CNA Staff, Aug 29, 2020 / 12:00 pm
The Bishop of San Rafael, Argentina, warned last week that he will impose canonical sanctions on priests who distribute Communion on the tongue during the coronavirus pandemic, in defiance of a diocesan directive permitting the distribution of Communion only in the hand.
Bishop Eduardo Taussig announced June 13 that the Eucharist in his diocese was to be distributed only in the hand, until the pandemic concluded.
The bishop asked Catholics at that time to avoid putting priests or ministers of Communion in a difficult position "by requesting communion on the tongue, either at Mass or outside of the celebration."
"And I implore you not to put them in the very painful position of having to obey the Church and the current norms and not being able to give you Communion. This is what priests have to do right now and, as faithful ministers, they are willing to comply. And if someone is not disposed to receive Communion in the hand, know that you're not obliged to do so and can make a spiritual communion," he added.