Number of people receiving communion

[ProVobis]

What changed? Is this trend true throughout the Church or just in North America?

I had similar experience in my younger days, both in the U.K and U.S. Stats show fewer Catholics attend but, of those who attend, more receive. In the English Masses, virtually everyone receives. I don’t know about outside of North America.

 

[SecretaryMonday]

I have been reading some older Catholic fiction and nonfiction and most of these books imply that the faithful were not “regulars” at the communion rail before the Second Council. Was that true? Most people, or many, did not receive weekly communion?

At my parish, there are very very few people, mostly elderly people, who do not go up to receive, and this makes me think my perception is true.

What changed? Is this trend true throughout the Church or just in North America?

I am not qualified to answer but I thought of stuff so I’m posting anyway.

In chapter 5 of St. Therese of Lisieux’s “Story of a Soul,” she mentions that, at one point (before becoming a Carmelite), she requested and was given special permission by her Confessor to receive Communion several times a week (she attended daily Mass), which was oftener than she had hoped. She was not permitted to receive Communion at every Mass, even though she certainly wasn’t in mortal sin. That’s not referring to weekly Communion, so I’m not sure if that sheds any light on the question.

In St. Francis de Sales’ “Introduction to the Devout Life,” he mentions frequency of Communion, and it is not nearly as frequent as is currently allowed.

Currently Catholics who are not in mortal sin are allowed to receive Communion up to twice daily, although people argue about what qualifies as justification for receiving a second time (this is not a subject that I have any sources on hand to point you toward, but it should not be too difficult to track someone arguing about it online )

 

[GangGreen]

“Back in the day” Saturday afternoon/evening confession was common. You read about, and people talk about, people lining up to go to confession before going out on a Saturday night. And then going to Mass and receiving on Sunday morning.

It does make me laugh because so many people now complain about Saturday afternoons being the only scheduled confession times. They talk about how busy they are and how that time is inconvenient and how confession used to be more available “back in the day.” However, it appears that people just worked it into their schedule better.

Have a dinner date Saturday night? Just get ready a bit early and have him meet you at the church for confession!

It doesn’t always work out though. I am happy since a local parish actually does confession Monday through Friday after midday Mass (there are typically at least a few people on the line every time too). So I tend to try to go on Fridays if I have a chance during the work day and then spend some time in adoration. It’s nice.

 

[M-Dent]

I have found Pope Leo XIII and Pope St Pius X both spoke clearly of the desire of the Church of frequent reception of the Holy Eucharist by all of the faithful. Yet they also noted some of the problems and errors that made this quite difficult in practice.

Pope Leo XIII noted,

History bears witness that the virtues of the Christian life have flourished best wherever and whenever the frequent reception of the Eucharist has most prevailed. And on the other hand it is no less certain that in days when men have ceased to care for this heavenly bread, and have lost their appetite for it, the practice of Christian religion has gradually lost its force and vigour. And indeed it was a needful measure of precaution against a complete falling away that Innocent III., in the Council of the Lateran, most strictly enjoined that no Christian should abstain from receiving the communion of the Lord’s Body at least in the solemn paschal season. But it is clear that this precept was imposed with regret, and only as a last resource; for it has always been the desire of the Church that at every Mass some of the faithful should be present and should communicate. “The holy Synod would wish that in every celebration of the Mass some of the faithful should take part, not only by devoutly assisting thereat, but also by the sacramental reception of the Eucharist, in order that they might more abundantly partake of the fruits of this holy Sacrifice” (conc. Trid., Sess. XIII. de Euchar. c. viii).

MIRAE CARITATIS

Pope St Pius X also expanded on some of the grave errors ,

The Holy Council of Trent, having in view the ineffable riches of grace which are offered to the faithful who receive the Most Holy Eucharist, makes the following declaration: “The Holy Council wishes indeed that at each Mass the faithful who are present should communicate, not only in spiritual desire, but sacramentally, by the actual reception of the Eucharist.” These words declare plainly enough the wish of the Church that all Christians should be daily nourished by this heavenly banquet and should derive therefrom more abundant fruit for their sanctification​

Piety, however, grew cold, and especially afterward because of the widespread plague of Jansenism, disputes began to arise concerning the dispositions with which one ought to receive frequent and daily Communion; and writers vied with one another in demanding more and more stringent conditions as necessary to be fulfilled. The result of such disputes was that very few were considered worthy to receive the Holy Eucharist daily, and to derive from this most health-giving Sacrament its more abundant fruits; the others were content to partake of it once a year, or once a month, or at most once a week. To such a degree, indeed, was rigorism carried that whole classes of persons were excluded from a frequent approach to the Holy Table, for instance, merchants or those who were married.

ewtn.com/library/CURIA/CDWFREQ.HTM

 

[AndyP2010]

“Back in the day” Saturday afternoon/evening confession was common. You read about, and people talk about, people lining up to go to confession before going out on a Saturday night. And then going to Mass and receiving on Sunday morning.

