Limit to number of Masses in a single day?

[tinalewis]

My husband plays in our choir in two Masses every Sunday morning at our parish.

I would like to bring him to another parish some Sunday to a Mass that one of my favorite priests celebrates on Sunday afternoons.

I can’t seem to find where I heard this, but I believe there is a restriction on receiving Holy Communion only twice in a single day. So in order for my husband to go to three Masses in a single day, he would need to refrain from receiving Holy Communion at one of the three. The look of horror on his face told me he doesn’t like that idea. And this is a guy only received his first Holy Communion at Easter Vigil this year!

If this is correct, does anyone know where I can find this restriction in writing? And does anyone know the purpose of this restriction? Are there any special circumstances where this wouldn’t apply?

Thanks much!

 

[Phemie]

He can go to any number of Masses he wants to in any given day but, Canon Law says he can only receive Communion twice.

Can. 917 A person who has already received the Most Holy Eucharist can receive it a second time on the same day only within the eucharistic celebration in which the person participates, without prejudice to the prescript of ⇒ can. 921, §2.

So he can certainly receive Communion at the Masses where he sings and still accompany you to Mass in that other parish and not receive. What he needs to understand is that just because we attend Mass doesn’t mean we have to receive Communion.

As for the reason for the limit on the number of times one can receive in one day: it’s to prevent people from going from Mass to Mass and receiving Communion multiple times out of superstition or excessive sense of devotion.

 

[tinalewis]

Thank you, Phemie! This is exactly what I needed to see to show my husband.

Sneaky thought of mine: I’ll have him eat a snack in the car on the way to the third Mass - oh no that’s really, really sneaky! (But it would work! )

 

[Joseph629]

He can go to any number of Masses he wants to in any given day but, Canon Law says he can only receive Communion twice.
So he can certainly receive Communion at the Masses where he sings and still accompany you to Mass in that other parish and not receive. What he needs to understand is that just because we attend Mass doesn’t mean we have to receive Communion.QUOTE]

I also heard from a priest friend just recently, that we can get special permission for a 3rd Communion, for a special reason. I don’t remember if he said permission from a Priest or from a Bishop. But where would that apply? I suppose that if I had received 2 communions in the morning and then was invited to attend a personsal Mass with the Pope later in the day, then I suppose the Pope might give me permission,

 

[Spirithound]

I don’t know about special permission for a third reception in one day, but you may receive the third and subsequent times as Viaticum, in danger of death. Please note that the fourth and each subsequent reception must be from a new peril, as the Last Rites are only bestowed when someone incurs a “new” phase of their illness.

The restriction on the number of receptions in one day was introduced to discourage people from going from church to church in the morning, and prevent people from boasting of how many times they have received Communion that day.

Also know that consecrated religious, the nuns and monks, only attend one Mass per day.

 

[bpbasilphx]

\I would like to bring him to another parish some Sunday to a Mass that one of my favorite priests celebrates on Sunday afternoons.\

Would it not be better just to go to Mass with your husband?

 

[EasterJoy]

\I would like to bring him to another parish some Sunday to a Mass that one of my favorite priests celebrates on Sunday afternoons.\

Would it not be better just to go to Mass with your husband?

Actually, I know musicians who like to go to a Mass where their singing is not as part of the choir and where they do not play an instrument, because being in the choir and having to pay attention to the music director can be very distracting. They try to be as prayerful as they can when they are in choir, but it is just harder, and very different, besides.

It is also nice to attend Mass just as a couple, sometimes.

Still, maybe it would work best to go to the other parish on a Sunday when the husband only does one Mass at their home parish. Surely he doesn’t have to be at both Masses every single weekend.

 

[agapewolf]

I play anywhere from 3-5 masses on a Sunday. I receive the Eucharist at the first mass. Then usually at the last evening mass.

There’s not much of a point in receiving at the 2nd and 3rd assembly line masses. I received infinite divine grace, and am still involved in masses for hours after. Not much opportunity to lose the grace. (Yes, I admit its possible).

 

[Chatter163]

The tradition was always to receive only once a day; the revised code of canon law allowed a second time as a concession. :tiphat:

 

[tinalewis]

Actually, I know musicians who like to go to a Mass where their singing is not as part of the choir and where they do not play an instrument, because being in the choir and having to pay attention to the music director can be very distracting. They try to be as prayerful as they can when they are in choir, but it is just harder, and very different, besides.

It is also nice to attend Mass just as a couple, sometimes.

Still, maybe it would work best to go to the other parish on a Sunday when the husband only does one Mass at their home parish. Surely he doesn’t have to be at both Masses every single weekend.

Hi again - yes, as a choir member, my husband goes to Saturday afternoon Mass, then to two morning Masses on Sunday every weekend. I go with him to the early morning Mass on Sundays because we sometimes have a chance to sit together as a family at that one.

I also go to weekday Masses at a different parish and have come to see them as an “extended parish” (as in “extended family”) and would like my husband to experience Mass there, too, and to meet some of the parishioners and to meet my favorite priest there. My husband’s work schedule doesn’t allow him to go with me to this second parish during the week, so that leaves the weekend.

 

[tinalewis]

\I would like to bring him to another parish some Sunday to a Mass that one of my favorite priests celebrates on Sunday afternoons.\

Would it not be better just to go to Mass with your husband?

My husband and I go to Mass every Sunday morning at our home parish.