Regarding EMHC's Blessing Non-Communicants During Communion

Photo by Esther G.

I think every extraordinary minister of Holy Communion and pastors should read the following:

My post yesterday about deacons giving blessings prompted a reader to write:

My question is, as a eucharistic minister, would you have in your repertoire a short blessing that we can use when a non-Catholic or child comes up for a blessing during communion? I use, " May the Lord's blessings come down upon you in abundance" Acceptable?

Well, actually, no. As I replied: technically, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion shouldn't be giving blessings, and I know quite a few priests who think the practice of doing this at communion, even by the ordained, is wrong.

A good explanation comes from Denver's Archbishop Charles Chaput:

Read the rest here Blessings From Lay People

Communion in the Hand

Well, the desecration, abuse and sacrilege of Consecrated Hosts continues as I others share stories. This is true not only locally but in other places as well. I thought about sharing specifically what these abuses consist of and where, but I do not want to give anyone any bad ideas. Suffice to say, the abuses are pretty bad. Yet, in the few instances that I am aware of, I believe the way people are mistreating the Holy Eucharist has a lot to do with ignorance of what exactly the Consecrated Host is, instead of evil intent.

Briefly, to those of you who do not know, a Consecrated Host... the Holy Eucharist... is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a truth of the Catholic Church.

Therefore, even the tiniest speck (particle) of a Consecrated Host contains the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. I like to use the analogy of a mirror to explain this. If a mirror is broken, even the tiniest piece of the mirror would show the entire reflection of a person or object. The same is true with the tiniest particle of a Consecrated Host.

I'd like to share the following video with you because it is self-explanatory regarding Consecrated Hosts and receiving Holy Communion in the hand.




Is it any wonder that our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI gives Holy Communion to those who are kneeling and who receive on the tongue?

It would be a good thing to read Redemptionis Sacramentum's CHAPTER IV Holy Communion 1. Dispositions for the Reception of Holy Communion carefully.

"...92. Although each of the faithful always has the right to receive Holy Communion on the tongue, at his choice, 178 if any communicant should wish to receive the Sacrament in the hand, in areas where the Bishops’ Conference with the recognitio of the Apostolic See has given permission, the sacred host is to be administered to him or her. However, special care should be taken to ensure that the host is consumed by the communicant in the presence of the minister, so that no one goes away carrying the Eucharistic species in his hand. If there is a risk of profanation, then Holy Communion should not be given in the hand to the faithful.179..."

OFFICIAL - Holy Communion on the Tongue Cannot be Denied Because of H1N1

Prayer Source

According to the The Catholic Knight a Catholic cannot be denied communion on the tongue for fear of swine flu.



A few weeks ago at the St. Damien's Mass celebration at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, I was denied Holy Communion on the tongue by one of the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. She stared straight ahead, poised to place the Consecrated Host in my hands. She did this even though I prompted her to place The Consecrated Host on my tongue. I finally let her place the Consecrated Host in my hands because we were holding up the Communion line. My mother who was right behind me found herself in the same position so she slipped into the line with the priest and waited until he gave her Holy Communion on the tongue.

When You Miss One Holy Communion

It is well for you to consider what you lose every time that you pass up Holy Communion.

1. You miss a personal visit with Jesus, Author of all spiritual energy and of all holiness;

2. You lose a special increase of sanctifying grace, which makes your soul more pleasing to God;

3. You lose a quota of sacramental grace which entitles you to special help in times of temptation and in the discharge of your daily duties;

4. You lose a precious opportunity of having all of your venial sins wiped away;

5. You miss the special preserving influence which each Holy Communion confers against the fires of passion;

6. You miss the opportunity of having remitted a part, or all, of the temporal punishments due to your sins;

7. You lose the spiritual joy, the sweetness and particular comfort that comes from a fervent Holy Communion;

8. You lose a part of the glory that your body might enjoy at its resurrection on the Last Day;

9. You lose the greater degree of glory you would possess in Heaven for all eternity;

10. You may lose:
a) complete victory over some fault or passion;
b) some particular grace long prayed for;
c) the conversion or salvation of some soul;
d) deliverance of a relative or friend from Purgatory;
e) many graces for others, both the living and the dead.

