How can i receive communion

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Resource Centre. What is Social Justice? Priesthood as a Vocation Pray for our Seminarians. Admission Requirements. Archbishop Joseph MacNeil Society. Career Opportunities. I firmly intend, with Your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Just sincerely sorry, and truly desirous of a restored relationship with God. Since the early days of Christianity, Church leaders have taught that Catholics in situations of serious and ongoing external sin would not be admitted to Holy Communion.

That determination has long been reflected in Church law. The purpose of the norm is to convey, both to the Catholic community and to the individuals involved, that certain objective circumstances can rupture communion with God and with the Church — the very communion the Eucharist signifies and conveys. A declared excommunication does not kick a person out of the Church, contrary to popular belief. Instead, it forbids a Catholic from holding certain jobs in the Church — called ecclesiastical offices — and from participating in the sacramental life of the Church, which includes the reception of the Eucharist.

Similarly, an interdict prohibits a person from participating in the sacramental life of the Church. The purpose of those penalties is to convey the seriousness of a situation or action, in order to call the person to repentance and conversion, and in order to demonstrate to the entire Catholic community that certain behavior is not consonant with the Christian life. Obstinate - continuing over a long period of time with not change of the will, or after a warning or exhortation from a pastor or other church authority.

The norm could have a variety of applications, but it has been in the news in recent years because of two particular situations: marriage especially sex , and politics. Previous Church law also indicated that people in such a situation could not be admitted to Holy Communion.

In , for example, Pope St. John Paul II taught that:. They are unable to be admitted thereto from the fact that their state and condition of life objectively contradict that union of love between Christ and the Church which is signified and effected by the Eucharist. Besides this, there is another special pastoral reason: if these people were admitted to the Eucharist, the faithful would be led into error and confusion regarding the Church's teaching about the indissolubility of marriage.

John Paul II did teach taught that such a couple could receive the Eucharist under some conditions, namely that they did not have a sexual relationship, and that there was some serious reason for them to continue living together:.

The life of Christ, the Holy Spirit, animates each of us individually, and all of us corporately and guides us together in our efforts to become one in Christ. Finally, the fact that the Communion Procession is a profoundly religious action tells us something about the way in which we should participate in this procession.

We are the Body of Christ, moving forward to receive the Christ who makes us one with himself and with one another. Our procession should move with dignity; our bearing should be that of those who know they have been redeemed by Christ and are coming to receive their God! The General Instruction asks each country's Conference of Bishops to determine the posture to be used for the reception of Communion and the act of reverence to be made by each person as he or she receives Communion.

In the United States, the body of Bishops has determined that "[t]he norm This norm is supported by an Instruction by the Holy See regarding the Eucharist: "In distributing Holy Communion it is to be remembered that 'sacred ministers may not deny the sacraments to those who seek them in a reasonable manner, are rightly disposed, and are not prohibited by law from receiving them' Code of Canon Law, can.

Hence any baptized Catholic who is not prevented by law must be admitted to Holy Communion. Therefore, it is not licit to deny Holy Communion to any of Christ's faithful solely on the grounds, for example, that the person wishes to receive the Eucharist kneeling or standing" Redemptionis Sacramentum , no. Those who receive Communion may receive either in the hand or on the tongue, and the decision should be that of the individual receiving, not of the person distributing Communion.

If Communion is received in the hand, the hands should first of all be clean. To find out if you qualify to take communion, keep reading. Did this summary help you? Yes No. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account.

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Become Catholic if you are not already. You must be of the Catholic faith to take Communion. Baptized children will be prepared to receive Sacraments in their regular classes, but if you are an adult you will most likely participate in a process called RCIA Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults , learning what the Catholic Church teaches, and preparing you for Reconciliation, first Communion, and Confirmation. If you were Baptized in another Christian denomination you will make what is called a "Profession of Faith," to convert to Catholicism.

Accept Communion in a state of grace. The Eucharist may not be received while a person has mortal sin in their soul. If you have committed a mortal sin a major sin which has seriously damaged your relationship with God , you must go to Reconciliation and repent before receiving Communion. Believe in the doctrine of transubstantiation.

You must believe in transubstantiation, which means that the bread and wine are actually transformed into the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ. The offerings only appear as bread and wine, but are believed to actually be parts of Christ himself. Participate in the Eucharistic fast. This means you cannot eat or drink anything for at least one hour before taking Communion.

Water and medicine are excluded from the fast. Those who are elderly or ill can be excused from fasting, with the priest's permission.

Ensure you are not under ecclesiastic censure. Those who are under ecclesiastic censure, meaning they have been excommunicated from the church or continually commit grave sins, cannot receive Communion. Part 2. Go to Mass.