I can't have communion... it's ripping me up inside... what should I do?

[Zundrah]

I am astonished that more people have not emphasized spiritual communion. When I was for several years (it’s a long story) longing to become Catholic and receive the Eucharist, I had several good friends who told me that when I attended Mass I could, during the reception of Communion, pray that I might receive the grace of Jesus’ presence in my heart, while in obedience I did not receive physically. One friend, whenever I went to Mass with her, would pretend to take my thumb with her, so that some part of me could be closer to the physical Eucharist. Even after you are fully part of the church you will want to remember this, because there may be times when it is not right for you to receive actual communion (for instance, due to nausea from morning sickness, to take one of my own examples)

Remember that those who receive are not doing so because they are worthy, nor are you refraining because you are less worthy. It is really unhelpful to your spiritual growth to think that way. Concentrate on what you long for- ultimate union with Jesus. When you are fully part of the Church, receiving communion will be an important part of that growth in union. Right now, your prayerful, obedient frustration is part of that growth.

As to how you pray for souls in purgatory, just do it. God knows better what to do with the offering of your prayers than anything you could suggest. Also, there is a group on CAF that is devoted to praying for the souls in purgatory. Go there.

I can honestly say that this is indeed the most meaningful peice of dialog I have ever read in my life.

 

[truevaticanii]

I want to get formal and informal advice on this…

I unfortunately had to stop my RCIA classes because my evening college classes ran over its time slot. I can’t quit the college classes because it is only two days a week anyway, and if I skip it for RCIA I will be thrown out because it is exactly halve of the course… I have to wait until next time… over a year!

I want to take communion. I want to have the Eucharist. I want to be part of the Lords communion. I feel like if the angel of death came… or the Lords second coming, that I will be left to die - just like the Egyptian oppressors.

I am so upset about this that it makes me feel like a sinner when people of my parish are having their dip in the Lords cup and yet I am left at the pew like a stranger… as if I don’t know Christ. As if I am unworthy to recieve him.

They all had to eat the lamb, they had to consume it or else they died. So many friends try to console me about this but to no avail. I know that God himself is stopping me from recieving Christ redemptive death. He is holding me back, and I don’t like it.

I am an outcast, because even Judas had his share in Christ, but not me.

I saw a thread here yesterday, a woman was complaining that her protestant friends were coming to her parish and recieving communion even though they only saw it as symbolic…
I thought to myself, even they get it! I wish I was there at that Parish…

What should I do? I haven’t even been to confession yet, for the first time.

"My Jesus,
I believe that You
are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment
receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.

Amen."
An Act of Spiritual Communion:
-http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/blsac4.htm

 

[Zundrah]

"My Jesus,
I believe that You
are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment
receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.

Amen."
An Act of Spiritual Communion:
-http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/blsac4.htm

Oh thankyou, that was beautiful.

 

[FrRJBoyd]

I read and understood your post here CB, but maybe you could help me a little more? When I go to my pastor, what should I be requesting? Should I tell them that I am unhappy about waiting a year for this? Should I ask for some private teaching about the mass and its depth meaning?

CB is completely correct. If you are validly Baptized and seeking to enter the Catholic Church, you are not a catechumen and you do not have to go through RCIA. As The Roman Ritual states, “anything that would equate candidates with those who are catechumens is to be absolutely avoided” (“Christian Initiation of Adults”, #477), and Holy Mother Church desires “that no greater burden than necessary (see Acts 15:28) [be] required for the establishment of communion and unity” (ibid, #473). You should be prepared for the Sacraments of Penance, Confirmation and Holy Communion, and have enough knowledge of Catholic teaching so that you can make your Profession of Faith with a good conscience. The Catholic teachings on Mary and the Saints, the Pope, and Purgatory should be stressed, since these are the areas where Catholics and Protestants usually differ most. If your priest is adamant that you wait a year to participate in a program that Holy Mother Church says should be avoided, find another parish.

God bless,

Fr. Boyd

 

[Zundrah]

CB is completely correct. If you are validly Baptized and seeking to enter the Catholic Church, you are not a catechumen and you do not have to go through RCIA. As The Roman Ritual states, “anything that would equate candidates with those who are catechumens is to be absolutely avoided” (“Christian Initiation of Adults”, #477), and Holy Mother Church desires “that no greater burden than necessary (see Acts 15:28) [be] required for the establishment of communion and unity” (ibid, #473). You should be prepared for the Sacraments of Penance, Confirmation and Holy Communion, and have enough knowledge of Catholic teaching so that you can make your Profession of Faith with a good conscience. The Catholic teachings on Mary and the Saints, the Pope, and Purgatory should be stressed, since these are the areas where Catholics and Protestants usually differ most. If your priest is adamant that you wait a year to participate in a program that Holy Mother Church says should be avoided, find another parish.

God bless,

Fr. Boyd

I think I should find another parish then. It’s sad, I will miss my church, but if I can get back into RCIA anywhere else, then I will definately change parishes.

 

[Tracy24]

Zundrah,

I know we have disagreed in the past but in this circumstance I have to agree with the advice you’ve been given.

You are indeed a candidate not a catechumen and you are technically not required to participate in RCIA but instead can get some one on one instruction to prepare you to receive the remaining Sacraments of Initiation.
Please if you can’t get any satisfaction with your Priest at your parish, do not hesitate to contact the other parishes in your area until you find someone who is willing to work with you.

Many blessings to you and I hope you are able to receive the Blessed Sacrament sooner than later.

 

[Zundrah]

Zundrah,

I know we have disagreed in the past but in this circumstance I have to agree with the advice you’ve been given.

