Is Spiritual Communion good or bad?

[Vic_Taltrees_UK]

On those occasions when I tried it in recent years, I found making a Spiritual Communion very joyful. (I am a single man, had been infrequent at church and have been gradually increasing my attendance.)

While people go through their early weeks of Journey of Faith or await an annulment, should the Church have recommended to them making a Spiritual Communion or would this have been like offering them an inferior booby-prize?

 

[pianistclare]

On those occasions when I tried it in recent years, I found making a Spiritual Communion very joyful. (I am a single man, had been infrequent at church and have been gradually increasing my attendance.)

While people go through their early weeks of Journey of Faith or await an annulment, should the Church have recommended to them making a Spiritual Communion or would this have been like offering them an inferior booby-prize?

Anyone who cannot receive Eucharist for any reason should make a Spiritual communion. It is a laudable practice.
Of course, nothing can replace the real thing.
Don’t fret over it.

 

[Mary_Estelle]

Vic, spiritual and prayer are always good and keep you in “touch” with the Church through attendance while waiting for annulments or finding their path To
The Church. I have never heard otherwise with the exception of not receiving the Holy Communion-the bread and wine- while not baptized or in mortal sin.

 

[ProVobis]

I think there is a misconception of what spiritual communion is. From the Trent Catechism:

Threefold Manner Of Communicating

That the faithful may learn to be zealous for the better gifts, they must be shown who can obtain these abundant fruits from the Holy Eucharist, must be reminded that there is not only one way of communicating. Wisely and rightly, then, did our predecessors in the faith, as we read in the Council of Trent, distinguish three ways of receiving this Sacrament.

Some receive it sacramentally only. Such are those sinners who do not fear to approach the holy mysteries with polluted lips and heart, who, as the Apostle says, eat and drink the Lord’s body unworthily. Of this class of communicants St. Augustine says: He who dwells not in Christ, and in whom Christ dwells not, most certainly does not eat spiritually His flesh, although carnally and visibly he press with his teeth the Sacrament of His flesh and blood. Those, therefore, who receive the sacred mysteries with such a disposition, not only obtain no fruit therefrom, but, as the Apostle himself testifies, eat and drink judgment to themselves.

Others are said to receive the Eucharist in spirit only. They are those who, inflamed with a lively faith which worketh by charity,’ partake in wish and desire of that celestial bread offered to them, from which they receive, if not the entire, at least very great fruits.

Lastly, there are some who receive the Holy Eucharist both sacramentally and spiritually, those who, according to the teaching of the Apostle, having first proved themselves and having approached this divine banquet adorned with the nuptial garment, derive from the Eucharist those most abundant fruits which we have already described. Hence it is clear that those who, having it in their power to receive with fitting preparation the Sacrament of the body of the Lord, are yet satisfied with a spiritual Communion only, deprive themselves of the greatest and most heavenly advantages.

catholicapologetics.info/thechurch/catechism/Holy7Sacraments-Eucharist.shtml

There is also this from Akins, actually the Baltimore Catechism:

When we cannot go really to Communion we can merit God’s grace by making a spiritual Communion. What is a spiritual Communion? It is an earnest desire to receive Communion. You prepare yourself as if you were really going to Communion; you try to imagine yourself going up, receiving the Blessed Sacrament, and returning to your place. Then you thank God for all His blessings to you as you would have done had you received. This is an act of devotion, and one very pleasing to God, as many holy writers tell us.

jimmyakin.com/the-baltimore-catechism-11

 

[Mary_Estelle]

What about Communion of Desire? If not for Communion of Desire, I wonder how many converts would be drawn to the Church.

 

[TimothyH]

The Church has consistently taught that the grace of communion is available to those who make spiritual communion as long as you are in a state of grace.

-Tim-

 

[mlz]

A spiritual communion is very, very special to those who desire full communion and are doing what they can to be able to obtain it and must be patient waiting OR are unable to have communion daily or in need of His nearness and need of this Blessed presence of Himself to them in a spiritual communion. God is so very loving and good and willing to meet any heart directed to Him with repentance and love! I loved my spiritual communions prior to becoming Catholic…He was most present to me in such a loving heart of compassion.

Praise His Holy Name!
mlz

P.S. There are times when in our rural community daily communion isn’t available and therefore spiritual communion is so precious!

 

[ProVobis]

The Church has consistently taught that the grace of communion is available to those who make spiritual communion as long as you are in a state of grace.

-Tim-

I was told by a priest, who was regularly hearing confessions during Mass, that if he were unable to hear confessions at any time (as he was being transferred), one was to stay in their seats and say a spiritual communion. But then it makes sense because your sins are actually forgiven with a perfect act of contrition with intentions of going to confession. It is only after sacramental confession that one can receive sacramental communion. Also it’s ideal if you feel indisposed for reasons other than mortal sins, such as not fasting, traffic ticket on the way to church, fight with the spouse, etc.

 

[porthos11]

Fr. Groeschel, if I remember right stated that while sacramental Communion is gold, spiritual communion is silver, i.e. still very precious.

How one can even suspect that it’s a bad thing or “booby prize” is beyond me.

 

[Vic_Taltrees_UK]

ProVobis, thank you for the quotes!

I have been more frequent at receiving in kinds of late.

I wondered whether two separate things are happening: to begin with a few (hypothetical) cynical opinion-formers may act cheesed-off because they are not receiving in kinds in some circumstance, then others who simply don’t get to hear such a thing exists are sort-of tricked into believing they have got to clamour and complain, when not only they could have received the spiritual benefit all along but also they tried to have a well-disposed attitude all along. (Even the opinion-formers were probably in this place to start with.)

Hence the atmosphere around some marriage questions which would otherwise be far simpler to live with. The judgmentalism isn’t in the rules but in not dispelling the doghouse, “sin-bin” connotations.

The majority of these people I feel would do anything to explore the real teaching and the real living if they hadn’t been told [edited] that exploring religion is akin to inventing religion which let’s face it is a desire to respect religion in the first place.

 

[Mary_Estelle]

Vic, what is a “ratty nun?” That made me laugh!

 

[Vic_Taltrees_UK]

I’ve never been taught by one but sadly some people reportedly have.

(They in turn may have been victims of put-downs, themselves.)