The Sacrilege of Receiving Communion in Mortal Sin (Without Confession)

 

THE LITTLE GIRL WHO INSPIRED THE CHANGE IN THE AGE FOR RECEIVING COMMUNION

Who helped inspire Pope Pius X to lower the age for First Communion?

Ellen Organ never reached the age of five, yet her love for the Blessed Sacrament elevated her to the heights of holiness.

Born in County Waterford, Ireland, in 1903, Ellen Organ—better known as Nellie—was the fourth child of poor but deeply devout Catholic parents. Her father, facing unemployment early in his marriage, chose to become a soldier in the British Army rather than emigrate. The family was stationed first in Waterford, then in Cork.

Nellie's mother, Mary, died of tuberculosis in early 1907, and William—faced with the reality that he could not work and care for his children—placed them in the care of religious communities. Nellie went to stay with the Good Shepherd Sisters, along with her sister Mary.

Here the "little violet of the Blessed Sacrament" spent the rest of her life, both in profound suffering and in holiness that seemed beyond her years. Her angelic disposition and Heaven-sent intuition about spiritual things endeared her to the sisters and convinced them that this was a very special child.

Nellie had a tender love for "Holy God," as she had always called Him. She was particularly drawn to the Blessed Sacrament and knew from the beginning exactly what—or rather, who—this Sacrament was. She loved seeing Our Lord enthroned in the monstrosity, and she longed to receive Him. She would ask those who had been at Mass to kiss her so that she could somehow participate in their Communions.

But Nellie suffered a serious spinal injury, caused by a fall as a baby. This injury would cause her terrible pain, yet she did not complain, enduring everything with fortitude even though she was unable to walk much of the time and had to be carried. A painful jaw disease and, eventually, tuberculosis would also bring her life to an early end.

In view of her probable death and her deep understanding of the sacraments and the truths of the faith, Nellie was able to receive her Confirmation, First Confession, and First Communion, even though she was far below the normal age. Her ecstasy upon receiving Our Lord for the first time and each time thereafter—32 times in total—was heavenly.

Little Nellie died in February 1908. Around this time, a white-robed man in Rome had been considering lowering the age for Holy Communion. According to a monsignor familiar with the matter, Pope Pius X heard about little Nellie and, turning to his cardinal secretary, said, "There! That's the sign I've been waiting for!"

Quam Singulari, the decree lowering the age for First Communion, was promulgated in 1910.

DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO GIVE YOU COMMUNION IN THE HAND AND STANDING

—One goes to God only on one's knees; but man is too proud and fatuous to bend them (Saint Augustine).

—In the name of Jesus, let every knee bend in heaven, on earth, and in hell (Saint Paul).

If men could see you with the senses of the body, just as you are in the Most Holy Sacrament, they would all fall on their knees, face to the ground, to adore you irresistibly, even your most bitter enemies. But you have told me many times that freedom without proof is a hollow word that has no meaning. And because you created man free, you have placed a veil on this Sacrament, Mystery of Love and Faith, so that we would only contemplate you with that sixth sense of faith, which grows with humility and is atrophied and annulled with fatuity and pride, in order to prove free will in this way.

If I saw you with my physical senses I would kneel down, and why should I not see you with them and remain standing? Where is the “new man” in me? Oh, no! Now, more than ever, I will kneel down. I will kneel down, as Thomas did when, recognizing your divinity, he exclaimed: My Lord and my God! As Peter kneeled down when he confessed you as the Son of God; as Magdalene kneeled down, as the lame and lepers kneeled down, and the little blind people whom you healed; so I kneel down, with that signature, that gesture, the most natural, which constitutes in itself an act of faith, just as I would do if you drew back the veil of the Sacrament and I could see you face to face.

I know, Lord, that the Israelites ate the paschal lamb standing up, but because that was only a figure, a symbol, a promise; but… nothing more, and the promises are expected standing up. But in the fullness of time, You, in the Eucharist, are no longer a symbol, as many pretend, but the most living reality: You are Flesh and Blood, our food. And in all times You have placed living torches that bear witness to this reality. Thus Angela of Foligno, thus Elizabeth of Reute, Nicholas von Flue, Catherine of Siena, Louise Lateau, Anne Catherine Emmerich, Sister Maria Martha Chambon, Therese Neumann and so many others. If You left the Holy Mass, a bloodless renewal of the same Sacrifice of the Cross, also as a memorial of Your Passion and Death, and already at the beginning You prostrated Yourself on the ground next to the rock of Gethsemane, what less can I do than prostrate myself with You, at the moment of receiving that same blood that You sweated and shed?