It does make me laugh because so many people now complain about Saturday afternoons being the only scheduled confession times. They talk about how busy they are and how that time is inconvenient and how confession used to be more available “back in the day.” However, it appears that people just worked it into their schedule better.

Have a dinner date Saturday night? Just get ready a bit early and have him meet you at the church for confession!

At our parish we have a 5:30 pm Mass on Saturdays and the weekly confession time is at 4:00 pm. It is not uncommon for there to still be a line the when the last of the two priest stops hearing confessions at about 5:15 pm. The celebrant usually stops at 5:00 pm to get ready for Mass.

 

[Trick]

In churches I have attended for the past 30 years or so,people have usually in a very orderly manner gone row by row to receive communion(often prompted by an usher). It is though everyone is expected to receive so they do, if you don’t, you are certainly noticed.

I do remember before this happen, both before Vatican II and for a number of years after,that we used to just get up and go to communion, not waiting for the row in front of you(no usher prompting you ). It was a little bit unorganized compared today, but you certainly were not noticed if you didn’t receive.
So probably people did receive less frequency, I also agree there was a greater awareness and following of the fasting before reception.

 

[Elizium23]

Before I learned that voting for a pro abortion candidate was a mortal sin, I used to vote for the candidate I felt was best too.

But then I visited a number of confession websites and downloaded a confession app (Mea Culpa Pro) which lists voting for a pro abortion candidate as a mortal sin (assuming that they are running for an office where their vote could impact abortion laws or judge appointments). So if you vote for a pro choice city councilman, its not a mortal sin, but if you vote for a pro choice state legislator, governor, congressman, or President, then that’s a moral sin (assuming that there is a prolife candidate).

Now I’m not saying that any of the parties are great, but we need to vote prolife as Catholics.

God Bless

Yes, you have just listed a number of caveats and that is why voting that way is not 100% objectively always grave matter. And I would never call them “pro-choice” because that is a liberal rhetoric smokescreen from people who wish to take away choice, especially from the unborn.

 

[janeway529]

The above information is very interesting to me. I knew that people in the middle ages received the Eucharist much less frequently than today but I didn’t know about them not receiving until death was at their door. Can you share where you learned this. Is the information available on the internet?
Annie

I got the information from a book entitled, The Story of the Mass by Pierre Loret. Probably one of the more famous cases of this is of St. Augustine’s father who was baptized and received the Eucharist shortly before his death.

 

[felsguy]

My recollection of the decade before Vatican II is that by then frequent reception of Holy Communion was no longer a rarity. Based on the dozen or so midwest US parishes that I would have attended in those years I would estimate that 50-70% of those attending Sunday Mass would receive regularly and nearly everyone who attended daily Mass. Obviously the percentage at weekend Masses is much higher now.

I attribute this growth from when it was a rarity (pre-20th century) to what it is now to the increasing, consistent, and constant emphasis that the Church has placed on the role of the Eucharist in our lives, from the efforts of Pope Pius X mentioned previously, the modification of fasting requirements by Pope Pius XII, Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Eucharist: Heart of the Church, and Pope Benedict XVI’s Exhortation on the Eucharist as the Source and Summit of the Church’s Life and Mission, to the *Catechism of the Catholic Church’s *recommendation that we receive every time we attend Mass. Simultaneous with and supporting this catechesis were the changes occurring in the entire liturgy and the celebration of the Mass in particular.

In addition, and here I fully acknowledge that some will disagree, I believe that we now have a better, not a lessor, understanding of our sinfulness. Admitting that we are not worthy to receive Him, we approach Him as sinners striving to be saints, realizing that He offers Himself as spiritual nourishment to both. While most definitely there are times when individuals acting deliberately and with full knowledge deprive themselves of the privilege of receiving Him (mortal sin), I do not believe that this occurs as casually or as frequently as some would suggest.

 

[felsguy]

What changed?

My recollection of the decade before Vatican II is that by then frequent reception of Holy Communion was no longer a rarity. Based on the dozen or so midwest US parishes that I would have attended in those years I would estimate that 50-70% of those attending Sunday Mass would receive regularly and nearly everyone who attended daily Mass. Obviously the percentage at weekend Masses is much higher now.

I attribute this growth from when it was a rarity (pre-20th century) to what it is now to the increasing, consistent, and constant emphasis that the Church has placed on the role of the Eucharist in our lives, from the efforts of Pope Pius X mentioned previously, the modification of fasting requirements by Pope Pius XII, Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Eucharist: Heart of the Church, and Pope Benedict XVI’s Exhortation on the Eucharist as the Source and Summit of the Church’s Life and Mission, to the *Catechism of the Catholic Church’s *recommendation that we receive every time we attend Mass. Simultaneous with and supporting this catechesis were the changes occurring in the entire liturgy and the celebration of the Mass in particular.

