Mass at a Maronite Catholic Church QUESTION from Patricia on May 15, 2004

I have recently attended Mass at a Maronite Catholic Church. There Mass is quite different than what I am accustomed to participating in at my Roman Catholic Church. What impressed me most was when the Priest, during the Consecration, said the words of Consecration in Aramaic which I thought brought much more meaning to the Consecration of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ.
The question I have for you relates to the distribution of Communion. Communion was given under Intinction and those receiving Communion could only receive it on the tongue. Is Communion by intinction, that is, where the Priest dips the Body of Christ into the Blood of Christ allowed in the Roman Catholic Church Mass? The reason I ask this question is because receiving Communion on the tongue, which was the only option, did indeed bring a greater aire of reveverance to the Eucharist. It is unfortunate, my observation, that at most Roman Catholic Masses, reverence appears to be almost non-existent.
If Communion by Intinction is permitted by the Roman Catholic Church could you furnish me with the specific document in Vatican Council II or the Catechism of the Catholic Church that references this form of Communion. I have a friend who has told me that this is not permitted in the Roman Rite.
Thank you and I will await your answer.
Patricia

ANSWER by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM on May 18, 2004

Dear Patricia:
Intinction is permitted in the Roman Rite. The current liturgical law in enforce today is the 2000 General Instruction for the Roman Missal. Paragraph nos. 191, 245, 249, 287, 287 discuss the rules and rubrics required if Intinction is used.
One point of past abuse on this is that the Faith are NOT to intinct themselves. Only a priest is to dip the Host into the Blood and distribute to the communicant.
In addition, the communicant is to have a communion-plate under his chin when he approaches the priest, or a paten used, to be sure that no Sacred particles drop to the floor. There are also some special rules for how the Host is prepared for use in Intinction. It must be made a little thicker so as to not easily break when dipped into the Blood.
Also, when Intinction is used, the communicant must receive the Blessed Sacrament on the tongue. Receiving in the hand, in this case, is forbidden.
God Bless,Bro. Ignatius Mary