Will a few extra minutes of sleep repay you for all these losses?

At the hour of death our greatest consolation will be the Masses we have heard and the Holy Communions received. What riches hundreds of thousands of Catholics deprive themselves daily by neglecting Mass.

With Ecclesiastical Approval
Chicago, December 6, 1940

"Put all the good works in the world against one Holy Mass;
They will be as a grain of sand beside a mountain"
— Saint John Vianney

Thanks to Barb for sharing.

Blessings at Communion

Fr. Z's Why a Priest Won't Give Coummunion Blessing

The Holy Father on Receiving Holy Communion

Pope Benedict to Catholics: Kneel For Communion

H/T to Catholic Caveman. Please be sure to scroll down to read the post on the above article. Caution: Salty language alert.

Communion on the Tongue vs. Communion on the Hand

Check out what Fr. Erik of Orthometer has to say

Preparation for Holy Communion

St. Francis de Sales says that our Savior can never be seen more amiable and more tender, in all that He has done for us, than in the Holy Communion, in which He, so to say, annihilates Himself to the hearts and bodies of His faithful.

To prepare better for Holy Communion, a soul should be disposed on two main points:

It should be detached from creatures, and have a great desire to advance in divine love.

1. In the first place, then, a soul should detach itself from all things, and drive everything from its heart which is not God...

2. In the second place, it is most meritorious in the Holy Communion, to have a great desire to receive Jesus Christ and His holy love.

- The Holy Eucharist by St. Alphonsus De Liguori

St. Padre Pio - Prayer After Holy Communion

Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You. You know how easily I abandon You.
Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak and I need Your strength, that I may not fall so often.
Stay with me, Lord, for You are my life, and without You, I am without fervor.
Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light, and without You, I am in darkness.
Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will.
Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear Your voice and follow You.
Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love You very much, and always be in Your company.
Stay with me, Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You.
Stay with me, Lord, for as poor as my soul is, I wish it to be a place of consolation for You, a nest of Love.
Stay with me, Jesus, for it is getting late and the day is coming to a close, and life passes, death, judgment, eternity approaches. It is necessary to renew my strength, so that I will not stop along the way and for that, I need You. It is getting late and death approaches. I fear the darkness, the temptations, the dryness, the cross, the sorrows. O how I need You, my Jesus, in this night of exile!
Stay with me tonight, Jesus, in life with all its dangers, I need You.
Let me recognize You as Your disciples did at the breaking of bread, so that the Eucharistic Communion be the light which disperses the darkness, the force which sustains me, the unique joy of my heart.
Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death, I want to remain united to You, if not by Communion, at least by grace and love.
Stay with me, Jesus, I do not ask for divine consolation, because I do not merit it, but, the gift of Your Presence, oh yes, I ask this of You!
Stay with me, Lord, for it is You alone I look for. Your Love, Your Grace, Your Will, Your Heart, Your Spirit, because I love You and ask no other reward but to love You more and more.
With a firm love, I will love You with all my heart while on earth and continue to love You perfectly during all eternity.
Amen

Thanks to In Him We Live and Move and Have our Being for sharing this prayer.

The Manner of Receiving Holy Communion by the Laity

Picture source here

My friend Sue posted an interesting article by Fr. Paul McDonald regarding Communion in the hand.

St. Thomas Aquinas reminds us that reverence demands that only what has been consecrated should touch the Blessed Sacrament. By baptism, the Christian has been consecrated to receive the Lord in Holy Communion, but not to distribute the Sacred Host to others or unnecessarily to touch It. “To touch the sacred species and to distribute them with their own hands is a privilege of the ordained, one which indicates an active participation in the ministry of the Eucharist” (Dominicae Cenae, 11).

In recent days, I have seriously been rethinking my service as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. Since I know better than to believe things are coincidental any more, it is not surprising that Sue would post this particular article.

Holy Father Prefers Holy Communion on the Tongue

Photo Source

EWTN News

In interview published in the Wednesday edition of L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Benedict’s new Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, Monsignor Guido Marini, says he believes that people receiving Communion kneeling and on the tongue will become common practice at the Vatican...

