Reception of Communion

  • Thread starter Thread starter wujek
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
W

wujek

Guest
I’ll stop being a lurker for a bit and ask a question,

“At what point in the Mass if you arrive late, is one allowed to still receive Communion?”

This was asked of me, and I don’t have the legalist answer. My first response is - don’t be late, and if you are late, and if your conscience pricks you then DO NOT to receive communion. Afterall, its not a sin not to receive, only its a sin to receive unworthily.

But I have a feeling that my friend wants an answer from the Code or from the GIRM (or equal document). Any leagalists out there that can help?
 
Actually if your question is how late into Mass can someone receive communion. Technically a person can walk in during the communion section of the Mass and receive as long as it is the first time they received that day.

If your actual question is how late can a person be to Mass and fulfill their Sunday obligation, the answer is it depends.

Officially a person is supposed to be there for the entire Mass. There can be valid reasons a person is late for Mass (i.e. car breaking down, kids, etc.) In those cases if the person is late for reasons beyond their control there is no specific time.

If the person is late because they habitually do not leave on time, they show up late on purpose or other similar reason, then there is no excuse.

Common custom use to say that if you arrived at Mass after the Gospel then you had to attend another Mass to recieve communion and fulfill your Sunday obligation. Due to the fact that people started to abuse this, it was removed.
 
It used to be a common custom for working people to stop by a Mass during their lunch hour, just for Communion. This practice is discouraged now but I don’t think it is technically prohibited anywhere.

When I was younger we were taught that arriving after the second reading was too late for Mass to “count” for Sunday obligation. You had to at least be there from the Gospel on. Just slightly different than the way Marauder was taught. 🙂 I don’t think any of these were written rules, just common customs.
 
Growing up, it was customary in my family for a time that whoever made us late for Mass for a reason within their control (i.e. I’m responsible for getting myself ready on time, but I’m not “as responsible” if you don’t get yourself ready on time) had to treat the rest of the family to lunch (or brunch) afterward 😃
 
Okay, anyone have a reference document? I already know the customs and “what we used to do”, but what is the “minimalist/legalist” requirment?
 
That’s just it, I don’t think there is a legal requirement. There definately isn’t one for daily Mass and probably isn’t one for Sunday Mass, at least not for Communion. You are looking for a document that describes laws that don’t exist as far as I know.

There may be some documentation about what “counts” for fulfilling Sunday Mass attendance but it isn’t likely to be expressed in a “minimum required” sort of way.

The only requirements for receiving Communion are 1) state of grace and 2) one hour fast.
 
How about the following link from a Catholic apologist?

Link

It’s probably the best we can do.

You should also ask the person, why do they want to do the minimum? How will they like it if on Judgement Day, God came to them and said, “Since you have done the minimum for me all your life, I will now do the minimum for you.”
 
Hello, I heard it said on an EWTN show. I don’t remember the name of it right now. It is where the two priest sit at the computer terminals and answer questions that come across the computer screen. Anyway, that question was brought up and they said the gospel is the cutoff to receive Holy Communion. In other words you need to be at Mass in time to hear the gospel reading.

Hope this helps.
 
40.png
safety14:
Hello, I heard it said on an EWTN show. I don’t remember the name of it right now. It is where the two priest sit at the computer terminals and answer questions that come across the computer screen. Anyway, that question was brought up and they said the gospel is the cutoff to receive Holy Communion. In other words you need to be at Mass in time to hear the gospel reading.

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
I have heard that for years. Because for years it has been the teaching. But I think that has changed. I at one point heard for Sunday Mass the latest was the consecration, but I believe the Gospel should be kept as cutoff. But am unsure if that has been changed.
 
40.png
Toni:
I have heard that for years. Because for years it has been the teaching. But I think that has changed. I at one point heard for Sunday Mass the latest was the consecration, but I believe the Gospel should be kept as cutoff. But am unsure if that has been changed.
Click to expand...
If you read the link I supplied above from a Catholic Answers apologist you will see that any and all official cut off times disappeared after Vatican II because they were abused. People would either purposely come in at the last possible time or people would be overly scrupuluous and worry if say a car accident made them late.

To fulfil your Sunday obligation you are supposed to try to be there for the entire Mass. If an unusual circumstance happens and you are late, no problem. If you purposely show up late or do not adjust times you leave for Mass because you routinely show up late, then there is a problem.

As I said above, why take a minimialistic view of how long you should be at Mass. Do you want the Lord taking that view with you?

Being there by the Gospel is a good cutoff time to suggest that you really should go to another Mass, but it isn’t required.

What is required is that if you show up for Mass late even if the only thing you missed is the processional you should search your soul and determine if you made every effort to be there on time. If the answer is no, go to another Mass.
 
Many thanks for everyone’s replies. I had already gone through the various references I could think of (GIRM, Code, Eucharista en Ecclesia, etc…) and couldn’t find anything. So I brought the question to an open forum with people that may have stumbled across documents/teachings that I hadn’t.

I am full agreement that the minimalist approach is the dangerous path to trod, and will couch my reply to my friend accordingly.

Again, many thanks - and I’ll go back to lurking now!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top