Frequency of Receiving the Eucharist

[o_o_82]

Hi,

I am a moderately practicing Catholic i.e. just barely following all of the sacraments and not in touch with a lot of the Catholic Jargon that goes on in this forum. So please excuse me if I don’t use the proper terms/words.

My question is regarding the teaching of the Church regarding receiving the Eucharist. I know that the Church teaches that we have to receive the Eucharist at least once a year – at Easter. Also we should not receive the Eucharist when we are conscious of grave/mortal sin. However, what are the Church’s teaching about receiving the Eucharist frequently?

I lived for sometime in Germany – and ran into a lot of Polish folks. They would attend Mass every Sunday like me – but would never go up to receive Communion. This was a problem that was very pronounced only with the Polish. I also had Germans, Italians, and some South Americans – but the problem of consistently not receiving Communion even after coming to Mass every Sunday was solely with the Polish. My German was bad (i.e. I could not discuss theology in German), and they could not speak English – so I could never understand their reasons for this practice. I however did manage to convince a Polish girl to go to Confession which she was reluctant to do. (This reluctance was more of a language barrier. For those who have not been abroad – try confessing your sins in a language other than English) However after that she received communion only for the Sunday after that, and then stopped. 

I recently met some Polish students here in the US, and introduced them to the Newman Center. In the past 3 Sundays that I took them, they never received the Eucharist. So I brought up this subject (at least now the discussion is in English). They told me that they do not receive – because they have not been to confession since Christmas. I tried to ask them if they had any mortal sins – but I don’t think they understood what I was saying. They also told me that in Poland very few people go forward to receive communion, as against in the US where 80% of an average congregation receives communion.

So now my question:

What does the Catholic Church say about the balance between being worthy to receive the Eucharist and the frequency of receiving the Eucharist? Are we Americans wrong in receiving the Eucharist or are the Polish wrong in staying away. I don’t think that the Polish are committing more mortal sins than those of us in the US. 

I don’t know what this was called – but I remember that there was a belief sometime in the past that said that we should not receive the Eucharist unless we have never committed a sin or something like that (What was this called by the way?). And the Church condemned this practice. Can someone post some links on this Condemnation – or an encyclical that did this job. 

Also did John Paul weigh in on this issue in any of the letters or the encyclicals he wrote? They respect John Paul a lot – so that would work for me.

Thanks a lot to those who respond.
O.O.

 

[Phemie]

The practice you have encountered was no different in North America before Vatican II and even for some time afterwards.

Based on my experience with 2 young Polish priests who spent time in my parish in the last 3 years, Catholics in Poland hear regularly about the need to repent and confess, something I have not experienced in a heck of a long time in any Canadian parish. I’ve not heard a priest speak of ‘sin’ in years. Most of the time we hear that “we are sinners but God loves us no matter what” without the accompanying “but we need to repent and confess”. We’ve lost the sense of sin in our society.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

. . . I don’t know what this was called – but I remember that there was a belief sometime in the past that said that we should not receive the Eucharist unless we have never committed a sin or something like that (What was this called by the way?). And the Church condemned this practice. Can someone post some links on this Condemnation – or an encyclical that did this job. . . .O.O.

I think you are referring to Jansenism. It flourished in France for a while. At that time most of the Irish clergy were trained in France; so it infiltrated the Irish Church and came to the United States with the Irish.

I grew up at a time when few received. One had to be especially quick e at weddings and funerals because the priest did not expect anyone to recieve. It was the custom that one only received if one had been to Confession within 24 hours. While Mass is complete in and of itself, I always feel I have missed something on the rare occasion I cannot receive Communion for some reason.

 

[japhy]

Fasting from the Eucharist isn’t something we’re required to do, although Cardinal Ratzinger did write about the practice; here is an excerpt from someone else’s essay on the matter:

A problem that all of us are heir to is the possibility that we will allow the reception of Communion to become routine and, thus, fail to allow it to attain the transforming effect it is intended to bring about in our lives. Following up on what he had written about the plight of those deprived of Eucharist, Cardinal Ratzinger speaks, surprisingly but wisely, about fasting from the Eucharist. {cf. Pilgrimage Fellowship, pgs. 86-88} He makes important cautionary points: if done, it ought to be infrequent and for a limited time; it should not be chosen without the advice and direction of a wise spiritual director who will help the one fasting to discover the motivation and clarify the purpose for such an action; and the goal should be to deepen one’s appreciation for the Eucharist so that it is received in the future with greater concentration and deeper love. The Cardinal points out that as fasting from physical food breaks what is normal and necessary for the sake of some spiritual gain, so sacramental fasting is not normal and therefore only to be cautiously entered into.

