Is it Permissable to Pray Before and After Receiving Our Lord Jesus Christ in The Blessed Sacrament

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Angel7

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This may be part of my scrupulousity but is it permissable to pray before and after receiving Communion. It was this Sunday during Mass when I assumed that since i didn’t know I should ask someone (like a priest, or post on the forums) at the next oppurtunity.

This also brings up another question, should I have asked the Priest 1st? Since at the time I was also doubting whether answers from this forum may be correct, and I felt like I was putting off a moral obligation to ask the Priest.

Thank You!
 
Of course it is. Where on Earth would you get the idea that it isn’t???
 
Unless I’m misunderstanding the question, I can’t think of any time when it would not be permissible to raise our minds and hearts to God.
 
Not only is it acceptable, but you will find in many prayer books and perhaps even on the back of your missalette in church sample prayers for before and after Communion. Or simply google “Prayers before and after Communion” it will show you many links to Catholic prayers, such as the Acts of Faith, Hope, and Love, the Anima Christi and so on.
 
Absolutely!

Usually I sing the hymn until it’s my row’s turn to go receive our Lord. When I return to the pew I kneel in prayer and thanksgiving.
 
I’m sure Our Lord WANTS us to talk to Him. He’s always there for us to tell him what is going on in our lives.
 
Our Lord HIMSELF said “pray always”, no matter what we’re doing. I assume we’d follow this command while approaching and leaving His Throne. 😉 Really, now, did you think you were somehow ignoring the Mass because you prayed as it was going on? All the faithful pray in union with the priest no matter what they do during it. He’s there for you, not you for Him.
 
Of course it is!
You gain a partial indulgence by saying the Anima Christi after Communion
 
Because I don’t know the Anima Christi by heart, could I write it down and pray from the note during Mass?

I don’t really know why I thought it would be wrong or innapropriate.
I guess it popped up in my head as a possibility, and since I couldn’t find definite proof against, I didn’t know if it was okay or not.
 
Angel7 said:
Because I don’t know the Anima Christi by heart, could I write it down and pray from the note during Mass?

I don’t really know why I thought it would be wrong or innapropriate.
I guess it popped up in my head as a possibility, and since I couldn’t find definite proof against, I didn’t know if it was okay or not.
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Truly, scrupulosity is a terrible thing.
 
of course, it is not only permissible but expected. most missals have prayers before and after communion in the back some place, if you are lucky, those composed by Thomsas Aquinas, but of course you can simply use your own words.

Your question makes me wonder if you ever were properly prepared for first communion, or if sadly something was left out of your education. Why would you ever assume it could ever be wrong to pray on any topic at any time?
 
I usually read the pre-communion prayer in my missal then the post communion ones after I receive. No reason why you cannot do so as I am sure not all do so but it would be nice to notice more doing some quiet reflection before and/or after.
 
I am also struggling to understand the point of the question. Perhaps this is what is being asked:

Is it O.K. to say the Anima Christi on my own, rather than participate in the singing (if this is happening) before and after I receive Communion?

My answer would be “no”.

From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :

“The Importance of Singing
39. The Christian faithful who gather together as one to await the Lord’s coming are instructed by the Apostle Paul to sing together psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (cf. Col 3:16). Singing is the sign of the heart’s joy (cf. Acts 2:46). Thus Saint Augustine says rightly, “Singing is for one who loves.”48 There is also the ancient proverb: “One who sings well prays twice.””

“86. While the priest is receiving the Sacrament, the Communion chant is begun. Its purpose is to express the communicants’ union in spirit by means of the unity of their voices, to show joy of heart, and to highlight more clearly the “communitarian” nature of the procession to receive Communion. The singing is continued for as long as the Sacrament is being administered to the faithful.74 If, however, there is to be a hymn after Communion, the Communion chant should be ended in a timely manner.”

“88. When the distribution of Communion is finished, as circumstances suggest, the priest and faithful spend some time praying privately. If desired, a psalm or other canticle of praise or a hymn may also be sung by the entire congregation.”

So if, in the circumstances, the priest decides after Communion to have singing, rather than silence and private prayer, then this decision should be respected.
 
It is permissible, acceptable and highly advisable to pray before and after receiving the Eucharist. As well as every chance you get through out the day. You can never pray too much.

I would just make one suggestion. Do not do as I heard someone on a Catholic radio call-in show did. He said he closed his eyes while praying when he was driving, because he said God would take care of him because he was praying. 🤷 They strongly advised him NOT to close his eyes while driving.
 
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