How many Eucharist one may receive in a day?

[bjames]

As above. How many Eucharist one can receive?

E,g. during weekday, is it allowable (assuming time permit) for one to accept Eucharist in the morning mass, lunch-time mass, and evening mass on the same day?

During weekends, is it permissible to go for Saturday evening mass (which counted as Sunday mass), then go again on Sunday morning mass?

Some of my friends say can only accept once a day. Some says two. Personally I feel that we can receive as many as possible.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, please help to enlighten me,
James

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

bjames:

As above. How many Eucharist one can receive?

E,g. during weekday, is it allowable (assuming time permit) for one to accept Eucharist in the morning mass, lunch-time mass, and evening mass on the same day?

During weekends, is it permissible to go for Saturday evening mass (which counted as Sunday mass), then go again on Sunday morning mass?

Some of my friends say can only accept once a day. Some says two. Personally I feel that we can receive as many as possible.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, please help to enlighten me,
James

I believe that the offical ruling is 2 times a day. This is an issue I have with the 1 hour fast. I hold to a longer fast period. For Sunday Liturgy this is close to a 12 hour fast. For a Holy Day, with Liturgy starting at 7pm, I eat nothing after lunch so it is an 8 hour fast, or so.

I really do not see a need to recieve more than once a day. Then again, I do not really see a need for daily reception but then I think that is becuase I am Byzantine and daily liturgy outside of the monastery is foreign to us.

 

[Marauder]

You are allowed to receive the Eucharist at most twice a day as long as the 2nd time you recieve is at a Mass you attend. A day for this requirement is defined as calendar day.

So the specific answers to your questions, no you can not recieve three times on the same day. Yes you can receive at both the Vigil on Saturday and at the Sunday morning Mass since that is technically recieving once on each day.

You can also receive if you happen to be with a sick person when a Minister of the Sick comes to visit and then you can receive again at Mass later in the day. You just can’t do it in reverse.

 

[bjames]

Marauder, ByzCath,

Thanks for the information. Now I can confidently take the 2nd Communion when necessary.

One questions though. Isn’t it a good thing to be always in Communion with our Lord, then, why is the restriction? Is it to prevent abuse?

AMDG,
James

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

bjames:

Marauder, ByzCath,

Thanks for the information. Now I can confidently take the 2nd Communion when necessary.

One questions though. Isn’t it a good thing to be always in Communion with our Lord, then, why is the restriction? Is it to prevent abuse?

AMDG,
James

James,
No I do not think it is to prevent abuse. I was thinking about this very thing this morning.

I think it has to do with the Church wanting to have a proper focus. Why recieve multiple times a day?

In your original post you said;

bjames:

during weekday, is it allowable (assuming time permit) for one to accept Eucharist in the morning mass, lunch-time mass, and evening mass on the same day?

Can I ask why one would attend three Masses? The readings of each are exactly the same. Why not attend one weekday Mass and then pray the Liturgy of the Hours?

I think this is what the Church would like. There is more to our faith and liturgy than just Mass. In the Byzantine Church there is, traditionally, no daily Divine Liturgy outside of the monasteries and then during Great Lent there is no daily Divine Liturgy anywhere.

Sometimes I think that many Catholics do not think worship is worthwhile unless they are getting the Euchrist or Adoring it.

 

[Marauder]

bjames:

One questions though. Isn’t it a good thing to be always in Communion with our Lord, then, why is the restriction? Is it to prevent abuse?

Actually the restriction IS to prevent abuse. It is considered mysticism/heresy/etc. to believe that the more you receive the Eucharist in one day the more graces you will receive from receiving the Eucharist. The restriction is to prevent people from going to several Masses a day, receiving every time and thinking they are BETTER then those that only recieive once a day. If you receive once you receive the ENTIRE body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ. Receiving more then once on the same day doesn’t give you more because you have already recieved the entire. Christ said “give us this day our daily bread” not three times daily.

I can’t say exactly why receiving twice as opposed to just once is allowed, but I think it has to do with situations I mentioned in my first post. Say you are visiting a sick friend and a Minister of the Sick stops by. You are allowed to receive with your friend. If you later go to Mass you are again allowed to receive. Another situation I have heard of is say you pass a Catholic church having daily Mass, you go in and they are already lined up for communion, if you want you can get in line even without attending Mass, but if you later want to go to Mass and receive there, you still can.

Another situation may be for those that assist with Mass as say in the choir, ushering, etc. It is usually strongly suggested for those that are doing things that distract them during Mass to attend another Mass where they aren’t distracted. They can receive at both.

 

[bjames]

Thanks, now I understand.

ByzCath, as for why people go for 3 Masses, I don’t know, but I heard that some older folks (mainly retirees) do this. As for myself, I’d like to be in Communion with our Lord - as often as possible

Also, I can relate to Marauder’s answer. I’m in the choir and sometimes I do feel that I do not enjoy the same focus when I’m part of the congregation.

 

[anthony81OR]

BJames. As for Sat. evening into Sunday. You can find your answer on Ask an Apologist. I know that Fr. Vincent Serpa answered that question. As for Communion a day. You must receive once. You can receive twice but, one of those times you need to be a lector, Eucharistic Minister, or altar server. That’s what I was told. I don’t really know. I hope that helps everyone.
Anthony Nguyen

 

[Marauder]

anthony81OR:

As for Communion a day. You must receive once. You can receive twice but, one of those times you need to be a lector, Eucharistic Minister, or altar server. That’s what I was told. I don’t really know. I hope that helps everyone.

Don’t believe everything you have been told. Sometimes you need to do a little research on your own, especially when giving advice.

The following is from Canon Law:

“One who has received the blessed Eucharist may receive it again on the same day only within a eucharistic celebration in which that person participates, without prejudice to the provision of can. 921 §2” (canon 917).

“It is most strongly recommended that the faithful receive holy Communion in the course of a eucharistic celebration. If, however, for good reason they ask for it apart from the Mass, it is to be administered to them, observing the liturgical rites”
(canon 918).

"§1 Christ’s faithful who are in danger of death, from whatever cause, are to be strengthened by holy Communion as viaticum.

“§2 Even if they have already received holy Communion that same day, it is nevertheless strongly suggested that in danger of death they should communicate again” (canon 921).

Basically it says the same thing I have already said. There are no exceptions for “Eucharistic Ministers” as you call them or lectors. One doesn’t need to be a EMHC, lector, etc. to “participate” in Mass.

You can receive communion a second time in the same day IF you are attending Mass. You technically can receive a third time if in “danger of death”