“On my knees before this great Sacrament; “Let the Old Testament give way to the new Rite and let faith supply the weakness of our senses”; thus prays the Church in the “Tantum ergo”. You said very clearly, Lord: “new wine cannot be put into old wineskins”. If the Israelites remained standing, encouraging the hope of a promise, we, who have truly progressed, WISH TO KNEEL, and so we will, to receive and eat BEING IN SANCTIFYING GRACE (THAT IS: WITHOUT MORTAL SIN THROUGH SACRAMENTAL CONFESSION) the Same Reality that is present in all and even in the smallest particle of the consecrated host that we will receive IN THE MOUTH, not allowing it to be given to us in the hand because the consecrated particles (where you are complete with your Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity) would fall to the ground and other parts, something that we will never allow on our part.

We have every right to DEMAND that the Eucharist be given to us on our knees and in the mouth. And so, without fear or hesitation, we will demand it for love of You, and if we cannot obtain it, we will seek those pastors who have enough reverence to do so.

Praise be to the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar!

The Importance of Early First Communion

The Importance of Early First Communion

The Eucharist is one of the fundamental sacraments in Christian life, deeply rooted in the tradition of the Catholic Church. The concern of parents about delaying their children's First Communion resonates with the teachings of saints and doctors of the Church, who have emphasized the necessity of this sacrament for the life of grace and the spiritual protection of children.

The Nature of Sacraments as Vehicles of Sanctifying Grace

In Catholic theology, the sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, through which divine life is dispensed. Sanctifying grace is a supernatural gift that infuses the soul with participation in the very life of God, making us partakers of His divine nature and enabling us to live according to His will.

What Does It Mean That Sacraments Are Vehicles of Sanctifying Grace?

1. **Efficacious Signs**: Sacraments are not mere symbols or external rites. Each sacrament truly confers the grace it signifies. St. Thomas Aquinas explains that sacraments are "instrumental causes" of grace, meaning they are means through which God acts to bestow His grace (Summa Theologiae, III, q.62, a.1).

2. **Instituted by Christ**: Each sacrament was directly instituted by Christ during His earthly ministry. The Church has no authority to invent new sacraments but to faithfully administer those established by Christ. This ensures that sacraments have a divine and not a human foundation.

3. **Dispensation of Divine Life**: Through the sacraments, believers receive sanctifying grace that unites them more intimately with God. This grace is necessary for salvation, as it purifies the soul from sin, bestows new virtues, and strengthens the Christian to live a holy life. According to the Council of Trent, "grace justifies man, making him righteous and an adopted son of God" (Denzinger, 1528).

4. **Sanctifying and Actual Grace**: The grace conferred by the sacraments is primarily sanctifying, elevating human nature to the supernatural order. However, they can also confer actual grace, which are temporary helps to act according to God's will in various circumstances.

5. **Means of Sanctification**: Sacraments are channels through which Christ's grace flows. St. Augustine describes sacraments as "visible signs of an invisible reality," referring to their ability to bestow God's invisible grace through visible and tangible acts (De Civitate Dei, X, 5).

6. **Efficacy Ex Opere Operato**: The efficacy of the sacraments does not depend on the holiness of the minister who administers them or the recipient, but on the power of Christ Himself who acts in them. The Council of Trent states that sacraments "confer grace by the very fact of the action being performed" (ex opere operato), meaning by the work of Christ operating in them (Denzinger, 1608).

In summary, the sacraments are vehicles of sanctifying grace because, as efficacious signs instituted by Christ, they confer divine life and the grace necessary for the sanctification and salvation of the soul. Through them, the faithful participate in the divine nature, are purified from sin, and receive the strength needed to live according to God's will.

Early First Communion: Spiritual Nourishment and Protection

The Eucharist is the spiritual nourishment necessary for Christian life, as evidenced by Jesus' words: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you" (Jn 6:53). St. Pius X, in his decree "Quam Singulari" (1910), emphasizes the importance of early communion, stating that "the life of grace, given by Baptism, needs to be nourished and strengthened by the Eucharist." Here are the complete citations and arguments of St. Pius X on early communion, highlighting the urgent need for this sacrament for children.

