Breaking fast

[frettr00]

I'm curious....is breaking the hour fast prior to the Eucharist considered a grave matter? I looked up mortal sins, but couldn't find anything on it. I'm asking for future reference..because about a week or two ago I caught myself eating breakfast within that time frame ( live really close to one of the churches I go to), then instead of stopping I finished the meal.

 

[BrRichSFO]

I'm curious....is breaking the hour fast prior to the Eucharist considered a grave matter? I looked up mortal sins, but couldn't find anything on it. I'm asking for future reference..because about a week or two ago I caught myself eating breakfast within that time frame ( live really close to one of the churches I go to), then instead of stopping I finished the meal.

Yes, it's a grave matter when you decide to ignore Church Law. Put up a sign on the refrigerator reminding yourself on Sunday morning. If you really forget. STOP eating when you remember. It is one hour before receiving Holy Communion. You can choose to go to a later Mass or a church that is farther away that Sunday. IF you cannot do these things then simply go to Mass at the regular church but do not receive Holy Communion. Eating breakfast isn't a sin, Receiving Holy Communion without the required 1 hour fast is, so just don't receive.

 

[DedicatedLittleFaith]

I was not aware there was such a law. I know that, traditionaly, people used to fast prior to going to church. I thought this was a tradition that has been lost in time.

 

[D'Ann]

I was told that it is not necessarily breaking the law of the Church. Mass is for an hour. The concept is not to eat an hour before actually taking the Eucharist and since Mass is an hour long and by the time you leave and get to Mass... all of that time is part of the one hour before taking Eucharist, do not eat law or teaching. I could be wrong and maybe just to be on the safe side, it would be nice if we didn't eat an hour before going to Mass... as a sacrifice.

 

[BrRichSFO]

I was told that it is not necessarily breaking the law of the Church. Mass is for an hour. The concept is not to eat an hour before actually taking the Eucharist and since Mass is an hour long and by the time you leave and get to Mass... all of that time is part of the one hour before taking Eucharist, do not eat law or teaching. I could be wrong and maybe just to be on the safe side, it would be nice if we didn't eat an hour before going to Mass... as a sacrifice.

That is a good way of dealing with it. Think one hour brfore Mass not one hour brfore Holy Communion. That way you are NOT counting minutes. Even better is to simply get into the habit of not eating after midnight Saturday until after you return from Mass Sunday.

 

[frettr00]

Thanks for the replies. In this case I knew it would be a sin, since I was always taught about the 1 hour fast, but not that it's a grave matter... I'll have to discuss this further with a priest in confession.

 

[skatepixie]

That is a good way of dealing with it. Think one hour brfore Mass not one hour brfore Holy Communion. That way you are counting minutes. even better is to simply get into the habit of not eating after midnight Saturday until after you return from Mass Sunday.

That might be hard for ppl who do Saturday evening mass...

 

[AnnieG]

You don't have to do that. (You can, of course.) Pius XII lowered the fast since midnight before (BTW, back then there was no Saturday evening Mass) to 3 hours. Currently, it's 1 hour, before receiving communion. I never thought this is difficult, not even in the case of a weekday Mass that isn't necessarily an hour long.

 

[FullyMT]

You don't have to do that. (You can, of course.) Pius XII lowered the fast since midnight before (BTW, back then there was no Saturday evening Mass) to 3 hours. Currently, it's 1 hour, before receiving communion. I never thought this is difficult, not even in the case of a weekday Mass that isn't necessarily an hour long.

For some people who have to schedule eating meals into their day it can be incredibly difficult...

 

[Markh]

It is surely a grave matter, if done in full knowledge and with full consent of the will it will be a mortal sin.

Catholics should not receive Holy Communion if they have not made adequate preperation. I really think this is one of the biggest abuses the church is facing today! The pope encouraged people to receive the Body of Christ regularily only on condition that they were well prepared.

Is well prepared arriving at mass 1 minuite before it begins, surely not. Adequate preparation would surely require your mind, from the moment you wake to be centred on the upcoming reception of the Holy Flesh of Christ. Adequate preparation would require a MINIMUM 1 hours FAST- Remember- MINIMUM! St Alphonsus says adequate preparation requires getting into the Church minimum 30 mins before Mass.

Sadly many priests do not see things the same way as St Alphonsus, Bishop and Doctor of the Church and open their parishes only 15 minuites before- even still, let us arrive that 15 minuites before! Let us pray at home for the first 15 minuites!

 

[Pogue]

Is it 1 hour before Mass starts, or 1 hour before the Eucharist? I've always wondered.

 

[RoseofLima]

That is a good way of dealing with it. Think one hour brfore Mass not one hour brfore Holy Communion. That way you are counting minutes. even better is to simply get into the habit of not eating after midnight Saturday until after you return from Mass Sunday.

Unless of course you go to Mass at 6:00 pm Sunday evening

 

[RoseofLima]

Is it 1 hour before Mass starts, or 1 hour before the Eucharist? I've always wondered.

It's one hour before receiving Holy Communion...however doing the minimum required of us is almost never the path to spiritual perfection.

 

[BrRichSFO]

That might be hard for ppl who do Saturday evening mass...

Those who must attend Saturday evening because of work or other Sunday obligation could simply not eat after Noon (lunch) until after Mass. That would be the same as not eating after Midnight until after morining Mass.