W
WT1
Guest
I know before communion but do they do it before the other sacraments as well?
- Status
D
Don_Ruggero
Guest
I know before communion but do they do it before the other sacraments as well?
Actually, it depends upon the priest and it depends upon his circumstance.
We are to observe the Communion fast, as others do, but when we binate or trinate (that is offer a second or third Mass on a given day), we do not have to observe the communion fast strictly for the subsequent Masses. A priest who is elderly or sick would have the same mitigation from the communion fast as any other person who is in the same condition. When I have been in hospital, I have received Communion with no fast at all – as any other hospital patient on the chaplain’s communion rounds.
Regarding fasting beyond the Eucharistic fast, those who have not celebrated their 59th birthday would fast, as others do, according to the provisions of Canon Law in accord with the norms established by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops which have received *recognitio *by the Holy See. Many who have celebrated their 59th birthday will still keep the fast even though the law exempts them from it.
Can. 1251 Abstinence from eating meat or some other food according to the prescripts of the conference of bishops is to be observed on ,of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year of age. The law of fasting, however, binds all those who have attained their majority until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Nevertheless, pastors of souls and parents are to take care that minors not bound by the law of fast and abstinence are also educated in a genuine sense of penance.
(For those in the United States, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are the days of fast.)
We are encouraged in various directives to go beyond what the law sets forth and to keep the Paschal Fast, for example, during the paschal triduum or the fast that traditionally marked the vigils of the greater feasts – and also for other special occasions – but all this concerns an earnest recommendation and not an obligation.
Of course we are formed to appreciate the importance of both fast and abstinence as it relates to our own spiritual lives as well as its importance to our ministry. I dare say the majority of us undertake, without fanfare or such, our own private fast days, or otherwise augment what is minimum, as part of the exercises of our spiritual life.
Please note that I have spoken thus far only about those of us who are diocesan priests. The fasts above would bind the regular clergy as well but they will also have fasts that will be particular to their religious institutes or monastic observance. The Trappists and Carthusian monks, for example, will have rather austere and enduring fasts that are part of their monastic life. Not infrequently, the secular clergy will make a retreat in such a monastery and we will keep the same fasts as the monks do for the duration we are there.
The priests of the Eastern rites also have more elaborate fasting before they offer the Divine Liturgy…the Mass.
We do not normally fast before other sacraments although, practically, a priest may choose to fast for a special reason or special intention. I have done it in conjunction with anointing parishioners, especially if they were undergoing major surgery – but that is not really in connection with the anointing per se but it is a way of praying for one of my parish who is facing death.
You might also recall, for example, that Saint John Vianney arrived in Ars and found a dismal situation with few people approaching the parish or the sacraments. His response was to throw himself into intense prayer, hours in the parish church, and to impose upon himself a rigorous fast. The Lord rewarded His servant and the parish was famous throughout France and beyond as a place for Confession. Monsieur le Curé did not, for all that, stop his fast even though his prayers were answered beyond all expectation and the lines kept him in the confessional for hours on end.
As the Lord Jesus said to the Twelve, some demons are only driven out by prayer and fasting – and we have to bear that in mind for our ministry, too.
Actually, it depends upon the priest and it depends upon his circumstance.
We are to observe the Communion fast, as others do, but when we binate or trinate (that is offer a second or third Mass on a given day), we do not have to observe the communion fast strictly for the subsequent Masses. A priest who is elderly or sick would have the same mitigation from the communion fast as any other person who is in the same condition. When I have been in hospital, I have received Communion with no fast at all – as any other hospital patient on the chaplain’s communion rounds.
Regarding fasting beyond the Eucharistic fast, those who have not celebrated their 59th birthday would fast, as others do, according to the provisions of Canon Law in accord with the norms established by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops which have received *recognitio *by the Holy See. Many who have celebrated their 59th birthday will still keep the fast even though the law exempts them from it.
Can. 1251 Abstinence from eating meat or some other food according to the prescripts of the conference of bishops is to be observed on ,of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year of age. The law of fasting, however, binds all those who have attained their majority until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Nevertheless, pastors of souls and parents are to take care that minors not bound by the law of fast and abstinence are also educated in a genuine sense of penance.
(For those in the United States, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are the days of fast.)
