Too Frequent Reception of Communion

[jmcrae]

Another reason besides being in mortal sin for not receiving Holy Communion, is not being properly disposed to receive.

For example, someone who has eaten something within the past hour is not properly disposed to receive Holy Communion, even if he is in the state of grace.

Also, someone who has received Holy Communion twice already that same day is not properly disposed to receive it a third time on the same day, since we are limited to receiving twice a day, with at least the second time being at Mass.

And someone who is so distracted during the Mass that he is not attentive to his prayers or able to enter into the mystery of the Mass is also not properly disposed to receive, even if he is otherwise in a state of grace.

So, imagine that someone goes to visit a friend in the hospital, and receives Holy Communion with them because the EMHC or a priest also came to visit the person at the same time, and they shared Holy Communion as a group together; then the person goes to a wedding or funeral Mass, where he receives Holy Communion again, and then that evening, goes as usual to his daily evening Mass - he would not receive Holy Communion at that evening Mass, because he has already received Holy Communion twice that day.

In another instance, suppose he were invited out for coffee and dessert with an old friend he hasn’t seen in a while. Suddenly, he realizes half way through his coffee that he wants to go to Mass that evening, and if he hurries he will be just in time - he would not receive Holy Communion at that Mass (especially if it was a short week-day style Mass, where Holy Communion is offered within about 20 minutes of the start of the Mass - because, even supposing it took him 10-15 minutes to get to the Mass from the coffee shop, this 10-15 minutes, added to the 20 minutes before Holy Communion, would still be less than one hour) because he had consumed something within the previous hour.

And in the third instance, we have the one who, say, becomes distracted by his own worries or daydreams during the Mass to the point where he can’t pray along with it - or something happens during the Mass that causes him to become very emotional (perhaps angry, or very sad), or the behaviour of other members of the congregation drives him to total distraction, to the point where he is talking to other people during the Mass instead of attending to his prayers and praying along - this person would have to make a decision about whether he was properly disposed to receive, as well - this would be a personal call, but I know I’ve had days when I just couldn’t focus on the Mass for whatever reason, and I did refrain from receiving Holy Communion at those times, because I didn’t feel that I had paid enough attention to Christ in the Mass, and I was unable to enter very well into the mystery, because of the distractions.

 

[Pug]

I didn’t see it mentioned on the thread, but the Summa Theologica leans toward the opinion that receiving communion can, by accident, restore a man who is in mortal sin but doesn’t realize it and approaches the sacrament. I wonder how that applies to some pew sitters? (part III, question 79, article 3)

About the reception patterns in South American and Mexico, I can add my observation about immigrants to the USA from those areas. The reception rate is one third of the congregation, maybe. You have to climb over a number of people to go up to communion, especially if you sit in the back of the church. It is startling the first time you see it.

while reception of Holy Communion can cleanse us from venial sins (of which we should already be free from through the penitential rite) it does not remit sin which is a slight difference in effect.

Not to mess up your thread, but I’m still pondering this. You are saying that to receive communion does not effect in itself the forgiveness of guilt, but that it increases our charity and gives us grace to be sorrowful and we cooperate with that, and this forgives our venial sins? Or are you making a different distinction here by not using the word “remit”, say between temporal punishments and guilt itself?

I’ve never really made a fine distinction between certain words, as I am finding out right now. I just would have said that it forgives venial sins and that how much temporal consequence disappears would vary, based on the recipient and his readiness. I’m notorious for not using fine language.

 

[mosher]

I didn’t see it mentioned on the thread, but the Summa Theologica leans toward the opinion that receiving communion can, by accident, restore a man who is in mortal sin but doesn’t realize it and approaches the sacrament. I wonder how that applies to some pew sitters? (part III, question 79, article 3)

Strictly speaking if we apply Thomas in this instance properly we must understand that the individual objectivelly comitted a mortal sin but through the lack of knowledge (or other grave reason) is not culpable for the full ramifications of that mortal sin and thus in his case through mitigated culpability the reception of Holy Communion is not effecting forgivness of mortal sin but rather venial sin because subjectively that sin for that person in that circumstance was not a mortal sin.

