Last Updated on July 13, 2011

The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist

The Holy Eucharist, the source and summit of the Christian Life, completes Christian initiation.

At the last supper Jesus took the simple elements of bread and wine. He gave thanks and broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

The Church believes that Jesus Christ is truly present, body, soul, humanity and divinity in the Host , the bread that becomes His body, and in the cup of wine, that is His blood. We call this the “Real Presence” of Christ in the Eucharist.

As a community of faith, each week, and at every mass, we gather around the table of the Lord, centered in the Eucharist, to offer to God again with Jesus, His saving sacrifice. Through Jesus’ death on the cross, he won for us the victory over sin and death. Eucharist means, “Thanksgiving” and through the Liturgy of mass, we offer God ourselves in thanksgiving.

Preparation of children for reception of the Eucharist at St. John Neumann begins in second grade through the Religious Education Program.

For more information, please contact our parish office.

Q: How many times a day can one receive Holy Communion?

A:The Code of Canon Law states that "One who has received the blessed Eucharist may receive it again on the same day only within a eucharistic celebration [Mass] in which that person participates, without prejudice to the provision of canon 921 §2" (CIC 917). "Even if they have already received Holy Communion that same day, it is nevertheless strongly suggested that in danger of death they should communicate again" (CIC 921 §2).

The Canon Law Letter & Spirit commentary on Canon 917 explains: The 1917 Code allowed the reception of Holy Communion a second time on the same day only in danger of death or in order to avoid irreverence to the blessed Eucharist. Between the end of Vatican II and the Code this regulation was relaxed. After the promulgation of the Code there was some debate as to whether the word again meant twice only or as often as a person attended Mass. A reply from the Code Commission in 1984 made it clear that it means twice only. Consequently the present law is that a person may receive Holy Communion a second time on the same day, but only on the occasion of participating in a Mass—unless of course there is danger of death. (504)

For more in-depth study of the Eucharist visit the following: The Church Fathers Believed in The Real Presence

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