We are encouraged in various directives to go beyond what the law sets forth and to keep the Paschal Fast, for example, during the paschal triduum or the fast that traditionally marked the vigils of the greater feasts – and also for other special occasions – but all this concerns an earnest recommendation and not an obligation.
Of course we are formed to appreciate the importance of both fast and abstinence as it relates to our own spiritual lives as well as its importance to our ministry. I dare say the majority of us undertake, without fanfare or such, our own private fast days, or otherwise augment what is minimum, as part of the exercises of our spiritual life.
Please note that I have spoken thus far only about those of us who are diocesan priests. The fasts above would bind the regular clergy as well but they will also have fasts that will be particular to their religious institutes or monastic observance. The Trappists and Carthusian monks, for example, will have rather austere and enduring fasts that are part of their monastic life. Not infrequently, the secular clergy will make a retreat in such a monastery and we will keep the same fasts as the monks do for the duration we are there.
The priests of the Eastern rites also have more elaborate fasting before they offer the Divine Liturgy…the Mass.
We do not normally fast before other sacraments although, practically, a priest may choose to fast for a special reason or special intention. I have done it in conjunction with anointing parishioners, especially if they were undergoing major surgery – but that is not really in connection with the anointing per se but it is a way of praying for one of my parish who is facing death.
You might also recall, for example, that Saint John Vianney arrived in Ars and found a dismal situation with few people approaching the parish or the sacraments. His response was to throw himself into intense prayer, hours in the parish church, and to impose upon himself a rigorous fast. The Lord rewarded His servant and the parish was famous throughout France and beyond as a place for Confession. Monsieur le Curé did not, for all that, stop his fast even though his prayers were answered beyond all expectation and the lines kept him in the confessional for hours on end.
As the Lord Jesus said to the Twelve, some demons are only driven out by prayer and fasting – and we have to bear that in mind for our ministry, too.
B
bardegaulois
Guest
Nothing is mandated before the administration of other sacraments. Bear in mind that the priest only administers the other sacraments; he does not receive them. In order for a Mass to be valid, the priest must ingest the Body and Blood of Christ. A priest, however, is dispensed from the Eucharistic fast for his second Mass in one day if he must celebrate one.
P
pnewton
Guest
I know my priest sometimes grabs a bite to eat between Masses, though never a meal. He pretty much has to since he starts at 7:30 am on Sunday and ends around 2:00pm. He has four Masses that day and is in his sixties.
F
FrDavid96
Guest
Canon 919 §2. A priest who celebrates the Most Holy Eucharist two or three times on the same day can take something before the second or third celebration even if there is less than one hour between them.
A priest cannot completely ignore the Eucharistic fast. Rather, he can have some food after the first Mass of the day.
He is not completely dispensed from the fast. The word “dispensation” does not apply here.
The canon is not very specific. It does not say what he can/cannot eat or drink, it doesn’t specify quantity or anything else measurable. The way I usually explain it is that the priest can eat “a little something” but should not have a full meal, and certainly not have a big meal–at least, not if the 1-hour timeframe still applies. That might be relevant if someone invites a priest to a breakfast buffet after the 1st Mass, but before another Mass. Yes, he can have a little something, but he cannot make a feast out of it either.
As I just said, the canon is not very specific, but at the same time, it does not completely release the priest from the obligation to fast for 1 hour before receiving Communion.
A priest cannot completely ignore the Eucharistic fast. Rather, he can have some food after the first Mass of the day.
He is not completely dispensed from the fast. The word “dispensation” does not apply here.
The canon is not very specific. It does not say what he can/cannot eat or drink, it doesn’t specify quantity or anything else measurable. The way I usually explain it is that the priest can eat “a little something” but should not have a full meal, and certainly not have a big meal–at least, not if the 1-hour timeframe still applies. That might be relevant if someone invites a priest to a breakfast buffet after the 1st Mass, but before another Mass. Yes, he can have a little something, but he cannot make a feast out of it either.
As I just said, the canon is not very specific, but at the same time, it does not completely release the priest from the obligation to fast for 1 hour before receiving Communion.
P
pnewton
Guest
That fits what I have seen, which is usually a small bite standing up between the second and third, or third and fourth Mass. He would probably skip that if he could, and if the food didn’t smell so good. (hey, he’s human) Our hall is too close to the church.
Thanks for the official stuff, and to the OP, thanks for a good question.
W
WT1
Guest
I appreciate all the responses it was very educational.
Thank You
Thank You
- Status