May I receive Communion now?

[Scotty_PGH]

Hello - I’m a baptized Catholic, currently enrolled in RCIA. I will be received into the Church and confirmed at the Easter Vigil. Today I received the sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. May I receive Communion now, or should I wait until the Vigil Mass?

 

[itsjustdave1988]

Yes, you may receive Holy Communion. You need not be confirmed first.

I don’t understand why you are going through RCIA. Is this how your parish prepares Catholics for confirmation?

 

[Fergal]

There is no reason why you cannot receive Holy Communion. I would, however, spend the next few days in deep prayer preparing for the great event.

Surely there are others in your class who are also waiting? The significance of the Easter Vigil is immense. I would wait personally.

Obviously waiting for the Easter Vigil has enormous significance and wouldn’t it be wonderful to remember that moment each and every year at the most solemn moment in the Church calendar?

There is significance in your waiting. there is huge significance in your preparing and enormous significance in your reception of Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil.

One thing I cannot figure out. If you are a baptised Catholic you have already been received into the Church.
Did you mean you are a baptised Christian from some other denomination??

 

[mommy]

I know we have 2 people in our RCIA who were baptised Catholic, but never raised Catholic beyond that. Never had first communion, confession, or confirmation, so they are going to be confirmed and received 1st communion at our Easter Vigil, perhaps this is the same circumstance?

 

[puzzleannie]

Scotty PGH:

Hello - I’m a baptized Catholic, currently enrolled in RCIA. I will be received into the Church and confirmed at the Easter Vigil. Today I received the sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. May I receive Communion now, or should I wait until the Vigil Mass?

If you are a baptized Catholic you were received into the church at your baptism, I am at a loss to understand why you are enrolled in RCIA? Perhaps your parish does what we do, instruct Catholic adults who were never catechised and never received first communion or confirmation in their youth, in the same class with those non-Catholics or non-Christians preparing to enter the Church. the requirements for first communion are that you be validly baptized, profess and hold the Catholic faith, be instructed in the faith to the extent that you understand and believe the sacramental presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, that He is fully present body, blood, soul and divinity, and that you desire to receive him and to be in communion with the his Church. You must be in a state of sanctifying grace, which means that you must confess your sins to a priest and be absolved, which you have done. You may receive communion now at the next Sunday Mass you attend. the significance of Easter is for the Rites of Christian Initiation for the unbaptized.

If there was some issue related to Church laws on marriage (previous marriage not annulled, current marriage requiring convalidation, etc.) this must be taken care of first, and you must have your pastor’s assurance that you can receive the sacraments. Since you have already confessed, we assume this is not an issue for you. But I still question why you would have to ask anyone on this forum, not the priest after you confessed, the pastoral person (priest or deacon) in charge of your program, or your catechist.

In our diocese, as my pastor explained to me, the bishop has granted the faculty to confirm adults to priests at the Easter Vigil, but it only applies to those who will be baptized at that time, or those baptized in non-Catholic denominations who are entering into full communion with the Catholic Church. That authority excludes Catholic youth and adults, who will be confirmed by the bishop (or priests he delegates at certain specific and limited times and places) in the parishes during the Easter season, or in a diocesan ceremony at the Cathedral on Pentecost Sunday. We have been instructed not to present Catholic adults for confirmation at the Easter vigil. this practice may be different in your diocese.

 

[Scotty_PGH]

mommy:

I know we have 2 people in our RCIA who were baptised Catholic, but never raised Catholic beyond that. Never had first communion, confession, or confirmation, so they are going to be confirmed and received 1st communion at our Easter Vigil, perhaps this is the same circumstance?

I was baptized Catholic but raised outside of the Church. Apparently the whole Pittsburgh Diocese (and others) operates this way. At the Rite of Election at the Cathedral, it was stated that Candidates include baptized Catholic adults who need Confirmation. This contradicts what you will find written on this website and others.

I went to my priest some months ago and explained that I understand and accept all the teachings of the Catholic Church. He even grilled me for a while to make sure I did. He then said he’d like me to continue in RCIA, but he agreed I was ready and would hear my Confession and allow me to receive Communion. Another parish priest stepped in though and when he assigned me penance as a condition for sanating my marriage (my wife and I were both baptized Catholic, though raised and wed outisde the Church), he gave me the penance of waiting for Communion until the rest of the RCIA class received it.

When I started this thread, I actually forgot about the penance. Now that I recall it, I think I’m going to wait until the Vigil.

I can’t describe the pain this causes me at every Mass, but at least I only have one week to go.

 

[Fergal]

Scotty PGH:

When I started this thread, I actually forgot about the penance. Now that I recall it, I think I’m going to wait until the Vigil.

My dear friend, if the priest imposed the penance of waiting until the Easter Vigil for reception of Holy Communion, then you have to wait!!

God Bless you and may your journey through Holy Week strenghten you and prepare you for the great privilege that lies ahead.

 

[puzzleannie]

Scotty PGH:

I
When I started this thread, I actually forgot about the penance. Now that I recall it, I think I’m going to wait until the Vigil.

I can’t describe the pain this causes me at every Mass, but at least I only have one week to go.

well that makes perfect sense, what a wise priest, thank you, thank you for communicating to us lifelong Catholics what the pain of being without the Eucharist really means, you are teaching us and evangelizing us.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Scotty PGH:

Hello - I’m a baptized Catholic, currently enrolled in RCIA. I will be received into the Church and confirmed at the Easter Vigil. Today I received the sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. May I receive Communion now, or should I wait until the Vigil Mass?

You should wait until the Easter Vigil. I assume that you are in RCIA because you were Baptized in a Catholic Church but never raised in the Faith and never made you First Holy Communion.

 

[RSiscoe]

Scotty PGH:

Hello - I’m a baptized Catholic, currently enrolled in RCIA. I will be received into the Church and confirmed at the Easter Vigil. Today I received the sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. May I receive Communion now, or should I wait until the Vigil Mass?

Scotty,

Congradulations on your return to the faith. Thank God for this great gift he has given you. I am also glad to see you are part of the Latin Mass Community. I attend the Latin Mass myself and have really grown to love it.

In response to your initial question: Even though you were baptized Catholic and have been to confession, I would ask your priest (or the person conducting your RCIA class) if you can go to go to communion now, or if you should wait intil Easter. He may want you to wait until Easter, when the others in your class attend their first communion.

Personally I think it would be best to wait until the “big day” of Easter and receice it with the rest of your RCIA class. But your priest is the one who can anser the question, not us.

Again, congradulations on your new conversion and I wish you the best.

God Bless,

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Scotty - The correct order for the sacraments is Baptism, followed by Confirmation, then Communion. Pope Saint Pius X made an exception for children who may receive Communion at about age seven and Confirmation later. However if they do not receive at that age they must be Confirmed before receiving.

You will note that at the vigil you will be Confirmed immediately after the renewal of the Baptismal Promises and receive Communion somewhat later in the mass.

Although I direct an RCIA program, I didn’t know this until I tried to arrange for a Candidate to receive at his wedding which occurred a couple of weeks before Easter. Now I know.

 

[Scott_Waddell]

Isn’t it normally (someone not baptized Catholic) the case that even though a candidate has had 1st Reconcilliation, that he must wait until confirmation because that is where he repudiates (in a manner of speaking) his former denomination and completely submits to the authority of the Church?

I realize the fact that he was baptized Catholic probably makes it different.

Scott