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The Diocese of Richmond
The Vatican
Contact Information:
- Pastor
- Father James Glass, OSB
- Deacons:
- Dr. Emmett R. McLane
-
Mr. Peter Menting
- Telephone (Church Office)
- (434) 392-3934
- FAX
- (434) 392-1611
- Postal address
-
709 Buffalo Street Farmville, VA 23901
- Electronic mail
- General Information:
sttheresa1@earthlink.net
Webmaster:
crowep@gmail.com
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The fruits of
this sacrament are:
-
An increase in
the communicant's union with Christ
-
Forgiveness of
Venial sins
-
Preservation
from grave sins
-
A strengthening
of the unity of the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ, because
of the strengthening of the bonds of charity between the communicant
and Christ
“When our Lord instituted the Eucharist during the Last Supper, night
had already fallen. This indicated, according to St. John Chrysostom,
that ‘the times had run their course.’ The world had fallen into
darkness, for the old rites, the old signs of God’s infinite mercy to
mankind, were going to be brought to fulfillment. The way was opening to
a new dawn—the new Passover. The Eucharist was instituted during that
night, preparing in advance for the morning of the resurrection.
“We too have to prepare
for this new dawn. Everything harmful, worn out or useless has to be
thrown away — discouragement, suspicion, sadness, cowardice. The holy
Eucharist gives the sons of God a divine newness and we must respond in
‘the newness of your mind,’ renewing all our feelings and actions. We
have been given a new principle of energy, strong new roots grafted onto
our Lord. We must not return to the old leaven, for now we have the
bread which lasts forever.”1
“Think of the human experience of two
people who love each other, and yet are forced to part. They would like
to stay together forever, but duty — in one form or another — forces
them to separate. They are unable to fulfill their desire of remaining
close to each other, so man’s love — which, great as it may be, is
limited — seeks a symbolic gesture. People who make their farewells
exchange gifts or perhaps a photograph with a dedication so ardent that
it seems almost enough to burn that piece of paper. They can do no more,
because a creature’s power is not as great as its desire.
“What
we cannot do, our Lord is able to do. Jesus Christ, perfect God and
perfect man, leaves us, not a symbol, but a reality. He himself stays
with us. He will go to the Father, but he will also remain among men. He
will leave us, not simply a gift that will make us remember him, not an
image that becomes blurred with time, like a photograph that soon fades
and yellows, and has no meaning except for those who were
contemporaries. Under the appearances of bread and wine, he is really
present, with his body and blood, with his soul and divinity.” 2
(Christ is Passing By, 83)
Our Lord said: "I tell you most
solemnly, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his
blood, you will not have the life in you.” (Jn 6:53).
Sacramental Communion “increases
the communicant’s union with the Lord, forgives his venial sins, and
preserves him from grave sins. Since receiving this sacrament
strengthens the bonds of charity between the communicant and Christ, it
also reinforces the unity of the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ.
The Church warmly recommends that the faithful receive Holy Communion
each time they participate in the celebration of the Eucharist; she
obliges them to do so at least once a year.” 3
In order to receive Holy Communion
worthily, we must first confess any mortal sin we may remember. Venial
sins are forgiven with a fervent Communion, works of mercy, acts of
sorrow, etc.
“Anyone ho desires to receive
Christ in Communion must be in the state of grace. Anyone aware of
having sinned mortally must not receive Communion without having
received absolution in the sacrament of Penance.” 4
“Sometimes, indeed quite
frequently, everybody participating in the Eucharistic assembly goes to
Communion; and on some such occasions, as experienced pastors confirm,
there has not been due care to approach the sacrament of Penance so as
to purify one’s conscience. This can of course mean that those
approaching the Lord's table find nothing on their conscience, according
to the objective law of God, to keep them from this sublime and joyful
act of being sacramentally united with Christ. But there can also be, at
least at times, another idea behind this: the idea of the Mass as only a
banquet in which one shares by receiving the body of Christ in order
to manifest, above all else, fraternal communion. It is not hard to
add to these reasons a certain human respect and mere conformity.
"This phenomenon demands from us watchful attention and a
theological and pastoral analysis guided by a sense of great
responsibility. We cannot allow the life of our communities to lose the
good qualities of sensitiveness of Christian conscience, guided solely
by respect for Christ, who, when he is received in the Eucharist, should
find in the heart of each of us a worthy abode. This question is closely
linked not only with the practice of the sacrament of Penance but also
with a correct sense of responsibility for the whole deposit of moral
teaching and for the precise distinction between good and evil, a
distinction which then becomes for each person sharing in the Eucharist
the basis for a correct judgment of self to be made in the depths of the
personal conscience. St Paul's words, 'Let a man examine himself,' are
well known; this judgment is an indispensable condition for a personal
decision whether to approach Eucharistic Communion or abstain." 5
We must fast one hour before
Communion. Water and medicines do not break the fast. The elderly and
those who are sick, as well as those caring for them, may receive Holy
Communion even if they have consumed something within the preceding hour
(See CIC 919).
One should receive Holy Communion with utmost reverence and devotion,
bearing in mind that Christ himself, and not just an ordinary piece of
bread, is being received. In some countries, where the Holy See has
confirmed the deliberation of the Bishop's Conference Holy Communion may
be taken in the hand. Every communicant, however, always has the right
to receive Holy Communion in the mouth.
Taken from: Socias, Rev.
James. "Preparation for Mass."Daily Roman Missal. 6th. 2003.
1. "Christ is
Passing By" by Saint Josemaria Escriva, #155
2. "Christ is Passing By" by Saint Josemaria Escriva, # 83
3. "Catechism of the Catholic Church", # 1416-1417
4. "Catechism of the Catholic Church", # 1415
5. DC, 11
6. CIC, 919
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