Question on receiving the Eucharist

[roseproject]

I read in the Baltimore Catechism that Pope Pius the Xll taught that you can’t recieve the Holy Eucharist twice (or more) during the same day unless you are in danger of death (or if you go to midnight mass on Christmas or Easter vigil then recieve again during the day). The Catechism didn’t give any explaination on why that is. Anyone know?

 

[thistle]

I read in the Baltimore Catechism that Pope Pius the Xll taught that you can’t recieve the Holy Eucharist twice (or more) during the same day unless you are in danger of death (or if you go to midnight mass on Christmas or Easter vigil then recieve again during the day). The Catechism didn’t give any explaination on why that is. Anyone know?

Canon Law:

Can. 917 One who has received the blessed Eucharist may receive it again on the same day only within a eucharistic celebration in which that person participates, without prejudice to the provision of can. 921 §2.

Can. 921 §1 Christ’s faithful who are in danger of death, from whatever cause, are to be strengthened by holy communion as Viaticum.

§2 Even if they have already received holy communion that same day, it is nevertheless strongly suggested that in danger of death they should communicate again.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

I remember those days. I think it was allowed then because Easter and Christmas are the two great feasts of the church year.

Back in the day, we had to fast from food and water from midnight until we received so it was a treat to go to midnight mass and the Easter vigil because we could have something to eat until about half an hour before we left for mass.

Now the rules have changed and we can receive communion twice in a day as long as the second time is at a mass we attend.

 

[Redwood]

Oh! Good question, because I just posted a question on this topic last week. I’d like you to see the thread.

Here is the link, it should be very useful to you:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=469130

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

 

[NPC]

I read in the Baltimore Catechism that Pope Pius the Xll taught that you can’t recieve the Holy Eucharist twice (or more) during the same day unless you are in danger of death (or if you go to midnight mass on Christmas or Easter vigil then recieve again during the day). The Catechism didn’t give any explaination on why that is. Anyone know?

One of the main reasons is that in the Extraordinary Form of the Holy Mass (though of course it was the Ordinary Form/Tridentine Mass in Pope Pius’ time) there were often several Masses being celebrated in a church at the same time. You will see in older churches that there are usually a number of altars apart from the high altar, and since concelebrated Masses weren’t generally permitted & the Mass was prayed inaudibly, it was possible to have many Masses being offered at the same time in the same church.

What this led to was certain members of the faithful going from altar to altar just in time for the reception of Holy Communion, even though they had not actually taken part in that particular Mass. I suppose on the one hand, their desire to receive the Lord in Holy Communion was laudable, but going from altar to altar just for the moment of Communion demeaned the significance Holy Sacrifice. Receiving the glorious fruits of the Sacrifice (i.e. the sacrament of Holy Communion) without witnessing the Sacrifice itself (which is the Holy Mass) is, in ordinary circumstances, a big no-no. With this sort of thing happening, well-intentioned though it may have been for those who received multiple times daily, it is understandable that restrictions were put in place.