Decrees and Teachings of St. Pius X

St. Pius X, known as the Pope of the Eucharist, promoted early communion based on Christ's love for children, as demonstrated in the Gospels: "Let the children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these" (Mk 10:14). His decree "Quam Singulari" states:

1. **Christ's Love for Children**: "It was His delight to be among them; He used to lay His hands on them, embrace them, bless them. He was indignant when His disciples kept them away, rebuking them with those grave words: Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these" (Mt 19:14).

2. **Practice of the Early Church**: "Bearing all this in mind, the Catholic Church, from its very beginnings, took care to bring little ones to Christ through Eucharistic Communion, which they used to administer even to infants" (Quam Singulari).

3. **Instruction of the Council of Trent**: "The Council of Trent, without condemning the ancient practice of administering the Holy Eucharist to children before they reached the age of reason, confirmed the decree of Lateran, anathematizing those who held the contrary opinion" (Session 21, cap. 4).

4. **Danger of Delaying Communion**: "This custom, by which, under the pretext of preserving the reverence of the Most Holy Sacrament, the faithful were kept away from it, has been the cause of many evils... the innocence of early years, kept from embracing Christ, was deprived of all inner life" (Quam Singulari).

5. **Teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas**: "When children begin to have some use of reason, so that they can conceive devotion to this sacrament, then they can already receive it" (Summa Theologiae III, q.80, a.9).

6. **Responsibility of Parents**: "The precept that children should confess and receive communion primarily concerns those who must take care of them, namely their parents, the confessor, teachers, and the pastor" (Quam Singulari).

7. **Age of Discretion**: "The age of discretion for Communion is that in which the child can distinguish the Eucharistic Bread from ordinary bread, so as to approach the altar with devotion" (Quam Singulari).

St. Pius X emphasizes that the use of reason in children begins very early and that it is essential for them to receive the Eucharist before sin can contaminate their souls. He cites various testimonies and historical examples supporting this practice:

- **Maria Sarto, sister of the Servant of God**: “He told me he had always had the desire to have the little ones approach First Communion soon. And he added: Before the devil enters, it is better that Our Lord enters.”

- **Sister Modesta of the Immaculate**: “The Bishop of Mantua used to say: - When the Lord has taken possession of those tender hearts, the devil will no longer be able to take hold of them.”

- **Agostino Vian**: “Regarding the First Communion of children, even as a Patriarch, without issuing official directives, he exhorted the parish priests to examine the little ones, and when they found them sufficiently aware, to admit them to the Sacrament without hesitation, regardless of age.”

- **Fr. Alberto Silli**: “It is better for children to receive Jesus while their hearts are still pure.”

 The Sacrament of Sacraments

The Eucharist, like the other sacraments, is a channel of grace. According to Catholic doctrine, sacraments are efficacious signs instituted by Christ to confer grace. St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that the Eucharist is the "sacrament of sacraments," as it contains Christ Himself (Summa Theologiae III, q.65, a.3).

Importance of the Eucharist in Christian Life

The Eucharist not only strengthens the life of grace begun in Baptism but also serves as essential spiritual nourishment for the soul. St. Thomas Aquinas explains that "just as bodily food sustains the life of the body, the Eucharist sustains the spiritual life" (Summa Theologiae III, q.79, a.1).

St. Cyril of Jerusalem asserts that "the Eucharist is the body of Christ given for the life of the world. Participating in it is participating in the life of Christ" (Catechetical Lecture IV).

St. Ambrose, in his work "On the Sacraments," states that "the Eucharist is the bread of angels, which nourishes the spiritual life and strengthens us against the temptations of the devil."

Additional Arguments from Other Saints and Doctors of the Church

St. John Bosco

St. John Bosco taught that “one should shun, like the plague, the opinion of those who wish to delay First Holy Communion to a very advanced age, when the devil has already taken possession of the youthful heart, with incalculable damage to its innocence. As soon as the child can distinguish between bread and Bread, regardless of age, let the King of heaven come to reign in this blessed heart.” St. John Bosco emphasizes the urgency of receiving the Eucharist before the child is tempted and falls into sin.

St. Augustine

St. Augustine also highlights the importance of early Eucharist in his work “The City of God,” where he states that “participating in the Body and Blood of Christ is receiving eternal life” (City of God, X, 6). St. Augustine underscores that the Eucharist protects the soul from evil influences and ensures its spiritual growth from an early age.

