What part of mass is essential to receive communion

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wcknight

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Before one had to be at mass for the offertory to receive Communion.

How late can you be to still receive ?

I drove an hour and a half and arrived just as the priest said, blessed is this bread made from human hands… And we say blessed be God forever…

I did not go up even though it was heavy traffic and getting lost that made me late…

Other times, I may be late due to my own fault… What is the latest you would show up and still receive… Usually I am very early since I usher but on weekdays I may cut things close.
 
Latest I’ve been is during the homily and that’s embarrassing because the priest saw me coming in where otherwise he’d have his backed turned. They used to say up to the offertory but now there is no such rule and is by your own discretion.
 
I use the rule of attending mass “from blessing to blessing” - opening blessing to dismissal blessing. Even if we did not intentionally arrive late, there may be some level of negligence on our part and it is best to let Father decide at your next confession. When in doubt, I do not receive, and let Father counsel me and absolve me, if needed.
 
If you are otherwise properly disposed and unimpeded, and arrive at Mass prior to the end of the distribution of Communion, you may receive.

tee
 
wcknight said:
Before one had to be at mass for the offertory to receive Communion.

How late can you be to still receive ?

I drove an hour and a half and arrived just as the priest said, blessed is this bread made from human hands… And we say blessed be God forever…

I did not go up even though it was heavy traffic and getting lost that made me late…

Other times, I may be late due to my own fault… What is the latest you would show up and still receive… Usually I am very early since I usher but on weekdays I may cut things close.
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To be able to receive Communion there is no specified part of Mass you must attend.
If you are in a state of grace and properly disposed to receive (these are the only conditions required) you could arrive at Church, walk directly into the Communion line and receive Communion.

Don’t be confused about fulfilling the Sunday obligation and being able to receive. They are two separate things.
 
po18guy said:
I use the rule of attending mass “from blessing to blessing” - opening blessing to dismissal blessing. Even if we did not intentionally arrive late, there may be some level of negligence on our part and it is best to let Father decide at your next confession. When in doubt, I do not receive, and let Father counsel me and absolve me, if needed.
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👍
 
wcknight said:
Before one had to be at mass for the offertory to receive Communion.
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This is not true.
wcknight said:
How late can you be to still receive ?
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I think you are asking the wrong question.
wcknight said:
Other times, I may be late due to my own fault… What is the latest you would show up and still receive… Usually I am very early since I usher but on weekdays I may cut things close.
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Receiving communion is not the issue. Fulfilling the obligation is the issue. You can receive any time. You have not fulfilled the obligation if you do not assist at the entire Mass. If it is a circumstance out of your control, such as getting lost and no other Mass being available, then it is not a sin. If it is in your control, you do indeed need to go to another Mass.
 
Note that one may not simply happen to walk into a Church at Communion time (like say one is touring the sites of Rome) and receive if one has ALREADY received Holy Communion that day. (One may though receive a second time at a second Mass one attends …)
 
I always understood that one should be present for the consecration of the bread and wine, when they become the Body and Blood of Christ, thus we are able to take part in the feast.
I’m not entirely sure how this fits in with taking communion to the sick and housebound but I suppose there are other rules governing this.
 
Godolphin said:
I always understood that one should be present for the consecration of the bread and wine, when they become the Body and Blood of Christ, thus we are able to take part in the feast.
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People have all sorts of things they “heard” as children or adults. However, there is no Church law stating this. As others have indicated, you can receive communion at any time, inside Mass or out. If you receive a second time it must be at a Mass you attend.
XD1993 said:
I’m not entirely sure how this fits in with taking communion to the sick and housebound but I suppose there are other rules governing this.
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There are no “rules” stating one must attend Mass to receive the Eucharist, or some part of Mass.
 
One may even receive outside of Mass (if one has not received that day…unless your dying)
 
so its totally cool when a person comes in during the gospel, receives communion and then leaves immediately after?

doesnt seem respectful.

that would mean they didnt fulfill their obligation for that sunday and if they dont go to confession before the following sunday they would be in a state of mortal sin and commit sacrilege upon reception at that time, correct?
 
ZxM said:
so its totally cool when a person comes in during the gospel, receives communion and then leaves immediately after?

doesnt seem respectful.
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I see more of that during the weekdays. On our noon Mass, some wait until 12:25pm outside or in back, then proceed to receive communion and leave. Sometimes it seems there are more people receiving communion than attending Mass.
 
ZxM said:
so its totally cool when a person comes in during the gospel, receives communion and then leaves immediately after?

doesnt seem respectful.
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I agree that it doesn’t seem respectful, but there is no hard and fast rule here. I once arrived just before the final blessing. Our city was experiencing massive flooding and we were delayed on our way to church. The priest offered to give us communion after the liturgy was over.
 
ZxM said:
so its totally cool when a person comes in during the gospel, receives communion and then leaves immediately after?

doesnt seem respectful.

that would mean they didnt fulfill their obligation for that sunday and if they dont go to confession before the following sunday they would be in a state of mortal sin and commit sacrilege upon reception at that time, correct?
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So what would you say about a person who comes to Church at the very end of the weekday Mass and receives Holy Communion before heading out to work.

What Church law did they violate?

Or a person who does the same thing at a Sunday early morning Mass, but stays around praying the Rosary and goes to next Mass? What obligation was missed?? What Church law was violated? What disrespect was shown?
 
ZxM said:
so its totally cool when a person comes in during the gospel, receives communion and then leaves immediately after?
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Yes, it is fine to receive the Eucharist if that is the first or only time receiving. If they are receiving a second time, it must be at a Mass they attend (exception would be Viaticum).
ZxM said:
doesnt seem respectful.
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that is an opinion.
ZxM said:
that would mean they didnt fulfill their obligation for that sunday and if they dont go to confession before the following sunday they would be in a state of mortal sin and commit sacrilege upon reception at that time, correct?
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Receiving the Eucharist and meeting the obligation are two different things. Yes, they are still under the obligation to attend Mass on Sunday and Holy Days.
 
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