prance (or is it "dance"), and the recent focus on the macro sins of society instead of on personal responsibility for the sins of the self. And while sanctioned by Vatican II, use of current vernacular is also incurring the cost of our clergy finding that they have to almost continually tinker with the words and prayers used in our once-rock-permanent Liturgy. Where are our shepherds? Dan in Calgary

Published by: Francis Xavier T
Washington, D.C. 09/22/2009 03:09 PM EST

Rate: Regular

Your Eminence Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, there is no proof the original Christians received the Holy Eucharist kneeling with tongues. Don't make up things on your own and sacrifice the knees on others. It is in our hearts and in our souls that reverent to Our Lord. Don't you think all the priest scandals have embrarassed enough already?

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