You are indeed a candidate not a catechumen and you are technically not required to participate in RCIA but instead can get some one on one instruction to prepare you to receive the remaining Sacraments of Initiation.
Please if you can’t get any satisfaction with your Priest at your parish, do not hesitate to contact the other parishes in your area until you find someone who is willing to work with you.

Many blessings to you and I hope you are able to receive the Blessed Sacrament sooner than later.

Tracy, don’t ever worry about what we had said in the past. I don’t remember people for the conflicts I’ve had with them. I prefer to act as if it never happened.

I too think that if my priest isn’t taking this further, then I do need to parish hop.

 

[Tracy24]

Tracy, don’t ever worry about what we had said in the past. I don’t remember people for the conflicts I’ve had with them. I prefer to act as if it never happened.

I too think that if my priest isn’t taking this further, then I do need to parish hop.

Awww thanks for being so sweet

FWIW I am in a small town of about 1800 people and my parish is about 98% cradle Catholics and so there is no formal RCIA program in place. When I approached the Priest about my desire to become Catholic he welcomed me and made time to give me one on one instruction to prepare me for the Sacraments. I started the path at age 14 and am almost 37 so I had done a lot of studying of the Faith over the years so my preparation time was pretty short.

Just goes to show that Parishes can definitely vary from place to place.

The thing that saddens me are the folks who come long enough to get their kids Baptized so they can attend the Catholic school and then you never see them again until it is time for them to receive first Communion…but that is a topic for another post sigh

 

[Zundrah]

Awww thanks for being so sweet

FWIW I am in a small town of about 1800 people and my parish is about 98% cradle Catholics and so there is no formal RCIA program in place. When I approached the Priest about my desire to become Catholic he welcomed me and made time to give me one on one instruction to prepare me for the Sacraments. I started the path at age 14 and am almost 37 so I had done a lot of studying of the Faith over the years so my preparation time was pretty short.

Just goes to show that Parishes can definitely vary from place to place.

The thing that saddens me are the folks who come long enough to get their kids Baptized so they can attend the Catholic school and then you never see them again until it is time for them to receive first Communion…but that is a topic for another post sigh

Hey, I have great news! My college has been held off for the next two weeks because of christmas! So now I can go to RCIA for the next two weeks and that way I will give my priest a serious talking to, regarding my first communion!

And about people not showing up at mass; at my church/ parish the kids have to get a paper stamped after mass to prove that they attended…

 

[ProVobis]

I think I should find another parish then. It’s sad, I will miss my church, but if I can get back into RCIA anywhere else, then I will definately change parishes.

As I read these posts, I can’t help but feel people who can’t or don’t receive communion get short-changed somehow. You should never feel short-changed for assisting at Mass. We obtain various graces there as well as reinforce our understanding of what Christ did for us. Communion is meaningless with the Mass, either the OF or EF. Even non-Catholics (witness the Agatha Christie Indult requesting the Pope to keep the Old Mass) know the meaning of Mass and we need to appreciate what we have. Seeing the number of priests dwindling, we must realize we may not have Mass as often.

 

[Zundrah]

As I read these posts, I can’t help but feel people who can’t or don’t receive communion get short-changed somehow. You should never feel short-changed for assisting at Mass. We obtain various graces there as well as reinforce our understanding of what Christ did for us. Communion is meaningless with the Mass, either the OF or EF. Even non-Catholics (witness the Agatha Christie Indult requesting the Pope to keep the Old Mass) know the meaning of Mass and we need to appreciate what we have. Seeing the number of priests dwindling, we must realize we may not have Mass as often.

Our Church was recently talking about the huge lack of priest. How no one is actually bothering to go through the training that is required. I often wonder why, because if I was a man, I wouldn’t think twice about throwing myself straight into the priesthood. I would love to, if only I could. At least then, I would feel closer to Christ too.

 

[MIKE46]

Our Church was recently talking about the huge lack of priest. How no one is actually bothering to go through the training that is required. I often wonder why, because if I was a man, I wouldn’t think twice about throwing myself straight into the priesthood. I would love to, if only I could. At least then, I would feel closer to Christ too.

Let see if I have this straight. You do not want to go through a course of instruction in the Faith, RCIA, but you would be willing, if you were a man, to go straight to the Priesthood and all that course entails.

Doesn’t that sound just a bit strange to you?

Also you said in a previous post that you were going to give your priest a good talking to about his requiring you to go through the full course of instruction, RCIA, when you as a Baptized Christian did not have to do so.

Again I find your logic quite strange.

On the one hand you appear to want to convert to the Faith very much. In fact it appears that you are almost desperate to do it and see the Priests requiring you to go through RCIA as being an obstacle in your journey. By what other method would you like to enter the Church?

I was involved in RCIA for many years. While primarily a training area for those desiring to enter, it is also a test of sorts to see if the Catholic Faith is what you really want. I know of no shortcuts to acheiving your goal. of becoming a Catholic. It is quite true that as a candidate you normally have a slightly different path than to catechumans. It is however very close in nature and many if not most parishes combine the two into one course. There are slightly differenr rites that the two groups go through. The big difference is that the candidates are not dismissed prior to the Consecration and can be allowed to remain in the congregation during the Mass itself. I always found that to be devisive though as we as team members always had discussions on the readings and homily and group prayers while the Mass was continuing. These were very beneficial to both candidates and catechumans alike., as well as to us…

Candidates cannot however receive Holy Communion until such time as approved by the Bishop. Remember, no matter how worthy we may think we are, we still have to comply with what the Church says. If the Bishop in your area requires combing the two courses into one there is nothing at all wrong with it.

I say, sit back and enjoy the journey that God has planned for you. Don’t look for shortcuts or think that the process is not beneficial for you. It most certainly will be.