Receiving the Eucharist once a year at Easter?

[Austere]

Would it be acceptable to practice this annual taking of the Eucharist? I feel rather unworthy in partaking of the Eucharist quite often, so I was wondering whether it be acceptable to partake of the Eucharist annually (at Easter) or even monthly?

Thank you for reading.

 

[1ke]

As a way of avoiding whatever it is underlying this feeling of unworthiness? No.

If you are struggling spiritually, seek out counsel from your priest or deacon.

 

[mattp0625]

Would it be acceptable to practice this annual taking of the Eucharist? I feel rather unworthy in partaking of the Eucharist quite often, so I was wondering whether it be acceptable to partake of the Eucharist annually (at Easter) or even monthly?

Thank you for reading.

If you are able to go to confession, and have the mindset to make a sincere effort to repent, you are worthy to receive thereafter. Your slate is wiped clean.

 

[porthos11]

Would it be acceptable to practice this annual taking of the Eucharist? I feel rather unworthy in partaking of the Eucharist quite often, so I was wondering whether it be acceptable to partake of the Eucharist annually (at Easter) or even monthly?

Thank you for reading.

I’d rather you figure out where this “unworthiness” comes from. Usually a good confession is the way to go.

No one is worthy to receive Communion. No. single. person. Not you, not me, not the Pope. But God’s mercy allows us by grace to receive him anyway, as a remedy for us.

But only those who are indisposed are actually barred from Communion, and those are those in mortal sin or objective manifest grave sin, those who have not observed the one-hour fast, and those who are not Catholic.

So do not refrain from receiving Jesus on the basis of feelings alone. If you’re in sin, confess and receive. If you’re not conscious of any mortal sin, then feelings be damned, go and receive God Almighty.

 

[Confiteor_Deo]

You should receive Holy Communion much more often than merely at Easter or monthly. As long as you are in the state of grace and fasted the required one hour prior to receiving, you should receive Holy Communion when you hear Mass. No one can be truly worthy of Communion, but not receiving because you feel unworthy isn’t going to help you because Communion is one of the surest means of advancing in holiness. If you deprive yourself of the graces of Communion by not receiving when you are able to, you will struggle to save your soul and to advance in holiness. Communion isn’t only for saints.

 

[Neofight]

Would it be acceptable to practice this annual taking of the Eucharist? I feel rather unworthy in partaking of the Eucharist quite often, so I was wondering whether it be acceptable to partake of the Eucharist annually (at Easter) or even monthly?

Thank you for reading.

That’s fine. Doing your Easter Duty is admirable.

There is absolutely nothing wrong in feeling unworthy; we are all unworthy.

Those who don’t feel unworthy, or who think everyone should feel worthy should be psychoanalyzing themselves, rather than psychoanalyzing you.

Peace and all good!

 

[Nigel7]

I feel rather unworthy in partaking of the Eucharist…

You sound like Peter, when Jesus was calling him.

[Simon Peter] fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”… Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid…"
Luke 5

 

[Graceful_Lamb]

That’s fine. Doing your Easter Duty is admirable.

There is absolutely nothing wrong in feeling unworthy; we are all unworthy.

Those who don’t feel unworthy, or who think everyone should feel worthy should be psychoanalyzing themselves, rather than psychoanalyzing you.

Peace and all good!

Exactly.

I have been told by my confessor that basically no one is worthy to receive Communion. However, by going to Confession and receiving Absolution makes someone eligible to receive.

If someone bases it on worthiness, no one ever would receive the Eucharist.

 

[porthos11]

That’s fine. Doing your Easter Duty is admirable.

There is absolutely nothing wrong in feeling unworthy; we are all unworthy.

Those who don’t feel unworthy, or who think everyone should feel worthy should be psychoanalyzing themselves, rather than psychoanalyzing you.

Peace and all good!

And you should be encouraging fellow Catholics to receive the Lord more, not less.

 

[e_c]

You are not bound to receive except once a year, at Easter. That means you can refrain at other times without sin - provided there is no reasonable potential for some kind of scandal.

This used to be the norm until rather recently. It was abnormal for more than just a few people to receive on a Sunday, and rare for someone to communicate at a daily Mass. Daily communicants were almost unheard of.

I believe I’ve heard it said that St. Francis only received Holy Communion 3 times in his whole life (this was before the Easter duty precept). Not sure if this is right, but there is also the story of St. Mary of Egypt, who received only twice in the many years after her conversion.

