How many times a day can we take communion?

[Zoocat]

I have recently joined my church choir. Most of us sing at 2-3 Masses, usually the Saturday vigil and two Sunday morning Masses. There is disagreement over whether or not we can take communion at each Mass. Some say only on Christmas and Easter, others say that because musicians are part of the liturgy, we can take communion at as many Masses as we sing. Our choir director and organist take communion at each Mass. Which is it?

 

[Seatuck]

I have recently joined my church choir. Most of us sing at 2-3 Masses, usually the Saturday vigil and two Sunday morning Masses. There is disagreement over whether or not we can take communion at each Mass. Some say only on Christmas and Easter, others say that because musicians are part of the liturgy, we can take communion at as many Masses as we sing. Our choir director and organist take communion at each Mass. Which is it?

First of all as Catholics we do not take communion we receive it.

We may receive communion twice in one day with the second time being at a Mass that we have participated in ( been present for -we don’t have to do a job ). So , 2 is your limit/ day. Saturday is a different day than Sunday. So , yes you may receive at all three Masses in a weekend but it is not necessary to do so.

Can. 917 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.

921 says that if you are in danger of death you may receive viaticum .

 

[uxordepp]

I concur.

I would like to add a nit-picky point.

Saturday evening Masses, if the same readings are used as for the following Sunday, is called an anticipated Mass, not a vigil.

A Vigil is a Mass that happens before another Mass, but has an entirely different set of readings. An example is the Easter Vigil Mass as opposed to an Easter Sunday Mass.

 

[DSJJ]

because musicians are part of the liturgy, we can take communion at as many Masses as we sing. Our choir director and organist take communion at each Mass. Which is it?
…If this were so then it would state it in the rules of receiving.

 

[JerrySeibert]

Seatuck is correct. Once as an observer second as someone who is participating in the Mass. Usher, Greeter, Choir etc.

 

[tee_eff_em]

We may receive communion twice in one day with the second time being at a Mass that we have

participated in ( been present for -we don't have to do a job )

. So , 2 is your limit/ day. Saturday is a different day than Sunday. So , yes you may receive at all three Masses in a weekend but it is not necessary to do so.

Seatuck is correct. Once as an observer second as someone who is participating in the Mass. Usher, Greeter, Choir etc.

[user]Seatuck[/user] is correct, and your implication is misleading. The laity in the pews participate in the Mass as much as any Usher, Greeter, Choir etc.

tee

 

[LilyM]

because musicians are part of the liturgy, we can take communion at as many Masses as we sing. Our choir director and organist take communion at each Mass. Which is it?
…If this were so then it would state it in the rules of receiving.

Did someone tell you that musicians can receive oftener? Or did you see it written somewhere? If so, where is it written?

Canon Law mentions only two exceptions from the twice-a-day rule. One is if someone is in danger of death. The second is where a priest celebrates more than two Masses in a day (as some have to). It states no other exceptions, neither does any other official document or statement that I am aware of. Therefore you cannot presume that there are any others.

For that matter, the only reason for the priest’s exception is that a celebrant priest is ALSO required by Canon Law to receive at each and every Mass he celebrates, and the Mass is invalid and not a true sacrament if he does not.

There is no exception that I am aware of for musicians or anyone else, since their reception or non-reception doesn’t affect the validity of the Mass either way.