Fr. Chris Alar on Communion in Hand vs. Communion on the Tongue

The Case for Communion on the Tongue

• 💡 Fr. Chris Alar advocates strongly for communion on the tongue, viewing it as more reverent and important than communion in the hand.
• ⚠️ He suggests that communion in the hand was a concession granted due to the hardness of heart and individualism, particularly in the United States.
• ✅ While not a sin, receiving communion in the hand is presented as a less ideal practice compared to receiving on the tongue.

Mystical Insights and Purgatory

• 🧠 A comment from mystic Maria Simma is shared: bishops who approved communion in the hand will remain in purgatory until the practice is changed.
• 📌 This highlights a perceived spiritual consequence for the approval of the practice.

Eucharistic Revival and Reverence

• 🚀 The discussion touches upon the eucharistic revival in the Church, acknowledging the good work done.
• 🎯 However, Fr. Alar argues that to increase reverence for the Eucharist, the Church should reintroduce facing east (ad orientum) and altar rails.
• 💔 He expresses sadness over priests who fear implementing these practices due to potential repercussions from superiors.

Navigating Church Authority and Tradition

• 💬 The conversation addresses the fear among priests regarding implementing traditional practices like ad orientum or altar rails, especially under current papal directives.
• ⚖️ There's a sentiment that the extraordinary form of the Mass (Latin Mass) is being unduly restricted, moving from priest discretion to bishop approval, and now to dicastery permission.
• 💡 The speaker questions the Vatican II documents, asking where they mandate turning the altar around or removing altar rails, suggesting these changes were not explicitly required.

Practical Advice for Priests and Bishops

• 🗣️ For priests sympathetic to these views, the advice is to approach bishops by highlighting the desire for reverence and the risk of faithful leaving the Church for more traditionalist groups.
• 🤝 The strategy suggested is to frame the implementation of reverent practices as a way to retain parishioners and meet their spiritual needs.
• 📈 It's noted that practices like veiling and kneeling for communion are already being observed by many at places like Franciscan University of Steubenville, indicating a desire for traditional reverence among the faithful.