Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Communion in the hand?

It is amazing how, when a door is left slightly opened and people come barging through the ensuing tensions last for a very long time. For many people the question of receiving Communion in the hand versus on the tongue seems to be a thoroughly settled one. Fr. Tim Finigan reminds us quite well that such is not the case. This is a stern reminder that just because we do something and the Vatican has said it is possible in theory, those facts do not necessarily make it a good idea. See also the controversy over Mass said versus populum and ad orientem. We do make fine messes for ourselves.