Concerning the bread used for the celebration of the eucharist, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no. 321, states that, “The meaning of the sign demands that the material for the Eucharistic celebration truly have the appearance of food. It is therefore expedient that the Eucharistic bread, even though unleavened and baked in the traditional shape, be made in such a way that the priest at Mass with a congregation is able in practice to break it into parts for distribution to at least some of the faithful. Small hosts are, however, in no way ruled out when the number of those receiving Holy Communion or other pastoral needs require it...”
     The Instruction, Redemptionis Sacramentum, describes how “the bread used in the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharistic Sacrifice must be unleavened, purely of wheat, and recently made so that there is no danger of decomposition. It follows therefore that bread made from other substance, even if it is grain, or if it is mixed with another substance different from wheat to such an extent that it would not commonly be considered wheat bread, does not constitute valid matter for confecting the Sacrifice and the Eucharistic Sacrament. It is a grave abuse to introduce other substances, such as fruit or sugar or honey, into the bread for confecting the Eucharist. Hosts should obviously be made by those who are not only distinguished by their integrity, but also skilled in making them and furnished with suitable tools."

are gifts given to priests to offer the Eucharist for particular intentions. The Eucharist is always offered for the intention of all the faithful. But at the same time a particular intention can be added for any person[s], living or deceased, or groups, events, etc. Most often, when a relative or friend dies, people often submit intentions to a priest. Offerings are accepted for any $ amount with t10e typical amount in our Diocese being $5. When these offerings are assigned, they are noted in our bulletin after each assigned Eucharist in brackets (i.e. [Joe Smith+] with a “+” to designate that the person is deceased.) Many years ago, these offerings were the sole income for priests. Today, this income is supplemental. A priest can only accept one offering per day and must always offer one Eucharist on Sunday for the “People of the Parish.” Offerings are made by presenting to the priest the names of the person[s], etc. and a donation. Checks are to be made out to the parish. These donations are deposited into the “Mass Offering Fund” and paid out after the intention is offered.

Everyone who plans to receive communion is required to fast from ALL FOOD and DRINK (except water and medication) ONE [1] HOUR BEFORE RECEIVING COMMUNION. This includes no chewing gum.

The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist completes Christian initiation.  Those who have been raised in the dignity of the royal priesthood by Baptism and configured more deeply to Christ by confirmation participate with the whole community in the Lord"s  own sacrifice by means of the Eucharist.

At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood.  This he did in order to perpetrate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial 0f his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Pascal banquet in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.
Catechism of the Catholic Church 1322 and 1323

_________________________________________________________________

Jesus is present with us in many ways—in Scripture, in prayer, in the poor and suffering. . . but He is present in a unique way in the Eucharist. The Catechism says that in the Blessed Sacrament “the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained” (CCC 1374). Although all appearances (also called accidents) of bread and wine remain, the substance of both the bread and the wine are truly changed into the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus. This is what the Church means by the term transubstantiation.  This change happens at the moment of consecration and continues as long as the Eucharistic species survive as such—in other words, until they are digested. Christ is completely present under both species, in the tiniest piece of a host and the smallest drop from the chalice. So even if you only receive under one species—only receiving the Host, or only receiving from the chalice—you are still receiving all of Jesus—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. [from Presence: The Mystery of the Eucharist, Session 4 at Formed.org]

regarding Holy Communion, [1] NO blessings may be given at Holy Communion.  That is the minister of Holy Communion may not touch or speak a blessing to anyone unable to receive Holy Communion; but may say “Receive the Lord in your Heart.”  Those unable to receive Holy Communion [non-Catholics, Catholics not in good standing], ought to remain in the pew in prayer.  Only the presiding priest offers a blessing for everyone gathered at the end of Mass.  [2] There is a one [1] hour fast before Holy Communion.  Only water and medicine may be taken within the hour before Holy Communion and those drinking coffee or chewing gum within an hour before Holy Communion are not to receive Holy Communion.  And [3] self-intinction (communicant dipping the host into the chalice) is not permitted.

2/9/2020
 

ON GIVING BLESSINGS DURING THE COMMUNION RITE [from the Congregation for Divine Worship, Rome]

Questions: What about giving blessings to people who come forward in the Communion line but who are not receiving Communion? Should a priest, deacon or an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion give the person a blessing instead? What if a person who is not receiving Communion presents himself with arms crossed over the chest, during the regular administration of Communion?

