Missing Mass & Spiritual Communion

Fish Eaters ^

[delacoert]

Missing Mass, 
& Spiritual Communion

We are obliged to attend Mass each Sunday and every other Holy Day of Obligation. Sometimes, though, we just can't be there. One's own sickness or the obligations to care for a sick person ¹, having given birth within the past 6 weeks, dangerous weather (and other safety hazards), not being able to find a way there -- life happens. There is no guilt in missing Mass if the circumstances are out of one's control (mortal sin always requires not only grave matter and knowledge, but consent of the will). 

The rule of thumb concerning Mass availability is that if one is required to travel more than an hour to reach a Mass, one is not guilty of sin by not attending. Nor is one obliged to attend if the only Masses available are offered by formal schismatics or those who mix heresy into the liturgy. If a liturgy is scandalous, heretical, or simply not Catholic, one is obligated to not attend even if it goes by the label "Catholic." We must be especially wary of taking our children to liturgies that pose a danger to their eternal souls by the priest's watering down the Faith, making the Sacrifice seem unimportant, engaging in behaviors that confuse or are Protestantized, etc. (for this reason, many traditional Catholics are "home-aloners" -- unable to attend Mass in their area and having to make do with the spiritual Communion this page describes).

...Sometimes, too, we just crave Communion with our Eucharistic Lord but have already received Him sacramentally that day.

In all these instances, we are encouraged to make what is known as a "spiritual Communion," an act expressing what was described by St. Thomas Aquinas as "an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament and in lovingly embracing Him." In a spiritual Communion, we, with contrite, humble hearts, ask our Lord to come to us in the same way He would if we were able to receive the Sacrament. This can be done as often as one likes, informally in one's own words or through one of the traditional prayers which appear below.

What is the value of this practice? The graces received may be as great as -- or greater than -- those received by some people in the actual Sacrament. Though, of course, the Sacrament itself is inherently greater, our disposition toward the Sacrament affect whether and how we receive its fruits. For example, imagine a woman who is unable to be with her husband but who desires him as contrasted with a woman who has her husband's presence but doesn't care for him. Which husband would be more apt to pour out his love for his wife?

 
How to Receive Spiritual Communion

St. Leonard of Port-Maurice offers this advice for receiving Spiritual Communion:

In order to facilitate a practice of such great excellence, ponder what I have to say. When the priest is about to give himself Communion in holy Mass, do you, keeping composed externally and internally, excite in your heart an act of true contrition, and humbly striking your breast, in token that you acknowledge yourself unworthy of so great a grace, make all those acts of love, of self-surrender, of humility, and the rest, which you are accustomed to make when you communicate sacramentally, and then desire with a lively longing to receive your good Jesus, veiled in the sacrament for your benefit. And to kindle your devotion, imagine that most holy Mary, or some saint, your holy advocate, is holding forth to you the sacred particle; figure yourself receiving it, and then, embracing Jesus in your heart, reply to Him, over and over again, with interior words prompted by love: “Come, Jesus, my Beloved, come within this my poor heart; come and satiate my desires; come and sanctify my soul; come, most sweet Jesus, come!” This said, be still; contemplate your good God within you, and, as if you really had communicated, adore Him, thank Him, and perform all those interior acts to which you are accustomed after sacramental Communion.

Here is a choice of a few different formal prayers to pray while following St. Leonard's advice, though you can pray in your own words, if you prefer:

---

Act of Spiritual Communion 
by St. Alphonsus Liguori (A.D. 1696-1787)

My Jesus, I believe that Thou art present in the Blessed Sacrament. I love Thee above all things and I desire Thee in my soul. Since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though thou wert already there, I embrace Thee and unite myself wholly to Thee; permit not that I should ever be separated from Thee. 

---

Act of Spiritual Communion

O Immaculate Queen of Heaven and Earth, Mother of God and Mediatrix of every grace: I believe that Thy dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, is truly, really, and substantially contained in the Most Blessed Sacrament. I love Him above all things and I long to receive Him into my heart. Since I cannot now receive Him sacramentally, be so good as to place Him spiritually in my soul. 

O my Jesus, I embrace Thee as One who has already come, and I unite myself entirely to Thee. Never permit me to be separated from Thee. Amen. 

---

Act of Spiritual Communion

As I cannot this day enjoy the happiness of assisting at the holy Mysteries, O my God! I transport myself in spirit at the foot of Thine altar; I unite with the Church, which by the hands of the priest, offers Thee Thine adorable Son in the Holy Sacrifice; I offer myself with Him, by Him, and in His Name. I adore, I praise, and thank Thee, imploring Thy mercy, invoking Thine assistance, and presenting Thee the homage I owe Thee as my Creator, the love due to Thee as my Savior. 

