Can I receive communion on a daily basis even if I don't attend the entire mass?

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WesleyF

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I feel I need the Eucharist on a daily basis. But I don’t have enough love in me to wake up at 6 am in the morning just to make it to the mass before I can go to work. So I think it would be a good start for me to at least partially attend an afternoon mass and then receive the Eucharist when I have a lunch break at work. The question is, is there anything wrong about this from the point of view of church teaching?

I can’t make it to the entire mass and also have lunch after that in the 1 hr duration I have for lunch. Walking to the church and back takes an additional 15-20 minutes off my lunch break.
 
Daily mass is usually about a 1/2 hour. Are you sure that you could not make it at lunch?
If you drove instead of walking which would use up your lunch time, you could fit in the daily mass in 1 hour easily. A previous priest I had did write about the importance of attending the entire mass. It is not just the Eucharist but the liturgy of the Word and the prayers that make up the mass. He was trying to discourage people from just coming in, receiving the Eucharist and then considering that they met their mass obligation. This is the same as people who leave right afterward. Think about it.
 
I personally wouldn’t receive Jesus when I’ve only attended a portion of mass. Ask a priest. I would also suggest looking for churches around that might offer night mass. Most churches offer aleast one evening mass during the week aside from Sunday.
 
robwar said:
He was trying to discourage people from just coming in, receiving the Eucharist and then considering that they met their mass obligation. This is the same as people who leave right afterward.
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but he is not talking about his mass obligation,hes talking about daily mass,and i don’t believe there is any teaching or doctrine regarding this. and what is he missing after Communion.
 
WesleyF said:
I feel I need the Eucharist on a daily basis. But I don’t have enough love in me to wake up at 6 am in the morning just to make it to the mass before I can go to work. So I think it would be a good start for me to at least partially attend an afternoon mass and then receive the Eucharist when I have a lunch break at work. The question is, is there anything wrong about this from the point of view of church teaching?

I can’t make it to the entire mass and also have lunch after that in the 1 hr duration I have for lunch. Walking to the church and back takes an additional 15-20 minutes off my lunch break.
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There is no law in this case for daily Mass. You have to be careful in your reception of Our Lord though. Too short a time (I hope you are enkindling in your heart by fervent acts of love in preparation for holy communion, the greatest gift you are going to receive for the day?) for preparation can have an adverse effect …you may get careless in your reception and may falter …

But given if everything else is equal ie your are not concious of serious sin and desire to grow in the Love of God, communion is the alpha and omega of the spiritual life… Go for it and surely in time you can do better…

I am sure it is pleasing to the Lord that you desire to receive Him and making the sacrifice of some lunch time…at times try to reach before the consecration as it is the essence of the sacrificial nature of Mass. Motivate yourself as you are there in reparation and aknowledgement of His Sacrifice which you intend to receive of the Fruit in communion. His sacrifice and your sacrifice in life must comminggle as your life is caught up in His Sacrifice…

There are too few worthy communions in the Church…may Our Lord grant you a stout and fervent heart to receive Him well!! Maintain this focus that without the Lord you CANNOT BECOME A SAINT IN HIS EYES!! AND CANNOT DO GREAT THINGS FOR HIM. MAY YOU ALWAYS CENTRE YOUR LIFE IN AND AROUND THE ADORATION AND RECEPTION OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST…Im sure you already have TASTED AND SEEN HOW SWEET THE LORD IS!" PERSEVERE!!

Yours in the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Kenneth (3rd Order SSCC)
 
WesleyF said:
I feel I need the Eucharist on a daily basis. But I don’t have enough love in me to wake up at 6 am in the morning just to make it to the mass before I can go to work. So I think it would be a good start for me to at least partially attend an afternoon mass and then receive the Eucharist when I have a lunch break at work. The question is, is there anything wrong about this from the point of view of church teaching?

I can’t make it to the entire mass and also have lunch after that in the 1 hr duration I have for lunch. Walking to the church and back takes an additional 15-20 minutes off my lunch break.
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My guess (short answer “Go”). If you are late, don’t be again. And read the readings later. Go again if you are late again … but at SOME point be on time! 😉

I’m ONLY basing this on my experiences in a Catholic High School in the years '68 and '69 - which was very devout. How devout about the Eucharist? When the principal had said mass in the auditorium once per month (to accommodate an entire graduating class) and was returning the remaining Eucharist to a tabernacle in the school chapel … an altar boy would go before him ringing a bell to indicate that the REAL PRESENCE was coming. If you were walking along, you STOPPED bowed your head like Monsignor, who was carrying the Chalice BACK to the chapel was doing, until they had passed.