In general, this is the better vice. Today we have reached a point where maybe 1% of congregants are making any kind of a thanksgiving after Mass, our Communion lines are consistently hundreds of times longer than our confessional lines, no small number of people will wave to their friends after receiving, and some 50% of pew sitters don’t believe in the Real Presence, either out of incredulity or, perhaps more tragically, out of ignorance. Maybe the OP is on to something.

Austere - If you really want to mortify yourself and be humbled, get a director and follow his instructions on reception. That will make it more meritorious as well, because it is under obedience!

 

[paperwight66]

In general, this is the better vice. Today we have reached a point where maybe 1% of congregants are making any kind of a thanksgiving after Mass, our Communion lines are consistently hundreds of times longer than our confessional lines, no small number of people will wave to their friends after receiving, and some 50% of pew sitters don’t believe in the Real Presence, either out of incredulity or, perhaps more tragically, out of ignorance. Maybe the OP is on to something.

1. ‘Maybe 1% are making any kind of a thanksgiving’. And you know this how, exactly?
2. ‘Our Communion lines are hundreds of times longer than our confessional lines’. You do realise that we are only obligated to confess MORTAL sins?
3. ‘No small number of people will wave to their friends after receiving’. Really? I have never seen this, in any of the parishes I have attended.
4. ‘Some 50% of pewsitters don’t believe in the Real Presence’. Again, you know this how, exactly? You are surely not going to quote that discredited Gallup poll of a few years back?

 

[Graceful_Lamb]

1. ‘Our Communion lines are hundreds of times longer than our confessional lines’. You do realise that we are only obligated to confess MORTAL sins?

I would think that for some people, it may be easy to fall into mortal sin. There are Ten Commandments plus the seven deadly sins.

Let us start with the First Commandment. One must love God with all their heart, all their soul and all their mind. If that one is followed, then all the others are followed, too.

I doubt that the majority of people love God with all their heart, soul and mind** every day**. Therefore, if someone doesn’t follow the above, they must go to Confession and confess all mortal sin(s) before receiving the Eucharist. To do otherwise is it commit sacrilege.

 

[fred_conty]

It isn’t so much what we want, or being worthy as a human being, but rather what Jesus wants. And he did say, “He who eats my body and drinks my blood lives in me and I in him.”

What that means is that a person who already has Jesus’ life throbbing thru his soul in grace, grows in grace even more in receiving him in the Eucharist. And so He should be received as often as possible in the union of love because he wants that very much … shown by his agony. He did not die just to have us stay away from him.

For someone to be content to receive him only when they have to, would be missing the point of his gift to us … to be united with us because he wants this union.

Someone brought up the point of spending some time in thanksgiving after receiving Him, which is one of the best times for prayer… according to St. Teresa of Avila.
Because Jesus’ body, after reception, stays with us as long as the bread can be considered bread before it breaks down. So that those who rush out of church are ignoring the very special presence of Jesus within themselves. And I’m sure many are totally unaware of this presence lasting so long within them and do not give it a second thought.

As someone once put it, “When we see our brother/sister in Christ receive the very body and blood of Jesus, we could go up to them and genuflect before them just as we would to Jesus’ presence in the tabernacle.”

 

[e_c]

1. ‘Maybe 1% are making any kind of a thanksgiving’. And you know this how, exactly?
2. ‘Our Communion lines are hundreds of times longer than our confessional lines’. You do realise that we are only obligated to confess MORTAL sins?
3. ‘No small number of people will wave to their friends after receiving’. Really? I have never seen this, in any of the parishes I have attended.
4. ‘Some 50% of pewsitters don’t believe in the Real Presence’. Again, you know this how, exactly? You are surely not going to quote that discredited Gallup poll of a few years back?

Maybe things are different where you are in the UK. In the States, if you have eyes and ears and have broad exposure to the Church, these things are clear.

Yes, mortal sins. Maybe you are mainly associating with Catholics who are really trying - for the average person, mortal sin is not that hard. And anyways, it is the spirit of it as well… the lack of attention given to the matter at all. Most people used to refrain unless they had made their confession a very short while ago, maybe a day. Otherwise, they played it safe - too safe, maybe. But this is the better vice, I would suggest. You are free to disagree.

I did have the Gallup poll in mind… whether it is discredited or not it is in the right vicinity, in my experience.

 

[TIK]

Wait, I’ve heard that there is an obligation to attend the easter mass, but I didn’t know there was an obligation to take communion at that mass. What if you are in a state of mortal sin??? You have to take communion but you can’t take communion in that case

 

[Rosebud77]

You are not bound to receive except once a year, at Easter. That means you can refrain at other times without sin - provided there is no reasonable potential for some kind of scandal.

This used to be the norm until rather recently. It was abnormal for more than just a few people to receive on a Sunday, and rare for someone to communicate at a daily Mass. Daily communicants were almost unheard of.

