De Omnibus Dubitandum Est.

As someone who instructs in the faith, I am obliged to pass on, not my own opinion, but what the Church holds and teaches. This is an obligation which comes with a heavy weight of responsibility for me, because I don't know everything about the faith (who could?) and often, I don't feel like I know very much at all.

This means that I am always open to correction, and always trying to find out more. This is the process that has led me to change my perspective on the way we receive Holy Communion, and become somewhat of an evangelical advocate for making a sign of reverence (a deep bow, or genuflection) before we receive the blessed Sacrament, and only receiving on the tongue. If I'm honest, my study has led me to the conclusion that one should rightly be on their knees when they receive, as is the norm when receiving from the Holy Father, but until kneelers are reintroduced, we will have to make do.

The way we conduct ourselves is essential and important. It, in itself, co…

I was recently asked to explain why self-intinction (apparently a common Anglican practise) is not allowed in the Catholic Church. For those of you who are unaware, intinction is the action of dipping the host into the precious blood and taking it. Intinction is one of the four ways approved in the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church for administering Holy Communion under both species, but self-intinction is not allowed. Very validly, my interlocutor wondered why this was the case.

The resultant examination of doctrine led me to further insight with regard to receiving blessed sacrament on the tongue rather than on the hand. But perhaps the best starting point for an explanation is to ask why we receive under both species. Well, the answer is that it illustrates Christ's intention that we eat his Body and drink his Blood (cf. Matt. 26:26-28; Mark. 14:22,24; Luke 22;19-20; 1 Cor. 11:24-25). In other words, it speaks to the fullness of sign; we are doing what our LORD asked us …