Not to mess up your thread, but I’m still pondering this. You are saying that to receive communion does not effect in itself the forgiveness of guilt, but that it increases our charity and gives us grace to be sorrowful and we cooperate with that, and this forgives our venial sins? Or are you making a different distinction here by not using the word “remit”, say between temporal punishments and guilt itself?

No worries - it is good conversation. In normal conversation I would not make the distinction but properly there is a distinction between forgivness and remittance of sin. It is at times a complicated distinction but applying it to this case I would justify my usage here because the reception of communion is not a substitute for the public dimension of Confession. Remember that in the Sacrament of Penance the act of God is that of forgivness and the act of the priest is that of remittance. This is because to forgive is proper to the one offended and to remit is proper to an agent on the behalf of the one offended. It goes a step further because the priest does not act as an agent of God but also as an agent of the Church or community. For these reasons and others the form of confession is not “I forgive you …” but rather it is “I absolve you.”

 

[Pug]

mitigated culpability the reception of Holy Communion is not effecting forgivness of mortal sin but rather venial sin because subjectively that sin for that person in that circumstance was not a mortal sin.

You are saying that it must not have been mortal to begin with, just grave matter, and thus the man was in fact in a state of grace before approaching. If you read this cut from the Catholic Encyclopedia, that is not their point, otherwise the bolded phrase would not be:

In spite of the principles just laid down, the question might be asked, if the Blessed Sacrament could not at times per accidens free the communicant from mortal sin, if he approached the Table of the Lord unconscious of the sinful state of his soul. Presupposing what is self-evident, that there is question neither of a conscious sacrilegious Communion nor a lack of imperfect contrition (attritio), which would altogether hinder the justifying effect of the sacrament, theologians incline to the opinion, that in such exceptional cases the Eucharist can restore the soul to the state of grace, but all without exception deny the possibility of the reviviscence of a sacrilegious or unfruitful Communion after the restoration of the soul’s proper moral condition has been effected, the Eucharist being different in this respect from the sacraments which imprint a character upon the soul (baptism, confirmation, and Holy orders).

The Encyclopedia is not the Summa, however. Here is a cut from Summa:

Nevertheless this sacrament can effect the forgiveness of sin in two ways. First of all, by being received, not actually, but in desire; as when a man is first justified from sin. Secondly, when received by one in mortal sin of which he is not conscious, and for which he has no attachment; since possibly he was not sufficiently contrite at first, but by approaching this sacrament devoutly and reverently he obtains the grace of charity, which will perfect his contrition and bring forgiveness of sin.

I would not expect the Summa to say “in mortal sin” of someone as you describe. Do you remain sure that these passages are discussing a person who approaches in a state of grace? Of course, no one has to agree with these quoted passages. I was mildly surprised that this sort of opinion might exist.

This is because to forgive is proper to the one offended and to remit is proper to an agent on the behalf of the one offended.

There is no agent acting on the behalf of another in communion, thus you do not choose the word remit.

I think a difference between sin with the Eucharist and sin with confession (besides one being a sacrament of the living and one of the dead) is that the judicial nature of confession has the sense of bind and loose, retain or remit. But communion is not really hinging on that. It hinges upon union with Christ. I don’t know, I wish I had a better book for sacramental theology, that’s what I wish.

 

[CALDE]

As Dec. 8th approaches, I can’t help think that we must be with-out mortal sin in order to receive Christ in us, just as Mary was born with out sin(Immaculate Conception) in order to receive Him into her womb.

 

[CRW]

The Eucharist is a true Sacrament instituted by Christ (De fide, D 844)

Catholic teaching is that the Eucharist is a sacrament since there are present in it all the essential characteristics of a sacrament of the New Law.

1. The outward signs, i.e., the species of the bread and the wine (matter) and the words of consecration (form) which effect a permanent result.
2. The inner grace, which is indicated and operated by the outward sign, and which is, according to John 6, 27 eternal life.
3. Institution by Christ as may be seen from the words used by Him: “Do this is commemoration of Me” (Luke 22, 19; 1 Cor. 11, 24). The genuineness of this passage is guaranteed by the fact of the primitive Christian solemnisation of Holy Communion, which is not conceivable without a mandate from Christ. That Christ wish that the Eucharist should be a permanent institution is indicated also by the words of the narrative of the institution: “Blood of the Covenant” (Mk. 26, 28; Mk. 14, 24), “the New Covent in my blood” (Luke 22, 20; 1 Cor. 11, 25). According to Christ’s own words when He promised this great gift (John 6, 53), the Eucharist is to be a source of life to all the faithful.