YET during the first 15 minutes of any lunch period there was a quick mass and communion service said in the campus chapel. For a long time, only about 15 or so kids went, as they’d have to give up their front of the line spots in the cafeteria as the price of midday communion. But later, the Holy Spirit drew more and more of us. 🙂

Sometimes the pre-lunch classes ran long, the visits to the book lockers weren’t smooth and the “not very long anyway” mass-as-communion service accomodated just arriving folks without comment even when they’d just walked in the door and hadn’t heard a single reading.

Sometimes I go to daily mass late - not on purpose, sometimes I take my elderly father who can be slow in getting ready. I must admit I’m late because I wasn’t early! In those cases I sometimes go BACK and read the readings of the day.

In a nutshell - do all the good you can as often as you can and do it better the next time.

If your conscience dictates otherwise … listen to it. But you are asking the kind of questions that usually lead to greater holiness. Congratulations! :extrahappy:
 
Daily Mass is usually 1/2 hour or less depending on the numbers of people there. Even with walking, you may be able to get to the whole Mass. Can you eat lunch at your desk? Or possibly split your lunch into snacks that you can eat during your breaks? If those things aren’t possible, do the best that you can with getting to as much of Mass as possible. Perhaps after a while of daily communion, you’ll find it in you to get up a bit earlier for morning Mass before work. 😉
 
The mystical union with the Beloved requires preparation, and should not become something light. Some of our greatest teachers have stated that spiritual direction is recommended before we decide to receive daily Communion.

I suggest you present your particular situation to your confessor (perhaps make an appointment with him for a few minutes of spiritual direction) and present to him the state of your soul and what motivates you to receive the Lord daily. Then, by virtue of obedience, follow his direction on this matter.

Remember that Spiritual Communion is always an option throughout the day!
 
WesleyF said:
I feel I need the Eucharist on a daily basis. But I don’t have enough love in me to wake up at 6 am in the morning just to make it to the mass before I can go to work. So I think it would be a good start for me to at least partially attend an afternoon mass and then receive the Eucharist when I have a lunch break at work. The question is, is there anything wrong about this from the point of view of church teaching?

I can’t make it to the entire mass and also have lunch after that in the 1 hr duration I have for lunch. Walking to the church and back takes an additional 15-20 minutes off my lunch break.
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I would say no, such is not okay. Especially given that you have the opportunity to attend all of Mass in the morning, but you “don’t have enough love in [you] to wake up at 6 am in the morning just to make it to the Mass.”

The Mass itself is the source and summit of Catholicism, not reception of communion. If it were, we’d be obligated to receive communion every Sunday, but we’re not. We are not supposed to receive communion out of habit, or without the proper disposition. My goodness, my confessor scolded me in the Confessional for receiving communion out of habit, and stated I should not receive communion if I’m not serious about staying out of venial sin. :eek: We’re held to high standards in my parish, lest we get casual and contempt sets in.
 
Ask God to give you the desire - the love - to get up at 6:00. Then you don’t have to worry about piecing together a Mass. He gives us all of Himself in the Eucharist. We owe Him nothing less than all of ourself. There is a reason for the order of the Mass.

I go to 6:30 Mass before I go to work. It is the best, most important thing I do all day. There is a lady who comes in nearly every day right before or right after the Gospel and is standing ready to head out the door as soon as the final blessing is uttered. I have no idea why. I’m sure QGod is glad she’s there. Perhaps she is caring for a sick family member and that all she can spare. But all things being even, it is distracting to others.

PS Several years ago I found myself being 2, 3, 4 minutes late on a regular basis for daily Mass. I don’t know if it’s sinful to be late for something you are not obligated to attend, but I knew It was distracting and Jesus deserved better. Confession. Grace. Today if I am late, it is because my kids missed the bus or traffic was horrid .

Food for thought.
 
Try to get up early for the morning Mass if you can.

If not, my suggestion would be to talk to the priest and get his take. I’d hate for him to be annoyed at you without you knowing it.

Or, if you can, see if you can work out something with your boss – maybe coming in a little bit early or leaving a little bit late, and taking a slightly longer break.

