St. James R. C. Church at 429 Route 25a E, Setauket, NY 11733 US - Revised Order of Mass

Goes into effect throughout the world on the first Sunday of Advent 1) The Book of the Gospels is carried in the entrance procession, not the Lectionary for Mass. 2) On the manner of receiving Holy Communion: The faithful are not permitted to take up the consecrated bread or the sacred chalice themselves, and still less, hand them to one another. The norm for reception of Holy Communion in the dioceses of the United States is standing. When receiving Holy Communion in the hand, the communicant bows his or her head before the sacrament as a gesture of reverence and receives the Body of the Lord from the minister. The consecrated host may be received either on the tongue or in the hand at the discretion of each communicant. The Holy Communion is received under both kinds, the sign of reverence is also made before receiving the Precious Blood. 3) Holy Communion under the form of bread is offered to the communicant with the words "The Body of Christ." The communicant may choose whether to receive the Body of Christ in the hand or on the tongue. When receiving in the hand, the communicant should be guided by the words of St. Cyril of Jerusalem: "When you approach, take care not to do so with your hand stretched out and your fingers open or apart, but rather place your left hand as a throne beneath your right, as befits one who is about to receive the King. Then receive him, taking care that nothing is lost. 4) Among the ways of ministering the Precious Blood as prescribed by the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, Communion from the chalice is generally the preferred form in the Latin Church, provided that it can be carried out properly according to the norms and without any risk of even apparent irreverence toward the Blood of Christ.

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