Answers: [dated 22 November 2008]
  The liturgical blessing of the Holy Mass is properly given to each and to all at the conclusion of the Mass, just a few moments subsequent to the distribution of Holy Communion.
  Lay people, within the context of Holy Mass, are unable to confer blessings. These blessings, rather, are the competence of the priest.
  Furthermore, the laying on of a hand or hands — which has its own sacramental significance, inappropriate here — by those distributing Holy Communion, in substitution for its reception, is to be explicitly discouraged.
  The Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio n. 84, “forbids any pastor, for whatever reason to pretext even of a pastoral nature, to perform ceremonies of any kind for divorced people who remarry.” To be feared is that any form of blessing in substitution for communion would give the impression that the divorced and remarried have been returned, in some sense, to the status of Catholics in good standing.
  In a similar way, for others who are not to be admitted to Holy Communion in accord with the norm of law, the Church’s discipline has already made clear that they should not approach Holy Communion nor receive a blessing. This would include non-Catholics and those envisaged in can. 915 (i.e., those under the penalty of excommunication or interdict, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin).

In summary:
  Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (always laity) cannot give sacramental blessings within Mass.
  Young children, who have not yet received first Holy Communion accompanying their parents in the Communion line may come with their arms crossed over their chests as a signal to the minister that they are not receiving Communion and as an expression of the child’s reverence for the Blessed Sacrament; but not as a sign they want a blessing. This reverent gesture of a young child is laudable and appropriate.
  It should be clear to all that the priest’s blessing at the conclusion of Mass includes everyone, and that there should not be separate blessings for any person during the Communion rite.

A sign of reverence for the Eucharist is to remain in the pew at the end of Mass, singing, until the recessional Hymn has concluded, or the presiding priest has left the church.

2/16/2020

...are important to our prayer. These actions include standing, kneeling, sitting, praying with raised hands, genuflecting, and bowing. We stand when the presider of the Eucharist stands for prayer. We bow [at the waist] when we profess that Christ was born when we recite the Creed. We bow our head when the person in front of us receives Holy Communion. Our actions help us to pray and to honor our God.

WHY DOES THE PRIEST AND DEACON KISS THE ALTAR AND THE BOOK OF SCRIPTURES (AFTER HE READS THE GOSPEL)?  -  In our Catholic rituals, the kiss is a sign of reverence that is shown toward something that is considered holy or sacred. The first thing a priest does when he comes into the church to begin Mass is to reverence the altar with a kiss. At the end of Mass he does the same. This reverence is shown to the altar because it is a symbol of Christ and because it is the table on which the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered. In similar fashion, the book containing the Gospels is kissed by the priest (or deacon) as a sign of respect and reverence for the Word of God that it contains. It might be helpful to remember also that the "Sign of Peace" we exchange with one another before receiving Holy Communion was once called the "Kiss of Peace," since it is another example of how we show respect and reverence for something we consider sacred: one another!

All Catholics in good standing with the Church are worthy to receive Holy Communion.  “In good standing” means a person is in a proper relation with Christ and His Church and has been properly catechized.  This includes being in a state of grace having celebrated the Reconciliation on a regular basis and thus free of all mortal sin [including dating someone who is not one’s spouse, cohabitating (living) with another person as if they were married, entering into marriage while still married but divorced without a Church Declaration of Nullity or death of the former spouse, married outside the Church that is in a civil or non-Catholic ceremony without proper permission].  The Church asks us to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation at least once a year so we may receive Holy Communion during the Easter Season [our “Easter Duty”] in a worthy manner.  The Church calls us to do all we can to remain worthy to receive Holy Communion.

SILENCE is golden in Liturgy. Silence is time for prayer. We need silence before and after spoken prayers, proclaimed Word, and songs. Silence is time for God to speak to us.

HOLY COMMUNION may be to be received by those who are in union with the Roman Catholic Church. That is, by Roman Catholics who are free from mortal sin, by Roman Catholics who have not attempted invalid marriages, by Roman Catholics who believe in what we profess in the Nicene Creed. Just as non-Catholics are not permitted to receive Holy Communion in the Catholic Church, Catholics may not receive communion in non-Catholic churches because doing so signifies a level of unity that does not exist.  For more information you may check the “Guidelines for the Reception of Communion” found in the inside front cover of our Missal.

HOW MANY TIMES CAN A PERSON RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION IN ONE DAY?  A Catholic may receive Holy Communion at the most, two [2] times per day, at two [2] separate celebrations of the Holy Mass on the same day [i.e. attend a regular daily Holy Mass and a funeral during which there is a Eucharistic celebration; attend a regular daily Holy Mass and a wedding during which there is a Eucharistic celebration; attend a regular daily Holy Mass and receive Anointing of the Sick or Viaticum later in the day; attend a regular daily Holy Mass and a Vigil Holy Mass on the same day].