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Distressed
Guest
That’s the entire point. Taking it seriously enough so you will plan ahead and leave enough time.
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C
chicago
Guest
Nor is She simply a positivist legal system.
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rwoehmke
Guest
What was that about swallowing a camel and straining at a gnat? I can’t believe we had this discussion. Fasting for one hour is the law, do your best to meet the law and don’t worry about it.
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Eireann
Guest
I called no-one a pharisee on here, I did say that they were very scrupulous people, but Jesus saw through them, they were dirty on the inside, I wasn’t pointing the finger at anyone, but there are many examples of Jesus rebuking them.
It was just a passing thought, (thinking out loud) and if you read the last post I did say we should stick to the fast, it really is a piece of cake( pardon the pun) compared to what we were used to.
Ok for the record, if we know we have to fast, then we should, and if we don’t make it to the 60 minutes, then it’s better not to receive, I personally wouldn’t receive.
Fr William Saunders puts it like this…This regulation, however, does not mean we have to be scrupulous and count-off seconds. I remember concelebrating Mass with a priest who had eaten one-half hour before Mass and was worried that he would not have a one-hour fast before receiving holy Communion. He literally set his watch for one-hour, dragged-out the prayers, and stood at the altar while I finished giving everyone else holy Communion until the hour had ticked away.** While we do not want to be lax, we do not want to be scrupulous.** The goodness of receiving holy Communion supersedes the precise “hour of fast” if there is a doubt.
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Walking_Home
Guest
If it was not directed at no one----then why bring it up. By bringing this topic into a discussion ----it is aimed at some who have posted. From what you posted above—now we are at a point of being rebuked by our Lord.
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Distressed
Guest
You are wrong. They Church does not say it’s OK to receive Holy Communion if we are “close” to the 1+ hour fast.
Either follow it or forego Holy Communion. It’s not your call.
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Distressed
Guest
Let’s expand this discussion just a bit.
Is it OK if we receive Holy Communion with mortal sin on our souls because we were (only) 5 minutes late for confession?
Is it OK if we receive Holy Communion 3 or more times in one day because “we really want to?”
Is is OK to receive Holy Communion if we are not yet Catholics, but are within 5 months of entering the Church?
Where do we stop making our own decisions and follow Jesus through His Church?
Is it OK if we receive Holy Communion with mortal sin on our souls because we were (only) 5 minutes late for confession?
Is it OK if we receive Holy Communion 3 or more times in one day because “we really want to?”
Is is OK to receive Holy Communion if we are not yet Catholics, but are within 5 months of entering the Church?
Where do we stop making our own decisions and follow Jesus through His Church?
C
chicago
Guest
The law is made for man not man for the law. It’s all a matter of keeping things in perspective.
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Eireann
Guest
Well there is a danger that we could become like them, I’m afraid scrupulosity is a tool of the evil one, Saint Teresa referred to it in her writings, oh how he loves us not to receive, I prefer Fr. William Saunders answer anyway, so I’ll say adios to this thread, bye !
This regulation, however, does not mean we have to be scrupulous and count-off seconds. I remember concelebrating Mass with a priest who had eaten one-half hour before Mass and was worried that he would not have a one-hour fast before receiving holy Communion. He literally set his watch for one-hour, dragged-out the prayers, and stood at the altar while I finished giving everyone else holy Communion until the hour had ticked away. While we do not want to be lax, we do not want to be scrupulous. The goodness of receiving holy Communion supersedes the precise “hour of fast” if there is a doubt.
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LilyM
Guest
‘He who loves me will keep my commands’. Absolutely nowhere does Jesus say the law is made for man - certainly not for man to break at his whim, only in cases of necessity.
Thus, for example, you can miss Mass if you genuinely need to work to support your family, or the rules on fasting if you would be made ill otherwise. Tell me where the need is that can justify breaking a Communion fast?
Thus, for example, you can miss Mass if you genuinely need to work to support your family, or the rules on fasting if you would be made ill otherwise. Tell me where the need is that can justify breaking a Communion fast?
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rciadan
Guest
A chiropractor would be able to help much with the headaches.
As for the fast- I fast for one hour before Mass starts. I never really think of it in terms of counting the seconds. It is just easier for me to know when to begin my fast that way because the last thing I am concentrating on during Mass is a watch. I don’t even wear one at Mass.
