Preparation for Spiritual Communion

[FAH]

First of all can one receive Communion spiritually in mortal sin, I am quite certain you can?

Secondly before receiving physical Communion we make a prayer of preparation and thanksgiving afterward. Should the same be done for an act of spiritual Communion?

Many thanks.

 

[ProVobis]

First of all can one receive Communion spiritually in mortal sin, I am quite certain you can?

Secondly before receiving physical Communion we make a prayer of preparation and thanksgiving afterward. Should the same be done for an act of spiritual Communion?

Many thanks.

AFAIK, there are no restrictions with Spiritual Communion per se but ideally you should be in the state of grace.

FWIW here is what the Catechism of Trent says on it.

Recipient of the Eucharist

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

 

[pcordero]

I’ve heard myself that receiving communion in mortal sin is itself a mortal sin. I don’t have any evidence to show this though, but you should still have confession as soon as you can for the sake of reverence toward the holy sacrament.

 

[pcordero]

Oh…you meant spiritual communion. In that case, I don’t know:blush:

 

[tmyers]

The entirety of comments below is from this site: anglicanhistory.org/oceania/wood_communion1916.html

I hope it helps!

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The Church clearly contemplates that the benefits of Sacramental Communion may be obtained by the faithful believer, when the actual reception of the Holy Sacrament is impossible owing to certain circumstances.

This is set forth in the rubric at the end of the Prayer Book Service for the Communion of the Sick.

The circumstances are these:–

1. In extreme sickness and consequent inability to communicate.
2. That a Priest cannot be obtained.
3. The absence of any fellow-communicants and consequent inability to fulfill other Prayer Book rubrics.
4. Any other just cause.

It frequently happens to missionaries and others that they are far removed from the ministrations of a Priest, and are unable to receive the Blessed Sacrament for weeks or months at a time.

[4] The following form of Spiritual Communion is compiled to meet these conditions.

It will be noted that the Church safeguards this privilege of Spiritual Communion from abuse by requiring the Communicant to consider:–

1. The need for repentance, as in the case of Sacramental Communion.
2. The need of a real faith that Christ died to save mankind, and that certain benefits are received by the soul as the result.

In recollection of these benefits and in thanksgiving for them the Communicant will receive the Body and Blood of Christ, to his soul’s good as surely as if he were partaking of the consecrated elements in the service of the Church.

Thus the act of Spiritual Communion is not a substitute for Sacramental Communion, nor is it a make-believe. At the close of the devotion the Communicant gives thanks to God for something definitely received, and during the day he can look back to his morning devotion and say, This morning I received the Body and Blood of my Lord.

It would not be right to use this devotion of Spiritual Communion when the Sacramental Communion could be readily obtained. Care will be taken that neither unwillingness to rise in the morning nor slackness in preparing for Communion lead to the substitution of this devotion [4/5] for the Church’s service. That God in His love provides many special means of Grace can never be sufficient warrant for neglecting the normal means.

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Special Note: According to this website – (cfcyfl.org/index.php/2011/07/act-of-spiritual-communion/) – “When you are in a state of mortal sin you become unworthy to receive God because you choose to be separated from God’s love. Only after receiving the Sacrament of Confession can you be clean of your mortal sin and once again be able to receive communion. Until that time we are encourage to receive a Spiritual Communion.”

Essentially, I think it is okay to do an Act of Spiritual Communion in a state of mortal sin as long as you plan to go to confession ASAP and don’t do this very often. We don’t want to take advantage of God’s graciousness and mercy and use this “spiritual gift” as a means to avoid confession and the reception of sacramental communion in the normal ways for long periods of time. So as long as this is used sparingly and within a delicate balance, I am sure that you are growing spiritually through this very holy devotion.

“Triumphs lie in faith.” ~ God Bless!

 

[puzzleannie]

First of all can one receive Communion spiritually in mortal sin, I am quite certain you can?

Secondly before receiving physical Communion we make a prayer of preparation and thanksgiving afterward. Should the same be done for an act of spiritual Communion?

Many thanks.

most missals and many missalettes have prayers in the back for this purpose, a great place to start.

 

[ProVobis]

…in a state of mortal sin as long as you plan to go to confession ASAP …

In theory, when one makes a perfect act of contrition and plans to go to confession, he or she is not in the state of mortal sin (anymore). However, sacramental communion can only follow sacramental confession per Canon Law.