St. Thomas Aquinas

St. Thomas Aquinas, in his “Summa Theologiae,” reaffirms that “when children begin to have some use of reason, so that they can conceive devotion to this sacrament, then they can already receive it” (Summa Theologiae III, q.80, a.9).

Canonical Norms and Parents’ Rights

The Code of Canon Law supports the traditional teaching of the Church regarding the preparation and admission of children to the Eucharist. Canon 914 states that “parents, and those who take their place, as well as the pastor, have the obligation to see that children who have reached the use of reason are properly prepared and are nourished by this divine food as early as possible, preceded by sacramental Confession.” Additionally, Canon 912 declares that “any baptized person who is not prohibited by law can and must be admitted to Holy Communion.”

The Fourth Lateran Council and the Council of Trent also provide clear guidance on this matter, emphasizing that the age of discretion is when the child can distinguish between the Eucharistic Bread and ordinary bread.

Response to the Modern Perspective on First Communion

In today’s society, it is common to delay First Communion for trivial reasons such as social celebration or waiting for the child to decide for themselves. From the Catholic perspective, this approach is problematic for several reasons:

1. Early Sacramental Grace: Baptism and early Communion provide sanctifying grace and spiritual protection from a young age, which is crucial for the child’s spiritual development.

2. Parents’ Responsibility: Parents have the moral obligation to introduce their children to the sacramental life as soon as possible, ensuring they receive the grace and strength needed to resist sin.

3. Church Doctrine: The Church teaches that sacraments are not merely social ceremonies but essential means of grace. Delaying these sacraments deprives children of spiritual benefits and risks their spiritual development.

In summary, the theological and pastoral tradition of the Catholic Church, supported by the teachings of saints and doctors like St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Pius X, underscores the importance of early First Communion. This sacrament not only nourishes and strengthens the life of grace begun in Baptism but also acts as a powerful defense against sin. The parents’ request for the early Communion of their children is based on solid doctrinal and canonical arguments and reflects their moral duty to ensure the spiritual well-being of their children. Sacraments should not be delayed for social or trivial reasons but should be received as early as possible to ensure the grace and spiritual protection of children. In a world full of dangers, we must protect them as soon as possible, allowing their immaculate innocence to approach Our Lord early. Let us not ignore the words of Our Lord, who seems to rebuke parents today, saying, “let the children come to me.”

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 

               By St. Alphonsus de Liguori

My Lord Jesus Christ,

who for the love you bear us,

remain night and day in this Sacrament,

full of compassion and of love,

awaiting, calling and welcoming

all who come to visit you.

I believe that you are present 

in the Sacrament of the Altar. 

I adore you from the abyss of my nothingness 

and I thank you for all the graces 

you have given me until now, 

and in particular, 

for having given me your Most Holy Mother Mary 

as my advocate 

and for having called me 

to visit you in this church.

I now salute your Most Loving Heart, 

and this for three ends: 

first, in thanksgiving for this great gift; 

second, to make amends to you for all the outrages 

which you receive in this Sacrament 

from all your enemies; 

third, I intend by this visit to adore you 

in all the places on earth 

in which you are present in this Sacrament 

and in which you are the least revered 

and the most abandoned.

My Jesus, I love you with my heart. 

I grieve for having until now so many times 

offended your infinite goodness. 

I purpose by your grace never more to offend you 

for the time to come; 

and now, miserable and unworthy though I am, 

I consecrate myself to you without reserve. 

I give you and renounce my entire will, 

my affections, my desires, and all that I possess. 

From now on, use me 

and all that I have as you wish. 

All I ask of you and desire is your holy love, 

final perseverance 

and the perfect accomplishment of your will.

I recommend to you the souls in Purgatory; 

but especially those who had the greatest devotion 

to the Most Blessed Sacrament 

and to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. 

I also recommend to you all poor sinners.

And finally, my dear Saviour, 

I unite all my affections with the affections 

of your most loving Heart, 

and I offer them with you to your Eternal Father 

and beg him for your sake 

and for love of you, 

graciously to accept and grant them.

Amen.

