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Monica4316
Guest
The Eastern Communion fast is from midnight. Is that regardless of what time morning Mass is? Like does it have to start around 10 or can it start earlier? In other words - is it from midnight or a 12 hour fast?
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babochka
Guest
From midnight.
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phil19034
Guest
The Roman Rite used to do the same thing. But as parishes grew and started have later masses, it wasn’t uncommon for some people to faint.
Plus too many people would only receive Communion once a year.
So they changed the fast to 3 hours. Then to 1 hour. Personally, I I would like to see the fast return to 3 hours. I think it could help resolve the issue regarding people receiving unworthily.
Plus too many people would only receive Communion once a year.
So they changed the fast to 3 hours. Then to 1 hour. Personally, I I would like to see the fast return to 3 hours. I think it could help resolve the issue regarding people receiving unworthily.
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Lily_Bernans
Guest
I like the three hour fast as well.
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Irishmom2
Guest
How do you know which people are receiving “unworthily” that you would say this? Only God can decide.
And for everyone that thinks it is better to fast for three hours, you are still free to do so.
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phil19034
Guest
We all know people who receive who have not been to confession in years.
Now I’m not claiming to know who truely is unworthy, but most of us know people who should not be receiving based on church teachings.
My theory is that if the fast was moved back to three hours, there would be many more devout Catholics remaining in the pews durning communion because of the 3 hour fast.
More people staying seated would allow a mortal sinner to “hide” and not feel like he/she is being noticed for not receiving communion.
Today, it’s very hard to break the 1 hour fast, unless you are a few minutes away from the church. People don’t like other people to know their sins. People are self conscience. When you are the only person sitting in the pew, it can be embarrassing for some.
And as we have heard over and over, it can apparently alienate the divorced & remarried without annulment. So if there are more people refraining from communion due to the fast, people won’t have to feel self conscience about not receiving communion.
That’s my theory
God Bless
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TimothyH
Guest
I fail to see how keeping mortal sinners in the pew is justification for discouraging devout Catholics from receiving communion.
Throwing the baby out with the bath water.
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Throwing the baby out with the bath water.
-Tim-
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Irishmom2
Guest
Not necessarily. Devout Catholics would follow the 3 hour fast. The “people who receive who have not been to confession in years” are still going to receive…
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adamhovey1988
Guest
You know, in the Latin church you can voluntarily fast from midnight onward. That said, if it would be detrimental to your health, DON’T.
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phil19034
Guest
My HOPE is that this would not be the case. But again, this is a theory and one based out of mercy. But I’m not a Bishop nor ever will be.
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phil19034
Guest
It’s not about discouraging devout Catholics from receiving communion. It’s about finding a merciful solution to the communion for divorced debate. I believe that many of these people feel shame when they cannot receive while EVERYONE else is. I know this chased my two aunts away… They were both divorced and remarried and felt shamed by other women in the parish. I don’t know if they envisioned it or if it was real, but they felt like the women working in the parish office and other women were judging them. So they slowly drifted away.
When my great-grandparents were both alive, this was less of an issue. My great-grandfather was divorced. So they eventually slept in seperatly bedrooms, living as brother and sister. Then they would go to confession when they “slipped up.” But even when they were not living as brother and sister, others were sitting in the pews.
My theory isn’t to cause devout Catholics to remain in the pews… But rather to add another possible reason for someone to remain in the pew. Today, (since it’s so hard to break the 1 HR fast) it’s easy to assume that someone remaining in the pew is either not Catholic or needs to go to Confession, or is living in sin. No one assumes they broke the fast.
But if the fast was restored to 3 hours, then no one would think twice about someone remaining in the pew at an 11am or 5PM mass. The automatic thought would be “they broke the fast”
Also, many teens and college kids who are in need of confession sometimes receive because they don’t want mom and dad asking “what did you do, why didn’t you receive communion?” But with a 3 hour fast, they can simply eat an apple or bowl of cereal.
My point is, I don’t want to keep people from receiving… But I want to provide a merciful “cover” for those who should not receive.
But as I said before, im not a bishop, nor ever will be.
God Bless
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ProVobis
Guest
I agree with much of what you say. A longer required fast would seem to make the event much more serious IMO.
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Vico
Guest
It varies with the tradition. At some times and places the day (and so the fast) would begin at vespers so the fast may be from vespers. The Roman day is midnight to midnight but Greek is sunset to sunset.
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