Is it a sin to receive Communion more than twice a day?

[Alma]

I know that according to the Cannon, one can receive Communion again in the same day only in a second Mass, for instance for a wedding or a funeral or for some other valid reason.

However, on this Palm Sunday I was a reader in several Masses:

On Saturday 7pm Mass I was the chronicler of the Gospel reading.

On Sunday 11.30am Mass, and again at 7pm Mass I was also the chronicler.

At 1pm Mass I helped distribute Communion (I am an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion).

Finnally, at 8.15pm Mass I stayed to help coordinate the readers of the Gospel.

In every one of this Masses, I received Communion.

I did it with great love and devotion, I did not intend to banalize this Holy Sacrament.

The first reason I did it is because I thought since I was performing a certain duty during Mass I was somehow allowed to receive Communion on each Mass.

And I was also concerned to think that people in each Mass did not know that I had attended other Masses before, and that it would not be a good testimony for them to see that I who was helping, did not receive Communion, like I did not care.

Now I realize I should not have worried about what others thought about me, many Catholics do not receive Communion at Mass and no one notices.

After the last Mass I talked to the the priest and he said this is a basic teaching of the Catechism and he reprimanded me strongly and said I should not have received Communion on every Mass.

I am truly sorry, embarrased and sad because It was not my intention to do something wrong on purpose.

Should I go to Confession?



Alma

 

[VeritasLuxMea]

It seems like something you could mention in confession if you so choose. However, you did not know it was wrong. So do not be too upset about it! Just don’t do it again. It’s OK!! God Bless you.

Edit: after researching this, I’m not so sure that your Priest was right. What you did may not have been wrong. Hopefully someone will come along and explain.

 

[quiet52]

You had no intention to disobey Church law.

You might want to write a note to your pastor, to thank him for telling you about the limitation on receiving holy Communion, and to mention how distressed you were that no one had informed you about this before. Ask him if this information can be given to all extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, lectors, sacristans and altar servers, as well as included in future training sessions for new people. This information should also be provided to volunteers who might occasionally attend multiple Masses for other reasons (to sell tickets for parish events after Mass, give special pulpit talks, etc.).

Thank you for your loving service to our Lord’s holy Church.

**catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0135.html

ewtn.com/expert/answers/communion_times.htm**

 

[mcrts]

For a mortal sin to be counted:

**1.Its subject must be a grave (or serious) matter.

2.It must be committed with full knowledge, both of the sin and of the gravity of the offense (no one is considered ignorant of the principles of the moral law, which are inborn as part of human knowledge, but these principles can be misunderstood in a particular context).

3.It must be committed with deliberate and complete consent, enough for it to have been a personal decision to commit the sin.**

You did not have the full knowledge of the sin and by extension it was not done with consent. Now you know, so you needn’t feel bad.

 

[ajecphotos]

So, how many times can one receive Holy Communion? I didn’t know it was a sin to have it more than once!

On saturday gone I received holy communion twice. Once at 12:30 mass and again at sat vigil mass at 5:30pm. Was that ok?

 

[Phemie]

So, how many times can one receive Holy Communion? I didn’t know it was a sin to have it more than once!

On saturday gone I received holy communion twice. Once at 12:30 mass and again at sat vigil mass at 5:30pm. Was that ok?

Yes, it was OK.

You may receive twice in one day as long as the second time is at a Mass which you’re attending.

As far as your situation it’s been OK for over 40 years to receive Communion at the Saturday morning Mass and then again at the so-called ‘Vigil Mass’ later in the day.

The term Vigil Mass really only applies to 7 celebrations during the year, those on the Eve of major feasts – Christmas, Epiphany (recently added) , Pentecost, Ascension, Nativity of St. John the Baptist, and the Feast of Ss. Peter & Paul. Those Masses are completely different from the Masses celebrated on the day itself.

 

[Steve_Jay]

A church law? That means the church can change it. A sin to receive the body of Christ because the earth hasn’t done a full turn? I believe the Pope should revoke that law. I make no apologies for saying so. As long as it is received with the right heart then I don’t see it is possible to be a sin. I really don’t.

 

[ajecphotos]

Many thanks

 

[Joan_M]

A church law? That means the church can change it. A sin to receive the body of Christ because the earth hasn’t done a full turn? I believe the Pope should revoke that law. I make no apologies for saying so. As long as it is received with the right heart then I don’t see it is possible to be a sin. I really don’t.

