Who Can Receive Holy Communion?

Why receive?

The Eucharist is the most important sacrament, for in it we receive Christ himself. As John Paul II said, "The Eucharist builds the Church" (Redemptor Hominis 20); it deepens our unity in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13; CCC 1396), forgives venial sins, strengthens us against mortal sin, and is the channel of eternal life. Jesus said that unless we eat his flesh and drink his blood we have no life in us, and whoever does has eternal life (John 6:53-58). The Church encourages frequent, even daily, Communion and requires it at least once a year in the Easter season.

The requirements

1. Be in a state of grace. Whoever eats unworthily is guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:27-28). This can never be dispensed. A mortal sin is a grave matter committed willfully with knowledge of its seriousness; grave matter includes murder, abortion, homosexual acts, sex outside a valid marriage, and deliberate impure thoughts (Matthew 5:28-29; see the lists in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21). The Didache (about A.D. 70) says, "Whosoever is holy, let him approach. Whosoever is not, let him repent."
2. Go to confession after any mortal sin. The Didache says to confess your faults first so your sacrifice may be pure. Canon 916 requires sacramental confession first, unless there is a grave reason and no opportunity to confess, in which case one must make an act of perfect contrition with the intention of confessing as soon as possible.
3. Believe in transubstantiation. Whoever eats without discerning the body eats judgment on himself (1 Corinthians 11:29). The bread and wine become Christ's body, blood, soul and divinity, with only their appearances remaining, which is why Jesus said, "This is my body.... This is my blood" (Mark 14:22-24; cf. Luke 22:14-20).
4. Keep the Eucharistic fast: no food or drink, except water and medicine, for one hour before Communion (canon 919 §1). The elderly, the sick and their caretakers are excused (canon 919 §3); priests and deacons cannot dispense it unless the bishop has granted that power (cf. canon 89).
5. Not be under censure. Those excommunicated or interdicted, and those who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin, are not to be admitted (canon 915).

Catholics who meet these requirements should receive frequently (canon 898).

Non-Catholics

The U.S. bishops' guidelines explain that because the Eucharist signifies oneness of faith, life and worship, members of churches not fully united with us are ordinarily not admitted. Sharing one bread makes us one body (1 Corinthians 10:17), so receiving would proclaim a unity that does not exist. Many also reject the Real Presence, and receiving without discerning the body is dangerous (1 Corinthians 11:29).

There are exceptions. Catholic ministers may give penance, the Eucharist and anointing to members of the Eastern churches, and those in a similar condition, who ask and are properly disposed (canon 844 §3). Other Christians may receive in danger of death or other grave necessity, as judged by the bishop, if they cannot reach their own minister, ask on their own, manifest Catholic faith in the sacraments and are properly disposed (canon 844 §4). The same requirements then apply to them. Non-Christians, being unbaptized, cannot receive, though in an emergency they may be baptized and receive Viaticum.

How to receive

Communion may be received in the hand or on the tongue. Around 390 Cyril of Jerusalem taught the faithful to make the left hand a throne for the right, receive the body of Christ, say "Amen," and take care to lose no particle, as one would guard gold dust. In 1977 the U.S. bishops were permitted to authorize Communion in the hand where the local bishop implements it. The choice belongs to the communicant: no minister may refuse Communion on the tongue, nor in the hand where it is permitted (except by intinction, which is on the tongue). Afterward, the faithful should make a proper thanksgiving (Inaestimabile Donum 17).