Communion During a Woman's Cycle

[Leyna]

Hi,

I am new to posting. I am also new to reacquainting myself with the Lord in the Roman Catholic Church. Tonight, while lining up for Communion, I had a faint memory that told me accepting communion during a woman's menstruation cycle was wrong. For the life of me, I could not jog my memory fast enough to remember where the origin of this thought came from, and I was panicking. The line was going so fast. I accepted the bread, didn't swallow anything yet because I was still disturbed by the vague thoughts I was having, which made me very uneasy. Finally, I did end up swallowing it. As I was driving home, that's when I realized what a big mistake I had made for accepting communion while I was menstruating. And the memory came from when I was younger, at which time during bible study, one girl pointed out to me that it was wrong to accept communion during a female's menstruating cycle.

I would like to know if Catholics believe it is a sin to accept Communion during a woman's menstruation cycle. And if it is very wrong, what must she do now?

 

[Dream]

I have no idea. Just wanted to say welcome to OBOB Leyna.

 

[faerieevaH]

I'm a cradle catholic and have never heard that you can't receive communion during your menstrual cycle. At all. I think the girl was referring to an OT law that's no longer in practice anymore at all.
Please someone correct me if I'm wrong...

 

[seebs]

The OT law, I think, had you leave the settlement or city entirely, and so on... I don't think we do that now.

 

[Victrixa]

Welcome to OBOB

I think that the Orthodox Church doesn't allow women to take communion during their period...

 

[Leyna]

Thanks for all the quick responses. I thought for sure the uneasy feeling I was getting was a sign letting me know it was wrong. Because it just happened, even now, I feel like I committed some grave sin. So this is believed to be a Jewish law?

 

[selfintercession]

I also rememebr this from the OT... but I don't think it applies anymore. Talk to your priest, he can tell you if it's OK or not, and if it's not, you can confess it to him, do your penance and be right with the Lord

 

[D'Ann]

Welcome Leyna,

I have been Catholic for over 6 years and I have never heard that we couldn't take the Eucharist during that time of month for women. I know that in the old testament there were some rules about women separating themselves from the main crowd during their time... Perhaps, that may be part of why you were told what you were told???? I can't think of any other reason.

God's Peace to You,

D'Ann

 

[Victrixa]

I never heard about that either and I'm a cradle Catholic...

 

[Leyna]

For some reason, I guess I was lead to believe that a woman is "unclean" during this time of month and in order to accept communion one is to be in their purest form in body, mind, and spirit.

 

[AMDG]

For some reason, I guess I was lead to believe that a woman is "unclean" during this time of month

Sounds like you are confusing some Old Testament Jewish laws with receiving Communion.

 

[Wiffey]

Welcome to OBOB

I think that the Orthodox Church doesn't allow women to take communion during their period...

Actually, it is up to the Bishops whether or not to emphasize this or not. Much of this is cultural. Some Orthodox women are told that there is no "bad time" of the month and receive. Others do not receive. My mother in law is from a tiny Greek village and is SUPER Old-World. She is so extreme that she taught her daughter not to even ENTER a church during her period (if possible) and, if she did enter, to not even venerate an icon. So you will see a wide range of views on this among Orthodox women.

Personally, I had never heard of this tradition (this practice is not emphasized by my Bishop) until I had already been Orthodox for 4 months and had been receiving every week irregardless of cycle. My mother-in-law was concerned so (since she would not speak of such things directly) she had my sister-in-law tell me not to Commune during my period. I was concerned, so I went to Confession and Confessed having received during that time of the month. My priest just shook his head and reassured me that I was welcome at the Chalice during ALL parts of the cycle God had given me. I could listen to the village wisdom or I could listen to my priest. I chose my priest!

I think that in any population (either Orthodox or Catholic) you will find a wide range of practices surrounding religion. You have folks who fast and those who don't, frequent vs infrequent Communion, etc. When in doubt it helps to ask a priest.

 

[Gwendolyn]

I have never heard of anything like this relating to the receiving of the Eucharist. Personally, I would think that it would be somewhat... silly, because it's not like we have a choice to menstruate or not. God created our bodies, and menstruation is a natural occurrence that assures us that our reproductive system is working proplery. Yes, Leviticus does speak of uncleanliness, but that is OT Jewish law......

 

[ThereseOfLisieux]

This topic was discussed on another board awhile back. One woman who was Orthodox said that her priest told her that it is in the Canons. The reason being that, you aren't supposed to receive if you have a bleeding cut, becuase Christ's blood becomes our blood.

You have to understand that the EO doesn't ever change the canon, as the Catholic Church does. The original canons as I understand have had some small additions, but never has anything been taken out. This would explain why this would be there, although it might seem to be a rediculous assertion today. Some follow it, and many don't.

If it is in the Orthodox Canon, then most likely it was also in the western canon at some point and time, when it might have been removed, I don't know.

 

[Rising_Suns]

I thought for sure the uneasy feeling I was getting was a sign letting me know it was wrong. Because it just happened, even now, I feel like I committed some grave sin.

Hi Leyna, peace be with you,

May I ask, are you in a state of mortal sin? If you are, then perhaps that would explain why you feel the way you feel, and you should go to confession as soon as possible.

Blessings,

-Davide

 

[Rising_Suns]

Also, just in case the question has not been answered clearly yet, the Church does not forbid reciving the Eucharist during menstration.

And it makes sense too. Why should the Church refuse a woman to commune with Christ based on an involutary biological pattern? It wouldn't seem right to refuse Christ in such a way.

 

[Carrye]

What an interesting post; thanks Wiffey.

 

[Spotty]

I can't believe this was ever done. How legalistic can we get?

 

[Rising_Suns]

edit.

 

[Carrye]

I can't believe this was ever done. How legalistic can we get?

Put yourself in a different time, Spotty. This is not the practice today, and so you can't evaluate it with today's eyes.