In your case I would go to confession and seek a dispensation allowing you to not fast until you have solved the headache problem.
As for the fast- I fast for one hour before Mass starts. I never really think of it in terms of counting the seconds. It is just easier for me to know when to begin my fast that way because the last thing I am concentrating on during Mass is a watch. I don’t even wear one at Mass.
In your case I would go to confession and seek a dispensation allowing you to not fast until you have solved the headache problem.
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AP4Him
Guest
My big beef with this issue is that the majority of Catholics don’t know about this rule!!! At my inlaws and families homes, they all cook breakfast, grab toast on the way out the door…I really struggle with counseling them because any reminder of the rules is seen as judgment. 
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Walking_Home
Guest
My big beef with this issue is that the majority of Catholics don’t know about this rule!!! At my inlaws and families homes, they all cook breakfast, grab toast on the way out the door…I really struggle with counseling them because any reminder of the rules is seen as judgment.
AP4Him-----the Church would not consider what you stated as judgment. It is quite the opposite. When we encounter something like this----and we do nothing-----we become part of it----we cooperate with it. We cooperate with it—because we know what is right—yet we let them continue.
We cannot force anyone to do what is right----but we do have the responsibility of counseling them. This is what our Lord would expect from us.
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Distressed
Guest
Doing nothing (particularly by many bishops) has taken one heck of a toll on the Church.
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RCCDefender
Guest
It seems to me that many of these posts have gotten off topic. I see the topic not as ‘The Eucharistic Fast’ itself but rather as this one particular situation.
Let’s take yet another look at canon law:
Can. 919 §1. A person who is to receive the Most Holy Eucharist is to abstain for at least one hour before holy communion from any food and drink, except for only water and medicine.
It seems that mari is taking a medicine for her headaches. That medicine just happens to be food. I would still suggest that she speak with her priest. We don’t know the entire situation here. I also agree with those who have stated that she could simply refrain from communion if the hour fast has not been fulfilled.
Let’s take yet another look at canon law:
Can. 919 §1. A person who is to receive the Most Holy Eucharist is to abstain for at least one hour before holy communion from any food and drink, except for only water and medicine.
It seems that mari is taking a medicine for her headaches. That medicine just happens to be food. I would still suggest that she speak with her priest. We don’t know the entire situation here. I also agree with those who have stated that she could simply refrain from communion if the hour fast has not been fulfilled.
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stinkcat_14
Guest
I think that point was missed by many here. If I went to mass (not having any medical issues) and fasted for 55 minutes and then went to communion, I think some of the responses here have some justification. However, the fact that there was a medical reason for eating makes judging her action much more difficult and probably beyond the competence of most of us on this forum.
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MusicMan
Guest
So, my suggestion,
has been completely ignored. I think the lack of comment on this shows what a complete lack of respect we have for our priests.
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JimG
Guest
There is no requirement in Canon Law to wear a watch to church. Perhaps that would solve the problem. It’s a moral hour, not an hour measured by seconds or milliseconds.
That said, please realize that entire generations of people managed to survive when the rule was to fast from midnight until reception of communion.
That said, please realize that entire generations of people managed to survive when the rule was to fast from midnight until reception of communion.
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lifeisbeautiful
Guest
A few things:
It is not scrupulous to make sure one fasts one complete hour before receiving Communion. Canon law clearly states at least one hour (not at least almost an hour, or about one hour, or a “spiritual hour” or whatever else people may want to come up with). “…abstain for **at least one hour **before holy communion from any food and drink, except for only water and medicine.”
It also states “§3. The elderly, the infirm, and those who care for them can receive the Most Holy Eucharist even if they have eaten something within the preceding hour.”
I would talk with a priest about this (just because I don’t think I am qualified to say it’s ok) but if it were ok it would not be because 55 min is almost an hour, but because of a medical necessity.
If 55 min were ok, when would the cut off be? 56 min? 54? 50? 45? Canon law clearly states 1 hr, and I haven’t traveled the world, but I have never found a place where 1 hr is less than 60 minutes… We do not have an obligation to receive the Eucharist every time we go to Mass, but we do have the obligation to be prepared adequately if we recieve the Eucharist.
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chicago
Guest
I’m not sure I quite grasp why it is that “those who care for them” get a special dispensation.
It’s our Calvinistic sensibilities which make us so obcessed with the particulars of timekeeping.
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