One Hour Fast

[Tamsulosin]

I agree with you, it is bad manners.Sometimes people that are trying to quit smoking,chew gum, the nervous type, or people in food diets.There is a tv ad to that effect.
But they shoud dispose of it before entering Chuch.
I tend to think that they are breaking the fast since gum has flavor, sugar, etc.It’s my opinion.
If one sees someone chewing and then going to communion, should one say anything?

 

[japhy]

If one sees someone chewing and then going to communion, should one say anything?

Unless you can approach them in a charitable manner, simply refer the matter to your pastor and ask him to make a statement either in a homily or an announcement, or put something in the bulletin.

If you can speak to the person in a charitable manner, I would suggest you ask them to try refraining from chewing gum during Mass because of the solemnity of the event.

 

[jmcrae]

Although one hour is specified, some get their dander up if one “fasts” for, say, 57 minutes instead of 60. Overly legalistic, methinks.

I’d like to point out at this juncture that Jesus’ cure for legalism was to double the requirement - not to ignore it, or to skate so close to the edge that He didn’t know if He was falling off, or not.

Jesus said, If they ask you for your coat, give them also your cloak. If they force you to march one mile, march with them for two miles. If they slap you on one cheek, offer them also the other cheek.

What would Jesus do? Jesus would fast for an extra hour.

 

[jmcrae]

I have seen people chewing gum,before communion.Isn’t this practice a break from fast?

I have seen people say no, because gum isn’t really food; it’s just flavoured rubber. However, we find it on the food shelves at grocery stores along with candy and other snack foods.

When we were children we were always asked to remove our gum before going to class, in order not to offend the teacher - if we can avoid offending our teacher at school by taking out our gum before class, then why not avoid offending Jesus our Teacher, by removing our gum before we come to Mass?

 

[Aramis]

Technically, only if they swallow it. But honestly, unless you have a medical condition that requires constant stimulation of the salivary glands (i.e. chewing something!), why would you chew gum at Mass? It’s not a question of fasting so much as it is a matter of decent manners!

Two words: Nicotine Fits.

 

[katiebelle08]

Since Vactican II, Rome has put a rule in order that we fast for one hour before Mass begins. It is not up to us to time the Mass and eat even though we do not receive communion sometime there after!!!

 

[LilyM]

Since Vactican II, Rome has put a rule in order that we fast for one hour before Mass begins. It is not up to us to time the Mass and eat even though we do not receive communion sometime there after!!!

No, Canon Law explicitly states an hour before communion, not an hour before Mass.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

No, Canon Law explicitly states an hour before communion, not an hour before Mass.

Right

Can. 919 §1. A person who is to receive the Most Holy Eucharist is to abstain for at least one hour before holy communion from any food and drink, except for only water and medicine.
§2. A priest who celebrates the Most Holy Eucharist two or three times on the same day can take something before the second or third celebration even if there is less than one hour between them.
§3. The elderly, the infirm, and those who care for them can receive the Most Holy Eucharist even if they have eaten something within the preceding hour.

 

[mystified]

japhy, you are right when you say that part of fasting is hunger; that was always the way the good Sisters explained fasting when I was a child. Hence, the midnight bit; but, in those days we always went to Mass in the morning. I don’t remember there being evening Mass before V2.

Refresh me if I am wrong about that.

:harp:

Yes, there were evening Masses back then. I partiuclarly enjoyed attending, and participating in, Dialogue Masses with the Franciscans in one of California’s historic missions.

Here’s a question that one hears, and different answers for it:
If one is attending a EF Mass, is the eucharistic fast from midnight as it was before 1962, is it three hours as more recently, or is it one hour–same as the OF Mass?

 

[LilyM]

Yes, there were evening Masses back then. I partiuclarly enjoyed attending, and participating in, Dialogue Masses with the Franciscans in one of California’s historic missions.

Here’s a question that one hears, and different answers for it:
If one is attending a EF Mass, is the eucharistic fast from midnight as it was before 1962, is it three hours as more recently, or is it one hour–same as the OF Mass?

Same Canon Law in regard to the Eucharistic Fast applies regardless of the form of Mass, however most people who attend the EF will go at least the three-hour fast as a pious act.

 

[jmcrae]

Two words: Nicotine Fits.

I have two words for that: Nicotine Patch.

What did you do in the olden days when you were smoking; did you smoke in Church, or did you wait until Mass was over, to have your smoke?

 

[Aramis]

I have two words for that: Nicotine Patch.

What did you do in the olden days when you were smoking; did you smoke in Church, or did you wait until Mass was over, to have your smoke?

Chewing gum. That’s what.

 

[jmcrae]

Chewing gum. That’s what.

Ever think it might be time to grow up and be the adult in your own life?

 

[katiebelle08]

No, Canon Law explicitly states an hour before communion, not an hour before Mass.