Technically, the requirement to be present in the church at some point during Mass was abrogated, so you can show up at the consecration and leave right after receiving if you want without offending against canon law. If you’re comfortable with that, go for it, I guess.
 
WesleyF said:
I feel I need the Eucharist on a daily basis. But I don’t have enough love in me to wake up at 6 am in the morning just to make it to the mass before I can go to work. So I think it would be a good start for me to at least partially attend an afternoon mass and then receive the Eucharist when I have a lunch break at work. The question is, is there anything wrong about this from the point of view of church teaching?

I can’t make it to the entire mass and also have lunch after that in the 1 hr duration I have for lunch. Walking to the church and back takes an additional 15-20 minutes off my lunch break.
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I would not feel right about doing that, myself. Being late once in a great while, due to factors beyond our control, is one thing. Deliberately and regularly skipping part of Mass is different.
Why is it so hard to get up at 6? Do you work late into the evening?
 
Regardless of whether you receive Holy Communion, do attend Mass. Remember, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the highest form of prayer.
 
Technically you can, but there is a reason why the Eucharist is celebrated during a Liturgy (or Mass) so why skip it if you are physically able to attend it? I can understand people who are too sick to go to Mass and may have the Eucharist taken to them even on a daily basis. But if you are able to, why not?
 
Deo_Gratias42 said:
I would say no, such is not okay. Especially given that you have the opportunity to attend all of Mass in the morning, but you “don’t have enough love in [you] to wake up at 6 am in the morning just to make it to the Mass.”

The Mass itself is the source and summit of Catholicism, not reception of communion. If it were, we’d be obligated to receive communion every Sunday, but we’re not. We are not supposed to receive communion out of habit, or without the proper disposition. My goodness, my confessor scolded me in the Confessional for receiving communion out of habit, and stated I should not receive communion if I’m not serious about staying out of venial sin. :eek: We’re held to high standards in my parish, lest we get casual and contempt sets in.
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All I can say is: :clapping::clapping::clapping:
 
It is the Eucharist that is the source and summit of our faith.
As other posters have stated, it is best if the Eucharist is received within the context of the Mass. However, it is understood that this is not always possible.
When I lived in WI, the cathedral provided Communion before the 8am Mass for individuals who did not have time to attend Mass.
 
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WesleyF:
I feel I need the Eucharist on a daily basis. But I don’t have enough love in me to wake up at 6 am in the morning just to make it to the mass before I can go to work. So I think it would be a good start for me to at least partially attend an afternoon mass and then receive the Eucharist when I have a lunch break at work. The question is, is there anything wrong about this from the point of view of church teaching?

I can’t make it to the entire mass and also have lunch after that in the 1 hr duration I have for lunch. Walking to the church and back takes an additional 15-20 minutes off my lunch break.
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It is by the grace of God that we human being assist at Holy Mass. Humanly speaking, very many persons will be early to win a price of $1000 proposal that will be given to all those that are 15 minutes early at an event. Lateness at holy Mass without good reason is sinful. Habitual lateness at Mass grievous when you have the choice of waking up early to assist at 6 a.m. mass. Receiving the body and blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in that state is scaring. I would have thought that spiritual communion would be appropriate and prayer for the grace to overcome the habit of lateness at Holy Mass.

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charlc:
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Originally Posted by WesleyF

I feel I need the Eucharist on a daily basis. But I don’t have enough love in me to wake up at 6 am in the morning just to make it to the mass before I can go to work. So I think it would be a good start for me to at least partially attend an afternoon mass and then receive the Eucharist when I have a lunch break at work. The question is, is there anything wrong about this from the point of view of church teaching?

I can’t make it to the entire mass and also have lunch after that in the 1 hr duration I have for lunch. Walking to the church and back takes an additional 15-20 minutes off my lunch break.

It is by the grace of God that we human being assist at Holy Mass. Humanly speaking, very many persons will be early to win a price of $1000 proposal payable to those that arrived 15 minutes early. Lateness at holy Mass without good reason is sinful. Habitual lateness at Mass is grievous when you have the choice of waking up early to assist at 6 a.m. mass. And receiving the body and blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ every time you are late at Mass, is scaring to me. I would rather have spiritual communion and pray for the grace to help me overcome the habit of lateness at Holy Mass.

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