This is a small catechesis I put together on the subject of how to receive Communion in a worthy manner,
God bless!
Who should, and who should not be receiving Holy Communion?
Dear brothers and sisters, I have noticed that a good amount of Catholics do not know the five requirements for admittance to the Lords Supper. These Five prerequisites are each and every one to be met, and if any one is lacking, the virtuous and Catholic thing to do is to remain kneeling or seated during Communion and pray the Lord that you can receive worthily as soon as possible. My sources for writing this catechetical document are the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Catholic Code of Canon Law, the writings of the Church Fathers and Popes, Sacred Scripture, and a great article by a blogger http://blog.adw.org/2015/06/on-the-worthy-reception-of-holy-communion/ So now without further ado, here is the list (Quotes from the Magisterium and Sacred Scriptures set off in italics):
#1) Canon 912 Any baptized person not prohibited by law can and must be admitted to holy communion.
This canon is saying a Baptized Catholic can be admitted to Holy Communion. If you are not a baptized Catholic, or unsure if your baptism is recognized by the Church, do not approach for Holy Communion.
#2) You must be in a state of grace -
The Eucharist is not itself the sacrament of reconciliation, but in fact it presupposes that sacrament. It is the sacrament of the reconciled, to which the Lord invites all those who have become one with him; who certainly still remain weak sinners, but yet have given their hand to him and have become part of his family.
That is why, from the beginning, the Eucharist has been preceded by a discernment … (I Corinthians 11:27 ff). The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles [the Didache] is one of the oldest writings outside the New Testament, from the beginning of the Second Century[some scholars and my opinion is that it is from the first century, between A.D. 50-100], it takes up this apostolic tradition and has the priest, just before distributing the sacrament saying:”Whoever is holy, let him approach, whoever is not, let him do penance” (Didache 10). -Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI), Collected Works, Vol. II, Ignatius Press pp 273-274
"So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world." -(1 Cor. 11:27–32).
As Pope Benedict and St. Paul and the unanimous Tradition of Holy Mother Church points out, one must be in a state of grace to receive Communion, and the Church requires confession at least once per year. So if it has been over a year since your last confession, or if you have committed a mortal sin since your last confession, please, do not approach for Communion, but stay kneeling and pray acts of contrition, otherwise you commit the sin of sacrilege by receiving unworthily. As the Code of Canon Law states : "A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to celebrate Mass [this applies to Priests, not laity] or to receive the Body of the Lord [this applies to laity] without prior sacramental confession unless a grave reason is present and there is no opportunity of confessing; in this case the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible" (Canon 916).
So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny (Mat 5:21-26).
Note the use of the simple word “first.” Jesus teaches that we cannot approach the altar if we are filled with hate or injustice toward our brethren. Reconciliation and the restoration of unity are required prior to approaching the Sacrament of Holy Communion, lest our “Amen” be incoherent or a lie -Quote from the referenced blog
Please, do NOT think people around you will judge you if you do not go forward. I guarantee, people will respect a penitent more than somebody taking the Body and Blood of Christ in a wanton manner. As the Didache states: "If any one is holy [i.e., in a state of sanctifying Grace], let him approach; if any one is not so, let him repent. Maranatha. Amen. … But let no one eat or drink of your Eucharist, unless they have been baptized into the name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord has said, “Give not that which is holy to the dogs” (Didache 10, 9).
To respond to this invitation we must prepare ourselves for so great and so holy a moment. St. Paul urges us to examine our conscience. Those conscious of a grave sin must receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion (Catechism # 1385).
And again from the Didache: "But first make confession of your faults, so that your sacrifice may be a pure one" (Didache 14).
This requirement can be dispensed of for several reasons, including: (1) there must be a grave reason to receive Communion (for example, danger of death), (2) it must be physically or morally impossible to go to confession first, (3) the person must already be in a state of grace through perfect contrition, and (4) he must resolve to go to confession as soon as possible.
