By Bradley Eli, M.Div., Ma.Th., Church Militant - Cardinal Francis Arinze: "No priest has the right to demand that, and even no bishop has the right to demand you must receive on the hand."… Reception of Holy Communion on the tongue, a universal Catholic norm from time immemorial, is being set aside by many bishops owing to the possible spread of coronavirus… Cardinal Arinze: "No, no — the faithful remain free to receive on the tongue."… These directives are worded with the understanding that bishops cannot ban laity outright from receiving on the tongue… A well-respected canonist in Rome confirmed to Church Militant, "Only the pope has the power to modify the universal norm."