Fasting Before Holy Communion

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We are meant to abstain from food for one hour before receiving Communion, except for water and medication.
What if you receive Communion after knowingly fasting for only, say, 30 minutes ?
 
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maloner:
We are meant to abstain from food for one hour before receiving Communion, except for water and medication.
What if you receive Communion after knowingly fasting for only, say, 30 minutes ?
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It would seem that it would be a mortal sin. If one knowingly disobeyed canon law and only fasted 30 minutes instead of the hour, I cannot see how it would not be a mortal sin.

Then one would probably be compounding their sin by receiving our Lord while not properly disposed.

I cannot see why anyone (unless they are ill) cannot wait the hour currently required by the Church. All you pretty much have to do is to not eat on the way to Church and most likely you would be okay.

I would like to see a return to the midnight Eucharistic fast. It seems much more fitting…
 
You don’t have to wait for the Church to make a law mandating the fast from midnight. You can do it now!

In the last four years or so, I have had Sunday breakfast probably less than ten times.

So it can be done!
 
Has to be one hour befor receiving the Eucharist. No exceptions. It takes some dicipline but it isnt hard to do.
 
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maloner:
What if you receive Communion after knowingly fasting for only, say, 30 minutes ?
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Do you mean saying to yourself, “Well, this Church law is dumb and I only wish to keep it for 30 minutes, so that’s what I’ll do.” If you mean this, I agree with another poster above, it is grave.

If, however, you mean that you were helping your child with a sippy cup of orange juice and for some reason you ended up thoughtlessly sipping some to encourage your child or some such thing, so that your fasting time is cut short or your fasting is imperfect, well, I don’t think this is of the same type. Is it still nonetheless grave (to receive after accidentally having an imperfect fast)?

I think it can well be grave, but if, say, you think it was an hour but cannot be positive when the sippy cup incident took place, then I think it might not be grave.

I worry that people may tie themselves up in knots and end up not receiving Jesus when really they ought receive. I think some people can get sort of scrupulous with regard to the Eucharistic fast.

Whatever else one does, be sure to prepare for communion each time, praying before hand, mentally doing an inventory, etc.
 
Here’s from the Code of Canon Law:
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.

§2. 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.

§3. The elderly, the infirm, and those who care for them can receive the Most Holy Eucharist even if they have eaten something within the preceding hour.
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vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P39.HTM

It doesn’t say about the gravity of the sin. Now, to knowingly defy Canon Law and omit the fast would possibly be a grave sin. I don’t think the grave sin wouldn’t be receiving the Eucharist without the hour fast but the attitude the person is displaying when he says to himself “I know I am about to receive the Body, Blood, Sould and Divnity of Jesus Christ but I’m not going to show any respect for Who I am about receive and do away with this hour fast”.

However, if someone absentmindedly eats something before Mass should they abstain from the Eucharist? They should probably consult with a Priest first and try to receive a dispensation from the hour fast (is it allowed for a Priest to dispense someone from the fast?).

For the scrupulous I recommend #4:
mission.liguori.org/newsletters/scrupulosity.htm

Here’s some posts from the EWTN message board:
ewtn.com/vexperts/showresult.asp?RecNum=440517&Forums=0&Experts=0&Days=2005&Author=&Keyword=hour+fast&pgnu=1&groupnum=0&record_bookmark=8&ORDER_BY_TXT=ORDER+BY+ReplyDate+DESC&start_at=
ewtn.com/vexperts/showresult.asp?RecNum=419872&Forums=0&Experts=0&Days=2004&Author=&Keyword=hour+fast&pgnu=1&groupnum=0&record_bookmark=5&ORDER_BY_TXT=ORDER+BY+ReplyDate+DESC&start_at=
ewtn.com/vexperts/showresult.asp?RecNum=288997&Forums=0&Experts=0&Days=2003&Author=&Keyword=hour+fast&pgnu=1&groupnum=0&record_bookmark=1&ORDER_BY_TXT=ORDER+BY+ReplyDate+DESC&start_at=
ewtn.com/vexperts/showresult.asp?RecNum=320628&Forums=0&Experts=0&Days=2002&Author=&Keyword=hour+fast&pgnu=1&groupnum=0&record_bookmark=2&ORDER_BY_TXT=ORDER+BY+ReplyDate+DESC&start_at=
ewtn.com/vexperts/showresult.asp?RecNum=320008&Forums=0&Experts=0&Days=2002&Author=&Keyword=hour+fast&pgnu=1&groupnum=0&record_bookmark=4&ORDER_BY_TXT=ORDER+BY+ReplyDate+DESC&start_at=
 
Thank you, Madia, for the interesting links, and a thank you to everyone else for your (name removed by moderator)ut. Your combined contribution has helped in providing an appropriate perspective for my resolution of the question.
 
Its been my understanding that intentional failure to fast or abstain on appointed days is a mortal sin (against the Third Commandment).
 
