Receiving communion twice in one day?

[Shiranui117]

Hey all,

Back when I was still actively Catholic, what I would occasionally do, if I had the time/energy, would attend the Divine Liturgy at my local Byzantine Catholic parish and receive Communion, and then go to the later Roman Catholic Mass at my home parish and receive Communion there as well.

One of the random things floating in my head today was that, canonically-speaking, you’re actually not supposed to receive communion (and IIRC, even forbidden to do so) twice in one day. So, did I make an oopsie and sin by receiving communion in both parishes on the same day?

 

[Phemie]

Yes, you are allowed to receive Communion twice in one day as long as the second time is at a Mass you are attending.

 

[TRH1292]

You are allowed to receive twice in one day as long as the second time is at a Mass/Liturgy you are attending.

 

[1ke]

canonically-speaking, you’re actually not supposed to receive communion (and IIRC, even forbidden to do so) twice in one day. So, did I make an oopsie and sin by receiving communion in both parishes on the same day?

This is not correct. It is not forbidden. Canon law expressly allows it when within Mass and even allows for more than once outside of Mass if Viaticum is involved.

Can.* 917 A person who has already received the Most Holy Eucharist can receive it a second time on the same day only within the eucharistic celebration in which the person participates

Can.* 921 §1. The Christian faithful who are in danger of death from any cause are to be nourished by holy communion in the form of Viaticum.

§2. Even if they have been nourished by holy communion on the same day, however, those in danger of death are strongly urged to receive communion again.

 

[RyanBlack]

This is not correct. It is not forbidden. Canon law expressly allows it when within Mass and even allows for more than once outside of Mass if Viaticum is involved.

Can.* 917 A person who has already received the Most Holy Eucharist can receive it a second time on the same day only within the eucharistic celebration in which the person participates

Can.* 921 §1. The Christian faithful who are in danger of death from any cause are to be nourished by holy communion in the form of Viaticum.

§2. Even if they have been nourished by holy communion on the same day, however, those in danger of death are strongly urged to receive communion again.

In the Byzantine Catholic tradition, and I believe the OP is from the tradition, you are not supposed to receive communion more than once on the same day. The canons you quoted are for the Latin Church, and do not apply to Eastern Catholics.

 

[PhiloMed]

I am really glad to see 1ke’s response because I was always taught the same- that one can get communion twice in one day if they are actually part of the mass. I recall this came up when I was in choir and we sang at 3 First Communion masses in one day at the same church.

We took communion for the first and the third because we had lunch just prior to the 2nd. Since then, I had heard many people say that communion is a once-a-day thing (like a vitamin?), and I wondered why our sisters were so sure we could have communion twice.

No joke, I have thought of this often for the past 20+ years since then.

 

[judynurse]

Certainly we may receive Holy Communion twice in a day, so long as the second one is within the Mass we attend to receive. When I was a Novice in the Convent, I was also in the Sister’s Choir which sang on Saturday evening Vigil Mass at the Bishop’s Cathedral nearby. We had our Mass early in the morning (6am) at the Convent 7 days a week, so we went to Communion on Sat. morning. When we attended the Cathedral as the evening Vigil Mass Choir, we also received Communion there on Saturday evening. This was about 20 years ago, and the rule for receiving twice in 2 different Masses was explained to us at the Convent at that time.

No sin involved in doing so, as long as it is part of the Liturgy.

 

[Phemie]

I am really glad to see 1ke’s response because I was always taught the same- that one can get communion twice in one day if they are actually part of the mass. I recall this came up when I was in choir and we sang at 3 First Communion masses in one day at the same church.

It depends what you mean by ‘part of the Mass’. The only requirement is that you be attending Mass. You don’t have to have a special part such as being a reader or choir member. Being a person in the pew is all that is required to receive a second time in a day.

 

[malphono]

This topic gets unbelievable mileage. There was a thread about it just the other day. And heaven knows how many before that. Anyway … I’ll not repeat what I posted other than to give a link:

This question seems to pop up time and time again. Rather than repeat myself, I’ll simply make reference to previous discussions. For example [thread=497760]here[/thread] and [thread=815183]here[/thread], among others.

 

[babochka]

I am really glad to see 1ke’s response because I was always taught the same- that one can get communion twice in one day if they are actually part of the mass. I recall this came up when I was in choir and we sang at 3 First Communion masses in one day at the same church.

We took communion for the first and the third because we had lunch just prior to the 2nd. Since then, I had heard many people say that communion is a once-a-day thing (like a vitamin?), and I wondered why our sisters were so sure we could have communion twice.

No joke, I have thought of this often for the past 20+ years since then.

The reason for the confusion is that this is a rule that has changed. When I was young, the rule was definitely once a day. I don’t remember when it changed, but I was born in 1969 and was taught the once a day rule. By high school, I remember being told the twice a day rule, so I’m guessing it changed sometime in the 70s or 80s.

 

[Elizium23]

The reason for the confusion is that this is a rule that has changed. When I was young, the rule was definitely once a day. I don’t remember when it changed, but I was born in 1969 and was taught the once a day rule. By high school, I remember being told the twice a day rule, so I’m guessing it changed sometime in the 70s or 80s.

Best bet is that it was a difference between the Code of Canon Law (1917) and (1983).

 

[Shiranui117]

Thanks for the clarifications, everyone!