This is a law that will probably never be changed, for a very good reason. Unfortunately, there are quite a lot of people in the world who can become obsessed - in this case, obsessed with receiving Jesus as often as it is humanly possible, which can reduce receiving Communion to a superstition. It is not good for us. And, if you receive in such a superstitious manner, it would, indeed, be a sin.

We do not need to receive Jesus more than once a day. It’s fine to receive a second time, if we are at Mass that second time.

 

[Steve_Jay]

This is a law that will probably never be changed, for a very good reason. Unfortunately, there are quite a lot of people in the world who can become obsessed - in this case, obsessed with receiving Jesus as often as it is humanly possible, which can reduce receiving Communion to a superstition. It is not good for us. And, if you receive in such a superstitious manner, it would, indeed, be a sin.

We do not need to receive Jesus more than once a day. It’s fine to receive a second time, if we are at Mass that second time.

Hello Joan,
I did say in my post that as long as it is done with the right attitude of heart then I don’t see how it is possible to be a sin. The reasoning about it becoming a superstition falls down because that is said by many already. One goes to receive the body of Christ. That can’t be a superstition. The person needs to be mindful that it is the body of Christ.

 

[Corki]

A church law? That means the church can change it. A sin to receive the body of Christ because the earth hasn’t done a full turn? I believe the Pope should revoke that law. I make no apologies for saying so. **As long as it is received with the right heart **then I don’t see it is possible to be a sin. I really don’t.

See bolded. If you knew that the rule was a max of twice in one day and you decided to receive Communion anyway, you would not be receiving Communion with a right heart. You would be receiving Communion with a heart filled with pride and disobedience. And that would be a sin.

 

[Brendan]

Hello Joan,
I did say in my post that as long as it is done with the right attitude of heart then I don’t see how it is possible to be a sin. The reasoning about it becoming a superstition falls down because that is said by many already. One goes to receive the body of Christ. That can’t be a superstition. The person needs to be mindful that it is the body of Christ.

Here is what the Holy Spirit infallibly taught through Vatican I, Pastor Aeternus

Wherefore we teach and declare that, by divine ordinance, the Roman Church possesses a pre-eminence of ordinary power over every other Church, and that this jurisdictional power of the Roman Pontiff is both episcopal and immediate. Both clergy and faithful, of whatever rite and dignity, both singly and collectively, are bound to submit to this power by the duty of hierarchical subordination and true obedience, and this not only in matters concerning faith and morals, but also in those which regard the discipline and government of the Church throughout the world

The sin involved would be disobedience. Christ put shepherds in charge of us, shepherds that we have a moral duty to obey, as confirmed in Vatican I.

The Church has instituted this disciple ( which means that yes it can be changed, either to greater or lesser frequency), so that the reception of Holy Communion does not become a rote activity, but something special…

You don’t have to agree with it, but you do have to accept and obey. That is what having shepherds means, that occasionally, we have to be sheep and be led.

 

[Steve_Jay]

See bolded. If you knew that the rule was a max of twice in one day and you decided to receive Communion anyway, you would not be receiving Communion with a right heart. You would be receiving Communion with a heart filled with pride and disobedience. And that would be a sin.

hello Corgi
I am going to put it another way. Who can forbid God being received more than once or even twice a day? None! If a person’s heart is right with God then it is right. So where is the sin? How can God be ruled by times of day?

 

[1ke]

hello Corgi
I am going to put it another way. Who can forbid God being received more than once or even twice a day? None!

The Church, Christ’s lawful authority on Earth, who we are to obey.

If a person’s heart is right with God then it is right.

If one is being disobedient to the Church, on purpose, one’s heart is not right with God. “He who hears you, hears me. He who rejects you, rejects me.”

So where is the sin?

The sin is in disobeying the Church.

How can God be ruled by times of day?

Because He established the authority of the Bishops to bind and loose, and has told us he will be in accord with that-- “whatever you bind on Earth will be bound in Heaven.”

 

[Corki]

hello Corgi

Uh, why did you change my name when you quoted me? To a breed of dog? That’s seems quite rude.

I am going to put it another way. Who can forbid God being received more than once or even twice a day?

The Church can direct the faithful in all matters regarding the Liturgy and the Sacraments. If you are Catholic, you are subject to those directives and must give assent and obedience.

