Thinking out loud here.
My diocese went from recommendations to pastors to specific guidance rather quickly regarding COVID–19.
This is not one of those refusing to receive Communion in the hand posts – I have received this way for the last two days out of obedience.
I was listening to Tim Staples today and his opinion aligned with mine. 1) That Communicants have a right to receive Communion on the tongue and that the local ordinary does not have the right to disallow this. 2) That we should not “demand” this right and to be obedient. I mostly align with this thought process and the local Bishop can of course totally restrict providing Communion to the faithful for good reason. My caveats are that Bishops also need to be obedient and that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has repeatedly ruled on the rights of the faithful regarding this.
Thus I was suitably impressed by Archbishop Sample who determined that he didn’t have the ability to do this. Furthermore he actually went out and got opinions from experts in the medical field.
“They agreed that done properly the reception of Holy Communion on the tongue or in the hand pose a more or less equal risk. The risk of touching the tongue and passing the saliva on to others is obviously a danger however the chance of touching someone’s hand is equally probable and one’s hands have a greater exposure to germs.”
Unfortunately, many bishops just decided this was more dangerous based on no evidence other than it seeming this way.
My other difficulty was that the Diocese guidelines did not even reference the Latin Masses in the Diocese where obviously this restriction can not be placed. The same goes for the Maronite parish that is part of the diocese.
Now I might be totally mistaken that the local ordinary can not restrict Communion in this way. That there might be an exception for specific reasons.
I also know some Catholics are having a laugh at some other Catholics who say they would refuse to receive Communion in the hand. I am amused to some extent myself over some statements made. Despite being very disposed to receiving on the tongue myself. Still the mockers might might ponder their own attitude if the roles were switched and a Bishop said everybody must receive on the tongue which is actually the ordinary form in the Latin Rite – which contains most Catholics.
In the meantime, I am grateful that currently, I can still attend Mass daily.
Update: Can We Be Required to Receive Communion in the Hand, Because of the Virus? – Canon Law Made Easy Cathy Caridi, J.C.L. says “Absolutely not”.
