Cardinal Ranjith: Holy Communion Kneeling and on the Tongue

In a recent address Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith of Columbo reconfirmed his earlier orders regarding the reception of Holy Communion:

"May I also remind you once again that in all Churches and Chapels in the Archdiocese Holy Communion is to be administered only on the tongue and kneeling. This should be implemented as normal use even at Holy Mass celebrated with the participation of a big crowd outdoors. On such occasions at least the youth and the children as well as the “youthful” should be called upon to kneel and receive the Lord. This is the most appropriate way of expressing our profoundest belief in the continuous and personal presence of the Lord in the most Sacred Host as we acclaim “down in adoration falling, lo! the Sacred Host we hail”. And in all our Churches, as an expression of that faith our people should be called upon to receive the Holy Communion, kneeling. And so kindly take steps to fix the altar rails and a cushion line fixed to the ground before the railing so that all could kneel and receive easily. It is also good for us to explain to our people about the teaching of the Church on the Most Holy Eucharist as found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church Nos. 1373-1381."


This truly is wonderful news; a real restoration. The Real Presence is the centre of our Faith and the horrible error of granting episcopal conferences to allow the faithful to receive in the hand is there to see. The confusion, equivocation on what the Mass is and what the Real Presence is there for all to see. This is also evident in the literature produced by the National Liturgical Office, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.