The Church only requires that the faithful receive communion once per year during Easter season. However, the Eucharist being the center of worship and being offered during every mass/divine liturgy is apostolic in origin.
The Israelites were given enough manna to eat daily:
*Exodus 16: 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law or not. *
Malachi states:
1:11
For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering;
From Acts 2 we have:
*42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers . . .
46 **And day by day, *
attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people.
Not to quote all of 1 Corinthians 11, but Saint Paul’s writings implies that they are meeting to “break bread” whenever disciples meet as Christians:
20 When you meet together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat.* 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal, and one is hungry and another is drunk. **
The Didache was written in apostolic times and states:
Chapter 14.
But every Lord’s day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord: In every place and time offer to me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great King, says the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the nations.
And this breaking of bread was detailed earlier:
Chapter 9.
Now concerning the Thanksgiving (Eucharist), thus give thanks. First, concerning the cup: We thank you, our Father, for the holy vine of David Your servant, which You made known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the glory for ever. And concerning the broken bread: We thank You, our Father, for the life and knowledge which You made known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the glory for ever. Even as this broken bread was scattered over the hills, and was gathered together and became one, so let Your Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into Your kingdom; for Yours is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ for ever. But let no one eat or drink of your Thanksgiving (Eucharist), but they who have been baptized into the name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord has said, Give not that which is holy to the dogs.
Justin Martyr is crystal clear in his first apology from the mid-second century that the Eucharist was offered each Sunday:
And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things.
Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons.
Anyway, Catholics can’t be accused of being unbiblical or unapostolic in how frequently we “break bread” during worship, and it certainly seems the case that the “primitive church” broke bread at the very least each Sunday, at least, insofar as they were able. The frequent breaking of bread is better supported than monthly or quarterly or yearly communion. There’s nothing a Catholic needs to defend about the Eucharist being part of every mass.
Sorry this is so hastily slapped together.
This article provides a better history than I’ve put together:
newadvent.org/cathen/06278a.htm*
