Case 2. Fasting Communion

Titius, a missionary priest in England, wishes to know whether he may bring Holy Communion to Mary, a parishioner who is not fasting, who suffers from consumption and must take milk every two hours by the physician’s prescription, although she is not confined to bed. Sometimes, feeling better, Mary comes to Mass at nine o’clock in the morning and would then like to receive Holy Communion even though not fasting, if this is permitted. Titius himself also, being old and sometimes suffering from influenza and its aftereffects, is compelled to abstain from saying Mass for two or three months. He could, however, sometimes celebrate Mass if it were lawful to take extract of meat or something of this kind beforehand; concerning this he doubts and asks to be instructed. Hence it is asked:

1. To what does the law of fasting before Holy Communion oblige?

2. What did the decree of the Sacred Congregation of the Council of Dec. 7, 1906, concede?

3. What is to be said of the case?

1. To what does the law of fasting before Holy Communion oblige?

This law forbids those to receive Holy Communion who have taken any food or drink whatever after midnight. Those who are dangerously ill are excepted from the obligation of this law.

2. What mitigation was permitted by the decree S. C. C., Dec. 7th, 1906?

The dispositive portion of the decree is as follows: “ The infirm who have been lying in bed for a month without a certain hope of soon recovering may, by the counsel of the confessor, receive Holy Communion once or twice in a week, if it is about the infirm who dwell in pious houses where the Holy Sacrament is kept, or who enjoy the privilege of celebrating Mass in the domestic oratory; once or twice in a month for others, even if they have drunk something in the manner of a drink or tea.” By a subsequent decree dated March 6th, 1907, it was explained that the term decumbunt comprised those “although afflicted with grave illness and, in the physician’s judgment, unable to observe the natural fast, nevertheless cannot remain in bed or can rise from it for some hours of the day.”

The conditions therefore required for the application of this decree are: (a) The person should have been seriously ill for a month, and there should be no reasonable hope of recovery within a short time, say, a month. (b) With the advice of the confessor Holy Communion may be received once or twice a week if the Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the house where the sick person lies, in other cases once or twice a month, (c) Though something liquid has been taken after midnight, e.g., tea, chocolate, soup, even if an egg has been broken up in it.

3. The case. From what has been said it is clear that Titius may take Holy Communion to Mary even though she has taken milk every two hours after midnight.

The decree is not applicable to those who can and do go to Church not fasting, according to the interpretation put upon the decree at Rome, and followed by approved authors. “ It appears that the Holy Eucharist must be brought to the chamber,” says Génicot, (II, n. 202. ed. 6a).

The mitigation of the law is granted to the faithful who wish to communicate, not to priests who wish to say Mass.