Ethan Walker
Communion, or Holy Communion, is a Catholic ritual also known as the Eucharist. It is considered the 'fount and apex of the whole Christian life'. While Catholics are obliged to receive Communion at least once a year, many do so more frequently, with some receiving Communion several times a month. The frequency with which one can receive Communion has changed over time, with the 1917 Code of Canon Law prohibiting reception of Communion more than once a day. After Vatican II, this restriction was relaxed, allowing for Communion to be received twice in one day.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How often do Catholics need to take Holy Communion? | Catholics are obliged to receive the Eucharist at least once a year during the Easter season. |
| The Church allows the faithful to receive Communion up to twice each day. | |
| In the past, it was common for priests to distribute Communion before, during, and after Mass. | |
| Communion may be received either in the hand or on the tongue. | |
| Conditions for receiving Holy Communion | One must be in a state of grace and carefully prepare before receiving Holy Communion. |
| One must have the proper disposition and approach the Holy Table with the right intention. | |
| Benefits of receiving Holy Communion | The Eucharist is the most important of the seven sacraments as it is an intimate encounter with Christ, deepening unity with the Church. |
| The Eucharist strengthens our hope in God, giving us confidence that He will draw us to heaven. | |
| It is the very channel of eternal life as we receive the body and blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ. |
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What You'll Learn
Catholics are obliged to receive the Eucharist at least once a year
The Church has long encouraged frequent Communion, with saints such as Catherine of Siena, St. Vincent Ferrer, and Savonarola advocating for its regular reception. Pope Saint Pius X also championed this cause, issuing Sacra Tridentina in 1905 to promote more frequent Communion. The Church allows the faithful to receive Communion up to twice per day, although the second reception must take place during a Mass in which one participates.
The Eucharist is considered the most important of the seven sacraments in the Catholic Church. During Holy Communion, Catholics receive the body and blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ, which is believed to be an intimate encounter with Christ. This deepens unity with the Church and assimilates individuals more fully into Christ.
To prepare for receiving the Eucharist, Catholics must be in a state of grace and approach the sacrament with a right intention, not out of routine or vanity, but with the purpose of pleasing God and seeking divine guidance for their weaknesses. This careful preparation is essential, as receiving the Eucharist without sanctifying grace in one's soul is considered a profanation of the sacrament.
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Communion can be received twice in a single day
> A person who has received the Most Holy Eucharist may receive it again on the same day only during the celebration of the Eucharist in which the person participates, with due regard for the prescription of Canon 921, 2.
However, it is important to note that this is subject to certain conditions and guidelines. Firstly, the second reception of Communion must occur during a separate Mass in which one actively participates. This means that receiving Communion outside of Mass or during a Mass in which one did not actively engage is not permitted for the second reception.
Additionally, specific preparations are typically recommended before receiving Communion, such as fasting from midnight onwards (or until noon for an evening liturgy), reciting specific preparatory prayers, and recent confession. These practices emphasise the importance of approaching Communion with the right intention and disposition, as encouraged by Pope Saint Pius X, to ensure it is not done out of routine or vanity but with a sincere desire to please God and deepen one's union with Him.
While the Church encourages frequent Communion, it is not a requirement to receive it daily. Catholics are, however, obliged to receive the Eucharist at least once a year, as per Canon 921 §1-2, to foster a faithful life and benefit from the graces of the Eucharist.
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Saints have advocated for frequent communion
While the Code of Canon Law states that Catholics are obliged to receive the Eucharist at least once a year, saints have advocated for frequent communion. Many saints have upheld the benefits of frequent Communion as essential to the pursuit of holiness.
Pope Saint Pius X, for example, championed a more regular reception of Communion, issuing Sacra Tridentina to encourage it in 1905. He preached about the great benefit of frequent Communion, while also reinforcing the importance of having the proper disposition:
> A right intention consists in this: that he who approaches the Holy Table should do so, not out of routine, or vain glory, or human respect, but that he wishes to please God, to be more closely united with Him by charity, and to have recourse to this divine remedy for his weakness and defects.
Pius also gave practical advice on preparation:
> Since, however, the Sacraments of the New Law, though they produce their effect ex opere operato, nevertheless, produce a great effect in proportion as the dispositions of the recipient are better, therefore, one should take care that Holy Communion be preceded by careful preparation, and followed by an appropriate thanksgiving, according to each one’s strength, circumstances and duties.
