Is It Permissible to Kiss the Host?

Because Mass is the public liturgy of the Church and not a private devotion, the Church instructs us on what to do and when to do it. Nowhere in the rubrics of the Mass is anyone directed to kiss the consecrated host. The proper act of adoring the host during Communion is to bow prior to reception (GIRM 160).

The Church does permit some leeway for local customs, but those occasions are explicitly permitted in Church documents, and this is not one of those situations. At Mass, we gather in unity as the Body of Christ, and when each person starts doing his or her own thing at Mass, the visible symbol of our union can easily get lost.

That being said, I commend you for your love of the Lord in the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist. I believe that your actions were done out of love, faith, and devotion to the Lord. I hope the deacon charitably and gently explained your innocent mistake.