1 hr fast before mass = length of mass?

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Mass is usually about 50 minutes to an hour long, depending on how long the homily is, right?

So if I have coffee or eat something at say … 11:45, and then walk to church which starts at 12:00… by the time I receive communion, it is about 12:45.

Does the 1 hour fast include mass time or not? I just always figured it was pretty hard not to fast one hour before mass because mass itself is nearly an hour, especially when you factor in travel time to church!

🤷
 
It’s one hour before the actual reception of Holy Communion.

'thann
 
Sina said:
Mass is usually about 50 minutes to an hour long, depending on how long the homily is, right?

So if I have coffee or eat something at say … 11:45, and then walk to church which starts at 12:00… by the time I receive communion, it is about 12:45.

Does the 1 hour fast include mass time or not? I just always figured it was pretty hard not to fast one hour before mass because mass itself is nearly an hour, especially when you factor in travel time to church!

🤷
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Yeah, kinda pointless, isn’t it. If you’re not actually sitting in the pew eating your lunch, you’re pretty much covered. It’s a joke, really. Make the fast longer or remove the requirement entirely.
 
Yes it is before reception of communion, but I just find it easier to count from when Mass starts. And we go to a Mass that is the perfect time–you know get up, breakfast, dressed, find missing shoes, leave for Mass.
 
haha find missing shoes. I guess the rule exists just in case someone doesn’t get it. Like I don’t think you should chew gum during mass.

I suppose weekday masses at the lunch hour are only about 30 minutes long so it would apply there as well…

Personally, I enjoy eating after mass as I feel joyful and thankful.
 
Most Sunday Masses are only 45 minutes or so til communion. Can be even a little less. So often you do need to be mindful in order not to break the fast.

The points are that

a) fasting is for the good of our souls rather than our bodies. As such length of the fast is not nearly as important as the awareness with which we fast.

b) We now have masses at all hours of Saturday evenings and Sundays. And this being the case, even 3 hours can make things unduly difficult in a lot of circumstances.
 
I do think it advisable and commendable, however, to try to fast for an hour before the start of Mass. In some sense, I think that it just serves for better purpose and reminder, ultimately, even if it isn’t what is strictly required. Also, if one is striving to fast for an hour before the start of the service, then perhaps there is less need to stress if I, “Finished my meal 57 minutes before communion, which came faster than I expected because the priest gave a short homily and so I had to check my watch and get in line last,” kind of thing which some people suffer through.
 
Sina said:
Mass is usually about 50 minutes to an hour long, depending on how long the homily is, right?

So if I have coffee or eat something at say … 11:45, and then walk to church which starts at 12:00… by the time I receive communion, it is about 12:45.

Does the 1 hour fast include mass time or not? I just always figured it was pretty hard not to fast one hour before mass because mass itself is nearly an hour, especially when you factor in travel time to church!

🤷
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That’s correct.
 
If I’m going to a morning Mass, I usually just do the traditional fast from midnight.

A longer fast is sorely needed to restore proper respect for the Eucharistic Sacrifice. I personally believe we should return to the 3-hour minimum.
 
I usually just fast all morning before Mass since that is my preference. I made the mistake of doing that, then going to the 10:45 am Mass (at my parish Mass is 1 hour 15 minutes), then went and donated blood. I will definitely eat before Mass next time they are collecting blood as I nearly passed out.

In general, I just think the main thing is to not eat and rush into Mass. Make the whole thing more deliberate, and then you will be properly disposed to receiving communion.
 
The Church says one hour and that it is an hour before Holy Communion.

I personally do not care for this new(er) discipline. It does not encourage average people to do better, only to do “good enough”.
While we are only bound to follow the standard the Church guidlines set, I’d say this one is a very low standard.
The last thing the modern world needs is for people to eat more.
I always see people munching on snacks or stuffing food down their throats before they leave for Holy Mass. There is the: “oh I have an hour before Holy Communion, and I can still have time to eat this!” attitude.
That is revolting.
We act like spoiled pigs really…
I would think that if a young man or woman had a romantic date with someone they were falling in love with, they would take special care to refrain from eating and properly prepare themselves before a nice dinner as not to spoil their meal before a pleasant evening out. It would be rude to “pig out” before hand and then not eat a proper meal with the one they love.
Why then do we “pig out” before we go to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb?
That is rude, is it not?
Unless one has a medical reason, I’d recommend waiting much longer, at least two or three hours, so you at least have a slight craving for something. A slight hunger pain is nothing. Christ suffered so much more on the cross and that Cross is the reason we attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
We fast for so many things, but so little for Christ…
To wait longer, one has a little more (“extra”) to offer to Christ…something small, but still a loving act to do for Our Lord. It is good for one to let Christ know they want to remain hungry, so that they can hunger for Our Precious Lord with body and soul. We are nourished truly by God.

Just because Holy Mother Church sets a standard, doesn’t mean that one should not try and exceed that standard…Indeed we should try to do better. We don’t have to (always) accomplish great feats, but we can use little things to die to ourselves and live for (in) Christ.
 
Dauphin said:
If I’m going to a morning Mass, I usually just do the traditional fast from midnight.

A longer fast is sorely needed to restore proper respect for the Eucharistic Sacrifice. I personally believe we should return to the 3-hour minimum.
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Exactly!

An “hour before Communion” fast is essentialy worthless…In other words, what is the point?
If you eat before Mass and Holy Communion is about 45min into Mass, then chances are you probably ate one hour before anyway as travel probably takes 10-15 minutes by the time you get ready and drive down the street. Not exactly what I’d consider a sacrifice.
Really, I’d think that to only fast an hour before Communion, only defeats the purpose really.