CARDINAL SARAH DIXIT

 

DECREE BY SAINT PIUS X ON THE ADMITTANCE OF CHILDREN TO THE EUCHARIST

 

AGE TO RECEIVE FIRST COMMUNION

From all this it is clear that the age of discretion for receiving Holy Communion is that at which the child knows the difference between the Eucharistic Bread and ordinary, material bread, and can therefore approach the altar with proper devotion. Perfect knowledge of the things of faith, therefore, is not required, for an elementary knowledge suffices-some knowledge; similarly full use of reason is not required, for a certain beginning of the use of reason, that is, some use of reason suffices. To postpone Communion, therefore, until later and to insist on a more mature age for its reception must be absolutely discouraged, and indeed such practice was condemned more than once by the Holy See. Thus Pope Pius IX, of happy memory, in a Letter of Cardinal Antonelli to the Bishops of France, March 12, 1866, severely condemned the growing custom existing in some dioceses of postponing the First Communion of children until more mature years, and at the same time sharply disapproved of the age limit which had been assigned. Again, the Sacred Congregation of the Council, on March 15, 1851, corrected a prescription of the Provincial Council of Rouen, which prohibited children under twelve years of age from receiving First Communion. Similarly, this Sacred Congregation of the Discipline of the Sacraments, on March 25, 1910, in a question proposed to it from Strasburg whether children of twelve or fourteen years could be admitted to Holy Communion, answered: “Boys and girls are to be admitted to the Holy Table when they arrive at the years of discretion or the use of reason.”

Mandatory rules

After careful deliberation on all these points, this Sacred Congregation of the Discipline of the Sacraments, in a general meeting held on July 15, 1910, in order to remove the above-mentioned abuses and to bring about that children even from their tender years may be united to Jesus Christ, may live His life, and obtain protection from all danger of corruption, has deemed it needful to prescribe the following rules which are to be observed everywhere for the First Communion of children:

1. The age of discretion, both for Confession and for Holy Communion, is the time when a child begins to reason, that is about the seventh year, more or less. From that time on begins the obligation of fulfilling the precept of both Confession and Communion.

2. A full and perfect knowledge of Christian doctrine is not necessary either for First Confession or for First Communion. Afterwards, however, the child will be obliged to learn gradually the entire Catechism according to his ability.

3. The knowledge of religion which is required in a child in order to be properly prepared to receive First Communion is such that he will understand according to his capacity those Mysteries of faith which are necessary as a means of salvation (necessitate medii) and that he can distinguish between the Bread of the Eucharist and ordinary, material bread, and thus he may receive Holy Communion with a devotion becoming his years.

4. The obligation of the precept of Confession and Communion which binds the child particularly affects those who have him in charge, namely, parents, confessor, teachers and the pastor. It belongs to the father, or the person taking his place, and to the confessor, according to the Roman Catechism, to admit a child to his First Communion.

5. The pastor should announce and hold a General Communion of the children once a year or more often, and he should on these occasions admit not only the First Communicants but also others who have already approached the Holy Table with the above-mentioned consent of their parents or confessor. Some days of instruction and preparation should be previously given to both classes of children.

6. Those who have charge of the children should zealously see to it that after their First Communion these children frequently approach the Holy Table, even daily if possible, as Jesus Christ and Mother Church desire, and let this be done with a devotion becoming their age. They must also bear in mind that very grave duty which obliged them to have the children attend the public Catechism classes; if this is not done, then they must supply religious instruction in some other way.

7. The custom of not admitting children to Confession or of not giving them absolution when they have already attained the use of reason must be entirely abandoned. The Ordinary shall see to it that this condition ceases absolutely, and he may, if necessary, use legal measures accordingly.

8. The practice of not administering the Viaticum and Extreme Unction to children who have attained the use of reason, and of burying them with the rite used for infants is a most intolerable abuse. The Ordinary should take very severe measures against those who do not give up the practice.

Given in Rome, on August 8, 1910.

MODERNISM PROPOSES A NEW, CONTRARY AND DIFFERENT GOSPEL

No one living in adultery can receive Communion. It has been the doctrine of the Church for two thousand years.

Our Lord, He who is, Who was, and Who is to come, has clearly said that: 

“Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another committeth adultery against her. And if the wife shall put away her husband and be married to another, she committeth adultery.” (Mk 10, 11:12)

“You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart”. (Mt 5, 27:28)

A Catholic should only desire and love their legitimate spouse (with whom they contracted a religious marriage before God). Whoever divorces their (legitimate spouse) and contracts a civil marriage (that so-called "marriage" is null before God) commits adultery, and while living in adultery they should not receive Communion because they would be sacrilegiously receiving Communion in mortal sin and they would eat and drink his own damnation, as Saint Paul warns those who do not recognize themselves (do not recognize if there is sin in their conscience that prevents them from receiving Communion) or discern the Body of the Lord (1 Cor 11, 27:32).

