Receiving more than twice per day

[twf]

On another thread (now closed) a poster noted that he (or she?) had met a man who had received a dispensation from his bishop to receive holy communion three times a day. I also have an elderly friend (in his 80s now) who under his previous two bishops enjoyed such a dispensation - though that is no longer the case. Has anyone else ever come across this? I don’t want to second guess the bishops in question, but it seems a very odd practice.

 

[jmjconder]

On another thread (now closed) a poster noted that he (or she?) had met a man who had received a dispensation from his bishop to receive holy communion three times a day. I also have an elderly friend (in his 80s now) who under his previous two bishops enjoyed such a dispensation - though that is no longer the case. Has anyone else ever come across this? I don’t want to second guess the bishops in question, but it seems a very odd practice.

**I agree this seems odd. When I have received two times a day it has been for two different Liturgies, morning Mass and a wedding, morning Mass and a funeral etc.

What would be the reason a person asks for this dispensation? May there be other spiritual issues? If a Bishop has granted this - I presume there was a valid reason. I am not sure this dispensation would be granted to everyone who requests. I may be wrong.**

 

[anruari]

A bishop is a Lord in his own Diocese, and has the authoirty to Bind and Loose within that area.
That explicitly includes the authority to create new laws, or to release or reinterpret the standard cannon laws.

This is an area of disciplne, not one of faith and morals. it is fully within the bishops remit to grant dispensations for some prople who have jsut cause.

Most commonly this is granted to priests who have to be present at or celebrate more than 2 Masses per day. - but it can be given to Lay persons with the appropriate cause.

 

[thistle]

On another thread (now closed) a poster noted that he (or she?) had met a man who had received a dispensation from his bishop to receive holy communion three times a day. I also have an elderly friend (in his 80s now) who under his previous two bishops enjoyed such a dispensation - though that is no longer the case. Has anyone else ever come across this? I don’t want to second guess the bishops in question, but it seems a very odd practice.

I would be very surprised if that is true. What possible reason could there be for such a thing.

Canon Law allows for a dispensation for priests (and it specifies priests) to receive more than once in a day if there is a shortage of priests.
Canon Law does not say a dispensation can be given to lay people.
Either the Bishop has got it wrong by allowing such a dispensation or the people who say they have been given it are mistaken.

 

[thistle]

A bishop is a Lord in his own Diocese, and has the authoirty to Bind and Loose within that area.
That explicitly includes the authority to create new laws, or to release or reinterpret the standard cannon laws.

This is an area of disciplne, not one of faith and morals. it is fully within the bishops remit to grant dispensations for some prople who have jsut cause.

Most commonly this is granted to priests who have to be present at or celebrate more than 2 Masses per day. - but it can be given to Lay persons with the appropriate cause.

The Bishops cannot make up their own Canon laws, and in this case when Canon Law specifies a dispensation can be given to a priest to receive more than once in case of shortage of priests that can hardly be interpreted as also allowing dispensation for lay people.
Bishops are bound by Canon law.
No place does Canon law state a dispensation “can be given to Lay persons with the appropriate cause”.

 

[Lapey]

A bishop is a Lord in his own Diocese, and has the authoirty to Bind and Loose within that area.
That explicitly includes the authority to create new laws, or to release or reinterpret the standard cannon laws.

This is an area of disciplne, not one of faith and morals. it is fully within the bishops remit to grant dispensations for some prople who have jsut cause.

Most commonly this is granted to priests who have to be present at or celebrate more than 2 Masses per day. - but it can be given to Lay persons with the appropriate cause.

As Thistle pointed out, your statements are not correct. I would advise you to go to the laws pertaining to this subject and read. I have pasted the beginning of the chapter; you’ll need to read all of this section.

TITLE I.

ECCLESIASTICAL LAWS (Cann. 7 - 22)

Can. 7 A law is established when it is promulgated.

Can. 8 §1. Universal ecclesiastical laws are promulgated by publication in the official commentary, Acta Apostolicae Sedis, unless another manner of promulgation has been prescribed in particular cases. They take force only after three months have elapsed from the date of that issue of the Acta unless they bind immediately from the very nature of the matter, or the law itself has specifically and expressly established a shorter or longer suspensive period (vacatio).

§2. Particular laws are promulgated in the manner determined by the legislator and begin to oblige a month after the day of promulgation unless the law itself establishes another time period.

 

[Just_Lurking]

I want to play “pretend canon lawyer” too!

Can. 87 §1. A diocesan bishop, whenever he judges that it contributes to their spiritual good, is able to dispense the faithful from universal and particular disciplinary laws issued for his territory or his subjects by the supreme authority of the Church. He is not able to dispense, however, from procedural or penal laws nor from those whose dispensation is specially reserved to the Apostolic See or some other authority.

 

[Lapey]

I want to play “pretend canon lawyer” too!

Can. 87 §1. A diocesan bishop, whenever he judges that it contributes to their spiritual good, is able to dispense the faithful from universal and particular disciplinary laws issued for his territory or his subjects by the supreme authority of the Church. He is not able to dispense, however, from procedural or penal laws nor from those whose dispensation is specially reserved to the Apostolic See or some other authority.

Okay, we accept that you are a pretend canonist…now tell us, what does this canon mean?

 

[malphono]

 

[Just_Lurking]

Okay, we accept that you are a pretend canonist…now tell us, what does this canon mean?

It means that a diocesan bishop can dispense one of his lay subjects from the discipline of only receiving twice in a day, i.e., a diocesan bishop can allow one of his lay subjects to receive three times in a day, provided that he judges that it contributes to the spiritual good of that subject. No approval from Rome is necessary.

 

[malphono]

I wasn’t going to interject anything more in this thread, but it looks like I changed my mind.

Granted that a Local ordinary can dispense from disciplinary canons, but I have to agree with the OP that dispensation from the canon(s) in question does seem just a bit odd. The only situation that I can think of is for someone of unsound mind, who actually cannot keep track of how many times he/she has received in a given day. In such a case, though, a dispensation isn’t needed, but perhaps one or another bishop would grant same for pastoral reasons. Beyond that, the whole argument seems to me to be rather silly.

 

[Lapey]

It means that a diocesan bishop can dispense one of his lay subjects from the discipline of only receiving twice in a day, i.e., a diocesan bishop can allow one of his lay subjects to receive three times in a day, provided that he judges that it contributes to the spiritual good of that subject. No approval from Rome is necessary.

While this may be a possibility, I do believe this is outside of the intent of these canons and would also say this is an odd situation. Furthermore, I agree another poster, this seems a little silly.

Furthermore, there are no canons or Church Liturgical laws or any laws for that matter which would support receiving the Eucharist more than twice, accept by the law concerning Viaticum. All of these laws agree with the limitation of twice, therefore the intent of the laws you site are not to go against everything else. My experience with bishops as a deacon of the Church tells me this request would not even be heard. Bishops do not dispense with disciplines too easily or frequently.

Although I concede the possibility, I do not concede the need or the reasoning behind such a request, much less a possibility of approval.

PS. I do not claim to be an armature canonist as I do have training in canon law; however, neither do I claim to be an expert canonist.