Fasting before Holy Communion

[mayogirl25]

I grew up in the age where fasting was practiced from midnight Saturday prior to Sunday Mass. Now I am told it is customary to fast for only one hour prior to receiving Our Lord. When does the one hour start? Is it at 8:00 am for a 9:00 am Mass or at 8:30 since the actual receiving of Communion won’t be until 8:30 at a 9:00 am Mass?

 

[Big_Feet]

It is one hour prior to reception, but, personally my family practices 1 hour prior to the start of mass.

 

[otjm]

As noted, it is one hour before reception of Communion.

If your weekday Mass is about 1/2 hour long before Communion starts, and you are at the end of the group receiving, that’s about another 5 minutes; plus travel time from home, plus any time to get ready to leave home… so unless you live very close to the church, you may have 45 to 50 minutes from the time you leave the house to when you might receive.

 

[mayogirl25]

As noted, it is one hour before reception of Communion.

If your weekday Mass is about 1/2 hour long before Communion starts, and you are at the end of the group receiving, that’s about another 5 minutes; plus travel time from home, plus any time to get ready to leave home… so unless you live very close to the church, you may have 45 to 50 minutes from the time you leave the house to when you might receive.

You think like me. One prior to “reception” of Communion. I have it timed already.

 

[Memaw]

You think like me. One prior to “reception” of Communion. I have it timed already.

I agree, I fast from the time I start getting dressed. Why cut it sooooo close? And I try to think of WHO and why I am receiving. God Bless, Memaw

 

[Ad_Orientem]

One hour is the current canonical *minimum *(can. 919). The long-standing tradition to fast for longer (e.g. from the night before) as the individual is able and willing, is still recommended, provided there is no danger to one’s health, etc.

In other words, the change in canon law does *not *mean the Church generally *recommends *fasting only one hour before, only that the penalty applies under a narrower margin.

 

[Nils]

There are still quite many families who practice midnight fasting or at least the old three hour rule. If you want to try and keep the standards of your childhood, I think it should be encouraged.

I have an Orthodox friend who told me that he was instructed to eat only vegan food for a month before reception. That is too strict of course, but it made me think about the risk of making Communion too casual, of us eating hamburgers in the car on our way to Mass… Burrr!

 

[Joe_5859]

One hour is the current canonical minimum (can. 919). The long-standing tradition to fast for longer (e.g. from the night before) as the individual is able and willing, is still recommended**, provided there is no danger to one’s health, etc.

In other words, the change in canon law does *not *mean the Church generally *recommends *fasting only one hour before, only that the penalty applies under a narrower margin.

Recommended by whom?

Not that I’m discouraging people from fasting more if they desire. But if you have seen something written down the recommends fasting longer, I’d like to know for future reference.

 

[JM3]

Recommended by whom?

Not that I’m discouraging people from fasting more if they desire. But if you have seen something written down the recommends fasting longer, I’d like to know for future reference.

CCC1387 To prepare for worthy reception of this sacrament, the faithful should observe the fast required in their Church.218 Bodily demeanor (gestures, clothing) ought to convey the respect, solemnity, and joy of this moment when Christ becomes our guest.

CIC, can. 919 §1. A person who is to receive the Most Holy Eucharist is to abstain for at least one hour before holy communion from any food and drink, except for only water and medicine.

 

[otjm]

CCC1387 To prepare for worthy reception of this sacrament, the faithful should observe the fast required in their Church.218 Bodily demeanor (gestures, clothing) ought to convey the respect, solemnity, and joy of this moment when Christ becomes our guest.

CIC, can. 919 §1. A person who is to receive the Most Holy Eucharist is to abstain for at least one hour before holy communion from any food and drink, except for only water and medicine.

While your quote of the Canon does indicate a recommendation of a longer fast, it does not exactly answer the question asked;Ad Orientem said specifically that the fast from midnight is still recommended. The Canon only indicates something longer than a fast from one hour before reception.

 

[JM3]

While your quote of the Canon does indicate a recommendation of a longer fast, it does not exactly answer the question asked;Ad Orientem said specifically that the fast from midnight is still recommended. The Canon only indicates something longer than a fast from one hour before reception.

If you want to be picky, Ad Orientem’s post does not say “fast from midnight is still recommended”. At least I don’t see it there. Maybe you can correct me and show me where it is.

CCC1387 To prepare for worthy reception of this sacrament, the faithful should observe the fast required in their Church.218 Bodily demeanor (gestures, clothing) ought to convey the respect, solemnity, and joy of this moment when Christ becomes our guest. (218 references Canon 919)

CCC 1438 The seasons and days of penance in the course of the liturgical year (Lent, and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church’s penitential practice.36 These times are particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and fraternal sharing (charitable and missionary works).

 

[Ad_Orientem]

Recommended by whom?

I’m not aware of a particular, post-conciliar Church document explicitly stating something like, “We still recommend a longer fast,” but neither has the Church stated, “We no longer think the faithful should fast for so long.”

In other words, I’m going on the principle of the hermeneutic of continuity, that what our fathers held sacred, we hold sacred also. The Church’s mind on this matter has been expressed in documents like Christus Dominus (1953); and although the legal norms issued therein are superseded, I think the general principles and teaching still apply.