Pope Leo XIII wrote about the practice in passing in his encyclical Mirae Caritatis (n. 19) of 1902:

But the chief aim of our efforts must be that the frequent reception of the Eucharist may be everywhere revived among Catholic peoples. For this is the lesson which is taught us by the example, already referred to, of the primitive Church, by the decrees of Councils, by the authority of the Fathers and of the holy men in all ages. For the soul, like the body, needs frequent nourishment; and the holy Eucharist provides that food which is best adapted to the support of its life. Accordingly all hostile prejudices, those vain fears to which so many yield, and their specious excuses from abstaining from the Eucharist, must be resolutely put aside; for there is question here of a gift than which none other can be more serviceable to the faithful people, either for the redeeming of time from the tyranny of anxious cares concerning perishable things, or for the renewal of the Christian spirit and perseverance therein. To this end the exhortations and example of all those who occupy a prominent position will powerfully contribute, but most especially the resourceful and diligent zeal of the clergy. For priests, to whom Christ our Redeemer entrusted the office of consecrating and dispensing the mystery of His Body and Blood, can assuredly make no better return for the honor which has been conferred upon them, than by promoting with all their might the glory of his Eucharist, and by inviting and drawing the hearts of men to the health-giving springs of this great Sacrament and Sacrifice, seconding hereby the longings of His most Sacred Heart.

This was followed by Sacra Tridentia of 1905, which explained some of the history of the practices of receiving Communion (ir)regularly, and promoted regular reception.

That’s all I’ve got.

 

[stayathomemommy]

You only have to abstain from recieving the eucharist if your soul has the stain of a mortal sin and to recieve would need to go to confession. But we all sin so even going to confession within 24 hours will not guarantee that we will be sinless. That is why before everyone at the beginning of mass we do an act of contrition. Veinal sins are forgiven and we are able and should recieve the Holy Eucharist. I was always under the impression we had to recieve the eucharist every sunday and i only abstain when i need confession first. It pains me to only recieve a blessing and not be able to recieve our Lord.

 

[o_o_82]

The practice you have encountered was no different in North America before Vatican II and even for some time afterwards.

Based on my experience with 2 young Polish priests who spent time in my parish in the last 3 years, Catholics in Poland hear regularly about the need to repent and confess, something I have not experienced in a heck of a long time in any Canadian parish. I’ve not heard a priest speak of ‘sin’ in years. Most of the time we hear that “we are sinners but God loves us no matter what” without the accompanying “but we need to repent and confess”. We’ve lost the sense of sin in our society.

Thanks Phemie for sharing. I too agree that we need to be more concerned about sin. However, is consistently fasting from the Eucharist correct? That was my question here. I think “japhy” has answered my question very well.

 

[o_o_82]

I think you are referring to Jansenism. It flourished in France for a while. At that time most of the Irish clergy were trained in France; so it infiltrated the Irish Church and came to the United States with the Irish.

Thanks Joe Kelley for reminding me about the term “Jansenism”. I knew about this – but I cannot manage to keep these terms in my mind. (Without the correct term Google is useless.)

 

[o_o_82]

Fasting from the Eucharist isn’t something we’re required to do, although Cardinal Ratzinger did write about the practice; here is an excerpt from someone else’s essay on the matter:

Pope Leo XIII wrote about the practice in passing in his encyclical Mirae Caritatis (n. 19) of 1902:

This was followed by Sacra Tridentia of 1905, which explained some of the history of the practices of receiving Communion (ir)regularly, and promoted regular reception.

That’s all I’ve got.

Yes, I knew I would get a Guru on this forum. Thanks japhy – this is exactly what I wanted. I really marvel at the way you keep track of all of this stuff.

