Eucharist requirement

[thistle]

I know we are strongly encouraged to receive Communion often (assuming we are in a state of grace), and this is what I do but my question is only about the once a year requirement.

From the Canon Code sections I have quoted below it would appear that grave sins must be confessed at least once a year but that can be at any time with the period not specified.

On the other hand we are obliged to receive Communion at least once a year and if only once it must be during the paschal time.
My question is how is paschal time defined?

People have given me different answers from the week leading up to Good Friday, or from Ash Wednesday to Good Friday. or from Ash Wednesday to the end of Pentecost.
Which is it?

Can. 989 All the faithful who have reached the age of discretion are bound faithfully to confess their grave sins at least once a year.

Can. 920 §1 Once admitted to the blessed Eucharist, each of the faithful is obliged to receive holy communion at least once a year.

§2 This precept must be fulfilled during paschal time, unless for a good reason it is fulfilled at another time during the year.

 

[aetratus]

newadvent.org/cathen/11516a.htm

“Paschal Tide is the period during which every member of the faithful who has attained the year of discretion is bound by the positive law of the Church to receive Holy Communion (Easter duty).”

“In the United States upon petition of the Fathers of the First Provincial Council of Baltimore Paschal Tide was extended by Pius VIII to the period from the first Sunday in Lent to Trinity Sunday (II Plen. Coun. Balt., n. 257); in England it lasts from Ash Wednesday until Low Sunday; in Ireland from Ash Wednesday until the octave of SS. Peter and Paul, 6 July (O’Kane “Rubrics of the Roman Ritual”, n. 737; Slater, “Moral Theology” 578, 599); in Canada the duration of the Paschal Tide is the same as in the United States.”

Gee, I’d think unless someone was a Celiac like me, they’d want to partake as often as possible.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

newadvent.org/cathen/11516a.htm

“Paschal Tide is the period during which every member of the faithful who has attained the year of discretion is bound by the positive law of the Church to receive Holy Communion (Easter duty).”

“In the United States upon petition of the Fathers of the First Provincial Council of Baltimore Paschal Tide was extended by Pius VIII to the period from the first Sunday in Lent to Trinity Sunday (II Plen. Coun. Balt., n. 257); in England it lasts from Ash Wednesday until Low Sunday; in Ireland from Ash Wednesday until the octave of SS. Peter and Paul, 6 July (O’Kane “Rubrics of the Roman Ritual”, n. 737; Slater, “Moral Theology” 578, 599); in Canada the duration of the Paschal Tide is the same as in the United States.”

Gee, I’d think unless someone was a Celiac like me, they’d want to partake as often as possible.

It’s a minimum requirement. It reminds those who are usually unable to get to Sunday Mass, that they should make a special effort to do so at least once during the Easter Season.

 

[Nikhil]

Interesting to see the official interpretation of church. From a pure faith point of view, I would respond by asking one how many times they use an ATM. It’s a rough analogy just to prove a point of course.

In a spiritual sense the more times you receive communion the better.

 

[thistle]

Re my OP its still not clear to me how to define the Paschal time. Is it from Ash Wednesday to Low Sunday or to the end of Pentecost?
I take Communion each Sunday and week days when I can so the once a year has never really crossed my mind. However a Catholic friend of mine asked me.

 

[aetratus]

Re my OP its still not clear to me how to define the Paschal time. Is it from Ash Wednesday to Low Sunday or to the end of Pentecost?
I take Communion each Sunday and week days when I can so the once a year has never really crossed my mind. However a Catholic friend of mine asked me.

Quoting from my own quote above: "In the United States…Paschal Tide [is] the period from the first Sunday in Lent to Trinity Sunday (II Plen. Coun. Balt., n. 257).

So, this year: Sunday, February 25 (First Sunday of Lent), through Sunday, June 3 (The Holy Trinity - Solemnity; commonly referred to as Trinity Sunday). Source here.

 

[Pug]

Re my OP its still not clear to me how to define the Paschal time. Is it from Ash Wednesday to Low Sunday or to the end of Pentecost?

The first Sunday of Lent happens after Ash Wed. So it starts a few days after Ash Wed and goes until AFTER Pentecost. Trinity Sunday is after Pentecost. It is the Sunday right after it. (USA rules, unless they changed since last I looked). It is a long stretch of the year that one has.

 

[thistle]

The first Sunday of Lent happens after Ash Wed. So it starts a few days after Ash Wed and goes until AFTER Pentecost. Trinity Sunday is after Pentecost. It is the Sunday right after it. (USA rules, unless they changed since last I looked). It is a long stretch of the year that one has.

okay dokay. thanks.