Communion at daily vs. vigil Mass QUESTION from Adrian Clark September 29, 2000 Our parish is very small - we rent time in a United Church and are only allowed one mass per day (except Sunday's). On Tues. & Thurs. the mass is at 9am and Mon, Wed. Fri. it's at 6:30pm. The Cathedral is only about 10 mi. away and they have weekday masses at 5:30pm but they are vigil masses (because they're video taped & televised the next day). Are you allowed to go to Tues. mass on Mon. @ 5:30 then Mon.'s mass at 6:30 and receive communion at both? Lately I've been taking communion at the Cathedral each day (M-F - which is really Tues-Sat.) then on Mon's esp. rushing back to my parish when traffic & weather allows me to get there in time but not taking communion. (The Cathedral doesn't have a vigil mass for Mon. and the Msgr. there said there was no way to get to a Mon. mass except during the day). I enjoy ending the workday with a mass & novena even if I can't go to communion.
ANSWER by Mr. John Miskell on September 30, 2000 Dear Adrian,
Thank you for this interesting question. We are allowed to receive Holy Communion twice in the same day regardless of the type of Mass (vigil or otherwise) so long as we receive Communion at Mass and not outside of Mass, with an exception for a dying person who already received twice that day but now finds himself in immediate danger of death. The Code of Canon addresses this subject quite clearly;
Can. 917 One who has received the blessed Eucharist may receive it again on the same day only within a eucharistic celebration in which that person participates, without prejudice to the provision of can. 921 §2. (Canon 921 §2 applies to a person who is immediate danger of death) Incidentally, televised Masses do not satisfy one's obligation to attend Mass on a Sunday or Holy Day of Obligation. In Christ,
John Miskell
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