What is required to receive holy communion worthily

Pope Pius X, in particular, was the champion of frequent communion, issuing Sacra Tridentina to encourage it in Instead of fostering a right intention and removing obstacles, I think we have fallen into a routine reception of Communion.

I have never heard a priest caution anyone from receiving the Eucharist, even though St. Paul warns us in First Corinthians Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will 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. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself.

That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died vv First, to approach Christ in the Eucharist we must have faith in His true presence. To receive without belief is the ultimate sacrilege and prevents us from recognizing and receiving the grace Christ wants to give us. Unfortunately, many polls have shown that a large number of Catholics who attend Mass do not believe in the Real Presence.

The Church requires us to go to Confession at least once a year, but we are prohibited from receiving Communion in a state of mortal sin. If we do so, we commit another grave sin. Beyond that, we need to confess more regularly to break sinful habits and our attachment even to venial sin as St.

Francis de Sales recommends. Part of the problem here is that parishes need to make Confession more available, especially on Sunday when people are already at church. We should make a deliberate choice to receive Jesus in the Eucharist, breaking out of any routine complacency.

Although it is good to receive Communion frequently, it can be helpful to remember that we are only required to receive once a year. We should not confine communion with Jesus to an hour a week. If our life is going a different direction, we need to turn back in the right direction to make a worthy communion.

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But what does this mean? However, while canon may be the more famous canon of the two, it actually does not apply directly to most faithful Catholics. On the other hand, canon is something that does specifically pertain to each one of us. Consequently, this canon also directs those who are aware of having committed a mortal sin to make use of the sacrament of Penance—the normal means through which sins are forgiven and a person is reconciled with God—so that they may once again become fit to share in the Eucharist.

As we read in St. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.

That is why many among you are ill and infirm, and a considerable number are dying. Here, St. Paul recounts a dramatic scenario in which some early Christians suffered bodily illness and death due to their unworthy reception of Holy Communion. Although this is perhaps not likely to be a normal occurrence in our modern parishes, the spiritual effects of partaking in the Eucharist unworthily are the same today as they were in St.

Receiving Communion when knowingly in a state of grave sin is, in fact, a grave sin in and of itself.