W
Wrigley
Guest
At what point do you have to be at Mass in order to receive communion? References would help. Thanks
- Status
J
jmcrae
Guest
I don’t think it matters, with regard to receiving Holy Communion.
With regard to making your Sunday Mass obligation, I have been told in the past that you have to arrive at least before the reading of the Gospel.
The only way that impacts on receiving Holy Communion is if you arrive late by your own fault, and it’s the last Mass of the day (thus putting you into mortal sin, and not eligible to receive Holy Communion).
Otherwise, if it was not by your own fault that you were late, then there is no sin, and if it is not the last Mass of the day, then just stay for the next one.
W
Wrigley
Guest
Actually the Sunday Obligation was my intended question. So you need to be there for the Gospel?
P
palmas85
Guest
Well right off the top of my head I would say you have to be there when It is distributed. As far as being there throughout the entire Mass, I don’t think there is a requirement as to when you have to arrive and how much pf the Mass you need to be at. You do have to be properly disposed, IE:Baptized Catholic with no mortal sins lurking around, but as far as everything else, as far as I know you are good to go if you just duck in…
You would not of course fulfill your Sunday or Holy Day of Obligation requirement by ducking in, receiving and then quickly leaving.
J
jmcrae
Guest
That’s my current understanding, and the priest who told me that seems to be very orthodox, to me.
R
rpp
Guest
My priest has said that if you arrive after he does you are too late. And if you leave before he does, you have left too early.
This sounds like a good question for Ask and Apologist.
This sounds like a good question for Ask and Apologist.
G
graceandglory
Guest
G
graceandglory
Guest
This was the best I could find in 15 seconds.
ewtn.com/Library/Liturgy/zliturg9.htm
I thought the priest’s response was interesting.
ewtn.com/Library/Liturgy/zliturg9.htm
I thought the priest’s response was interesting.
J
Joe_Kelley
Guest
Note that one may receive the Eucharist once a day outside of mass. The requirements for receiving outside of mass are not clearly defined. We adapt to the needs of the person receiving - from a full up Liturgy of the Word for those in retirement homes to a bare minimum for someone very ill in the hospital. For a bare minimum I use a short penetential rite, a short scripture reading, and the Our Father with a short prayer time after they receive. However that is based more on common sense than any specific instruction.
J
japhy
Guest
You don’t have to receive Communion at Mass, and you probably shouldn’t if you feel you’ve arrived too late.
Mass is made up of two essential parts: the liturgy of the Word and the liturgy of the Eucharist. Your full, conscious, and active participation involves both liturgies.
If I were to arrive after the First Reading, I would refrain from receiving.
G
graceandglory
Guest
There is the situation that I was in a while back. I am the type of person who loves to go to Mass. I can’t stand it if I’m late. I don’t want to miss anything. I had to go to a Saturday evening Mass for some reason, and I thought it was at 5:00, but it was at 4:30.
I arrived about 4:45. Before the Gospel.
I didn’t know what to do. I was beside myself. I wanted to be at that Mass and participate, and receive the Sacrament. I think I did receive. My greatest concern was what the folks around me were thinking.
According to what I’ve been reading, it seems as if it was okay that I did.
W
Wrigley
Guest
This is exactly reason I am asking. I am not conding arriving late for mass. I have had times when traveling that I was given an incorrect mass time so I arrived late.
P
Phemie
Guest
Even if you’d arrived near the end of Mass, as long as it was your first Communion of the day you would have been OK. We can receive Communion twice in one day. The first Communion can be in the context of a Liturgy of the Word or at the bedside of a sick relative at the same time as they receive. The second Communion can ONLY be within the context of a Mass in which we participate.
D
drafdog
Guest
In order to have attended at Mass one must be there for the whole of the Offertory, Consecration, and Communion. This is as it was before the Second Vatican Council and has not been changed. The priest’s insistence that you be there for the Gospel may be an attempt to ensure that you don’t miss even part of the Offertory.
For daily Eucharist, the pastor at my parish administered Eucharist before the first Mass of the day began (0645 h). This accommodated persons who wanted to attend Mass and receive communion but might need to leave early in order to arrive at work in a timely fashion. This was back in the 50’s so don’t look askance as though it were a new innovation. Remember that it is the task of the hierarchy to make the sacraments available to the faithful. “Suffer the little children to come unto me.” And before the Most High, which of us is not a little child?