There cannot be (as today Modernism sacrilegiously proposes) any "discernment" about the possibility of receiving Communion while living in adultery, because that person desires their new "partner" and fornicates with him/her, and does not stop doing so neither before nor after receiving Communion. Whoever lives in a state of mortal sin, only after having gone to Confession (to the priest in the sacrament of Penance) and confessed their sins with true repentance and with a firm intention of not sinning again, can receive the Eucharist. The adulterer (a person who has divorced from their legitimate spouse, and has supposedly remarried) who does not have the firm intention of stopping living in cohabitation (because that is what it really is) should not, in any case, either go to Confession or receive Communion, since they have no repentance or firm resolution to sin no more. Receiving both sacraments without these dispositions is a sacrilegious act. No one is allowed to receive Communion if they are in mortal sin, whatever it may be.

Let us not forget the biblical teaching of Saint Paul: “whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord.” (1 Cor 11, 27:32)

Saint John was beheaded and became a martyr for defending the indissolubility of marriage in the face of Herod's adultery, the same thing happened to Saint Thomas More who rejected the adultery of King Henry VIII. Neither of them proposed to the adulterers to make a "discernment" (as Modernism proposes today).

“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema.” (Gal 1, 8)

“Heaven and earth shall pass: but my words shall not pass.” (Mt 24, 35)

The Most Blessed Sacrament

 

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

WE MUST GIVE THANKS AFTER RECEIVING COMMUNION

THE BEST PLACE

 

THE GREATEST LOVE STORY, BY ARCHBISHOP FULTON J. SHEEN

 

THE EUCHARIST

“…There are others: innocence, but that is for little children; penance, but we are afraid of it; generous endurance of trials of life, but when they come we weep and ask to be spared. The surest, easiest, shortest way is the Eucharist.” 

St. Pius X

IN THE TINIEST PARTICLE OF THE CONSECRATED HOST CHRIST IS FULLY PRESENT

He is fully present with His Body, His Blood, His Soul and His Divinity

"And just as the sun cannot be divided, so neither can my wholeness as God and as human in this white host. Even if the host is divided, even if you could break it into thousands and thousands of tiny bits, in each one I would be there, wholly God and wholly human. It is just as when a mirror is broken, and yet the image one sees reflected in it remains unbroken. So when this host is divided, I am not divided but remain completely in each piece, wholly God, wholly human."

Saint Catherine of Siena

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A TERRIBLE IRREVERENCE

"After receiving Communion, spend at least a quarter of an hour giving thanks. It would be a terrible irreverence, if a few minutes after receiving the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, we walked out of the church." 

Saint John Bosco

________________________________

When the Numbers Don't Add Up

BALANCE = SACRILEGE

Receive Communion in the State of Grace, Kneeling and on the Tongue

The modernists rebuked Pope Pius X, so that he would allow them to receive Holy Communion standing, on the grounds that the Israelites had eaten the paschal lamb, symbol and promise of the Eucharist, standing.

The answer of the Pope was:

“One waits for symbols and promises standing, but the Reality, one receives with love and on one's knees”

H.H. Pope St. Pius X

Love’s Captive

Taken from the book “Holy Hours” by Father Mateo Crawley-Boevey

Have you ever reflected on these words unfathomable in the mystery of charity that they imply: "Jesus captive, Jesus imprisoned for love in the Tabernacle"? Look at Him through that door, behind the walls of the Tabernacle, there is Jesus prisoner, overcome by his own Heart... Twenty centuries ago, on Maundy Thursday, towards the middle of the night, He allowed Himself to be led bound, from the Garden of the Agony to the dungeon to which He was condemned by a wicked judge… And that night of ignominy and horror, of deadly loneliness caused by the abandonment of all those who loved His Heart, yes, that night is prolonged in all the Tabernacles of the world…

Blasphemy, denials, indifference, impurity, pride , sacrileges… all the outcries of deicides, and all the torrent of vileness and ignominy have the awful privilege of reaching Jesus' feet, of rising to His face and profaning it as it was profaned by Judas' kiss… And Jesus Christ does not go away!... He is love's captive, betrayed by His own Heart… He is there, crushed by the outrages of men… He is there, seated on the criminal's bench… He has committed a great crime, the sublime crime of loving man with divine passion…. And see how man repays Him— with neglect and loneliness!...

Título: Forgive Us, Lord