Yes, okay I forgot that but…no one can make their own judgement of what time communion will be because one Sunday to the next can be a different time. And especially parish to parish. So, it is a good rule of thumb to abstain from eating/drinking an hour before Mass.

 

[LilyM]

Yes, okay I forgot that but…no one can make their own judgement of what time communion will be because one Sunday to the next can be a different time. And especially parish to parish. So, it is a good rule of thumb to abstain from eating/drinking an hour before Mass.

Well there can be significant variation, yes, but within reason you can make jugdement calls. It’s very safe to say that no Sunday Mass is going to have communion less than 20 minutes after the start of Mass, for example. Even without hymns and such it would take that long to say the necessary prayers, read the necessary scripture, deliver the homily, have the collection at Offertory and so on.

 

[Aramis]

Well there can be significant variation, yes, but within reason you can make jugdement calls. It’s very safe to say that no Sunday Mass is going to have communion less than 20 minutes after the start of Mass, for example. Even without hymns and such it would take that long to say the necessary prayers, read the necessary scripture, deliver the homily, have the collection at Offertory and so on.

I’ve seen sunday masses (admittedly with few people) over in 30min.

The hymns are not required. Smaller groups recite communal prayers a little faster.
A homily can, in some cases, be legitimately made to be under 2min, and still be thought provoking. Short readings, a fast speaking priest, and no lector, and it goes really quick.

 

[Jamison97]

I believe the Church should reinstate fasting from midnight. Good Lord, the people need to understand that God is more important than food.

 

[jmcrae]

Well there can be significant variation, yes, but within reason you can make jugdement calls. It’s very safe to say that no Sunday Mass is going to have communion less than 20 minutes after the start of Mass, for example. Even without hymns and such it would take that long to say the necessary prayers, read the necessary scripture, deliver the homily, have the collection at Offertory and so on.

While this is true of Sunday Masses, I have seen weekday Masses where Holy Communion was given within ten minutes of the scheduled start time of the Mass.

This particular priest started five minutes early, and left out all of the optional material - there was no homily, no prelude chant to the Gospel, no Sign of Peace, no Offertory procession, kept the Prayers of the Faithful to the minimum, and kept them really short (“For peace, we pray to the Lord,” “Lord hear us,” “For the Pope we pray to the Lord” “Lord hear us,” “For these and for all that remain in our hearts, we pray, AMEN”), and he used the shortest Eucharistic Prayer in the book. Add that to the fact that most of the time, weekday Masses also have - no hymns, no Gloria, and no Creed, unless it’s a Solemnity, and your one hour fast might as well be one hour before the scheduled start time of Mass, in that particular case. And since you never know if your regular pastor is going to be off sick, or who his replacement is going to be, it’s probably best just to start your fast the hour before Mass is scheduled to begin, and then you’ve got room to spare, no matter who’s saying the Mass.

 

[mullenpm]

Lily M, why the splitting of hairs about the time to fast before receiving Holy Communion. Why argue about what Canon Law states?

Are you really saying that you could not add 15 minutes or so to the fast time?

I fully believe, as other posters have said, that we should be required to fast from midnight, as we used to do. I have always fasted from midnight, except, of course, if I am going to attend a Vigil Mass on Saturday evening. I don’t remember anyone falling over in a faint from not eating before Mass.

 

[LilyM]

Lily M, why the splitting of hairs about the time to fast before receiving Holy Communion. Why argue about what Canon Law states?

Are you really saying that you could not add 15 minutes or so to the fast time?

I fully believe, as other posters have said, that we should be required to fast from midnight, as we used to do. I have always fasted from midnight, except, of course, if I am going to attend a Vigil Mass on Saturday evening. I don’t remember anyone falling over in a faint from not eating before Mass.

I believe in giving correct information. Accuracy is important. I’m not arguing, just stating accurately the position of the Church. And I’m not doing it to nitpick, I’m doing it so the poor poster, or others like her, don’t wrongly feel unable or unworthy to commune if they eat 50 minutes before start of Sunday Mass, or 45.

For myself I eat when I eat, and rarely snack in between meals, so usually fast for well over an hour even before the start of Mass. But I don’t make a special point of doing so. And I wouldn’t dream of disparaging those who don’t do the same as myself.

Fasting from midnight was the rule in days when all Sunday Masses were said before noon. For someone who goes to a 6pm Mass it’s unnecessarily onerous, in a way that was never envisaged when the rule was set.

And you can bet you would see people fainting at evening Masses if it were the rule. I’ve almost fainted even when fed, from heat exhaustion - and if fasting from midnight had been combined with that it’s extremely likely I would’ve done.

All of which are perfectly valid and sensible reasons why the rule was changed to three hours by Blessed Pius XII. I’m sure no harm (and probably good) would be done if we reverted to a three-hour rule, however I think there are other changes that would be much more worthwhile and are much more urgently needed, so don’t consider it an issue of huge importance.