 

[o_o_82]

You only have to abstain from recieving the eucharist if your soul has the stain of a mortal sin and to recieve would need to go to confession. But we all sin so even going to confession within 24 hours will not guarantee that we will be sinless. That is why before everyone at the beginning of mass we do an act of contrition. Veinal sins are forgiven and we are able and should recieve the Holy Eucharist. I was always under the impression we had to recieve the eucharist every sunday and i only abstain when i need confession first. It pains me to only recieve a blessing and not be able to recieve our Lord.

Thanks stayathomemommy for posting.

Does any one know if John Paul weighed in on this issue??

Thanks again to all.
O.O.

 

[japhy]

Does any one know if John Paul weighed in on this issue??

I have not found a clear reference in his writings to fasting (or abstaining) from the Eucharist (or Holy Communion) as a personal “devotion”, however, in his 1980 Letter Dominicae Cenae, n. 11, he writes this:
However, we also find in recent years another phenomenon. Sometimes, indeed quite frequently, everybody participating in the eucharistic assembly goes to Communion; and on some such occasions, as experienced pastors confirm, there has not been due care to approach the sacrament of Penance so as to purify one’s conscience. This can of course mean that those approaching the Lord’s table find nothing on their conscience, according to the objective law of God, to keep them from this sublime and joyful act of being sacramentally united with Christ. But there can also be, at least at times, another idea behind this: the life of our communities to lose the good quality of sensitiveness of Christian conscience, guided solely by respect for Christ, who, when He is received in the Eucharist, should find in the heart of each of us a worthy abode. This question is closely linked not only with the practice of the sacrament of Penance but also with a correct sense of responsibility for the whole deposit of moral teaching and for the precise distinction between good and evil, a distinction which then becomes for each person sharing in the Eucharist the basis for a correct judgment of self to be made in the depths of the personal conscience. St. Paul’s words, “Let a man examine himself,” {1 Cor 11:28} are well known; this judgment is an indispensable condition for a personal decision whether to approach Eucharistic Communion or to abstain.
So he wrote about the importance of abstaining from Holy Communion when your conscience is not clear, but that is to be expected. I do not think he wrote about making Eucharistic abstinence part of personal discipline, though.

 

[revelations]

Hi, our priest recently commented on this in our RCIA class.

No one is obligated to receive communion, except at easter as it it one of the precepts of the church (confession required!). If you don’t feel worthy or well prepared to receive Jesus, then you don’t have to. Not receiving does not mean that you are a horrible sinner (we all are anyways). He mentioned back in the old days confession lines were long and communion lines were short. Now it is the opposite, which I find to be a little odd.

I think it shows a reverence for the truth of the Eucharist, it is Jesus Christ. Recall your sins, confess and repent them, and you are ready to receive the Lord. Perhaps in Poland confession is not something people like to do. At least they abstain from the Eucharist when they cannot confess.

It is very dangerous to fall into the habit of receiving irreverently, which is why frequent confession is recommended. As Japhy said, it is something that is a personal choice, not a practice.

Hope that helps

 

[o_o_82]

I have not found a clear reference in his writings to fasting (or abstaining) from the Eucharist (or Holy Communion) as a personal “devotion”, however, in his 1980 Letter Dominicae Cenae, n. 11, he writes this:

Thanks japhy for your information and quote. I was thinking of talking to my Polish friends this weekend – but they are having a family fight this week and I am not sure if they would come to Mass together this weekend. I would have to wait till things cool down a bit.

O.O.

 

[MH84]

When in doubt, its better to refrain from receing Holy Communion. Maybe the Polish are more aware of the sacredness of the Sacrament.

 

[ProVobis]

I don’t think it’s either wrong or right receiving outside of the Easter duty window. Interesting, though, that the Poles have a much higher number of practicing Catholics than many other countries. I think it was around 90% at the time of JPII’s election.

 

[Brendan]

I think you are referring to Jansenism. It flourished in France for a while. At that time most of the Irish clergy were trained in France; so it infiltrated the Irish Church and came to the United States with the Irish. .

Are you sure that is true? The majority of Irish clerics at the time were Jesuits, who lead the ‘attack’ on Jansenism.

 

[WanderAimlessly]

Are you sure that is true? The majority of Irish clerics at the time were Jesuits, who lead the ‘attack’ on Jansenism.

Bendan:

It is true. It is also why Jansenism came to America. Many of the priests in the early US was from Ireland.

If I remember right, Jansenism was finally defeated in the US sometime in the last century (although it has made a small comeback in certain circles).