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maloner:
We are meant to abstain from food for one hour before receiving Communion, except for water and medication.
What if you receive Communion after knowingly fasting for only, say, 30 minutes ?
Click to expand...
This would be pretty difficult to accomplish since Communion is at least 45 minutes into the Mass. The Church has made it so easy to perform the 1 hour fast. You pretty much would have to be eating in the car on the way to Mass to not uphold the fasting requirements. Unless of course you are talking about daily Mass.
 
Its been my understanding that intentional failure to fast or abstain on appointed days is a mortal sin (against the Third Commandment).
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I don’t think it would be a sin against the Third Commandment since Ash Wednesday (as far as I know) and Good Friday are fast days but not Holy Days of Obligation. So it would seem that it would be a sin against the First Commandment (putting love of food above love of God).

Now, for something to be a mortal sin it has to meet three conditions. The first condition is grave matter. Is it grave matter to receive Communion without the hour fast? It seems that the sin would lie in the attidude of 1) Lack of respect for the Most Blessed Sacrament and 2) Unwillingness to fast.

The main question people might have is what if they’re put in a situation where they didn’t intend to break the fast but are in a situation where a full hour hasn’t gone by since they ate something.

For example, say a person’s schedule is screwed up because of daylight savings time. They sleep in an extra hour and are in a rush to Mass. They’re a bit out of it so they have a red bull to clear their mind for the drive to and back from Mass. It’s 20 of 9 and they figure Communion is around 10 of 10 so they’ll be fasting for the prescribed hour. However, when they get there the choir is absent. Because of this, the Mass goes a lot quicker. Now, come Communion time, it is around 9:30 rather than 9:50. Should the person receive Holy Communion or stay seated? Would it be sinful at all for that person to receive Communion?
 
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Madia:
Would it be sinful at all for that person to receive Communion?
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I don’t know about the sinful part of it, but they may not be **prepared **to receive communion with due care and reverence. In such a case it *might *be better to wait, make a spiritual act of communion, and resolve to be better prepared next time. I think it might depend on the entire case and details.

Receiving our lord is not like going through the toll plaza with the i-pass. Zip in, zip out. We ought to prepare, make sure we are not harboring grudges against our brother, anticipate receiving Jesus, etc. Zombies do not do this.

If for any reason this is a regular question for someone, they ought to ask their confessor, so as to do whatever he says in obedience, and not just decide how to handle it.
 
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Madia:
I don’t think it would be a sin against the Third Commandment since Ash Wednesday (as far as I know) and Good Friday are fast days but not Holy Days of Obligation. So it would seem that it would be a sin against the First Commandment (putting love of food above love of God).

Now, for something to be a mortal sin it has to meet three conditions. The first condition is grave matter. Is it grave matter to receive Communion without the hour fast? It seems that the sin would lie in the attidude of 1) Lack of respect for the Most Blessed Sacrament and 2) Unwillingness to fast.

The main question people might have is what if they’re put in a situation where they didn’t intend to break the fast but are in a situation where a full hour hasn’t gone by since they ate something.

For example, say a person’s schedule is screwed up because of daylight savings time. They sleep in an extra hour and are in a rush to Mass. They’re a bit out of it so they have a red bull to clear their mind for the drive to and back from Mass. It’s 20 of 9 and they figure Communion is around 10 of 10 so they’ll be fasting for the prescribed hour. However, when they get there the choir is absent. Because of this, the Mass goes a lot quicker. Now, come Communion time, it is around 9:30 rather than 9:50. Should the person receive Holy Communion or stay seated? Would it be sinful at all for that person to receive Communion?
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My understanding is that to receive Communion without fasting (unless you are exempt from the fast due to medical reasons) is that it would be a sin of sacrilege. Here is what the CCC says about sacrilege:

2120 Sacrilege consists in profaning or treating unworthily the sacraments and other liturgical actions, as well as persons, things, or places consecrated to God. Sacrilege is a grave sin especially when committed against the Eucharist, for in this sacrament the true Body of Christ is made substantially present for us.
 
What about gum or breath mints. I’ve heard that these too should be included in the fast since you can “derrive nutrition” from them. However, I’m embarrassed to say that I suffer from bad breath (I’ve even had the dentist check this out and my teeth and gums are fine).

I spit out my gum before going into Mass. So should I not chew gum or use mints and not open my mouth to say the prayers and sing or do chew it, and take a chance in breaking a fast but sparing the person next to me an hour of tourture?

Does this fall into any medical condition which might be an exception like drinking water to take medicine?
 
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AnnettefromTX:
What about gum or breath mints. I’ve heard that these too should be included in the fast since you can “derrive nutrition” from them. However, I’m embarrassed to say that I suffer from bad breath (I’ve even had the dentist check this out and my teeth and gums are fine).

I spit out my gum before going into Mass. So should I not chew gum or use mints and not open my mouth to say the prayers and sing or do chew it, and take a chance in breaking a fast but sparing the person next to me an hour of tourture?

