Receiving Holy Communion

[Vico]

My understanding of receiving Holy Communion twice in one day is: that one can only receive Jesus in the Eucharist twice in one day, **in special and/or exceptional ****circumstances’ **
The priest celebrating the Eucharist is of course the exception; he must receive Jesus then.
I further understand that we should receive Our Lord only when we have assisted at Holy Mass, fully, ie not arriving late (habitually), and leaving before the conclusion of the Mass.

There are exceptions to this also; doctors, nurses, police, firemen/women and so on. At times their work schedule makes it difficult for them to get to church for the start of the Mass, and/or they must leave befor the final Blessing.

We are so blessed to have the gift of Jesus daily, compared to the times when one only received Our Lord with the permission of the priest.

"…the Church allows communion a second time during the day, but only for specified cases. These are:

1. 
   *]on Holy Thursday, when a person attends the Chrism Mass, and then participates also in the Evening of the Lord’s Supper Mass;
   *]when one attends the Easter Vigil Mass and participates also in the Easter Sunday Mass;
   *]when one goes to Mass on that day and receives communion as Viaticum on that same day, as mentioned in canon 921, §2;
   *]when one goes to Mass on Saturday, and then attends the anticipated (Vigil) Sunday Mass in the evening of that Saturday;
   *]when one attends another Mass wherein there is the Ordination to the Priesthood or a Solemn Profession of Vows of a religious;
   *]when one attends another Mass which is a ritual Mass (a celebration of a sacrament within the Mass: e.g. Baptism, Confirmation, Wedding, et al), or a funeral Mass.
   
   …
   Only priests are allowed to receive communion as often as they preside or concelebrate in the Mass. Deacons who assist at Mass can receive communion no more than twice. If he assists in three Masses in one day, he is allowed to receive communion only in two Masses.
   katoliko.org/2010/07/02/how-often-can-we-receive-communion-in-one-day/

 

[dje101]

"…the Church allows communion a second time during the day, but only for specified cases. These are:

1. 
   *]on Holy Thursday, when a person attends the Chrism Mass, and then participates also in the Evening of the Lord’s Supper Mass;
   *]when one attends the Easter Vigil Mass and participates also in the Easter Sunday Mass;
   *]when one goes to Mass on that day and receives communion as Viaticum on that same day, as mentioned in canon 921, §2;
   *]when one goes to Mass on Saturday, and then attends the anticipated (Vigil) Sunday Mass in the evening of that Saturday;
   *]when one attends another Mass wherein there is the Ordination to the Priesthood or a Solemn Profession of Vows of a religious;
   *]when one attends another Mass which is a ritual Mass (a celebration of a sacrament within the Mass: e.g. Baptism, Confirmation, Wedding, et al), or a funeral Mass.
   
   …
   Only priests are allowed to receive communion as often as they preside or concelebrate in the Mass. Deacons who assist at Mass can receive communion no more than twice. If he assists in three Masses in one day, he is allowed to receive communion only in two Masses.
   katoliko.org/2010/07/02/how-often-can-we-receive-communion-in-one-day/

1. 
   So, just to clarify, because some are saying 2x in a day is fine, others are saying that 1 max unless there is a special circumstance, in which case 2x max:
   
   My girlfriend, who is a music minister, sometimes participates in 3-4 masses on a Sunday. She should only receive Eucharist during the first mass, with the exception of the above quote?
   
   I don’t think she knows this (it is news to me as well), so is this something that she needs to confess or something?

 

[FriarDon]

So, just to clarify, because some are saying 2x in a day is fine, others are saying that 1 max unless there is a special circumstance, in which case 2x max:

My girlfriend, who is a music minister, sometimes participates in 3-4 masses on a Sunday. She should only receive Eucharist during the first mass, with the exception of the above quote?

I don’t think she knows this (it is news to me as well), so is this something that she needs to confess or something?

If the Masses are for the same “purpose” (All are Sunday Masses, etc.) she should not be receiving the Holy Eucharist more than once. If one is a Wedding/Funeral/etc., she may receive twice in that day.

It is my understanding that she would not need to confess on this for the past, but if she were to continue after knowing she shouldn’t, she would need to confess.

In Christ,

Friar Don, OBR

 

[Phemie]

If the Masses are for the same “purpose” (All are Sunday Masses, etc.) she should not be receiving the Holy Eucharist more than once. If one is a Wedding/Funeral/etc., she may receive twice in that day.

It is my understanding that she would not need to confess on this for the past, but if she were to continue after knowing she shouldn’t, she would need to confess.

In Christ,

Friar Don, OBR

I know that some people say this, but I honestly don’t get it.

For centuries we couldn’t receive more than once. Then in the 60s we started to be allowed to receive twice on very special occasions, then they increased the number of occasions and finally, when the new Code of Canon Law came out in 1983, the restriction of ‘special occasions’ was not there. Canon 917 could easily have said "again, within the limitations allowed by documents X,Y & Z’ but it places no limitations.

Different canon lawyers interpret 917 differently. Huels, in his commentary says, “The 1917 Code (CIC 857) forbade the reception of Communion more than once a day except in danger of death or to prevent impending irreverence. The law was mitigated repeatedly after Vatican II to allow more frequent opportunities to receive twice on the same day. This canon greatly simplifies the postconciliar legislation by permitting the reception of communion twice in a day for any reason, provided the second reception is in the context of participation in the eucharistic celebration.”

 

[Vico]

I have seen different commentary also, some limiting to the cases in the earlier post and others taking canon 917 generally:

You may receive at two separate celebrations of the Holy Mass on the same day.

C.C.C. 1388 It is in keeping with the very meaning of the Eucharist that the faithful, if they have the required dispositions,221 receive communion when they participate in the Mass.222 As the Second Vatican Council says: "That more perfect form of participation in the Mass whereby the faithful, after the priest’s communion, receive the Lord’s Body from the same sacrifice, is warmly recommended."223

1. Cf. CIC, can. 916.
2. Cf. CIC, can. 917; The faithful may recieve the Holy Eucharist only a second time on the same day [CF. Pontificia Commissio Codici luris Canonici Authentice Intrepretando, *Responsa ad proposita dubia, 1:AAS 76 (1984) 746].
3. SC 55.

 

[dje101]

If the Masses are for the same “purpose” (All are Sunday Masses, etc.) she should not be receiving the Holy Eucharist more than once. If one is a Wedding/Funeral/etc., she may receive twice in that day.

It is my understanding that she would not need to confess on this for the past, but if she were to continue after knowing she shouldn’t, she would need to confess.

In Christ,

Friar Don, OBR

She said our pastor told her to, and that it is ok.

 

[Cibi]

My understanding of receiving Holy Communion twice in one day is: that one can only receive Jesus in the Eucharist twice in one day, **in special and/or exceptional ****circumstances’ **
The priest celebrating the Eucharist is of course the exception; he must receive Jesus then.
I further understand that we should receive Our Lord only when we have assisted at Holy Mass, fully, ie not arriving late (habitually), and leaving before the conclusion of the Mass.

There are exceptions to this also; doctors, nurses, police, firemen/women and so on. At times their work schedule makes it difficult for them to get to church for the start of the Mass, and/or they must leave befor the final Blessing.

We are so blessed to have the gift of Jesus daily, compared to the times when one only received Our Lord with the permission of the priest.

One point I wish to add is: When I know I will attend a wedding mass, or a funeral mass, or other specific masses, I will not receive Our Lord earlier that day. There are very few times when the SPECIAL Masses are unplanned.