In addition, and here I fully acknowledge that some will disagree, I believe that we now have a better, not a lessor, understanding of our sinfulness. Admitting that we are not worthy to receive Him, we approach Him as sinners striving to be saints, realizing that He offers Himself as spiritual nourishment to both. While most definitely there are times when individuals acting deliberately and with full knowledge deprive themselves of the privilege of receiving Him (mortal sin), I do not believe that this occurs as casually or as frequently as some would suggest.

 

[MorEphrem]

I think it is a North American phenomenon, for Latin Catholics, as I saw in Europe, in general, there is a greater propensity not to receive. I would see people come to mass devotedly every day yet not receive. Quite frankly, the way I was catechized was that the Body and Blood of Jesus are for the remission of sin and eternal life, so if you have no impediment I think it’s good people receive .

 

[ProVobis]

…I would estimate that 50-70% of those attending Sunday Mass would receive regularly and nearly everyone who attended daily Mass. Obviously the percentage at weekend Masses is much higher now.

Speaking as an observer, I would say the current rate is about 50% reception of those who attend Spanish and Polish Masses, if that much. The pressure to receive is certainly not as strong. Culture can’t be overlooked when looking at church attendance, confession, communion, sin, music, etc. I suspect things aren’t exactly homogeneous across borders either. I think the OP has already asked about the state of things outside North America; I too would like to hear about that.

 

[Annie39]

I got the information from a book entitled, The Story of the Mass by Pierre Loret. Probably one of the more famous cases of this is of St. Augustine’s father who was baptized and received the Eucharist shortly before his death.

Yes I know about some people maybe many people delaying baptism until they are in danger of death therefore they would be delaying receiving the Eucharist. In fact if memory serves, one of the things Augustine thought that his mother was wrong about was delaying his baptism. But I don’t know of an incident where only the Eucharist was delayed until danger of death after baptism. I found that book on Amazon for .01 cent but I would have to pay for shipping so if you would find the one or more incidents for me it would save me a little money.

Thanks in advance,
Annie

 

[Thomas_Casey]

MODERATOR NOTICE

Please answer the question in the original post, not more. This is not to become a running commentary on the moral state of others. Moral issues can be discussed in Moral Theology Forum.

Deviation from the original post only derails the subject.

 

[Annie39]

MODERATOR NOTICE

Please answer the question in the original post, not more. This is not to become a running commentary on the moral state of others. Moral issues can be discussed in Moral Theology Forum.

Deviation from the original post only derails the subject.

I don’t understand can you explain what the problem is here?

 

[Thomas_Casey]

The questions in the original post are:

**1. Was that true? Most people, or many, did not receive weekly communion?

1. What changed?
2. Is this trend true throughout the Church or just in North America?**

The question is a historical question.

Any discussion of the moral conscience of those who receive Holy Communion belongs in Moral Theology or in Liturgy and Sacraments.

Let’s just give the poster the historical answer and leave out our opinions. Our opinions only lead us down other paths that are not part of the original question.

 

[RC_David333]

**the Catholic monk, brother Dimond, totally destroys the heretical arguments of the calvinist in this debate. Here is the link to that debate…

youtube.com/watch?v=Qn1vC1Ez-OI

To learn more about brother Dimond, his Monastery and the true teachings of our Lord, Jesus Christ, then please visit VaticanCatholic.com or MostHolyFamilyMonastery.com **

 

[Perseverantia]

Frequent Communion for centuries was wrongly considered by people as the sin of greed, which is why you will see old writings against daily or even weekly Communion. For most people in the Middle Ages, it was basically once in their life, usually before death (vaticum) because it was thought you would go straight to heaven.

It’s true that people in the Middle Ages did not receive often, and looked with suspicion on those who did. However, they did receive more than once in their lives. I don’t know about the situation in other countries, but in the situation right before the Reformation in England is laid out in Eamon Duffy’s The Stripping of the Altars. In that book, Duffy recounts how most English Catholics of the Middle Ages received once a year, at Easter (just as it is still an obligation for a Catholic today to receive Communion during the Easter season). They referred to it as their yearly “right.”

 

[oneofmany]

Our priest said something about this the other weekend. He said so many receive Communion anymore there must not be any sins to confess since so few go to confession. He was trying to make a pitch for more to go to confession. Will they listen? I don’t know but it seems everyone goes up to Communion each week.

I think it’s from making sins not so serious over the years that people don’t think much about it anymore. Maybe if the church had more confession services during the year instead of just at Easter and Christmas more people would go.

 

[Sunbreak]

It depends on which era before Vatican 2. In the 1950s and early 60s most people did go to communion. There was always a priest or two doing confessions before Mass in my parish, so people would be able to receive.