Eating before Mass and Communion2

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Is eating before just before Mass and Communion a grave sin?

Should someone who just ate before Mass be prevented from receiving the Lord? If so, is it a grave sin not to prevent this person from receiving the Lord ?
 
the required fast from food and drink, other than water, is one hour before receiving Communion. this is modified from 3 hours (since the 1950s) prior to that it was a fast from midnight on. anyone with a medical reason - diabetes, lactating etc. is exempt from the fast. Also medication is not excluded, including cough syrup or even a cough drop during mass if necessary. Of course you should not receive communion with anything in your mouth.

for most of us by the time we eat, get ready for Mass, drive to church, and the length of the usual Mass, one hour is not really a problem if you obey the letter of the law. as with all penitential practices it is about attitude more than rigidity. Your hunger should be for the Lord, not for earthly food.
 
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Joao:
Is eating before just before Mass and Communion a grave sin?

Should someone who just ate before Mass be prevented from receiving the Lord? If so, is it a grave sin not to prevent this person from receiving the Lord ?
It is a Mortal sin and Grave matter of disobediance when one intentionally and willfully disregards the Eucharistic Fasting law of the Church when it applies to them.

If you apply the law as one hour before Mass not Holy Communion you will never find yourself counting minutes. If Mass starts at 11AM don’t eat after 10AM and you will never have a problem.
 
Is eating just before Mass and Communion a grave sin?
Should someone who just ate before Mass be prevented from receiving the Lord? If so, is it a grave sin not to prevent this person from receiving the Lord ?
What do you mean “be prevented from receiving”? Were you planning to put a wrestling hold on your pew-mate and pin them to the kneeler to prevent them from receiving?

If someone does not know the fasting requirements, it might be appropriate to inform them.
 
Should someone who just ate before Mass be prevented from receiving the Lord? If so, is it a grave sin not to prevent this person from receiving the Lord ?
In general, it is a matter of personal conscience whether or not to receive the Eucharist. Canon Law only allows a few specific circumstances (persistent, manifest grave sin) where a communicant may be externally prevented from receiving. Even then, it is up to the priest (not the EMHC) to make the decision.

We cannot judge the hearts of others, therefore it would not be right to physically restrain someone from receiving. They may not know of the requirement, or they may have simply been unaware of the time. It would be charitable to remind them that partaking of the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin is a terrible sacrilege, but it is not up to us to hold them back. It is between them and God.
 
Nothing like one of the “Eucharistic captains” bringing a plate of cookies into the sacristy for all the lay ministers to enjoy just before Mass…
 
In a parish where I used to attend daily Mass at 7:00 a.m., the Priest and sacristy people used to gather around 6:45 for a cup of coffee before Mass. “Father says it’s water.”
 
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mercygate:
In a parish where I used to attend daily Mass at 7:00 a.m., the Priest and sacristy people used to gather around 6:45 for a cup of coffee before Mass. “Father says it’s water.”
Things like this and the cookies are sure signs there is liturgical rot in the parish…
 
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mercygate:
In a parish where I used to attend daily Mass at 7:00 a.m., the Priest and sacristy people used to gather around 6:45 for a cup of coffee before Mass. “Father says it’s water.”
Yes, would you like to have a cup of brown water with me?
 
Perhaps we should go back to the rule of fasting from midnight on.

The coffee drinking priest could have midnight Mass along with his cookie eating parishioners. This would also accomodate the bar crowd who could either catch Sunday Mass between taverns or right before they go out partying for the night.

Mass would start earlier on Sunday morning, such as a 6:00 am Mass and a 7:00 or 7:30 am Mass like churches used to have. This would accomodate the early risers.
 
There are special circumstances in which a Priest can take something before Mass.

Can. 919 §2 states that:

“A priest who celebrates the Most Holy Eucharist two or three times on the same day can take something before the second or third celebration even if there is less than one hour between them.”

(vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P39.HTM)
 
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