I suppose this goes with my last comment…:rolleyes:
 
If you eat too soon before Mass, you might burp your way through.
 
VociMike said:
…It’s a joke, really…
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No, it isn’t a joke, really. Catholics, other than those dispensed, are required to fast from food except water for one hour before receiving Holy Communion. This does not mean that those who wish to fast for a longer time may not do so, but I think all others would appreciate if those who choose longer fasts might do so without refering to the the actions of those who are following the discipline asked by the Church as a joke.

When Naaman the Syrian came to Elisha to have his leprosy cured, all Elisha told him to do was wash in the Jordan River. Such an easy, little thing to do. Naaman became angry almost didn’t do it because he thought the Jordan river was too insignificant and task wasn’t hard enough. But he was persuaded by his servants, washed and was healed.

Sometimes God only asks us to do things that might seem ridiculously easy compared to their results. What could be easier than Baptism for full and complete remission of sins? Confession and absolution with relatively small penances isn’t much harder. A one-hour fast is a very small act to perform for the privilege of receiving the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus, but so would be a three-hour, a 24 hour or a 40 day fast. Compared to the infinite goodness of Jesus Himself, a lifetime of complete fasting would not be commensurate. Fortunately for us, God only asks for a very small fast.
 
Leopard said:
No, it isn’t a joke, really. Catholics, other than those dispensed, are required to fast from food except water for one hour before receiving Holy Communion. This does not mean that those who wish to fast for a longer time may not do so, but I think all others would appreciate if those who choose longer fasts might do so without refering to the the actions of those who are following the discipline asked by the Church as a joke.

When Naaman the Syrian came to Elisha to have his leprosy cured, all Elisha told him to do was wash in the Jordan River. Such an easy, little thing to do. Naaman became angry almost didn’t do it because he thought the Jordan river was too insignificant and task wasn’t hard enough. But he was persuaded by his servants, washed and was healed.

Sometimes God only asks us to do things that might seem ridiculously easy compared to their results. What could be easier than Baptism for full and complete remission of sins? Confession and absolution with relatively small penances isn’t much harder. A one-hour fast is a very small act to perform for the privilege of receiving the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus, but so would be a three-hour, a 24 hour or a 40 day fast. Compared to the infinite goodness of Jesus Himself, a lifetime of complete fasting would not be commensurate. Fortunately for us, God only asks for a very small fast.
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Leapard, thank you for putting this somewhat in perspective. The 1 hr. fast is not always easy let’s take into consideration someone who wishes to go to daily Mass, let’s just say that they are a high school student who would then have to high tail it to school from morning Mass on top of that this student has to take an allergy medication (or acne medication) 1/2 an hour to an hour before they eat - lets now look at this student’s schedule:

6 a.m. wake up, take medication
6:30 a.m. eat breakfast
6:45 a.m. finish breakfast
7:15 a.m. daily Mass starts
7:45 a.m. receive Communion
8:15 a.m. in desk at school

Now if you advocate that said student (and they do exist) should either just not receive Communion that would be okay with me but not necessarily the best, the Graces received from receiving Communion can indeed get that teen through a stressful day full of temptations at school. Or alternatively, the student not eat breakfast which will then cause the student’s school performance to be lessened, this is even worse than not receiving as the student is in this world and must act according to the best of his/her abilities which does include some kind of breakfast!

I can easily come up with an equal scenario for a working person. We are in this world but not of it and going to daily Mass and reception of Communion helps us to do this.

Brenda V.
 
Brenda_V said:
Leapard, thank you for putting this somewhat in perspective. The 1 hr. fast is not always easy let’s take into consideration someone who wishes to go to daily Mass, let’s just say that they are a high school student who would then have to high tail it to school from morning Mass on top of that this student has to take an allergy medication (or acne medication) 1/2 an hour to an hour before they eat - lets now look at this student’s schedule:

6 a.m. wake up, take medication
6:30 a.m. eat breakfast
6:45 a.m. finish breakfast
7:15 a.m. daily Mass starts
7:45 a.m. receive Communion
8:15 a.m. in desk at school

Now if you advocate that said student (and they do exist) should either just not receive Communion that would be okay with me but not necessarily the best, the Graces received from receiving Communion can indeed get that teen through a stressful day full of temptations at school. Or alternatively, the student not eat breakfast which will then cause the student’s school performance to be lessened, this is even worse than not receiving as the student is in this world and must act according to the best of his/her abilities which does include some kind of breakfast!

I can easily come up with an equal scenario for a working person. We are in this world but not of it and going to daily Mass and reception of Communion helps us to do this.

Brenda V.
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No offense, but I don’t think that is really an (“the”) issue.😉
Depending on the circumstances, people on medication or having certain health risks can be disposed of certain obligations.
 
CrypticWritings said:
No offense, but I don’t think that is really an (“the”) issue.😉
Depending on the circumstances, people on medication or having certain health risks can be disposed of certain obligations.
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But please remember that your preferences and suggestions are not obligations.

Betsy
 
Regarding fasting…I think that the thing that upsets me the most is people chomping on gum during the Mass. They don’t seem to realize that this is not only wrong…it is rude. If they were to be invited to the White House to have lunch with the President…I don’t think they would be chomping on gum…I think this also breaks the fast…when doing it right up to Communion. Like they take it out of their mouths to receive Jesus…then put it back in when the Host is consumed…ugh!:banghead: :banghead:
 
I, personally, go with the midnight rule. But my parents always held us to the one hour rule.
I think there is something to be said for the 3-hour rule.

Those who are perfectly timing things need to re-evaluate their reception of Our Lord. Those with legitimate needs to eat are the exception.
 
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