09/07/2026
NOTE FROM PASTOR
Praised be Jesus Christ, now and forever!
This weekend, at St. Mary Church in Marion, we will begin again distributing the Precious Blood at weekend Masses. We have been doing this for a year now at Sacred Hearts, Cardington. I thought this might be a good opportunity to give a refresher on some rules and pious practices concerning the reception of Holy Communion. But first, a quick story to give context on why the Church has such rules and pious practices.
When I was in my late teens and early 20s, I had fallen away from the faith and stopped going to Mass. At age 24, I began attending Mass again and then I began to discern a call to the priesthood. I thought that if God was calling me to be a priest, I should refresh myself on the Catholic Faith before entering seminary, having forgotten most of what I had learned in Sunday school as a child. One day, as I sat in on an OCIA class, where non-Catholics were learning about Catholicism, the topic turned to the Eucharist. I began to speak of the Eucharist as a mere symbol of the Body and Blood of Christ. The director immediately corrected me saying that the Church teaches that the Eucharist is truly the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, not merely a symbol. I was shocked. I went home that night wondering why I had never heard that before. I came to the conclusion that it was a new teaching by the Church to stop people from leaving the Church, that it was a gimmick, because if the faithful believed the Eucharist to truly be the Body and Blood of Christ, they would never leave the Catholic Church. As I researched it, I found that the Catholic Church always taught that the Eucharist truly is the Body and Blood of Christ, with many writings from the early Church Fathers stating as such. I tell this story in case some either have never heard of this Church teaching or just needed the reminder that the Eucharist truly is the Body and Blood of Christ, His risen and glorified body, not just His earthly body. From this fact, I hope you will understand then why the Church has some rules and pious practices concerning the reception of Holy Communion.
It is from this fact that the Catholic Church teaches that not just anybody can receive the Eucharist. We must be Catholic and believe this teaching. When we say, “Amen” before receiving Holy Communion, we are saying, “I believe this,” and in a way, “I believe and submit to everything the Catholic Church teaches, including the authority of the Pope and the bishops.” A non-Catholic would not say this (unless they’re on their way to becoming Catholic), and so to receive would be kind of a lie as their actions would not correspond to their beliefs. Similarly, for those Catholics who are in mortal sin, they are not properly disposed to receive the Eucharist. The action of their grave sin does not correspond to their “Amen.” They may be sorry for their sins, but their sorrow must first be expressed in the Sacrament of Reconciliation before presenting themselves for Holy Communion. The Church teaches that we have an obligation to attend Mass every Sunday (unless we cannot for a serious reason), but that we are only obligated to receive Holy Communion once a year during Easter, even if frequent Communion is encouraged. Thus, be not ashamed if you do not go up for Communion. Your remaining in your pew, even if you are Catholic, is a testament to your understanding and respect for the Eucharist. Go to Confession as soon as possible that you may be able to once again receive Communion. You may come up if you wish and cross your arms over yourself to receive a blessing from the priest.
Please fast for one hour before receiving Holy Communion. Most weekend Masses are about an hour long and Communion is near the end of Mass. You would almost have to be eating a donut on your way in to church for it to be less than an hour before Communion. Eating is anything other than water or medicine. So, try to avoid drinking coffee or soda or chewing gum on the way to church.
When speaking of the Eucharist, please do not call it simply bread or wine. Out of reverence for Christ and to avoid leading others astray, please call it what it is. The reality is that it is the Body of Christ and the Blood of Christ; it is no longer bread or wine. As a side note, you do receive the full Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ even under just one species, in either the Host or the Precious Blood. We are only distributing the Precious Blood because people have asked for it and the Church allows it. We must be very careful though about profanation, that is, treating the Eucharist with lack of respect whether in the manner in which we receive or by accidentally spilling or by trampling upon a dropped Host. If the Precious Blood is spilled, the minister will as best as possible wipe up the spill with a purificator, a cloth, to be cleansed by the priest in the sacrarium, a special sink in the sacristy, after Mass. If a Host is dropped, the minister will pick it up and the communicant is allowed to consume it, or if this is not desired, the minister will hold onto it so that it will be put in water and dissolved and poured down the sacrarium.
In the manner of reception, you may stand or kneel. You may receive in the hand or on the tongue. The ancient practice is on the tongue, as it is a pious practice of not touching the Host with one’s hand and also is a humble practice of being fed by the Lord Himself, as a baby is fed by its mother (the priest is not the Lord, but it is the Host itself). When the minister says, “The Body of Christ,” say, “Amen,” and then stick out your tongue to receive.
If receiving in the hand, please make sure your hands are clean out of respect for the Lord. Do not grab as if grabbing for the forbidden fruit. Rather, receive the Host as if receiving gold dust, being on guard against losing it, making a throne for the King with one hand under the other, as St. Cyril of Jerusalem said in the 4th century. With the hand underneath, you can then pick up the Host. Never bring it back to your pew or do anything else other than consume it immediately. Considering that you are receiving the Lord, when the minister shows you the Host, saying, “The Body of Christ,” even if just a split second, that is a time to adore the Lord, rather than a time to commune with the priest or minister. That is, look at the Host, not the minister. You will then find your disposition to be awe and reverence when you come up to receive, mindful that you are about to commune with the King of the Universe!
May God bless you!
Fr. Shikina
