Who Can Receive Communion?

The Holy Eucharist is the most important of the seven sacraments because, in this and in no

other sacrament, we receive the very body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ.

Innumerable, precious graces come to us through the reception of Holy Communion.

Communion is an intimate encounter with Christ, in which we sacramentally receive Christ into

our bodies, that we may be more completely assimilated into his. "The Eucharist builds the

Church," as Pope John Paul II said (Redemptor Hominis 20). It deepens unity with the

Church, more fully assimilating us into Christ (1 Cor. 12:13; CCC 1396).

flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food, and my blood is real

drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the

Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate

and died; he who eats this bread will live forever" (John 6:53–58).

Because of the gravity of Jesus’ teaching on receiving the Eucharist, the Church encourages Catholics to receive frequent

Communion, even daily Communion if possible, and mandates reception of the Eucharist at least once a year during the Easter

season. Before going to Communion, however, there are several things one needs to know.

Catholics and Communion

be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup" (1

Cor. 11:27–28). This is an absolute requirement which can never be dispensed. To receive the Eucharist without sanctifying grace

in your soul profanes the Eucharist in the most grievous manner.

A mortal sin is any sin whose matter is grave and which has been committed wilfully and with knowledge of its seriousness. Grave

matter includes, but is not limited to, murder, receiving or participating in an abortion, homosexual acts, having sexual intercourse

outside of marriage or in an invalid marriage, and deliberately engaging in impure thoughts (Matt. 5:28–29). Scripture contains lists

of mortal sins (for example, 1 Cor. 6:9–10 and Gal. 5:19–21). For further information on what constitutes a mortal sin, see the

Catechism of the Catholic Church.

"But first make confession of your faults, so that your sacrifice may be a pure one" (Didache 14).

The 1983 Code of Canon Law indicates that the same requirement applies today. "A person who is conscious of a grave sin is not

to . . . receive the body of the Lord 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" (CIC 916).

The requirement for sacramental confession can be dispensed if four conditions are fulfilled: (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

said: "This is my body. . . . This is my blood" (Mark 14:22-24, cf. Luke 22:14-20). If Christ were merely present along side bread and

wine, he would have said "This contains my body. . . . This contains my blood," which he did not say.

Fourth, you must observe the Eucharistic fast. Canon law states, "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 people, those who are 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).

Finally, one must not be under an ecclesiastical censure. Canon law mandates, "Those who are excommunicated or interdicted

We welcome our fellow Christians to this celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. We pray that our common

baptism and the action of the Holy Spirit in this Eucharist will draw us closer to one another and begin to dispel the sad divisions

which separate us. We pray that these will lessen and finally disappear, in keeping with Christ’s prayer for us ‘that they may all be

one’ (John 17:21).

Because Catholics believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life, and worship,

members of those churches with whom we are not yet fully united are ordinarily not admitted to Communion. Eucharistic sharing in

exceptional circumstances by other Christians requires permission according to the directives of the diocesan bishop and the

provisions of canon law.

Presence to receive Communion: "For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon

himself. (1 Cor. 11:29–30).

Possible exceptions

However, there are circumstances when non-Catholics may receive Communion from a Catholic priest. This is especially the case

when it comes to Eastern Orthodox Christians, who share the same faith concerning the nature of the sacraments:

Catholic ministers may licitly administer the sacraments of penance, Eucharist and anointing of the sick to members of the oriental

churches which do not have full Communion with the Catholic Church, if they ask on their own for the sacraments and are properly

disposed. This holds also for members of other churches, which in the judgment of the Apostolic See are in the same condition as

do so under certain specifically defined circumstances.

Canon law explains the parameters: "If the danger of death is present or other grave necessity, in the judgment of the diocesan

bishop or the conference of bishops, Catholic ministers may licitly administer these sacraments to other Christians who do not have

full Communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and on their own ask for it,

provided they manifest Catholic faith in these sacraments and are properly disposed" (CIC 844 § 4).

It is important to remember that, under the rubrics specified above, even in those rare circumstances when non-Catholics are able

to receive Communion, the same requirements apply to them as to Catholics.

extraordinary minister of Holy Communion may bring them Communion as Viaticum.

How to receive Communion

early Church practiced Communion in the hand when he instructed his audience: "Approaching, therefore, come not with thy wrists

extended, or thy fingers open; but make thy left hand as if a throne for thy right, which is on the eve of receiving the King. And

having hallowed thy palm, receive the body of Christ, saying after it, ‘Amen.’ Then after thou hast with carefulness hallowed thine

eyes by the touch of the holy body, partake thereof; giving heed lest thou lose any of it; for what thou losest is a loss to thee as it

were from one of thine own members. For tell me, if anyone gave thee gold dust, wouldst thou not with all precaution keep it fast,

being on thy guard against losing any of it, and suffering loss?" (Catechetical Lectures 23:22).