I just bit the Archbishop of San Juan…

Mexico is a crux for some great Orthodox Catholic practices. During my time there as a missionary, one practice in particular struck me as especially reverent- the acceptance of the Eucharist on the tongue. While serving, my wife and I were blessed enough to go to daily mass and this accepting-Christ-by-the-hand gringo was doing pretty well with receiving Christ directly on the tongue…

Until one quiet morning my wife and I were invited to celebrate morning mass with the Archbishop of San Juan de los Lagos. We felt humbled and honored that such an important person would be willing to share Christ with us and the four others with whom we served in our mission.

The whole celebration was quaint and tender. The chapel was a tiny, minuscule, wooden gazebo. Shoulder to shoulder we circled the altar and worshiped together in the liturgy and when it came time to receive Christ, the apex of the event ensued.

I took my place behind my wife and prepared to receive Christ. As the Archbishop reached into the paten, I opened my mouth, closed my eyes and waited. I didn’t need to wait long, for as soon as my trap was opened, the Archbishop’s second knuckle was halfway down my throat. I gagged and instinctively brought my teeth down on the poor Priest’s hand. I was able to merely graze his skin with my front teeth, but considering his age, I was still very worried that I might have drawn blood.

Coming to my senses, I jerked my head backwards to keep from harming the Bishop and maintained the holy Bread in my mouth. Since I was the last in line to receive, no one noticed the whole debacle except the Archbishop and myself; they were all in private prayer, eyes closed and all. I, now with eyes wide open, looked at the Archbishop to make sure he was alright. He looked at me with a mischievous grin on his face as if to say

“Silly Americans. When are they going to start teaching you how to receive Christ correctly?”

I’m not sure why but lately my e-reader has been full of articles regarding the proper way to accept the Eucharist.

  • Should we create an altar with our hands and accept Him there?
  • Should we open wide our mouths to have Him touch our often sinful tongues?
  • Do we even deserve to be standing while He enters into our body?
  • Shouldn’t we prostrate ourselves or, at the very least, kneel down before the holiest of Sacraments?

I know for a fact that one of the worst ways to do this is to take the Priest’s hand as a side dish. I’m curious, though, how do you accept the Eucharist? I’d also like to hear your stories of Eucharistic hilarity. If you need some more motivation, here’s another one you might enjoy.

TJ Burdick

TJ Burdick

TJ Burdick is the lead author of One Body, Many Blogs, Advice for Christian Bloggers. He is also a school teacher by trade, a lay Catholic by grace and a husband and father of three by vocation. He writes to help support Catholic charities and to put food on the table for his family as his teaching wages are very humble. When he is not enjoying time with his family, you can find him planning his next big lesson or locked inside an adoration chapel. You can find more of his work at @ tjburdick.com.

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27 thoughts on “I just bit the Archbishop of San Juan…”

  1. Pingback: I just bit the Archbishop of San Juan… | TJ Burdick

  2. Follow the famed JERUSALEM admonition to ” MAKE A THRONE IN YOUR HAND FOR THE KING.” babies are fed by mouth. The HAND is TRADITION, the tongue is A MODERN ABERRATION from the 11/12th c. It is also not the most hygienic and the priest/deacon/minister can see what medicine was recently consumed and who has an unhealthy tongue. Grow up and EAT MY BODY AND DRINK MY BLOOD, Like a TRADITIONAL ADULT please!

    1. On the tongue. It is not modern and it is the most reverant for the King of Kings. In the hand is filthy and irreverant. VIVA CRISTO REY

      1. Of course, on the tongue ONLY. There is nothing reverential or even beneficial about receiving in the hand. The latter is certainly not “more hygienic” after shaking hands with strangers during the sign of peace.

    2. Woah. Have you forgotten that an entire “lung” of the Catholic Church has never permitted reception in the hand?

      Babies are fed by the mouth, and unless you become like a little child…

      Charity please.

  3. Pingback: I just bit the Archbishop of San Juan… | cathlick.com

  4. Perinatal Loss Nurse

    I was Confirmed as an adult after RCIA in my mid 20s and once the Priest at that church did an “explanatory Mass” where all the components of the Mass are described and instruction is given. I had no prior instruction or opinion on the topic and was thus thoroughly impacted when he told us that he finds open mouths (presented to him in the Communion line) disgusting. He even opened his mouth thusly and asked us if we would like to have to look at his mouth. His presentation communicated to me that requesting to receive on the tongue was almost abusive to the Priest.

    It is interesting years later to reconcile that experience with Catholics who believe that us who receive in the hand are somehow less respectful.