The Church has historically encouraged frequent Communion, with priests distributing Communion before, during, and after Mass to accommodate those who wished to receive Communion daily but did not have the time to attend Mass. This practice was common in working-class neighbourhoods and rural farming areas, where individuals could receive Communion on their way to work.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms the belief in the communion of saints, stating:
> Since all the faithful form one body, the good of each is communicated to the others.... We must therefore believe that there exists a communion of goods in the Church. But the most important member is Christ, since he is the head.... Therefore, the riches of Christ are communicated to all the members, through the sacraments.
The Church teaches that the faithful on earth exchange merits and satisfactions, the souls in purgatory profit by the suffrages of the living and the intercession of the saints, and the saints themselves receive honour and give intercession.
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Eucharist is the most important sacrament
Catholics are obliged to receive the Eucharist at least once a year, as per the Code of Canon Law, canon 921 §1-2. This is to encourage the faithful to live a truly faithful life and benefit from the graces of the Eucharist. The Eucharist, or Holy Communion, is considered a sacrament in most churches and an ordinance in others.
The Eucharist is the most important sacrament as it is the source and summit of the Christian life, the Lord's own sacrifice. It is the only sacrament in which Christ himself is present in the form of the consecrated bread and wine, which become the means by which the believer has real communion with Christ. The bread and wine are not mere symbols, but the actual body and blood of Christ. This is what the Church means when she speaks of the "'Real Presence' of Christ in the Eucharist." The Lord Jesus, on the night before he suffered on the cross, shared one last meal with his disciples. During this meal, he instituted the sacrament of his Body and Blood, commanding his disciples to "do this in memory of me".
By receiving the Eucharist, we become united to the person of Christ through his humanity and, in turn, are united to his divinity. Our mortal and corruptible natures are transformed by being joined to the source of life. As St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, "Christ has not left us without his bodily presence in this our pilgrimage, but he joins us to himself in this sacrament in the reality of his body and blood". The Eucharist is also offered in reparation for the sins of the living and the dead, and to obtain spiritual or temporal benefits from God.
The Church encourages the faithful to receive the Holy Eucharist regularly, as it is believed to be essential to the pursuit of holiness. However, it is important to approach the Eucharist with the right intention and disposition. As Pope Saint Pius X preached, one should approach the Holy Table not out of routine or vanity, but with the desire to please God and to be more closely united with Him.
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Communion can be received in the hand or on the tongue
Catholics are obliged to receive the Eucharist at least once a year, as per the Code of Canon Law. Canon law also specifies that Communion can be received up to twice per day, though the second reception must be during a Mass.
Historically, Communion was received on the tongue, with this method being mandated by a local council in Rouen in 878. St. Thomas Aquinas also explains that only the consecrated fingers of a priest should touch the host. During the COVID outbreak, some priests encouraged people not to receive Communion on the tongue to prevent the spread of the virus. However, there is no scientific evidence that receiving Communion in the hand reduces the risk of transmitting disease.
Some people believe that receiving Communion on the tongue shows greater reverence for the Eucharist. For example, Pope Benedict XVI insisted on distributing Communion in this manner in St. Peter's, explaining that he wanted to "give a sign of profound respect and put an exclamation point on the Real Presence." However, others argue that the modern method of receiving Communion in the hand is more natural. Ultimately, there is no Church law forbidding either method of receiving Communion, and individuals are free to choose their preferred method.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Catholics are obliged to receive Communion at least once a year during the Easter season, as per the Code of Canon Law.
Catholics are allowed to receive Communion up to twice per day. However, the second reception of Communion in a single day must be during a Mass in which one is participating.
Communion may be received either in the hand or on the tongue. Before receiving Communion, one must be in a state of grace and carefully prepare themselves to receive the Lord.
The Holy Eucharist is the most important of the seven sacraments as it is the intimate encounter with Christ in which we sacramentally receive Christ into our bodies. It is also the channel of eternal life as we receive the body and blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ.
Saints such as Catherine of Siena, St. Vincent Ferrer, and Savonarola advocated for frequent Communion. In 1905, Pope Saint Pius X encouraged a more regular reception of Communion, issuing Sacra Tridentina. The Church has always promoted frequent Communion to strengthen the faithful's relationship with God.
