Can I receive the Eucharist in both masses?

[leonh_624]

I’m so confused, I attended a Sunday Low Mass in the Extraordinary form. I planned to go to mass again at a Sung Mass later on today. Father said that I can only receive communion once and I should not receive again, since there wasn’t any special masses I’d attend or I’m not in danger of death. I attend two masses (first an Extraordinary Form in the morning then an Ordinary form at noon) at a daily basis. I am at a dilemma since I usually take communion at both masses.

I’ve research and:

Can. 917 A person who has already received the Most Holy Eucharist can receive it a second time on the same day only within the eucharistic celebration in which the person participates, without prejudice to the prescript of

What if both instances are Masses? Can I receive from both masses?

 

[baltobetsy]

Because the Holy Mass is of infinite value, one Mass per day is the norm. According to the law, one may indeed receive Holy Communion twice in a day, but (this is my opinion here) it would seem that it was making provision for special circumstances - a wedding, a funeral, care of the sick when they receive Holy Communion, etc.

As lay people, our job is to go out and sanctify the world and bring it to Christ. We do this in our ordinary work, by working as perfectly as possible and joining our work to the Sacrifice of Christ as an offering to the Father. We do it by living our family life in a holy and Godly way, leading our spouses and children by example and word. We do it in our personal apostolate, being truly a good friend to those around us, so that we can understand them and their needs and bring them to God. We do it by staying in touch with God throughout the day with an orderly program of prayer, reading and Mass.

We do not do it by muliplying devotions or Masses. Think of it in mathematical terms - infinity behaves like zero in an equation. Infinity times anything is infinity. It is not increased by multiplication. One Mass and Communion per day is already infinity. We use our time better by being about the Father’s business.

This may be what your priest was trying to tell you. While it is possible within the law to receive twice a day on a regular basis, it’s not ideal. Maybe you could alternate your OF and EF Masses throughout the week.

Betsy

 

[leonh_624]

Thank you.

I serve the OF mass every school day, since during the summer, our University’s chapel has very limited servers. My daily mass is the EF and the OF just added itself as sort of an obligation, which I am happy and honored to do. I’m troubled and experiencing psychological depression, would that count as a good reason to receive communion twice. I know you can’t add infinite to infinite but I just can’t resist taking the Lord.

 

[baltobetsy]

Maybe it’s time for a sit-down with the priest to explain your situation and ask your question. At the same time, he may have a recommendation about getting some help for your depression, if you are not already under treatment.

God bless you, dear.

Betsy

 

[leonh_624]

Thank you again.

 

[Phemie]

I’m not quite certain what rules apply to the EF Mass so I would err on the side of caution and not receive at the EF Mass if I had already received that day.

But you may receive Communion for the second time in one day at an OF Mass and it doesn’t matter why you are attending that Mass.

 

[Frosty]

I’m not quite certain what rules apply to the EF Mass so I would err on the side of caution and not receive at the EF Mass if I had already received that day.

But you may receive Communion for the second time in one day at an OF Mass and it doesn’t matter why you are attending that Mass.

I don’t want to derail this topic but I am really curious and confused about your first sentence. I fully understand that there are certain rules and rubrics for the EF that are different from the OF. What I have a hard time coming to grips with is the idea that canon laws which govern the entire Church would somehow be different for each of the two forms of the Latin Rite of Mass. SP allows for the celebration of the Mass according to the 1962 Missal but it doesn’t allow for a reversion to earlier Canon Law as far as I can tell. It seems to me that both forms are governed by current Canon Law. If I am wrong, I would appreciate someone giving me the real answer why.

 

[Phemie]

I don’t want to derail this topic but I am really curious and confused about your first sentence. I fully understand that there are certain rules and rubrics for the EF that are different from the OF. What I have a hard time coming to grips with is the idea that canon laws which govern the entire Church would somehow be different for each of the two forms of the Latin Rite of Mass. SP allows for the celebration of the Mass according to the 1962 Missal but it doesn’t allow for a reversion to earlier Canon Law as far as I can tell. It seems to me that both forms are governed by current Canon Law. If I am wrong, I would appreciate someone giving me the real answer why.

That’s why I said “I don’t know”. I was under the impression that the 3 hour fast was still the rule for Communion at an EF Mass and that’s why I thought maybe you were only allowed to receive once in a day.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I don’t want to derail this topic but I am really curious and confused about your first sentence. I fully understand that there are certain rules and rubrics for the EF that are different from the OF. What I have a hard time coming to grips with is the idea that canon laws which govern the entire Church would somehow be different for each of the two forms of the Latin Rite of Mass. SP allows for the celebration of the Mass according to the 1962 Missal but it doesn’t allow for a reversion to earlier Canon Law as far as I can tell. It seems to me that both forms are governed by current Canon Law. If I am wrong, I would appreciate someone giving me the real answer why.

As far as I know the same rules apply to both forms of the mass.

However, in pre-VII times it was permissible to receive more that once a day in special occasions. [Actually there was no specified limit on how many times that one could recieve. Just a general sense that one should not be receiving just to receive, but as a part of the mass.] When a relative, a quite conventional sister, asked the priest on one occasion he told her that any time you got a Catholic into Church twice in the same day it was a special occasion. She accepted that and went ahead and received.

My wife was conducting choirs at two churches at the time. We always received at both churches.

 

[FrDavid96]

I’m so confused, I attended a Sunday Low Mass in the Extraordinary form. I planned to go to mass again at a Sung Mass later on today. Father said that I can only receive communion once and I should not receive again, since there wasn’t any special masses I’d attend or I’m not in danger of death. I attend two masses (first an Extraordinary Form in the morning then an Ordinary form at noon) at a daily basis. I am at a dilemma since I usually take communion at both masses.

I’ve research and:

Can. 917 A person who has already received the Most Holy Eucharist can receive it a second time on the same day only within the eucharistic celebration in which the person participates, without prejudice to the prescript of

What if both instances are Masses? Can I receive from both masses?

First thing to say is that you should be following the spiritual advice of your pastor. You may want to ask him again to clarify this, so that you understand what he’s saying and why he’s saying it.

To explain canon 917, what it means is that as long as the 2nd Communion is received at a Mass in which you actually participate (ie, not a Communion service and not a Mass where you arrive during the Lamb of God) you are permitted to receive a 2nd time. I think the words “eucharistic celebration” might be causing you some confusion. Replace that phrase with “Mass” and it might become more clear to you.

If the 1st time is a Communion service, then you certainly can and should receive at the Mass (2nd time) because the Mass is an infinitely better time to receive.