    Im pretty glad to not have any stories of Eucharistic adventures and Im relieved to have not bitten anyone yet. My late husband had a story of being an alter server in the 70s when stonewear (instead of transparent glass) became trendy to use in Mass…right up to the day he poured wine on the Priests hands instead of water.

    1. In the 60’s through the 80’s I have not heard priests complain about giving communion by tongue. If we start talking about “open mouths are not a good sight to priests” how about start a discussion about priests blowing their nose or touching their nose during the mass. It is the Lord that we are receiving and we should show our reverence to Him.

  5. Sorry to say, but this article made me feel better! I was taught in RCIA to receive on the hand but felt called to receive on the tongue but was (and am) still nervous about it. I went up the priest and in all my worry forgot to say “Amen”; so I shut my eyes and opened my mouth but he did not place the host on my tongue. So I opened by eyes and held out my hands, thinking he was refusing to offer communion on the tongue. So he had to whisper to me to say Amen.

    I started to receive on the tongue because I had read that this is what the Pope prefers and whenever I see pictures of the Saints receiving communion, they have their mouths open. And yes, babies are feed by mouth – which seems appropriate, since I am a baby before God. My husband argues that the hand is fine, since the hand can’t be disrespectful since it, too, is created by God.

  6. “The universal law of the Latin rite is that we receive Communion on the tongue. To receive in the hand is an indult or special permission that does not exist in most parts of the world. By law, it is a right of the faithful to receive on the tongue, and the faithful must not have their rights denied.

    The Vatican promotes Communion on the tongue not only for its long tradition but because it “expresses the faithful’s reverence for the Eucharist” and “removes the danger of profanation of the sacred species” (Memorial Domini 1277).”

  7. There have been many developments since the instruction “Memorial domini” was written in 1969, including the recognition that both manners of receiving communion are legitimate, and both are older than the 12th century. In St. Peter’s itself, it seems that the pope only distributes communion on the tongue. No special indult is needed, certainly not now, if indeed it ever truly was.

    It is not hard to receive this way. Incline your head slightly back and make sure to stick out your tongue. As a priest, I rarely have a problem if the communicant and I do things correctly.

    One story: A young woman was receiving on the tongue, but hardly opened her mouth. The host broke on her teeth and, fortunately, fell onto the paten. The priest (not me) said to her, “You have to open your mouth and stick out your tongue, deary, or I can’t get Jesus in there.” A very astonished young woman quickly did as instructed, and everything went along just fine.

  8. I have received both on the tongue and in the hand. My first communion was kneeling at the altar rail in the early 60’s. When we no longer kneeled, I became nervous about the host dropping as I stood to receive communion,therefore, communion in the hand was a relief because I could see where it was going. I received in the hand for many years until I had babies I had to hold on to, and I felt it was more reverent to receive on the tongue in this situation. I have continued that practice since then. It is an act of humility to allow yourself to be fed. Also, it is easier to receive on the tongue when you are kneeling (another act of humility) because you more naturally put head back to look up at the priest giving you communion. I have discovered this on my occasional attendance at mass in the extraordinary form.

  9. I receive on the tongue only when I absolutely have to because of holding a baby. One of the first times I received on the tongue I was so nervous I would drop the host I forgot to say ‘amen’. I said it in my head, but not out loud. The deacon allowed me to receive, but looked a bit shocked. I didnt realize until I was walking back to my seat my little slip up. I’ve never been to a mass where a paten was utilized. If they did, I would be more comfortable receiving on the tongue. As it is, I’m far too nervous to receive this way if it isn’t necessary. I think I am able to insure proper care better if I receive in the hand. I know there are many people who think I must be so irreverent for doing so, but the Lord is the one who searches hearts and knows if I am properly disposed to receive or not. I think the state of your soul is much more important than the state of your posture. Inevitably posts like this will lead to uncharitable judgement of fellow Catholics. I know this isn’t your intent! It is just unfortunate. 🙁

    1. I don’t understand why some commenters place so much importance of saying “Amen” before receiving the Eucharist. One doesn’t do that in the Latin Mass and it is just fine.

      1. We don’t say it in the EF of the Mass because the Priest says it for us. But we say it in the NO Mass to acknowledge what the Priest says before us.

      2. I personally get almost no solace whatsoever unless I recieve Christ on my knees like baby bird recieves food from his mother. As clumsy and clunky as it is, it’s actually a rubric believe it or not. Notice how the rubric anticipates the use of the paten. There is a lot to be said for that given that reception of the most blessed Sacrament standing and in the hands is an exception to the rule granted out of persistent dis-obedience of people from the scandalous, rich, white, know-it-all countries of Europe and North America. I digress.

