Sacraments
Holy Communion
Guidelines for the Reception of Holy Communion

For Catholics
Father Arek Falana "As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. We are encouraged to receive Communion devoutly and frequently. In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. 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). A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all.

For Other Christians
"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' (Jn 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 Holy Communion.

For Non-Christians
"We also welcome to this celebration those who do not share our faith in Jesus Christ. While we cannot admit them to Holy Communion, we ask them to offer their prayers for the peace and the unity of the human family."

Bishops' Statement
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, on November 14th, 2006 came up with the statement Happy Are Those Who Are Called To His Supper. In their statement, they explain that certain thoughts, actions, and omissions entail grave sinful matter. Following the order of the Ten Commandments, they point out some examples:

  • failing to worship God by missing Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligations without a serious reason, such as sickness
  • engaging in sexual activity outside the bonds of a valid marriage
  • producing, marketing, or indulging in pornography
  • believing in or honoring as divine anyone or anything other than God of the Holy Scriptures
  • swearing a false oath while invoking God as a witness
  • acting in serous disobedience against proper authority; dishonoring one?s parents by neglecting them in their need and infirmity
  • committing murder, including abortion and euthanasia; harboring deliberate hatred of others; sexual abuse of another, especially of a minor or vulnerable adult; physical or verbal abuse of others that causes grave physical or psychological harm
  • stealing in a gravely injurious way, such as robbery, burglary, serious fraud, or other immoral business practices
  • speaking maliciously or slandering people in a way that seriously undermines their good name
  • engaging in envy that leads one to wish a grave harm to someone else.