| Dear Rev. Know-It-All,
Is the hour fast for Eucharist one hour
before Mass begins or one hour before actually receiving Communion?
Yours,
Minnie Malist
Dear Minnie,
Canon Law is pretty clear on this. “One
who is to receive the Holy Eucharist must abstain from food or drink with
the exception only of water and medicine, for at least the period of one
hour before Holy Communion.” (Code of Canon Law, 919). That rule
applies to the actual reception of Communion and not simply the beginning
of Mass.
Three more things:
| 1. |
At most Sunday Masses you
would have to bring your coffee and doughnuts into church to actually break
the Eucharistic fast. (Although I have actually seen people do this
!!!) |
| 2. |
You are allowed to fast for a longer period.
(The Catholic Church actually allows people to do more than the minimum.) |
| 3. |
Coffee breaks the Eucharistic fast,
and don’t try calling it medicine. (The same goes for martinis.) |
The fast is not required of those who are
ill, especially those in the hospital or at home when they have an unannounced
visit from someone bringing Communion.
Yours,
Rev. Know-It-All
The
Question Was
-
- -
When does the
clock start on my Fast? |
|
