"The fruit of all the sacraments belongs to all the faithful. All the sacraments are sacred links uniting the faithful with one another and binding them to Jesus Christ, and above all Baptism, the gate by which we enter into the Church.

Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 950

          Guidelines for Receiving Holy Communion    

For Catholics

 

Catholics fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when they receive Holy Communion in fulfillment of Christ's command to eat His Body and dring His Blood. In order be properly disposed to receive Communion, communicants should not be conscious of grave sin, have fasted for one(1) hour, and seek to live in charity and love with their neighbors. Persons of grave sin must first be reconciled with God and the Church through the Sacrament of Penance. A frequent reception of the Pacrament of Penance is encouraged for all.

  

 For Other Christians

   We welcome to the celebration of the Eucharist those Christians who are not fully united with us. It is a consequence of the sad division in Christianity that we cannot extend to them a general invitation to receive Communion.

 

     Catholics believe that the Eucharist is the REAL PRESENCE of Jesus under the appearance of bread and wine. It is not just a symbolic action: it is  an action of the celebrating community signifying a oneness in faith, life, and worship of the community. Reception of the Eucharist by Christians not fully united with us would imply a oneness which does not yet exist, and for which we must all pray.

 

For Those Not Receiving Communion

  

   Those not receiving sacramental communion are encouraged to express in their hearts a prayerful desire for unity with the  Lord Jesus and with one another.