How much Communion allowed daily?

[KC91]

Hello

The nun in my parish told me that the laity were not supposed to receive communion more than twice a day, is this true? Because on the other hand a Priest told me that on Sunday we are not supposed to receive communion more than once. Or does the system vary from diocese to diocese?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Spencerian]

Hello

The nun in my parish told me that the laity were not supposed to receive communion more than twice a day, is this true? Because on the other hand a Priest told me that on Sunday we are not supposed to receive communion more than once. Or does the system vary from diocese to diocese?

Thanks in advance.

Hi.

The nun is correct.

Canon law 921 dictates that the laity may only receive twice in one day. The ordained are also held to this standard except where these priests and bishops must officiate Mass several times a day, whereby the restriction does not obviously apply since they must receive as part of the Mass.

So, you might go to a morning nuptial Mass on Saturday and then return that evening for the vigil Mass, receiving both times. You could have also attended a morning daily Mass before these two, but you are discouraged from taking communion a third time.

There is nothing to be gained by the quantity of Body and Blood imbibed.

The laity have special exceptions to this, too. This web site appears to have the proper canonical citations and suitable examples.

 

[Phemie]

Hello

The nun in my parish told me that the laity were not supposed to receive communion more than twice a day, is this true? Because on the other hand a Priest told me that on Sunday we are not supposed to receive communion more than once. Or does the system vary from diocese to diocese?

Thanks in advance.

You can receive
once outside of Mass,
twice if the second time is at a Mass you’ve attended,
three times if, after you’ve already received twice, you are in danger of dying. Then you may receive for a third time as Viaticum.

 

[Bookcat]

Hello

The nun in my parish told me that the laity were not supposed to receive communion more than twice a day, is this true? Because on the other hand a Priest told me that on Sunday we are not supposed to receive communion more than once. Or does the system vary from diocese to diocese?

Thanks in advance.

One may receive a second time --if it the SECOND time is during a Mass one participates in ( one may for example not just be walking thru at communion time etc) …

a third time is not permitted…unless one is dying.

This is all according to Canon Law…

It does not vary from Diocese to Diocese this is Canon Law for the Latin Church (Rite) …so one may go…

Can. 917 A person who has already received the Most Holy Eucharist can receive it a second time on the same day only within the eucharistic celebration in which the person participates, without prejudice to the prescript of ⇒ can. 921, §2.

Can. 921 §1. The Christian faithful who are in danger of death from any cause are to be nourished by holy communion in the form of Viaticum.

 

[Spirithound]

You can receive
once outside of Mass,
twice if the second time is at a Mass you’ve attended,
three times if, after you’ve already received twice, you are in danger of dying. Then you may receive for a third time as Viaticum.

And drawing a parallel from the Sacrament of the Sick, which may be administered for a new injury, or level or injury (for example, Stage I cancer to Stage II cancer), I would think…

four times if you receive a new mortal injury that same day! (yes, slightly tongue-in-cheek, and almost never applicable)

I have been told that you need a good reason to receive Communion a second time, for example, with a different community like a marriage or funeral, and that you should not simply go from parish to parish in the morning to receive twice. Professed religious only receive once a day, and engage the rest of their day in other good activities.

 

[Phemie]

I have been told that you need a good reason to receive Communion a second time, for example, with a different community like a marriage or funeral, and that you should not simply go from parish to parish in the morning to receive twice. Professed religious only receive once a day, and engage the rest of their day in other good activities.

A good reason may simply be that you are at Mass and properly disposed to receive. The church doesn’t want one to run from church to church to receive and that’s why the law is written as it is. It’s to prevent superstition and lack of proper reverence.

 

[Bookcat]

I have been told that you need a good reason to receive Communion a second time, for example, with a different community like a marriage or funeral, and that you should not simply go from parish to parish in the morning to receive twice.

This is actually not the case. The Church does not require any other reason than the normal ones for receiving Holy Communion… One may receive twice --see above…the second must be at a Mass one participate) (what you describe is the an older approach).

