Why didn't Catholics recieve communion at every Mass?

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Today, Catholics are encouraged to recieve communion every time they attend Mass (if they are in a state of grace, of course.

Earlier, though, people only recieved a few times a month or few times a year.

I’m currently reading St Therese of Lisieux’s “Story of a Soul”, and she was allowed to recieve communion maximum four times a week, which made her jumping up and down.

Why would the Church make such limitations for the faithful?
 
Because we’re not supposed to take it if we’re in a state of mortal sin.

Most people now don’t go to confession enough, and shouldn’t be taking it as often as they do.

Couldn’t tell you how many of catholic friends argued with me when I brought up the Real Presence and say they don’t agree with that.
 
I don’t think that is what he means, but you are correct about the Real Presence and mortal sin.

Simply put, I think people viewed they were simply unworthy, that frequent reception was for priests and really saintly people.
 
Did not answer my question. We are all called to recieve as often as possible - if we are in a state of grace, of course.

Question is about the past.
 
Perhaps there was not a frequent opportunity for confession at the place where they were.

Perhaps their Spiritual Director had good reason (wrt St Therese for instance).

People used to have more awarness of sin. Today, folks think that mortal sins are murder, rape and smoking. Aside from that, they can rationalize everything away. OR they are so scrupulous that they doubt the mercy of God.
 
I missed the second part somehow. My bad.

I forget where I read it but sometimes there was limitations because of the concern familiarity would breed casual irreverence.
 
Also, in the past as the other poster said, people were more mindful of their own sins rather than rationalizing them as not being sins. I am due to take first communion this Easter, I personally will probably not partake every Sunday. I know I am not worthy more often than I am.
 
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Welcome to the Church!

I had my first communion last Pentecost when I was recieved into the Church. I know the longing you feel towards the sacrament right now. Will be a great day when you recieve first time!
 
When I was growing up in pre-Vatican 2 days, it was pretty much the case the you didn’t receive communion on Sunday unless you had been to confession on Saturday. In my family the regular routine was confession on Saturday afternoon, Mass and communion on Sunday morning.

Another factor was that the communion fast was from midnight; no food or water before communion. It was relatively easy to break the fast by taking a drink of water—sometimes purposely if one needed to go to confession but didn’t want to say so.
 
You mean like when there was a grille outside and people couldn’t even enter the church?
It was because the clergy at the time didn’t think the average person clearly understood nor was well disposed.
In the Middle Ages, people rarely took Communion.
In fact, this became such an issue, that at the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215, the Church formalized the requirement to partake and receive communion by consumption at least once per year. This refusal or abstaining stemmed from two different approaches of the laity. The first reason people abstained was the emphasis upon the sinfulness and unworthiness of the individual to partake of the Eucharist, developing out of the Augustinian view of original sin and the liturgical changes of the priest facing away, speaking in Latin, whispering, and sometimes even screens separating the laity in addition to altar rails. The second reason people abstained from consuming the Eucharist was that individuals saw ocular communion as just as valid as physical consumption.
 
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