Good news! His Eminence Carlo Cardinal Caffarra has issued new norms for the distribution of Holy Communion in his archdiocese. Excerpts below are taken from the New Liturgical Movement blog.
On the first Sunday of Advent twenty years ago, in 1989, entered into force the resolution of the Italian Bishops' Conference which authorised, with the approval of the Holy See, the distribution of Holy Communion in the hand.
In recent weeks, parish priests and rectors of churches in our diocese have received notice of the provisions issued by the Cardinal Archbishop, in the face of grave abuses that have occurred in this regard. In particular, the Cardinal has ordered that in the Cathedral of St. Peter, in the Basilica of San Petronio and in the Shrine of the Madonna di San Luca, Communion is distributed to the faithful on the tongue only.
The possibility that was granted to receive the consecrated Host in the hand may, in fact, create "grave abuses", because there are those "who take away the Sacred Species to keep them as "souvenirs", "who sell them", or even worse "who take them way to desecrate them in satanic rituals."
..."During Communion", we further read in the decree of the Cardinal, "the servers shall assist the Minister, as far as possible, in ensuring that every faithful, after having received the consecrated Bread, consume it immediately before the Minister, and that it not be for any reason taken back to the seat, or placed in pockets or bags or elsewhere, or fall to the ground and be trampled."
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