"...It could also be noted that the (Pope's) preference for such form of distribution which, without taking anything away from the other one, better highlights the truth of the real presence in the Eucharist, helps the devotion of the faithful, and introduces more easily to the sense of mystery. Aspects which, in our times, pastorally speaking, it is urgent to highlight and recover."

The Story of Little Nellie - Love of the Eucharist

The following story was shared by my friend Louise.

THIS IS THE STORY OF LITTLE NELLIE OF HOLY GOD

Her real name is Nellie Organ and she was born in the family quarters of the Royal Garrison Barracks in Waterford in August 1903 since her father was working in the British army. It was just three weeks after Pius X was elected Pope. There were four children in the family. Nellie’s father, William, with his family, were transferred to the barracks on Spike Island in Cork Harbor and Nellie’s mother died there. William decided that he could not care for the children and the two girls were given to the care of the Good Shepherd Sisters at St. Finbarr’s Industrial School in Sunday’s Well, Cork and the two boys were sent to another location.

Nellie spent only one year in Sunday’s Well before she died due to illness. She had whooping cough when she arrived and it was also discovered that she had a spinal injury which was later found out to have been caused
when the family’s child-minder dropped her as a baby. She also had tuberculosis and caries, a rotting disease of the gums and jaws.

Nellie is famous for her outstanding love of Jesus in the Eucharist. A Jesuit, Fr Bury was giving a retreat in the convent and visited Nellie’s bedside each day. He realized that Nellie, although only four years of age, had reached the age of reason. Fr Bury asked her, “What is Holy
Communion?” She answered, “It is Holy God.” Fr Bury asked her what would happen when she would be allowed to receive Holy Communion. She answered, “Jesus will rest on my tongue and then he will do down into my heart.” One could scarcely find a more beautiful description for
receiving Jesus in Holy Communion.

One night when the Mother Superior was wishing Nellie good night Nellie asked her if she would bring Holy God up to her in the morning. Mother Francis said she would come to see her after Mass which Nellie misunderstood as meaning that she would bring her Holy Communion.
When Mother Francis came without Holy Communion Nellie was devastated. Then Nellie asked people to come to her bedside for a moment after receiving Jesus in Holy Communion and then they could return to the chapel to finish their thanksgiving. That was the closest she could get to receiving Jesus in Holy Communion.

During the retreat Fr Bury realized that Nellie, although only four years and three months, met all the criteria necessary to receive Holy Communion. And at that time children had to wait until the age of twelve to receive Jesus in Holy Communion. Fr Bury heard her confession and contacted the bishop of Cork for permission to give her Holy Communion. The bishop agreed.

She was dressed in white and taken down to the convent chapel for her first Holy Communion. This is what Mother Francis said of Nellie receiving Holy Communion, "At the moment of her First Communion, which she received in a transport of love, Nellie’s features shone as if the
presence of the great light in her heart reflected itself in her face. Yes, those who saw Nellie then are well convinced that the child’s appearance was not at all ordinary. This phenomenon was seen more particularly at her other Communions because, after the first, she was taken almost immediately out of the chapel and there were only a chosen few who had the happiness to witness the transformation which took place. Then Nellie had not only a countenance more recollected, an attitude more pious than she customarily had, but an extraordinary radiance.”

It is said that Nellie’s thanksgiving for receiving Holy Communion would continue until late in the afternoon. From the day of her First Holy Communion the odor from Nellie’s mouth caused by the rotting of her gums and jaws ceased. Less than two months after receiving her First Holy
Communion Nellie died on Sunday 2nd February 1908 ages 4 years, 5 months and 8 days and was buried in St Joseph’s Cemetery in Cork. Eighteen months after her death permission was granted to have Nellie’s remains transferred to the Good Shepherd Convent Cemetery and upon
opening her grave her body was found to be incorrupt. Her body was fresh with no sign of the wasting disease she had at her death.

I have visited her grave in the Good Shepherd Convent. I was reminded of Little Nellie by the words of Jesus in our Gospel today, “For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him. As I who am sent by the living Father, myself draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me will draw life from me.”

