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1322 The holy Eucharist completes Christian initiation. Those who have been raised to the dignity of the royal priesthood by Baptism and configured more deeply to Christ by Confirmation participate with the whole community in the Lord's own sacrifice by means of the Eucharist.1323 "At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet 'in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.'" 133
I. The Eucharist - Source and Summit of Ecclesial Life
1324 The Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life." 134 "The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch." 1351325 "The Eucharist is the efficacious sign and sublime cause of that communion in the divine life and that unity of the People of God by which the Church is kept in being. It is the culmination both of God's action sanctifying the world in Christ and of the worship men offer to Christ and through him to the Father in the Holy Spirit." 1361326 Finally, by the Eucharistic celebration we already unite ourselves with the heavenly liturgy and anticipate eternal life, when God will be all in all. 1371327 In brief, the Eucharist is the sum and summary of our faith: "Our way of thinking is attuned to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn confirms our way of thinking." 138From: The Catechism of the Catholic Church
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Guidlelines for the Reception of Communion
As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. We are encouraged to receive communion devoutly and frequently. In order be properly disposed to receive communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (Code of Canon Law, canon 916). A frequent reception of the sacrament of penance is encouraged for all.Communion may be received either in the hand or on the tongue. Around the year A.D. 390, Cyril of Jerusalem indicated that the early Church practiced Communion in the hand when he instructed his audience: "Approaching, therefore, come not with thy wrists extended, or thy fingers open; but make thy left hand as if a throne for thy right, which is on the eve of receiving the King. And having hallowed thy palm, receive the body of Christ, saying after it, ‘Amen.’ Then after thou hast with carefulness hallowed thine eyes by the touch of the holy body, partake thereof; giving heed lest thou lose any of it; for what thou losest is a loss to thee as it were from one of thine own members. For tell me, if anyone gave thee gold dust, wouldst thou not with all precaution keep it fast, being on thy guard against losing any of it, and suffering loss?" (Catechetical Lectures 23:22).
Divorce and Eucharistic Communion
(Catechism of the Catholic church)
1650 Today there are numerous Catholics in many countries who have recourse to civil divorce and contract new civil unions. In fidelity to the words of Jesus Christ - "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery"160the Church maintains that a new union cannot be recognized as valid, if the first marriage was. If the divorced are remarried civilly, they find themselves in a situation that objectively contravenes God's law. Consequently, they cannot receive Eucharistic communion as long as this situation persists. For the same reason, they cannot exercise certain ecclesial responsibilities. Reconciliation through the sacrament of Penance can be granted only to those who have repented for having violated the sign of the covenant and of fidelity to Christ, and who are committed to living in complete continence.
Recepcion de la Sagrada Comunion
Normas para la Recepción de la Sagrada Comunión
Como Católicos, participamos plenamente de la celebración de la Eucaristía cuando recibimos la sagrada Comunión. Se nos anima a recibir la comunión fervorosa y frecuentemente. Para estar debidamente preparados para recibir la Comunión, los que participante deben estar conscientes de no hallarse en estado de pecado mortal y deben haber guardado el ayuno durante una hora antes de la Comunión. Quien tenga conciencia de hallarse en pecado grave, no debe comulgar el Cuerpo y la Sangre de Cristo sin acudir antes a la confesión sacramental, a no ser que concurra un motive grave y no haya posibilidad de confesarse; y, en este cáseo, tenga presente que esta obligado a hacer un acto de contrición perfecto, que incluye el propósito de confesarse cuanto antes. (Código de Derecho Canónico, canon 916). A todos se les aconseja la frecuente recepción del sacramento de la Confesión.
Divorcio y Comunión Eucarística
(Catecismo de la Iglesia Católico)
1650Hoy son numerosos en muchos países los católicos que recurren al divorcio según las leyes civiles y que contraen también civilmente una nueva unión. La Iglesia mantiene, por fidelidad a la palabra de Jesucristo ("Quien repudie a su mujer y se case con otra, comete adulterio contra aquélla; y si ella repudia a su marido y se casa con otro, comete adulterio": Mc 10,11-12), que no puede reconocer como válida esta nueva unión, si era válido el primer matrimonio. Si los divorciados se vuelven a casar civilmente, se ponen en una situación que contradice objetivamente a la ley de Dios. Por lo cual no pueden acceder a la comunión eucarística mientras persista esta situación, y por la misma razón no pueden ejercer ciertas responsabilidades eclesiales. La reconciliación mediante el sacramento de la penitencia no puede ser concedida más que aquellos que se arrepientan de haber violado el signo de la Alianza y de la fidelidad a Cristo y que se comprometan a vivir en total continencia.