 

[tmyers]

I never heard that making a perfect Act of Contrition with the intent of going to confession puts you back into a state of sanctifying grace (which is the same as taking you out of a state of mortal sin). I thought that only receiving absolution from a priest during confession can do this for you. Of course, I have been taught to reverently pray the Act of contrition before receiving the Eucharist. So I do this every time. As such, I am quite curious about this.

Now this is just postulation, but in the end, if by doing this Act of Perfect Contrition (with the intent of going to confession) you are put back into a state of grace again, then you technically don’t need to fulfill the initial intent of going to confession any more since you are not in a state of mortal sin anymore. Right? If I am mistaken on this, please correct me and offer some clarification.

With this said, here are my other questions:

• Where did you find/hear about this “theoretical” teaching? In the Catechism? If so, where?
• What constitutes ‘perfect’ within the context of this ‘theoretical’ teaching, and how do you know you have attained such ‘perfection?’ Essentially, the ‘perfect’ part of this seems really important to me, and I would assume that not many people are able to actually reach ‘perfect’ contrition. I think most people have a balance of attrition and contrition, and are therefore somewhere in between, but are nonetheless shy of the ‘perfect’ part (which would mean that most people don’t free themselves from the state of mortal sin by doing this, and therefore are not able to receive until after going to confession). Please clarify these points for me, and correct me in my confusions.

Thanks for reading and responding, and God Bless!!!

Sincerely,
Thomas

 

[TheMc]

I never heard that making a perfect Act of Contrition with the intent of going to confession puts you back into a state of sanctifying grace (which is the same as taking you out of a state of mortal sin).

Indeed, it can, but from what I understand, a perfect act of contrition is quite difficult for most people. But of course, it must be followed by sacramental confession and absolution.

 

[ProVobis]

*]Where did you find/hear about this “theoretical” teaching? In the Catechism? If so, where?

From the Baltimore Catechism:

1. How can a person in mortal sin regain the state of grace before receiving the sacrament of Penance?
   A person in mortal sin can regain the state of grace before receiving the sacrament of Penance by making an act of perfect contrition with the sincere purpose of going to confession.

1. What should we do if we have the misfortune to commit a mortal sin?
   If we have the misfortune to commit a mortal sin, we should ask God’s pardon and grace at once, make an act of perfect contrition, and go to confession as soon as we can.

Is it my will that a sinner should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should be converted from his ways and live? (Ezekiel 18:23)

1. May we receive Holy Communion after committing a mortal sin if we merely make an act of perfect contrition?
   We may not receive Holy Communion after committing a mortal sin if we merely make an act of perfect contrition; one who has sinned grievously must go to confession before receiving Holy Communion.

Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily, will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. (I Corinthians 11:27)

catholicity.com/baltimore-catechism/lesson30.html

 

[ProVobis]

Also these sources:

Baltimore Catechism

Q. 912. What is a spiritual Communion?

A. A spiritual communion is an earnest desire to receive Communion in reality, by which desire we make all preparations and thanksgivings that we would make in case we really received the Holy Eucharist. Spiritual Communion is an act of devotion that must be pleasing to God and bring us blessings from Him.

ourladyswarriors.org/faith/bc3-23.htm

…
Yet for those times you can’t make Mass, or can’t take Communion because of an unconfessed mortal sin (for which you can ask for and receive God’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance), you can still reach out to Him by making a Spiritual Communion in prayer!

ourcatholicprayers.com/spiritual-communion.html

Even when we cannot actually receive Holy Communion we can make an act of spiritual communion, which is an act of faith and love toward Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, with an ardent desire to receive Him.

ewtn.com/library/CATECHSM/BALTEUCH.HTM

 

[tmyers]

Thank you, everyone, for all of the beautiful and thoughtful feedback.
This has truly been enlightening!

Happy New Year, and God Bless!!!

Sincerely,
Thomas

 

[ATeutonicKnight]

Are you allowed to make an act of Spiritual Communion while in Mortal sin?

 

[marty1818]

Yes, you can still make an act of spiritual communion, but should abstain communion until you go to confession.

 

[ProVobis]

Here’s a recent thread that may be of some interest.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=630961