Case 6. Non-fasting Communion

Caius, the missionary Rector, had determined to perform the Offices of Holy Week himself. When, however, on Friday in the Preparation he felt unwell, he sent a message to the assistant that he should perform the sacred functions on that day. It was reported that the assistant had already eaten breakfast; notwithstanding this, Caius ordered him to complete all the customary Offices. When a certain theologian heard this, he doubted whether it had been done lawfully. Hence it is asked:

1. By what law is fasting before Holy Communion established?

2. Does one sin who takes food immediately after Communion?

3. What exceptions to this law are admitted?

4. What is to be said of the case?

1. By what law is fasting prescribed before Holy Communion?

Although reverence for Holy Communion suggests that it should be received before any other food, still in strictness it is only the positive law of the Church which prescribes fasting before Holy Communion.

2. Is sin committed by taking food immediately after Holy Communion?

Reverence also suggests that other food should not be taken immediately after Holy Communion but, as there is.no law on the point, sin is not committed by taking food immediately after Communion.

3. What exceptions to the law of fasting Communion are recognized?

Danger of death, danger of scandal or serious loss of reputation, danger of profanation of the Blessed Sacrament, long continued illness with incapacity to observe the fast, necessity of completing the Sacrifice of the Mass, and probably the necessity of consecrating the Viaticum for a dying person, are recognized as valid excuses for saying Mass and receiving Holy Communion though not fasting.¹

1 Manual of Moral Theology, vol. ii, p. 111.

4. The case. As Good Friday is not a day of obligation, and no law imposes a grave precept of saying the Mass of the Presanctified, Caius did wrong in bidding his curate who had taken his breakfast perform that function and consequently receive Holy Communion not fasting. The curate might perhaps have performed the first part of the service and omitted the Mass of the Presanctified, if a considerable number of people had come to church in expectation of the service.