In Little Nellie's transformation after receiving Holy Communion and her extended thanksgiving until the late afternoon we see Jesus living in her and she living in him. She is a beautiful example of Jesus transforming us when we receive him in Holy Communion. Not only was Little Nellie transformed after receiving Jesus in Holy Communion but in a sense the entire Church has been transformed after her. It is reported that Pope Pius X was considering lowering the age for children to receive Holy Communion from twelve to seven and when he heard of Little Nellie he said she was the sign he was waiting for.

On 15th August 1910 Pope Pius X published his encyclical Quam Singulari encouraging early and frequent Holy Communion of children. It is nice to know that a little girl so near here influenced the Pope in his decision although the bishop of Cork waited until after the decree to officially inform the Pope in writing. The 24th of this month is the centenary of her birth and there will be an exhibition of her personal things in Dungarvan. I will conclude with some of the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel, “For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him. As I who am sent by the living Father, myself draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me will draw life from me."

In looking for the original source of the above story, I came across a simplified version at the following website. I am giving you the link to the beginning of the online book of True Stories for First Communicants by Catholic Tradition

A Spiritual Communion With Mary

O Immaculate Queen of Heaven and Earth, Mother of God and Mediatrix of every grace! I believe that Thy dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, is truly, really and substantially contained in the Most Blessed Sacrament. I love Him above all things and I long to receive Him into my heart. Since I cannot now receive Him sacramentally, be so good as to place Him spiritually in my soul.

O my Jesus, I embrace Thee as One, Who has already come, and I unite myself entirely to Thee. Never permit me to be separated from Thee.

Amen.

From: The Universal Living Rosary Association

The Importance of Thanksgiving After Holy Communion

Picture source: AciPrensa

Shared by by Sue of Half the Kingdom via Chris Stoner.

by St Alphonsus Liguori

There is no prayer more pleasing to God, or more profitable to the soul, than thanksgiving after Holy Communion. It is the opinion of many learned authors that, as long as the Sacramental Species remain, the Holy Communion continues to produce an augmentation of grace, provided the soul disposes herself for it by new acts of virtue. Hence, holy souls endeavor to remain as long as possible in prayer after Holy Communion.

The Venerable M Avali spent two hours in prayer after Holy Communion even during her missions. Father Balthasar Alvarez used to say that we ought to set as much value on the time after Holy Communion as if we heard from the Lips of Jesus Christ Himself to His disciples : "But Me you have not always with you"

It is not good practice to begin, as some do, to read immediately after Communion; it is better to spend at least a little time in holy affections, in speaking from your heart with Jesus Christ, Who is within you and in repeating several times some tender affection or prayer.

After Communion, then, the soul should entertain herself with Jesus in affections and prayers. We should be persuaded that prayers after Holy Communion have greater value and merit before God than those that are offered at other times, for then the soul is united to Jesus Christ and her acts derive value from His Presence .

Moreover, we must consider that after receiving Holy Communion, Jesus is more disposed to bestow His graces. St Teresa says that at that time Jesus remains in the soul as on a throne of grace, saying to it: "What wilt thou that I should do to thee?" As if He said : "O Christian soul, I am come for the express purpose of giving thee My graces; ask what you wish and you shall obtain it".

O devout soul, what treasures of grace will you receive if you continue to entertain yourself with Jesus, as least for a quarter of an hour after Holy Communion! But even after thanksgiving, during the day of your Holy Communion, take care by prayers and affections, to keep united with Jesus Whom you have received.

St. Padre Pio Prayer After Communion

Shared by Sue Cifelli

Source: Padre Pio Devotions

Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have
You present so that I do not forget You.
You know how easily I abandon You.

Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak
and I need Your strength,
that I may not fall so often.

Stay with me, Lord, for You are my life,
and without You, I am without fervor.

Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light,
and without You, I am in darkness.

Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will.

Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear Your voice
and follow You.

Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love You
very much, and always be in Your company.

Stay with me, Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You.

Stay with me, Lord, for as poor as my soul is,
I want it to be a place of consolation for You, a nest of love.

Stay with me, Jesus, for it is getting late and the day is coming to a close, and life passes; death, judgment, eternity approaches. It is necessary to renew my strength,
so that I will not stop along the way and for that, I need You.

