Can I Recieve The Eucharist?

[TristanCross]

I’m going to Mass tomorrow. I am not yet Catholic. I haven’t even set up a RCIA class yet (which is one reason I’m going tomorrow). When it is time for the Eucharist, may I go up and receive it?

 

[dashso40]

Hello, you can not recieve the Eucharist until you are Catholic,but by all means go to Mass…welcome!..talk to someone at the parishes RCIA…I converted, it’s great!

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I’m going to Mass tomorrow. I am not yet Catholic. I haven’t even set up a RCIA class yet (which is one reason I’m going tomorrow). When it is time for the Eucharist, may I go up and receive it?

Receiving the Eucharist is the high point of Catholic life. Once you go through RCIA you’ll receive your First Eucharist and it will be a very special time. Until then, do not receive communion.

 

[GeorgeSword]

That said some parishes will give a blessing to non-Catholics. If you feel comfortable you can take part in the rest of the Mass, participate as much as you like, you just can’t have the Eucharist yet.

 

[mullenpm]

Tristan, now I understand why you posted on another thread that you were having difficulty praying the Rosary.

Please talk to a Priest and set up RCIA classes; and we will welcome you with open arms.:clapping:

And when that wonderful day comes and you will finally be able to receive Holy Communion you will be happier than you can now imagine.:heaven:

But for now, you must wait; practice praying the Rosary and ask our Blessed Mother to pray to her Son to give you perseverence in your faith.

 

[Lief_Erikson]

God bless you, Tristan! At present, you’ll have to wait. After you’ve completed your RCIA, you can participate in Eucharist. Before then, though, it’s definitely best to attend Mass anyway. You can be near Jesus there, for He is there in the Eucharistic Host in the most complete sense. Catholics around the world often practice Eucharistic Adoration, which is simply spending time in the presence of the Eucharist, praying, because the Eucharist is Jesus Christ.

 

[benedictgal]

That said some parishes will give a blessing to non-Catholics. If you feel comfortable you can take part in the rest of the Mass, participate as much as you like, you just can’t have the Eucharist yet.

What you are suggesting should not be done. The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Disicpline of the Sacraments has indicated five reasons why this practice is very problematic:

1. The liturgical blessing of the Holy Mass is properly given to each and to all at the conclusion of the Mass, just a few moments subsequent to the distribution of Holy Communion.

1. Lay people, within the context of Holy Mass, are unable to confer blessings. These blessings, rather, are the competence of the priest (cf. Ecclesia de Mysterio, Notitiae 34 (15 Aug. 1997), art. 6, § 2; Canon 1169, § 2; and Roman Ritual De Benedictionibus (1985), n. 18).

1. Furthermore, the laying on of a hand or hands — which has its own sacramental significance, inappropriate here — by those distributing Holy Communion, in substitution for its reception, is to be explicitly discouraged.

1. The Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio n. 84, “forbids any pastor, for whatever reason to pretext even of a pastoral nature, to perform ceremonies of any kind for divorced people who remarry”. To be feared is that any form of blessing in substitution for communion would give the impression that the divorced and remarried have been returned, in some sense, to the status of Catholics in good standing.

1. In a similar way, for others who are not to be admitted to Holy Communion in accord with the norm of law, the Church’s discipline has already made clear that they should not approach Holy Communion nor receive a blessing. This would include non-Catholics and those envisaged in can. 915 (i.e., those under the penalty of excommunication or interdict, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin).

While the OP is certainly welcome to attend Mass and to pray, the individual should not be approaching the priest to receive a blessing in lieu of Holy Communion, especially since the person would fall under the fifth category.

Now, the OP can remain in the pew and make a spiritual Communion, asking Jesus to enter into his/her heart until such time as he/she is received into the Church.

 

[GeorgeSword]

I knew I shouldn’t have even mentioned that… now the thread shall descend into a fiery debate.
EDIT: Sorry, forgot to include this in the message…

The Synod of Bishops in Instrumentum laboris:

Some responses [by bishops to a questionnaire sent out to prepare the groundwork for the Synod] mention that priests, while distributing Holy Communion, give a blessing to children or catechumens—both duly pointed out—who approach the altar and have not made their First Communion. In some Churches, a blessing is imparted to non-Catholics who approach the altar at Communion time. In this regard, some responses from Asia suggest finding some gesture at Communion time towards non-Christians to make them feel more a part of the liturgical community.

While it’s not approving, if it was such a terrible thing wouldn’t it have gotten shot down?

 

[mullenpm]

Tristan, I agree with LiefErickson with respect to Eucharist Adoration. I wish I had remembered to tell you that. Thanks Lief.

That would be a wonderful exercise for you to begin. It simply means spending time in a Catholic Church in front of the Tabernacle. You may pray; you may remain silent; you may pray the Rosary. I like to take my New Testament and sit in silence and read the Scriptures.

It would be a beautiful way for you to experience the True Presence of our Lord and Savior.

 

[DJgang]

No,

But the desire is all part of the conversion process in which you will grow spiritually and really appreciate what Christ has done for his Church.

 

[tinalewis]

Hi - Yes, do spend as much time as you can in Eucharistic adoration, preferably in a chapel with the Blessed Sacrament exposed in a monstrance. You won’t regret a minute, I promise you.

To find adoration times and churches which have perpetual adoration (that’s 24/7/365) go to:

www.masstimes.org

and enter your zip code, state, country, etc.

I attribute my becoming Catholic 100% to adoration and the rosary. You are so totally on the right track, Tristan!!!