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

[Brendan]

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.

Exactly.

To clarify for everyone, we can look at two cases.

Case 1.

I’m at a hospital visiting a sick Catholic friend. A Deacon comes by to bring Holy Communion. Assuming that I have met the requirements for the Eucharistic fast, and am in a State of Grace, I could receive Holy Communion from the Deacon

Later that day, I go to Mass. I could also receive at Mass (assuming fast, state of Grace etc…). The second reception of Holy Communion would be done in the context of a Mass in which I have participated in

Case 2

I go to morning Mass, and I receive Holy Communion. That afternoon I go to the hospital to visit my sick Catholic friend. The Deacon comes by to offer Holy Communion. I could not receive because the second reception would be done outside of a Mass.

 

[Phil_Marinus]

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

If its a sin then there are a lot of oldies in trouble.... Because they seem to go to a number of masses to get Communion, because they think it will make sure they get to Heaven .. A Priest told me that Decades ago. and he did not seem to concerned.

 

[Phemie]

If its a sin then there are a lot of oldies in trouble… Because they seem to go to a number of masses to get Communion, because they think it will make sure they get to Heaven … A Priest told me that Decades ago. and he did not seem to concerned.

Under the 1917 Code of Canon Law one could only receive once in a calendar day.

That was expanded in the late 50s, early 60s to allow reception at very specific Masses (Ordination, Wedding, Funeral, etc.) and later expanded again to include more occasions until we got the 1983 Code which allowed Communion a second time in a calendar day as long as one was attending Mass. So you could receive twice every day of the week if the occasions were present.

The entire reason to not allow more than two is exactly for the reason you give, a form of superstition and people running from one Mass to another, often just arriving at Communion time and receiving under the belief that more Jesus is a guarantee of something.

 

[Alma]

Phemie:

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. /quote]

My priest feels that the congregation would find strange that an Extraordinary Minister of the Holy Communion does not receive Communion before distributing it, like she of he was in mortal sin or something.
And he thinks that just as he is allowed to receive Communion in as many Masses as he celebrates, we EMHC are also allowed.
Is he wrong?

Alma

 

[Phemie]

Phemie:

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.

My priest feels that the congregation would find strange that an Extraordinary Minister of the Holy Communion does not receive Communion before distributing it, like she of he was in mortal sin or something.
And he thinks that just as he is allowed to receive Communion in as many Masses as he celebrates, we EMHC are also allowed.
Is he wrong?

Alma

He’s wrong since Canon Law doesn’t grant us that permission. The question of whether it’s “twice” or “as often as one attends Mass” was clarified a long time ago.

Here is the canon in question as well as the ‘dubium’ that was submitted to Rome so that bishops could be clear as to what the canon allowed

**c.917 A person who has received the Most Holy Eucharist may receive it again (iterum) on the same day only during the celebration of the Eucharist in which the person participates, with due regard for the prescription of can. 921, part 2. **

After numerous bishops asked this question of the Holy See, the Pontifical Commission for the Authentic Interpretation of Legislative texts gave the following authentic interpretation, approved by Pope John Paul II, Doubt: Whether, according to canon 917, one who has already received the Most Holy Eucharist may receive it again on the same day only a second time, or as often as one participates in the celebration of the Eucharist.
Response: Affirmative to the first; negative to the second. AAS 76, (1984) 746]

Besides, what if you have to fill in for someone at the last minute and aren’t fasting? Or aren’t in a state of grace?

 

[1ke]

And he thinks that just as he is allowed to receive Communion in as many Masses as he celebrates,

Even the priest is bound by canon law regarding how many times he may celebrate Mass, more than once a day requires permission of the Ordinary. And three times is the maximum and only in cases of necessity:

Can.* 905 §1. A priest is not permitted to celebrate the Eucharist more than once a day except in cases where the law permits him to celebrate or concelebrate more than once on the same day.

§2. If there is a shortage of priests, the local ordinary can allow priests to celebrate twice a day for a just cause, or if pastoral necessity requires it, even three times on Sundays and holy days of obligation.

we EMHC are also allowed.
Is he wrong?

Yes, he is wrong.

Canon law makes no allowances for the laity to receive the Eucharst beyond twice in one day other than that the third time is viaticum for the dying.

If you are not dying, there is no allowance for a third reception of communion no matter the circumstances. Your priest cannot except you.

 

[tafan]

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.

First of all, I am not commenting on if the OP’s concern is grave matter, or that your analysis is wrong even if it is. But I will say, people need to be careful about the interpretation of the full knowledge and consent with regards to grave matter. There is plenty in the OP first post to indicate that there was some level of knowledge about the restriction. And there is nothing in the OP post to indicate a lack of consent. On the contrary, she thought it out enough to have specific reasons to receive communion more than once.

My point ( I am not saying the OP sinned) I do not think it proper for us on the internet to tell posters they did not sin, so don’t feel bad. That is the type of advice confessors are for, not us.

In addition, even if it lacks (as it likely does) the requirements for being a mortal sin, that in no way implies that there is not some level of culpability involved to the extent of it being a venial sin. And we should “feel bad” about venial sins.

 

[hannajomar]

A related question: Is consuming Holy Communion the same as receiving Holy Communion?

Often, I attend 8a.m. Mass and receive Holy Communion. At the end of Mass the priest gives me a pyx with Hosts to distribute at a nursing home. Often, I consume a few remaining Hosts at the end of that visit. Then I attend the 12:45 Mass and help to distribute Holy Communion there. I once asked the priest if I should receive at this Mass, and he said something like, “Yes, you can receive. Don’t become a scrupe on me, now.” (meaning scrupulous.)

 

[Phemie]

A related question: Is consuming Holy Communion the same as receiving Holy Communion?

Often, I attend 8a.m. Mass and receive Holy Communion. At the end of Mass the priest gives me a pyx with Hosts to distribute at a nursing home. Often, I consume a few remaining Hosts at the end of that visit. Then I attend the 12:45 Mass and help to distribute Holy Communion there. I once asked the priest if I should receive at this Mass, and he said something like, “Yes, you can receive. Don’t become a scrupe on me, now.” (meaning scrupulous.)

I think your consumption of the Hosts at the end of your visit to the nursing home falls under the same Communion that you received at that Mass, in the same way as an EMHC consuming the Precious Blood that remains in his/her chalice is not considered to be receiving Communion for a second or third time.