The sacramental species are the Body and the Blood of Christ are the Sanctifying Grace or (according to St. Thomas), the union with the Mystical Body of Christ effected by grace. In contradistinction to the other Sacraments, the Eucharist is a permanent Sacrament. Its beginning (in consecration), its being, its reception diverge in time.

The Eucharist increases the life of grace already present by strengthening and confirming the supernatural habit of grace and with it the associated infused virtues and gifts of the Holy Ghost. The Council of Trent rejected the teaching of the Reformers that the remission of sins is the principal fruit of the Eucharist.

The Eucharist cures the diseases of the soul by purging it of venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sin. The Council of Trent calls it “an antidote by which we are freed from our daily (=venial) sins” (D 875). The remission of venial sins and of the temporal punishment of sins takes place immediately by reason of the acts of perfect charity, which are awakened by the reception of the Sacrament, and it is proportioned to the intensity of these acts of charity.

Reception of the Blessed Eucharist is not necessary by an absolute necessity of means, but by a relative or moral necessity. A Christian who freely neglects for a long time the reception of the Blessed Sacrament, is morally unable to preserve himself in the state of grace for any long time. It follows the definition of the purpose of the Eucharist as nourishment for the soul, that without it supernatural life cannot be permanently maintained. (from Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma)

 

[franny33]

Dear Catholic Family,
This thread has been lying dormant for almost 9 months. I hope this will wake up some of you. I will also write in FREQUENT EUCHARIST. I first thumbed thru my catechism to no avail. I came here on line as usual to get many of my answers. I was so impressed with everything you all took such precious time to write!!! Thank You. I came home from Saturday evening Mass a little dissappointed. My parish is just a little west of Chicago. This weekend was the begining of a new scedule of Mass times. I usually go to Mass & Communion on Saturday evening and on Sunday morning. I was sure that I could recieve The Eucharist twice in one day. Our Saturday Mass change went to 5:00 and 6:30pm. I planned to go to both and the thought of having Jesus inside of my heart and soul for this long period of time was overwhelming. In between the 2 Masses, I went outside for a drink of water & fresh air. At the door, I shook the hand of the preist who was saying both Masses. And I said, Father, I just wanted to make sure that I could receive Communion twice. I’m staying for the next Mass also. He said NO!
The catechism may say yes to TWICE, but that would be in different kind of ceremonies. So I went on home.
(You might be wondering why I asked him those questions , but, we are familiar and I sit in the 1st row.) So he would see me.
Our parish is also adding on a 7:00pm Sunday Mass, which I will look forward to. My question is that CAN WE RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION TWICE IN ONE DAY AT REGULAR MASSES?
Sincerely, Franny
I am a Charismatic Catholic and I thank The Lord daily for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

 

[dessert]

Dear Catholic Family,
This thread has been lying dormant for almost 9 months. I hope this will wake up some of you. I will also write in FREQUENT EUCHARIST. I first thumbed thru my catechism to no avail. I came here on line as usual to get many of my answers. I was so impressed with everything you all took such precious time to write!!! Thank You. I came home from Saturday evening Mass a little dissappointed. My parish is just a little west of Chicago. This weekend was the begining of a new scedule of Mass times. I usually go to Mass & Communion on Saturday evening and on Sunday morning. I was sure that I could recieve The Eucharist twice in one day. Our Saturday Mass change went to 5:00 and 6:30pm. I planned to go to both and the thought of having Jesus inside of my heart and soul for this long period of time was overwhelming. In between the 2 Masses, I went outside for a drink of water & fresh air. At the door, I shook the hand of the preist who was saying both Masses. And I said, Father, I just wanted to make sure that I could receive Communion twice. I’m staying for the next Mass also. He said NO!
The catechism may say yes to TWICE, but that would be in different kind of ceremonies. So I went on home.
(You might be wondering why I asked him those questions , but, we are familiar and I sit in the 1st row.) So he would see me.
Our parish is also adding on a 7:00pm Sunday Mass, which I will look forward to. My question is that CAN WE RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION TWICE IN ONE DAY AT REGULAR MASSES?
Sincerely, Franny
I am a Charismatic Catholic and I thank The Lord daily for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Franny;
I did not see your link for frequent Eucharist but IMHO you should only receive once unless it is diff like a funeral, but i even skipped for that. Your priest is right only once is necccessary. Our NO churches don’t care if we receive twice and a priest is only suppose to do up to three masses a day I think many do only two or one. If we atend on Sat we don’t need to attend on sunday.
You should do what he wants. IMHO
Dessert

 

[Jerry-Jet]

St. Pius X went to confession daily and became a saint and popes as saints have been pretty rare the last few centuries.