But I’m open to correction on this point.

 

[otjm]

If you want to be picky, Ad Orientem’s post does not say “fast from midnight is still recommended”. At least I don’t see it there. Maybe you can correct me and show me where it is.

It is the second sentence of his post.

Sorry, not trying to be picky; just that he posted that sentence, then someone else asked where it was recommended, and then you responded with the general recommendation.

 

[otjm]

I’m not aware of a particular, post-conciliar Church document explicitly stating something like, “We still recommend a longer fast,” but neither has the Church stated, “We no longer think the faithful should fast for so long.”

In other words, I’m going on the principle of the hermeneutic of continuity, that what our fathers held sacred, we hold sacred also. The Church’s mind on this matter has been expressed in documents like Christus Dominus (1953); and although the legal norms issued therein are superseded, I think the general principles and teaching still apply.

But I’m open to correction on this point.

Well, I would disagree that the Church has not made such a statement; it went from a rule of fating midnight forward, to a rule of fasting for three hours.

That change of the rule was pretty clear to all of us who had had to fast from midnight. They didn’t think we should have to fast from midnight, and they changed the rule so we did not have to. Maybe that was not clear to you; it was to us (and I was one of them as I received my First Communion while the midnight fast was in place).

 

[petronus]

I grew up in the age where fasting was practiced from midnight Saturday prior to Sunday Mass. Now I am told it is customary to fast for only one hour prior to receiving Our Lord.

I too grew up in the age when fasting was from midnight .

But , good heavens , where have you been all these years ? The fast of one hour prior to receiving the Eucharist was introduced way back in 1964 .On Nov 21st of that year to be precise .

 

[Memaw]

It is the second sentence of his post.

Sorry, not trying to be picky; just that he posted that sentence, then someone else asked where it was recommended, and then you responded with the general recommendation.

It does help to read all the posts to know what’s been written about the topic. God Bless, Memaw

 

[Phemie]

I’m not aware of a particular, post-conciliar Church document explicitly stating something like, “We still recommend a longer fast,” but neither has the Church stated, “We no longer think the faithful should fast for so long.”

In other words, I’m going on the principle of the hermeneutic of continuity, that what our fathers held sacred, we hold sacred also. The Church’s mind on this matter has been expressed in documents like Christus Dominus (1953); and although the legal norms issued therein are superseded, I think the general principles and teaching still apply.

But I’m open to correction on this point.

It’s interesting to read Christus Dominus and find that the abbreviated fast was not for everyone. Before the conditions were laid out in the document this paragraph appeared:

“It has pleased Us to recall these things so that all may understand that We, despite the fact that new conditions of the times and of affairs have moved Us to grant not a few faculties and favors on this subject, still wish through this Apostolic Letter to confirm the supreme force of the law and custom dealing with the Eucharistic fast; and that We wish also to admonish those who are able to observe that same law that they should continued diligently to observe it, so that only those who need these concessions can enjoy them according to the nature of their need.”

 

[Ad_Orientem]

They didn’t think we should have to fast from midnight, and they changed the rule so we did not have to.

“No longer have to” does not equal “ought not to anymore.” In one case an obligation under pain of mortal sin is removed; in the other (non-existent) case, the practice is discouraged.

Take Friday abstinence for example. The U.S. conference of bishops removed the legal obligation for U.S. Catholics to abstain from meat on Fridays throughout the year. Many people took this as “We shouldn’t abstain from meat anymore,” but they missed the point. The pastoral letter says:

(21) . . . the Catholic bishops of the United States, far from downgrading the traditional penitential observance . . . urge our Catholic people . . . (23) Friday should be in each week something of what Lent is in the entire year. . .(24) Among the works of voluntary self-denial and personal penance which we especially commend to our people for the future observance of Friday, even though we hereby terminate the traditional law of abstinence binding under pain of sin, as the sole prescribed means of observing Friday, we give first place to abstinence from flesh meat. We do so in the hope that the Catholic community will ordinarily continue to abstain from meat by free choice as formerly we did in obedience to Church law. . . . We shall thus freely and out of love for Christ Crucified show our solidarity with the generations of believers to whom this practice frequently became . . . evidence of fidelity to Christ and His Church.

 

[GangGreen]

I think the one hour before receiving thing is silly. Most Sunday Masses don’t distribute Communion until about 45 to 50 minutes into the Mass. That means as long as you don’t eat pretty much on the way to Mass or in the church you’re good to go. One hour prior to the beginning of Mass should be the minimum.

I can see where the midnight thing can be troublesome for people who go to evening Masses. However, I truly feel that three hours should be the standard unless the person is elderly or has health reasons why they cannot fast.

 

[AdDeum]

I can see where the midnight thing can be troublesome for people who go to evening Masses. However, I truly feel that three hours should be the standard unless the person is elderly or has health reasons why they cannot fast.

I usually try to follow the 3 hr rule… Mostly because the Mass I usually go to (EF) is at 4pm. If it were earlier, I’d go earlier… However, its at 4pm. That said, I follow the 3 hr rule. If I know I won’t be able to make it to the EF Mass, I go to an OF Mass in the AM (8 or 10)… I fast from Midnight then.