It is getting late and death approaches,
I fear the darkness, the temptations, the dryness, the cross, the sorrows.
O how I need You, my Jesus, in this night of exile!

Stay with me tonight, Jesus, in life with all it’s dangers. I need You.

Let me recognize You as Your disciples did at the breaking of the bread,
so that the Eucharistic Communion be the Light which disperses the darkness,
the force which sustains me, the unique joy of my heart.

Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death, I want to remain united to You,
if not by communion, at least by grace and love.

Stay with me, Jesus, I do not ask for divine consolation, because I do not merit it,
but the gift of Your Presence, oh yes, I ask this of You!

Stay with me, Lord, for it is You alone I look for, Your Love, Your Grace, Your Will, Your Heart, Your Spirit, because I love You and ask no other reward but to love You more and more.

With a firm love, I will love You with all my heart while on earth and continue to love You perfectly during all eternity. Amen

Holy Communion on the Tongue

Picture source: AciPrensa

A lighthearted look from a priest's perspective.

Both dentists and priests see a lot of tongues.

Blog Highlight and Communion in the Hand

Please be sure to check out Mount Carmel Bloggers, Inc.. You may recognize some of the contributers. It is the offical blog for the Year of Authentic Liturgical Renewal in the Roman Liturgy, for 2007

It was there that I found the following article.

Just a side note: I may have mentioned in the past that I am an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and must receive in my hand. However, when I am not scheduled, I receive on the tongue. You will read in the article about fragments of the Sacred Host.

I remember my mom once telling us that a fragment of the Sacred Host is much like when happens to a mirror when it breaks...even the smallest piece of the mirror will still reflects a person's entire reflection. Food for thought. My mom also shared with me something that happened at the Children's Mass yesterday. A girl went up to Communion. The Host fell from her hand onto the floor. She left it there and went back on the Communion line to receive again. The first chance my mom got, she went over the the principal, a sister, and asked her if she had seen the Host. Sister told my mom is had consumed it.

With apologies to the bloggers at Mt. Carmel, I am posting the article in its entirety because I couldn't find a direct link to it:

I believe that renewal must begin by giving due respect and reverence to our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. It's only when Our Lord is in the center of our lives, will all things fall back in place.

I am not sure whether faithful Catholics as well as Church authorities are aware about the problem (or rather danger) of receiving communion on the hand.

A FSSP seminarian brought this matter to my attention last year and I decided to check it out for myself. Thus, over the course of the past two weeks, I received communion on my hand. The results were shocking! 5 out of the 14 times I received communion on my hand, I noticed sacred fragments of the consecrated host left behind. I
consumed the fragments by licking my palm.

The truth is that many people do not realize this grave matter and simply rub their palms together or on their clothing after the reception of our Lord’s sacred body. I’m sure that they cannot be held accountable for sacrilege. However, we should respond by rectifying this problem. If we do not do something, our Eucharistic Lord will continue to be trampled on each day at mass.

One dogma of the Church comes immediately to mind when examining the reception of the Sacred Host on hand:

The Eucharistic presence of Christ begins at the moment of the
consecration and endures as long as the Eucharistic species subsist. Christ is present whole and entire in each of the species and whole and entire in each of their parts, in such a way that the breaking of the bread does not divide Christ. (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1377) [Note 205: Cf. Council of Trent: DS 1641.]


Therefore, very great reverence, respect and care is to be taken of these fragments. Since this is the case, why would we multiply immensely the number of persons who are handling the Sacred Host?

Also, St. Augustine tells us that:
“Each receives Christ the Lord, and He is entire in each portion. He is not diminished by being given to many, but gives Himself whole and entire to each.... the body of our Lord is contained whole and entire under the least particle of the bread."


If this is so, what about the Fragments that are being left on the
hands of the faithful? Very great reverence, respect and care are to be taken of these fragments.

The sure way to solve this problem is to encourage every Catholic to receive communion on the tongue. Pope Paul VI tells us in Memoriale Domini that this method of reception is also more conducive to faith,
reverence and humility, affirming that, "This method, on the tongue, must be retained”. So, we can see that the Second Vatican II Council never abolished communion on tongue.