Does this fall into any medical condition which might be an exception like drinking water to take medicine?
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You should not use gum or breath mints. They do, indeed, break the fast. The people near you should not care about your bad breath. There are probably people that come to Mass smelling far worse than you do.

If you have a medical condition that goes beyond bad breath, then of course you can take medicine, but if bad breath is all you have, then go without your mints and gum.

There were in the past, and maybe still are today, hermits and such who only bathed once a year, or at least infrequently!
 
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thistle:
Its been my understanding that intentional failure to fast or abstain on appointed days is a mortal sin (against the Third Commandment).
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It is not the third commandment that is being violated, but one of the six Precepts or commandments of the Church. See about 2043 in the CCC. They are listed there. We used to be bound under pain of grave sin to follow these precepts and I think we still are. Like any commandment there is more to it than the simple command. 🙂
 
One thing that strikes me about the 1 hour fast is the unintended consequences it has had. The fast was reduced to encourage more frequent communion. It has certainly done that! Whereas with the midnight or 3 hour requirement everyone had an out from receiving that carried no stigma. Now, the only reason not to receive is a mortal sin - or you’re not Catholic. HMMMM!! As a result (yes there are other factors, too) everyone receives communion - worthy or not as well as most non-Catholics. (I’ve actually heard someone ask a non-recipient if she had a mortal sin - and suggested confession!! Yes people are nosy and rude - even at Mass) The worthy aim of more frequent communion has greatly contributed to increased sacrilegious reception of the sacament. That, of course, also contributes to the diminshed belief in transubstantiation. OH, well.
 
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GoLatin:
You should not use gum or breath mints. They do, indeed, break the fast. The people near you should not care about your bad breath. There are probably people that come to Mass smelling far worse than you do.

If you have a medical condition that goes beyond bad breath, then of course you can take medicine, but if bad breath is all you have, then go without your mints and gum.

There were in the past, and maybe still are today, hermits and such who only bathed once a year, or at least infrequently!
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I don’t doubt you might be right regarding breath mints/gum. However, I was once advised by a Priest they weren’t in violation of the fast. If he was wrong, it wasn’t intentional or w/ malice.

Regarding the fast itself, I was always told (and maybe inaccurately) that the fast is a way in which we could prayerfully begin the process of turning our hearts, minds and bodies away from those things of this world and to the eternal. And to this end, the point of the instruction was not hard and fast to 60 minutes and not a second before as it is focusing on an external. For this reason, an inadvertent unconscious slip-up (ie eating a cheerio before going into the church that your child had dropped on himself while in the car seat as this is your habit rather than always throwing on the ground) is not grave while a conscious disregard for the instruction (whether it be 45 minutes prior or even 75 minutes prior) is grave. This applies to “I can have this doughnut because I usually get to the altar for Communion at 9:48 minutes after the hour and it is 8:45 now.”

W/ this all said, I’d love to hear from someone w/ knowledge (not guess) about the following:
  1. Are gum and mints a violation of the fast? I have often taken a altoid on the way to Mass to get rid of my Sunday a.m. coffee breath.
  2. Is the fast a matter of disposition (conscious desire to remove ones mind from the temporal to eternal) or a hard measure to be scrupulously observed (60 minutes or less, no Eucharist)? I’m reminded of the rule that you can’t recieve the Eucharist if you get to Mass so late as to miss the beginning of the Gospel. This happened to my family as we were attending a parish where the Pastor is a former Associate at my parish. We looked up the Mass time on Masstimes.org and it said Mass started at 11 a.m. but actually started at 10:30. As we arrived at the end of the homily about 10:45, we went to the altar for the blessing only as this was our understanding of the rule. Father asked us why we all didn’t take Eucharist as he thought we must have gone somewhere else for Mass (He accused us of thinking that his Mass didn’t count. 😃 ) When we told him the situation, he said our being late wasn’t malicious and was totally inadvertent and said that in this situation we could have rec’d and we needed the graces from the Eucharist, esp. since we missed the Graces from the Gospel.
 
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johnnykins:
One thing that strikes me about the 1 hour fast is the unintended consequences it has had. The fast was reduced to encourage more frequent communion. It has certainly done that! Whereas with the midnight or 3 hour requirement everyone had an out from receiving that carried no stigma. Now, the only reason not to receive is a mortal sin - or you’re not Catholic. HMMMM!! As a result (yes there are other factors, too) everyone receives communion - worthy or not as well as most non-Catholics. (I’ve actually heard someone ask a non-recipient if she had a mortal sin - and suggested confession!! Yes people are nosy and rude - even at Mass) The worthy aim of more frequent communion has greatly contributed to increased sacrilegious reception of the sacament. That, of course, also contributes to the diminshed belief in transubstantiation. OH, well.
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I often sit out Communion if I feel I need to go to Confession. I have had people ask me why I didn’t receive. I just tell them that I want to go to Confession first, as it is not a good habit to automatically receive Communion without frequent Confession. I don’t think I made an impression on them though, about the need for frequent Confession. Oh, well. I tried.
 
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