Matthew
For daily Eucharist, the pastor at my parish administered Eucharist before the first Mass of the day began (0645 h). This accommodated persons who wanted to attend Mass and receive communion but might need to leave early in order to arrive at work in a timely fashion. This was back in the 50’s so don’t look askance as though it were a new innovation. Remember that it is the task of the hierarchy to make the sacraments available to the faithful. “Suffer the little children to come unto me.” And before the Most High, which of us is not a little child?
Matthew
B
Br.Rich_SFO
Guest
At no point. You can walk in at Communion time get in line and receive. You however do not meet your Sunday or Holyday obligation. If this would be a weekday Mass, you could receive and be fine. I have arrived at a church to find a Mass in progress, already into the Liturgy of the Eucharist, quietly slipped into a pew, received Holy Communion, stayed for the final Blessing and then attended to my business at the parish.
B
Br.Rich_SFO
Guest
You should arrive before the Gospel (Don’t walk in ever while any of the readings are being read or any prayers are being said), don’t leave before Holy Communion. You should however be there from the “Sign of the Cross to the Sign of the Cross”!
L
liotino
Guest
L
liotino
Guest
The time to arrive at Mass is 10 minutes before the start of Mass. Mass is the entering into prayer how does one enter into prayer rushing in the church just before the priest or during a Mass in progress. Are we there to participate fully in union with our brothers and sisters in praise. honor and worship of God or are we just putting the time in we are “suppose” to. If asking the question is a means to see what window of getting away with not getting there in time is stay home.
To say I just want to know in case something comes up unforeseeable is a mute point. Certainly we understand problems arise.
What I find interesting is the wide range of arrival and departure of an hour long Mass answers.
Perhaps the better question is why we need to ask this question. If we arrive late to Mass because of poor planning or refusing to get out of the bed on time we enter in the attitude I am here because I have to be here. To say it is alright to miss the beginning of the mass prayers, two readings and psalm cannot possible leave room for any entering into the fullness of the Mass.
Why worry at this point about receiving the Eucharist because we have not prepared ourselves for the beauty of receiving the living God body, blood, soul, and divinity.
I am getting off the soap box with this final thought there is no “window of opportunity” for the chronically late and the early departures. Common sense dictates God understands unforeseeable problems arising.
Deo gra’tias
To say I just want to know in case something comes up unforeseeable is a mute point. Certainly we understand problems arise.
What I find interesting is the wide range of arrival and departure of an hour long Mass answers.
Perhaps the better question is why we need to ask this question. If we arrive late to Mass because of poor planning or refusing to get out of the bed on time we enter in the attitude I am here because I have to be here. To say it is alright to miss the beginning of the mass prayers, two readings and psalm cannot possible leave room for any entering into the fullness of the Mass.
Why worry at this point about receiving the Eucharist because we have not prepared ourselves for the beauty of receiving the living God body, blood, soul, and divinity.
I am getting off the soap box with this final thought there is no “window of opportunity” for the chronically late and the early departures. Common sense dictates God understands unforeseeable problems arising.
Deo gra’tias
G
geekborj
Guest
Hello Everyone!
Peace of the Lord.
Why should we be very particular about the “minimum” requirement for Sunday obligations?
I would rather say do our best to give unto God what is due to him after all the week’s blessings and most likely over the life’s blessings as well (not counting what are to come).
Let us bear in mind that we should give to God the entire Sunday (one day!) but then because of human hardness in the heart, the Pope had to settle to one hour (at least for Latin rites) for the entire one week (24x7) length of time. Now, don’t try to reduce that to an even shorter time.
God bless us all.
Peace of the Lord.
Why should we be very particular about the “minimum” requirement for Sunday obligations?
I would rather say do our best to give unto God what is due to him after all the week’s blessings and most likely over the life’s blessings as well (not counting what are to come).
Let us bear in mind that we should give to God the entire Sunday (one day!) but then because of human hardness in the heart, the Pope had to settle to one hour (at least for Latin rites) for the entire one week (24x7) length of time. Now, don’t try to reduce that to an even shorter time.
God bless us all.
G
geekborj
Guest
Try reading Scot Hanns, “Lamb’s Supper”.
- Status