Communion More Than Once A Day

[JP2Iloveyou]

This past weekend, I went to the All Saint's Day Mass on Saturday morning. That evening, I had to serve an anticipatory Mass for All Soul's Day. I then had Mass again on Sunday morning. I was discussing this with a friend who went to the same three Masses. Now, I know that the Church teaches that you may receive the Eucharist twice in one day if and only if the second time is within a Mass, unless it is Viaticum. However, the question was raised if you actually receive more graces from having received twice in one day. I said that you do. My friend said you do not because you have already received Jesus once that day. His argument was that it was like taking one sip of the Prescious Blood as opposed to a big gulp. You may drink more, but you don't get more Jesus he said. However, following that, you may also add that you don't receive any extra graces from receiving any of the Prescious Blood, since you have presumably already received the Consecrated Host; since the Church teaches that Christ is fully present, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, in both species. So, my question is, does receiving the Eucharist twice in one day give you extra graces? Is there a set time that must elapse before you can get extra graces? Is is just when the species of bread and wine are no longer present, and therefore Christ is no longer physically present, that you will receive more graces from receiving the Eucharist again?

[foundsheep]

Ive also wondered this. I sometimes attend two masses on sunday(usually because I cant get the wife and kids up for 7 am mass so I go with them again later) I was told you could only recieve twice but have wondered if I get double the power on those days.

[Mary's Knight, La]

the Liturgy of the Eucharist is one part of the mass, granted it is the peak of the Mass but there is also the Liturgy of the word for people to receive grace. I learned that the 2nd time had to be for a diff occasion (e.g. saturday morning a wedding, and sat night vigil mass). In this case it would be "more" in the sense that you have to sit there and listen to God more but the particular graces from the eucharist I cannot see doubling. Obviously priests in residence are free to correct me (or visiting priests for that matter)

[VeraMaria]

good question. I've wondered about this myself.

[BLAZEr]

You should not receive more than 2 times in one day. You should participate fully in both liturgies, and you're right, the second one should be a special occasion (funeral, wedding, serving at an extra mass, vigil mass, etc.)

[Uncle Gus]

Every Mass you go to gives you grace, regardless of whether you receive the Eucharist or not, so yes, you would get extra grace, but not from the Eucharist. There is the liturgy of the word, the prayers and blessings, and also the moments of Eucharistic Adoration to name a few instances.

To answer the implicit question about why we bother to have the Precious Blood as well, since both contain the entire Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus, I can't remember the exact reference, but the Church says that receiving Jesus in the form of both bread and wine is a more perfect sign. Remember that while the Eucharist is most importantly a sacrament, that is, it actually is what it signifies, it is also, less importantly, a sign and a symbol. We as humans rely immensely on symbolism, so for us to see the Body and Blood in the forms of bread and wine make it easier for us, in our humanity, to understand.

[traichuoi]

Can a person receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist more than once a day?

Yes, a Catholic can receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist more than once a day.

How many times can a person receive Communion in one day?

A Catholic can receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist each time he participates in the Mass. This is based on the following teachings of the Catholic Church:

"One who has received the blessed Eucharist may receive it again on the same day only within a eucharistic celebration in which that person participates, without prejudice to the provision of can. 921 §2." (Canon Law # 917)

It is in keeping with the very meaning of the Eucharist that the faithful, if they have the required dispositions, receive communion each time they participate in the Mass. [Cf. CIC, can. 917; AAS 76 (1984) 746-747] As the Second Vatican Council says: "That more perfect form of participation in the Mass whereby the faithful, after the priest's communion, receive the Lord's Body from the same sacrifice, is warmly recommended." [sC 55] (Catechism of the Catholic Church # 1388)

If a Catholic has already received the Sacrament of Holy Communion during the day and he is facing the danger of death, during the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick (Last Rites), he can once more receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist on the same day. But, he cannot receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist twice on the same day through the administration of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.

"Christ's faithful who are in danger of death, from whatever cause, are to be strengthened by holy communion as Viaticum." (Canon Law # 921 §1)

"Even if they have already received holy communion that same day, it is nevertheless strongly suggested that in danger of death they should communicate again." (Canon Law # 921 §2)

"While the danger of death persists, it is recommended that holy communion be administered a number of times, but on separate days." (Canon Law # 921 §3)

The reception of the Holy Eucharist, even a particle of the Sacred Host, delivers infinite graces to us, because even that infinite particle is Christ. The one who wants to receive "as many Hosts as possible a day" is the one who is really playing the numbers game. We should appreciate the Lord we receive, not the quantity of Hosts we receive. Christ in the Eucharist is PERFECT so recieving the Eucharist twice in one day does not mean you receive more grace because what can be more than perfect?

[JP2Iloveyou]

I don't know though, because then we are setting an arbitrary time when grace runs out. We're saying that if someone goes to Mass at 11:00 p.m. one night, received the Eucharist, and then immediately goes again at 12:00 a.m. and receives the Eucharist again, he will receive more graces. However, if the same person goes to Mass at 10:00 a.m. and again at 10:00 p.m. on the same day, he does not receive any more graces from receiving the Eucharist again. It just seems to me like we would receive grace from the Eucharist every time we receive.

[traichuoi]

when you receive Communion, you have received what is completely Christ. For one to receive again in the same day and think that more grace is received, you would be saying that the first time you received Communion you didn't receive completely...something was lacking. which isn't true.

Perhaps the line is drawn between the difference in celebration

[cmotherofpirl]

You may recieve Communion only twice in one day, unless you are in danger of death.

So if you went to an early morning wedding and recieved, then the Saturday Mass and recieved, if you get run over by a truck and you get anointed you could recieve again.

[JP2Iloveyou]

I realize that you can receive twice in one day, provided the second time is in Mass. It just seems like you would receive more grace, since Jesus is only in you for about 15 minutes after you receive it. Once the accident of bread stops being bread (your body starts to digest it) the Real Presence is gone.