Is daily confession and daily Eucharist a no brainer that most everyone is missing?

 

[LilyM]

St. Pius X went to confession daily and became a saint and popes as saints have been pretty rare the last few centuries.

Is daily confession and daily Eucharist a no brainer that most everyone is missing?

Daily confession is more of a concern - it can foster either tendencies to scruples or tendencies to presume on the Sacrament rather than actually working on not sinning! Not that it always does, of course. And a good confessor will tell you if this is the case with you.

As for the poster who said ‘you don’t need to go twice on the weekend’ - shame on you! Jesus didn’t need to die for your sins either, he chose to give up more than a bit of extra time and prayer, He gave His life itself, out of love for you.

So don’t squelch the desires of those who choose to imitate him and go to Mass more frequently than the bare required minimum of once a week. In fact we should all do more than that if possible - the Mass is the greatest of all prayers, and the centre of our worship. Worth more than any amount of other lesser prayers.

 

[ASimpleSinner]

My question is that CAN WE RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION TWICE IN ONE DAY AT REGULAR MASSES?
Sincerely, Franny
I am a Charismatic Catholic and I thank The Lord daily for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

In a word? Yes.

SEE:

therealpresence.org/archives/Sacraments.htm

OR
ewtn.com/library/DOCTRINE/TWICE.TXT

HOW MANY TIMES MAY THE EUCHARIST BE RECEIVED ON ONE DAY?
by Fr. John Trigilio

As many have rightly quoted canon 917, the faithful may receive Holy Communion AGAIN on the same day only during the celebration of the
Eucharist in which the person participates. The authentic Latin text ofthe code uses the word ITERUM which is accurately translated as “AGAIN”
as in “a second time.” The current interpretation is that a person may receive Holy Communion TWICE if they have participated in TWO Masses on the same day. Prior to the 1983 Code, Vatican II had limited the second reception of Holy Communion to special occasions and Masses. Now, it seems, that the law allows a broader usage in that no distinction is made for the second or first Mass. A third Mass and receiving Communion
a third time on the same day appears NOT to be in conformity to the spirit of the law nor to current practice and interpretation. As stated before, the fear of multiplying “Communions” as if one could QUANTIFY grace and the infinite value of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, led the Church to restrict reception to twice a day.

OR
americancatholic.org/Messenger/Feb1997/Wiseman.asp#F4

OR
dioceseoflincoln.org/purple/eucharist/index.htm#5

OR
therealpresence.org/archives/Sacraments/Sacraments_010.htm Where Fr. John Hardon writes:

For the first time in Christian history the Vicar of Christ not only permits but encourages the faithful to receive Communion twice on the same day. Believe me this is not an exaggeration of piety, but the expression of a sobering reality. We Catholics are now living in the age of martyrs. We are to love our persecutors and pray for those who hate us. Why? So that we may convert them from their selfish treachery to the selfless practice of Christianity. How can we do this? Only by frequently receiving Our Lord in Holy Eucharist and promoting this practice in the lives of fellow Catholics to the best of our ability.

And CA’s own Jimmy Akin has weighed on on this one as well:

jimmyakin.typepad.com/defensor_fidei/2005/06/masses_per_day.html

 

[ASimpleSinner]

St. Pius X went to confession daily and became a saint and popes as saints have been pretty rare the last few centuries.

Is daily confession and daily Eucharist a no brainer that most everyone is missing?

Daily confession would be something I would tell a person to work with a spiritual father about.

Daily communion? Heck yes! Go for it! If you are properly prepared and disposed, the graces given that help with prayer, refreaining from sin, maintaining chastity according to your state. It just can’t be measured.