I believe I’ve heard it said that St. Francis only received Holy Communion 3 times in his whole life (this was before the Easter duty precept). Not sure if this is right, but there is also the story of St. Mary of Egypt, who received only twice in the many years after her conversion.

In general, this is the better vice. Today we have reached a point where maybe 1% of congregants are making any kind of a thanksgiving after Mass, our Communion lines are consistently hundreds of times longer than our confessional lines, no small number of people will wave to their friends after receiving, and some 50% of pew sitters don’t believe in the Real Presence, either out of incredulity or, perhaps more tragically, out of ignorance. Maybe the OP is on to something.

Austere - If you really want to mortify yourself and be humbled, get a director and follow his instructions on reception. That will make it more meritorious as well, because it is under obedience!

Thank you.

This is my way also and there have been years, eg when living in remote areas, when there has been no attendance…

Not because of sin or unworthiness. SImply circumstances, and now increasing age and illness… that My Lord is tranquil about, and He feeds me always.NB I do have excellent skilled direction ; quite at peace with this and the only time I have not been at peace is when there has been outside comment, which I now avoid .

Thank you OP; I posted something about this briefly before I think.

 

[Rosebud77]

It isn’t so much what we want, or being worthy as a human being, but rather what Jesus wants. And he did say, “He who eats my body and drinks my blood lives in me and I in him.”

**What that means is that a person who already has Jesus’ life throbbing thru his soul in grace, grows in grace even more in receiving him in the Eucharist. And so He should be received as often as possible in the union of love because he wants that very much … shown by his agony. He did not die just to have us stay away from him. **

For someone to be content to receive him only when they have to, would be missing the point of his gift to us … to be united with us because he wants this union.

Someone brought up the point of spending some time in thanksgiving after receiving Him, which is one of the best times for prayer… according to St. Teresa of Avila.
Because Jesus’ body, after reception, stays with us as long as the bread can be considered bread before it breaks down. So that those who rush out of church are ignoring the very special presence of Jesus within themselves. And I’m sure many are totally unaware of this presence lasting so long within them and do not give it a second thought.

As someone once put it, “When we see our brother/sister in Christ receive the very body and blood of Jesus, we could go up to them and genuflect before them just as we would to Jesus’ presence in the tabernacle.”

WHOOAH! That is a long stretch. The second para I bolded even more so. Unity is constant. Jesus is not limited as we are.

 

[Rosebud77]

Maybe things are different where you are in the UK. In the States, if you have eyes and ears and have broad exposure to the Church, these things are clear.

Yes, mortal sins. Maybe you are mainly associating with Catholics who are really trying - for the average person, mortal sin is not that hard. And anyways, it is the spirit of it as well… the lack of attention given to the matter at all. Most people used to refrain unless they had made their confession a very short while ago, maybe a day. Otherwise, they played it safe - too safe, maybe. But this is the better vice, I would suggest. You are free to disagree.

I did have the Gallup poll in mind… whether it is discredited or not it is in the right vicinity, in my experience.

I am in Ireland and i see folk at mass through “obligation” only. Once I went to the cathedral for Sunday 12.30 mass and sat at the back at the side. Teenagers playing games on their phones, women having a good natter, all through even the consecration… all of these made a hasty exit when communion started or soon after. I know others who ar reverent and sincere, But here mass was a DUTY . The old men the first time I went to mass, chatting and even eating in the porch, rushing out when communion time came;when I asked my landlady whay she told me Mammy who had been years in the graveyard had told them YOU MUST GO TO MASS

My responsibilty l is for myself alone but I cannot pretend all is well around me. I long for any service where there is real holiness… only ever glimpsed it with the Poor Clares who are all but gone now,

More holiness for me in an "empty"church or in my bed here. Or in the mountains.

 

[Rosebud77]

That’s fine. Doing your Easter Duty is admirable.

There is absolutely nothing wrong in feeling unworthy; we are all unworthy.

Those who don’t feel unworthy, or who think everyone should feel worthy should be psychoanalyzing themselves, rather than psychoanalyzing you.

Peace and all good!

Thank you and bless you

 

[PaulfromIowa]

Wait, I’ve heard that there is an obligation to attend the Easter mass, but I didn’t know there was an obligation to take communion at that mass. What if you are in a state of mortal sin??? You have to take communion but you can’t take communion in that case

During the Easter season, not on Easter Sunday specifically.

The Precepts of the Church:
1.You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation.
2.You shall confess your sins at least once a year.
3.You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least once during the Easter season.
4.You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.
5.You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church.

vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_P75.HTM