If you want to call this communion “closed,” fine, but at its heart it is more positively called a “sacrum convivium,” a sacred meal of those who share a life together (con = with or together + vivium = life). This is not a “come one, come all” meal; it is a Holy Banquet for those who wear the wedding garment. The garment is righteousness and those who refuse to wear it are cast out (cf: Matt 22:11-12 & Rev 19:8). -Quote from the referenced blog
Many moderns surely would prefer a “no questions asked” invitation to all who wish to come. We moderns love this notion of unity. But to a large degree it is a contrived unity that overlooks truth (the opposite of which is falsehood, not just a different viewpoint). Yes, it overlooks the truth necessary for honest, real, and substantive unity. Such a notion of communion is shallow at best and a lie at worst. How can people approach the Eucharist, the sacrament of Holy Communion and unity, and say “Amen” when they differ with the Church over essentials such as that Baptism is necessary; that there are seven Sacraments; that the Pope is the successor of Peter and the Vicar of Christ on Earth; that homosexual acts, fornication, and adultery are gravely sinful; that women cannot be admitted to Holy Orders; that there is in fact a priesthood; that Scripture must be read in the light of the Magisterium; and on and on? Saying that there is communion in such a case is either a contrivance or a lie, but in either case, it does not suffice for the “Amen” that is required at the moment of reception of Holy Communion. -Quote from the referenced blog
#3) You must believe in the established Dogmas of the Church, especially the Eucharistic dogmas of the Real Presence of Jesus through Transubstantiation. "For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself" (1 Cor. 11:29). If you do not believe in the Real Presence, if you do not believe the Lords Words "my flesh is real food, my blood real drink", if you only believe in "symbolic presence" - do not approach! You must assent to the Catholic dogma or risk not discerning the Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus.
These are essential Dogmas. If you deny the Transubstantiation, you must repent and assent to Church Dogma before receiving. This is different from having doubts or feeling like you’re not really sure how the bread and wine completely change substance. This means outright denial of it. Saying “I have a hard time believing it, but I do believe, Lord I believe, help mine unbelief!”, is much different from “I do not believe it”. Many Bishops and Priests, even Popes and Saints have had a hard time understanding the Real Presence, sometimes even precipitating a Eucharistic Miracle (a la the Eucharistic Miracle of Lanciano) but they did not deny it, since this is such a great heavenly mystery
.
#4) You must have observed the minimum Eucharistic Fast: "One who is to receive the most Holy Eucharist is to abstain from any food or drink, with the exception only of water and medicine, for at least the period of one hour before Holy Communion" (CIC 919 §1). Elderly folks, people who are very ill, and their caretakers are excused from the Eucharistic fast (CIC 191 §3). Priests and deacons may not dispense one obligated by the Eucharistic fast unless the bishop has expressly granted such power to them (cf. CIC 89). Drinking water is allowed, and medicine that is necessary to take is allowed also. Don’t get scrupulous – I have seen people ask if brushing their teeth breaks the Eucharistic fast… it doesn't. Also, this is a minimum. There is nothing wrong and in fact it is encouraged to observe the older, stricter Eucharistic fast disciplines, of either 3 hours prior to reception which was instituted by Pope Pius XII, or the even older and Eastern tradition of fasting from midnight the night before (when receiving in the morning).
#5) You must not be under any sort of ban, censure, or excommunication. "Those who are excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion" (CIC 915).
In summary, in order to approach the Lords Table, you must be a baptized Catholic. One must be in a state of grace, having made Sacramental Confession since your past mortal sin. One must have a correct belief in the dogmas of the Church, particularly the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. One must have observed the minimum one hour Eucharistic fast. Lastly, one must be in good standing with the Church - not under any sort of ban, censure, or excommunication.
His Holiness Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI stated much the same -
Presenting oneself to receive Holy Communion should be a conscious decision, based on a reasoned judgment regarding one’s worthiness to do so, according to the Church’s objective criteria, asking such questions as: “Am I in full communion with the Catholic Church? Am I guilty of grave sin? Have I incurred a penalty (e.g., excommunication, interdict) that forbids me to receive Holy Communion? Have I prepared myself by fasting for at least an hour?” The practice of indiscriminately presenting oneself to receive Holy Communion, merely as a consequence of being present at Mass, is an abuse that must be corrected (Cardinal Ratzinger Memo to Cardinal McCarrick, # 1).
Dear brothers and sisters, I pray this reminder of the Teachings of Our Holy Mother Church will serve to increase the holiness of our Cathedral Parish and keep the Holy Sacrament Holy.
God bless!
-Jason Michael Spyridon Prewara
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