Besides, when you consider the struggles of Catholics around the world (especially places like China and the Middle East) who cannot always go to Mass on Sundays, let alone other days…

Well when I got to thinking about the Church in China (for more info, see the links in my signature) it occured to me that in my circumstance (a single man, lives alone, 3 churches in either direction within 7 blocks of me offering a total of 6 or 7 Masses daily - all of which I could walk to and attend before work…). Well it occured to me that if I didn’t go to daily Mass (for me) it would be a sign of ingratitude.

Not for everyone - not everyone has these opportunities.

Today I assisted at a 7am and 5:15pm Mass. Given how long I was away from the sacraments (and any amount of time is too long!) I am grateful to make daily Mass (occasionally twice in a day) a part of my life.

 

[ASimpleSinner]

St. Pius X went to confession daily and became a saint and popes as saints have been pretty rare the last few centuries.

Honestly, I Ido think a distinction should be made. Popes who were saints, and popes who have yet been canonized. I beleive that several just have not been canonized as yet.

 

[LilyM]

Honestly, I Ido think a distinction should be made. Popes who were saints, and popes who have yet been canonized. I beleive that several just have not been canonized as yet.

Pope SAINT Pius X of daily confession and communion fame was canonised back in 1954.

it is Pope Pius XII who along with Pope John XXIII is a Blessed.

 

[Jennifer_G]

Daily confession is more of a concern - it can foster either tendencies to scruples or tendencies to presume on the Sacrament rather than actually working on not sinning! Not that it always does, of course. And a good confessor will tell you if this is the case with you.

My great-grandmother went to daily confession. Granted, she had 4 kids, so I guess there was always something to confess.

If I had the chance, I’d go to daily confession and Mass, but, there aren’t many churches close by with a daily confession before daily Mass (in the evening at least - the Basilica of the Assumption has it just before lunchtime).

Of course, I would wonder what to confess if I went every single day.

 

[CapaxDei]

REALLY??? I cant believe someone would come out and ask you that. WOW. Actually there have been times when I dont receive for weeks and I have this lovely lovely lady who sits behind us and really if she wants to know something she will ask, I am just hoping she doesnt come at me with that question, because out of being gobsmacked I dont think I could answer her lol. I still cant believe someone would come out and ask you that

You don’t have to answer her. You could just ask her, very politely, to mind her own business.

 

[jmcrae]

My great-grandmother went to daily confession. Granted, she had 4 kids, so I guess there was always something to confess.

If I had the chance, I’d go to daily confession and Mass, but, there aren’t many churches close by with a daily confession before daily Mass (in the evening at least - the Basilica of the Assumption has it just before lunchtime).

Of course, I would wonder what to confess if I went every single day.

In my case, it would depend on the traffic, and how far I had to drive. And who I ran into in the parking lot, on the way in.

 

[ASimpleSinner]

I think this is common. I know I’ve been asked why I wasn’t going up to receive. I just looked at them and said, “because I have to go to confession.” I count such incidents as teaching moments.

Perhaps legalistic, but in years past when I know I should not receive, I ate something before Mass.

The one time someone came out and asked me, I looked at them and, without lying, said “I ate a candy bar before I walked in… oops!”

Of course yours is the nobler route!

Still, there is in fact NO obligation to share with anyone your reasons…

I knew some old Ukrainians who would go ONCE a year (to communion) because that was the more traditional praxis in the east. In modern Orthodoxy this is still rather common to find Serbians, Russians, Ukrainians who do not go to communion but 1-4 times a year.

While I value the opportunity to go daily, I can say I have admiration for folks who have such profound respect for the sacrament, they want to make every effort to “make sure they are as ready as they can be.”

I think we should all make effort to not speculate why it is that someone is not receiving… I have found myself guilty of that - and I was wrong for doing so.

 

[JKirkLVNV]

Pope SAINT Pius X of daily confession and communion fame was canonised back in 1954.

it is Pope Pius XII who along with Pope John XXIII is a Blessed.

Lilly, I think it’s Blessed Pius IX, isn’t it?

 

[LilyM]

Lilly, I think it’s Blessed Pius IX, isn’t it?

My apologies. Pius XII seems only to be a Venerable at this stage. Pius IX doesn’t seem even to be a Venerable at this stage