Receiving Jesus

As Catholics we believe that the bread and wine offered up by the people of God is transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ—just as Jesus promised the Apostles.

To receive Jesus’ Body and Blood is to profess your faith in this reality and in the reality of the Church Jesus founded to be One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, Catholics should not be aware of any grave sin, must attend Mass every Sunday and have confessed their sins at least once in the last year.

Because of the reality of who we are receiving, and because He is Holy, a person who is conscious of grave sin should not receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without going to the Sacrament of Confession.

Because Catholics believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life, and worship, members of those churches with whom we are not yet fully united are ordinarily not admitted to Holy Communion.

If you would like to learn more about the doctrine of the Real Presence, or already believe in Jesus’ words in the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel, unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man and drink of His blood you will not have life within you, check out how you become Catholic here or email us at info@stpatrickswareham.org.

US Conference of Catholic Bishops Guidelines for Receiving Holy Communion

For Catholics

As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. In order to be properly disposed to receive Holy Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and must have fasted for one hour before the reception of Holy Communion. A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (canon 916). A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all.

For our fellow Christians

We welcome our fellow Christians to this celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. We pray that our common baptism and the action of the Holy Spirit in this Eucharist will draw us closer to one another and begin to dispel the sad divisions which separate us. We pray that these will lessen and finally disappear, in keeping with Christ’s prayer for us “that they may all be one” (Jn 17:21). Because Catholics believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life, and worship, members of those churches with whom we are not yet fully united are ordinarily not admitted to Holy Communion. Eucharistic sharing in exceptional circumstances by other Christians requires permission according to the directives of the diocesan bishop and the provisions of canon law (canon 844 § 4).

Members of the Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Polish National Catholic Church are urged to respect the discipline of their own Churches. According to Roman Catholic discipline, the Code of Canon Law does not object to the reception of communion by Christians of these Churches (canon 844 § 3). For those not receiving Holy Communion, all who are not receiving Holy Communion are encouraged to express in their hearts a prayerful desire for unity with the Lord Jesus and with one another.

For non-Christians

We also welcome to this celebration those who do not share our faith in Jesus Christ. While we cannot admit them to Holy Communion, we ask them to offer their prayers for the peace and the unity of the human family.