But yes what you say though is true…it would not normally be a good idea to go twice in one morning… going from parish to parish…

 

[choy]

if you go to Saturday morning mass, then to Saturday anticipated mass, you are not considered to have received twice on the same day since the Liturgy for the anticipated mass is Sunday Liturgy, thus you received on a Sunday

by the way, if you received in both species, is this considered receiving twice, or once? like, i went to our Easter Vigil mass and both the Precious Body and Precious Blood of our Lord was offered. i went to mass again on Easter morning, can i receive then? (i didn’t though, but curious to know if i could have if i wanted to)

 

[Phemie]

by the way, if you received in both species, is this considered receiving twice, or once?

Once, of course. Receiving under both species is receiving once, you don’t get more Jesus by receiving under both species.

like, i went to our Easter Vigil mass and both the Precious Body and Precious Blood of our Lord was offered. i went to mass again on Easter morning, can i receive then? (i didn’t though, but curious to know if i could have if i wanted to)

Yes, of course you could receive again.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

. . .
I have been told that you need a good reason to receive Communion a second time, for example, with a different community like a marriage or funeral, and that you should not simply go from parish to parish in the morning to receive twice. Professed religious only receive once a day, and engage the rest of their day in other good activities.

That was the rule in former times. It has been superseded by the new Code of Canon Law.

Can. 917 A person who has already received the Most Holy Eucharist can receive it a second time on the same day only within the eucharistic celebration in which the person participates, without prejudice to the prescript of ⇒ can. 921, §2. . . .
(921.) §2. Even if they have been nourished by holy communion on the same day, however, those in danger of death are strongly urged to receive communion again.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

if you go to Saturday morning mass, then to Saturday anticipated mass, you are not considered to have received twice on the same day since the Liturgy for the anticipated mass is Sunday Liturgy, thus you received on a Sunday
. . .

I don’t have the citation at hand, but it is my understanding that a day is midnight to midnight in canon law unless stated otherwise.

 

[Bookcat]

if you go to Saturday morning mass, then to Saturday anticipated mass, you are not considered to have received twice on the same day since the Liturgy for the anticipated mass is Sunday Liturgy, thus you received on a Sunday

)

This is not the case. Canon Law understand this on a 24 day basis. It is still the same day so far as Holy Communion goes…

and thus one could actually go to Mass on the Vigil and then in the morning of Sunday and then in the Evening of Sunday and receive Holy Communion at each Mass. For Canon Law take the Vigil Communion as being on Saturday (though of course the Mass fulfills ones Sunday Obligation)

 

[choy]

what i took from an earlier discussion on the subject is that in the liturgy has changed, then the day has changed, that the day is based on the Liturgy

i will have to look for that and i know there were also citations on that thread

 

[Bookcat]

what i took from an earlier discussion on the subject is that in the liturgy has changed, then the day has changed, that the day is based on the Liturgy

i will have to look for that and i know there were also citations on that thread

Canon Law specifies that things in Canon Law…like that one can receive a second time in a day if second is at Mass one participates in…are to be understood on the normal midnight to midnight understanding unless a Particular Canon says otherwise…and this one does not specify anything special.

Code of Canon Law (Latin Code) States:

Can. 202 §1.** In law, a day is understood as a period consisting of 24 continuous hours and begins at midnight unless other provision is expressly made**; a week is a period of 7 days; a month is a period of 30 days, and a year is a period of 365 days unless a month and a year are said to be taken as they are in the calendar.

Can. 917 A person who has already received the Most Holy Eucharist can receive it a second time on the same day only within the eucharistic celebration in which the person participates, without prejudice to the prescript of ⇒ can. 921, §2.

If it meant to include the vigil in this…it would have to expressly state this…which it does not…so ergo it is to be understood as the normal 24 hour day. Midnight to Midnight.

and further note regarding fulfilling ones Sunday Obligation:

Can. 1248 §1. A person who assists at a Mass celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the feast day itself or in the evening of the preceding day satisfies the obligation of participating in the Mass.

it even expressly states that the vigil is the preceding day…not the same day as Sunday or the Holy day…(in regards to Communion for sure)…it is the vigil!

---

 

[Spirithound]

…and further note regarding fulfilling ones Sunday Obligation:

Can. 1248 §1. A person who assists at a Mass celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the feast day itself or in the evening of the preceding day satisfies the obligation of participating in the Mass.

it even expressly states that the vigil is the preceding day…not the same day as Sunday or the Holy day…

Avoids a 32-hour Sunday!