None! If a person’s heart is right with God then it is right.

As has been pointed out, if one’s heart is full of pride as in “I know better than the Church” and disobedience “I don’t need to obey the Church” then that person’s heart if **not **right with God.

So where is the sin? How can God be ruled by times of day?

The rule isn’t to rule God, it’s to “rule” man. And yes, man can be ruled by the Church. God says so. Binding and loosing, remember?

 

[Bookcat]

If your on your way out of this world (one is dying)-- then one may receive a third time as viaticum.

But otherwise one may not receive more than 2x (midnight to midnight). And the second one must be during a Mass you participate in (one can not say just walk through and receive) (and by participate in I do not mean one has to be in the choir or the like)

 

[Alma]

Thank you VeritasLuxMea for your kind reply!

Thank you Quiet52 for your good advice, I will certainly write that note to my priest. In that way others may learn from this experience and not commit a sin regarding the reception of Communion.

I examined the times I received Communion this weekend and realized I only commited an involuntary abuse once.
I received Communion on Saturday at 12pm, which was the Saturday Mass. OK
Then again on 7pm Mass, which was a Sunday Mass. OK
On 11.30 Mass, which was a Sunday morning Mass, nother day. OK
On 1pm Mass, where I distributed Communion. OK
On 7pm Mass, where I read and also distributed Communion. OK
On 8.15pm Mass, where I only helped readers. Not OK

I was thinking of refraining from Communion in today’s Mass, as a means to compensate for my involuntary abuse yesterday at 8pm, (kind of dieting after overeating…), but after reading your answers I think it would be a temptation from the devil in order to keep me from receiving the Lord, especially today when I have to give a talk in my parish.

So I am going to 12pm Mass and looking forward to receive our Lord with all the love of my heart.

Thank you all for taking precious time to answer me, you’ve been very helpful!!

God bless!!

Alma

 

[1ke]

I received Communion on Saturday at 12pm, which was the Saturday Mass. OK
Then again on 7pm Mass, which was a Sunday Mass. OK

Yes, this was fine. You received twice from midnight to midnight on Saturday.

On 11.30 Mass, which was a Sunday morning Mass, nother day. OK
On 1pm Mass, where I distributed Communion. OK
On 7pm Mass, where I read and also distributed Communion. OK
On 8.15pm Mass, where I only helped readers. Not OK

You received at the 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Masses. That was your limit for the period of midnight to midnight on Sunday.

That would mean you should not have received at the 7 p.m. **or **8:15 p.m. Masses. So, there were two times you received on Sunday that you should not have, not just one.

 

[Alma]

Yes, this was fine. You received twice from midnight to midnight on Saturday.

You received at the 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Masses. That was your limit for the period of midnight to midnight on Sunday.

That would mean you should not have received at the 7 p.m. **or **8:15 p.m. Masses. So, there were two times you received on Sunday that you should not have, not just one.

I forgot to say that on 7pm Mass I helped distribute Communion, and the Extraordinary Minister of the Holy Communion alway must receive Communion before distributing it. That is why I say I figured I only did wrong once. Also at 7pm Mass I was the chronicler of the reading of the Passion of our Lord.

I just talked to my priest again and he told me that since my intention was good, I am not to worry (about having commited a grave fault), but also to take notice and not repeat this same mistake again. Good advice I intend to follow

Alma

 

[Phemie]

I forgot to say that on 7pm Mass I helped distribute Communion, and the Extraordinary Minister of the Holy Communion alway must receive Communion before distributing it. That is why I say I figured I only did wrong once. Also at 7pm Mass I was the chronicler of the reading of the Passion of our Lord.

Is that a rule in your parish that you must receive before you distribute? Because I know of no such rule in the Church. Imposing such a rule causes exactly what happened to you: feeling that you had to receive when you shouldn’t be receiving.

When the rule says “a Mass in which you are participating” it means that you can’t receive a second time by just walking into church at the end of Mass and getting in the Communion line, you must have ‘attended’ that Mass. It doesn’t mean that you had to be reading or being an EMHC during that Mass.

You must not receive a third time between midnight and midnight unless you are dying (viaticum). It doesn’t matter if you are a reader, EMCH, choir member or altar server at Mass. But your priest has already said that you shouldn’t worry about this one time occurrence because you didn’t know and did it with the best of intentions. So now you know the rules he expects you won’t do it again.