        Quote:
        134. After this, he takes the paten or ciborium and approaches the communicants. The Priest raises a host slightly and shows it to each of the communicants, saying:

        The Body of Christ.

        The communicant replies:

        Amen.

        And receives Holy Communion.

    2. Lisa, you are right, that certainly was not my intent! But thankfully, this combox is filled with some pretty good dialogue and, I hope you haven’t missed them, hilarious Eucharistic happenings. Our God surely knows how to make us giggle, even during those serious moments of reverence 🙂

      1. TJ, You are absolutely right! One time while kneeling and praying during communion after receiving I was deep in prayer and was starting to be overwhelmed. I actually asked to not be overwhelmed. Right that second a woman elbowed me to get out of the pew! For whatever reason she needed to go to the back of the church and I was in the way. I’m sure I would have heard an ‘excuse me’ just fine, but she somewhat roughly elbowed me! I thought it was funny. :-).

    3. Lisa,
      I do not judge anyone who receives communion in the hand reverently. My own husband and sons do. But when they attend the EF of the mass they kneel and receive on the tongue because it is the custom. I had to teach my sons how to receive on the tongue because it wasn’t done in their first communion training. My guess is that you were never taught how to receive on the tongue so that you could do it in certain situations where your hands are unavailable or you attend the EF of the mass. Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict, has said that he can intellectually support the receiving of communion in the hand. However, at papal masses you must kneel and receive on the tongue from him. Why? Because he realizes that people have lost sight of what they are actually doing when they receive communion. My point is, that an act of humility such as receiving on the tongue or kneeling is in it’s very nature something that takes us out of our comfort zone. We do it out of love for our Lord even when we find it difficult. When I stand and receive on the tongue I still find it difficult because of the posture and often I know that the priest would rather give it to me in my hand. I try to offer up these inconveniences.

  10. I receive both ways and I’m comfortable with either. I always received by hand until I had an infant to carry. Now I rarely receive by hand but find no disrespect in doing so. I’ve taught all of my children to make a throne for Christ the King with their hands. Also, my husband was born and raised in Mexico and he nearly always receives communion in his hands. To me it is simply a matter of preference

  11. It was a Sunday and I needed to find a mass. The only mass at the time was one celebrated for the Spanish community. At communion I went forward and extended by hands to receive the Eucharist. The look on the priest’s face was fierce. Immediately understood that in that place of the world communion in the hand was forbidden. It was, by the way, not Spain or any other Spanish speaking country. I no longer receive in the hand following the desires of Benedict XVI.

  12. And I thought I had the best story ever. After some time as a new convert, I decided to receive on the tongue because I wanted to. The first time I did so, the host took a dive towards the floor and only by quick action did the priest catch it and administer it to me. How that happened, I still do not know. We joked at the door that sometimes it’s harder to receive Christ than others. But this story is WAY better! (PS we have a local priest who began life as a dentist, He uses his finger as a guard against one’s chin so that nothing untoward can happen. Very reassuring…)

  13. I have two funny stories:

    1. I grew up in the Byzantine Rite…we receive only on the tongue through the use of a golden spoon. We just open our mouth really wide and the priest drops the precious Body and Blood of our Lord into our mouths. Well in high school I once closed my mouth before the spoon was removed…and took a step to walk away. ahem. yes. quite embarrassing.

    2. Once at Mass in the Roman Rite I stuck out my tongue to receive, and for some reason the host flipped out of the priests fingers like a pog-chip…literally did a 360 in the air. So I quickly put my hands out so It wouldn’t drop to the floor and Father said, “Nice catch!.”

  14. On the nose, in the fashion of a performing seal.*

    * The above reflects absolutely no irreverence towards My Lord And God in His miraculous presence under the appearances of bread and wine. It is intended, however, to reflect a slight bemusement at the attention given to which of two traditions is oldest, without any consideration given to the manner in which Jesus’ apostles received at the Last Supper, which undoubtedly is the oldest Eucharistic tradition and in which, after the manner of a 1st-century Jewish Passover liturgy, the Bread from Heaven was perhaps dipped in herbs or salt water before riding to the mouth of an apostle in the bowl of a spoon! Folks, we are not a museum-piece faith, preserved in ether. There is development of practice as well as doctrine. Let us focus on what honors Our Lord today, rather than the relative antiquity of two very old traditions.

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