Apply to my soul, I beseech Thee, O merciful Jesus, Thine infinite merits; apply them also to those for whom I particularly wish to pray. I desire to communicate spiritually, that Thy Blood may purify, Thy Flesh strengthen, and Thy Spirit sanctify me. May I never forget that Thou, my divine Redeemer, hast died for me; may I die to all that is not Thee, that hereafter I may live eternally with Thee. Amen.

Footnote: 
¹ If someone is bedridden and unable to get to Church to receive the Eucharist over a long period of time -- especially during Eastertide -- but this person is also not in need ofUnction, ask your priest to pay him a sick call. 

 

[aposiopetic]

ping to another thread

[ottbmare]

I have a question about the Sunday obligation, and if anyone knows the answer to it, I’d be grateful.

Is there something special about Sunday mass, as opposed to the masses said on the other days of the week? The reason I’m asking is that I go to mass every day during the workweek, but getting to mass on weekends is a problem for me. Since I’m unemployed I started a little home business, and it requires me to be on deck for selling things on weekends. During the work-week I can start my day when mass and our group Rosary are done, around 10, but there is no way I’m anywhere near a Catholic Church on a lot of Saturdays and Sundays. Is this a sin?

I don’t miss the days of obligation.

[Zetman]

Every Sunday is considered to be a Holy Day of obligation. Catholics are bound to attend Mass every Sunday, as well as every non-Sunday Holy Day of obligation - under pain of mortal sin. There are exceptions, and various other regulations which govern all of this, but that is the general rule. I am not a complete expert, so you should check with your Priest, or the Catechism, to get all of the details.

I attend a Parish where they do the Traditional Latin Mass, and they emphasize the Catholic teaching that one is supposed to perform “servile labor” on Sundays. However, because of my job, I too have to sometimes go into work for awhile on Sundays (although I will also find somewhere attend Mass). Hence, I am probably a bad one to give out ANY sort of advice!!

[Zetman]

Ooops !! My bad !!

There is a typo in my previous message - I omitted ONE WORD, and that changed the meaning to the exact opposite. The relevant sentence SHOULD read:

“one is supposed to perform NO ‘servile labor’ on Sundays.”

Sorry about that!! Proof-reading is my friend, but I guess we have been arguing as of late!!

[ottbmare]

So basically I’m not off the hook for Sundays even if I go to mass every day the rest of the week. Hm. If that’s the case then I have to throw my business away and go on food stamps, because the Lord has NOT let me get a job. Darn the luck.

[Ann Archy]

Talk to your Priest.......BUT, please....don’t blame the Lord for not letting you get a job.

[Ann Archy]

Thanks....I needed this info.

[Campion]

No, you're not off the hook for Sundays.

Not sure where you live, but most larger cities have masses into the evening on Sundays. The obligation is met by any Mass between "Saturday evening" (usually 5:00 pm or later) and Sunday midnight. See if you can rearrange your work schedule to give you an hour off somewhere in there.

[Jeff Chandler]

See if you can rearrange your work schedule to give you an hour off somewhere in there.

A little off subject but it's been a long time since I've attended an hour long Sunday mass. The bands seem obliged to galump through every verse of every pop hymn, every part of the mass is sung, and there are many announcements right before the end of mass. 75 minutes minumum.

[ottbmare]

don't blame the Lord for not letting you get a job."

Oh, I'm not blaming Him, in a negative sense. When He shuts me off from something, I assume He has a different path He wants me to take.

[Ransomed]

It was my understanding if you had work related requirements that preclude getting to your sunday obligation Mass, then that’s not on you. If you were doing it for “extra” money or something it would be different. At least that is what a priest told me. I would talk to your priest, explain your situation fully(ie going to daily Mass, only means of income or whatever) and see what he says.

Freegards

[ottbmare]

Thank you. I appreciate the clarification, as my priest hasn’t answered his email. I am often many miles from a town on these weekends. I may have to abandon my business altogether, which would be a shame after the investment of so much time, energy, and money. I wish so much I had realized this. Here’s hoping God has some other plan for me to support myself.

Something a priest said quite some time ago made me think that if you really have to work on weekends and can’t get off the hook, going every morning during the week would make up for the Sunday obligation. I must have misinterpreted what I heard. Guess I’ve been committing a sin but not a mortal sin—yet—since I didn’t realize. I thought the Sunday requirement was intended for people who otherwise wouldn’t show up in church for months at a time, certainly not during the week.

[Daffy]

. .. as my priest hasn’t answered his email

Wait a minute, you are within 100 feet of a priest every weekday morning, but wait for a reply by email?

[ottbmare]

Yes, he bails right after the mass ends because he has a class to teach at the local Catholic school. And it’s a horribly busy time for a priest, so I’m not going to hassle him if he doesn’t get back to me ASAP.