To this must be added three points:
The increased danger of dropping the Sacred Host on the ground,
The increased ease of stealing the Body of the Lord for superstitious or horrible purposes.
Perhaps the decline in the belief of the Real Presence could be attributed to the less reverent way Communion is now distributed.

The Eucharist is Core to our Faith.
Let us give it the reverence it deserves.

The Bread of Life

< Our pastor Fr. Joe G. gave a wonderful homily today on today's readings and the Gospel. He mentioned how in a Catholic Mass, we know what is going to happen next, the steps, etc. However, he cautioned us it can make the Mass rote for us.

He then reminded us what the Consecration is all about and that we have to make a connection between Holy Communion and Jesus.

I am not by any means doing his homily any justice but I did want to touch on the main points...that Jesus wasn't kidding around when He told us that He was the Bread of Life.

Gospel
Jn 6:41-51

The Jews murmured about Jesus because he said,
“I am the bread that came down from heaven,”
and they said,
“Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph?
Do we not know his father and mother?
Then how can he say,
‘I have come down from heaven’?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Stop murmuring among yourselves.
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him,
and I will raise him on the last day.
It is written in the prophets:
They shall all be taught by God.
Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.
Not that anyone has seen the Father
except the one who is from God;
he has seen the Father.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
this is the bread that comes down from heaven
so that one may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

The Effects of the Eucharist Are Visible in the Devout Communicant

by Cure' of Ars, St. John Mary Vianney and complied by Abbe' H. Convert

From the NAS (Nocturnal Adoration Society) Letter August 2006

We can tell when a soul has received the Sacrament of the Eucharist worthily. It is so flooded with love, so pervaded and changed, that we recognize it no longer in its words and actions. It is humble, gentle, mortified, charitable, and modest, and at peace with everyone. It is a soul capable of the greatest sacrifices; in fact, it is unrecognizable.

St. Magdalen of Pazzi tells us that it needs only one Communion, made with tender love and a very pure heart, to raise us to the highest perfection.

People who practise devotion, who confess and communicate often, and who neglect works of faith and charity, are like trees in blossom; you think there will be much fruit as flower - but there is a great difference.

The blessed Cure' contended with our Lord in generosity. Every morning he received the Body and Blood Christ, and in return sacrificed his whole self in union with the divine Savior. For the conversion of his parish he multiplied prayers, vigils, and scourgings, and led a life more and more austere. Insensible to so many mortifications, however, the people confided to his care indulged in dancing and frivolous pleasures with the same ardour, profaned the holy day of Sunday with the same obstinacy, and still frequented the public houses.

The holy Cure' thought he was thus unsuccessful because he had not offered enough penances to our Lord, and he exclaimed, distressed but resolute, "I will go on till I can do no more." It was then that he was found trying to live on the grass in his garden and during certain periods of the year taking a meal only once every two days. And what a meal! It consisted of a piece of dry bread and a single boiled potato which was often moldy.

The servant of God was no less lavish towards souls with his time and toil than with his fasts and penances. In contact with the God of the Eucharist who delivered himself up for our redemption, and who daily renews his sacrifice, St. John Vianney's zeal was kindled to such a point that he could say one day; "If the good God should give me my choice of going to heaven this very minute or staying on earth till the end of the world to work for the conversion of sinners, I would stay, and I would continue to get up at midnight."

The Purity of Soul Necessary for Holy Communion

Hat tip to Sue.

"For Catholics to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in Holy
Communion while in the state of mortal sin (having committed a mortal or
grave sin which has not been confessed and forgiven in Sacramental
Confession) is itself a mortal sin --- a mortal sin of Sacrilege." So writes Fr. Stefano Manelli.

What is there to say about the great purity of soul with which the saints approached to receive the bread of Angels? We know that they had a great delicacy of conscience which was truly angelic. Aware of their own misery, they tried to present themselves to Jesus "holy and immaculate," (Eph. 1:4) repeating with the Republican , "O God, be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13), and having recourse with great care to the cleansing of Confession.

To read what other saints have to say about this CLICK HERE