How to Receive Communion at a Catholic Mass

PDF download Download Article
Everything you need to know before you receive the Eucharist
PDF download Download Article

In the Catholic faith, Communion is the central part of the Mass. To receive the Eucharist, you must, among other requirements, be a baptized Catholic and free of any grave sins. Catholics take communion either in their hands or on their tongue, and some even kneel. We’ll tell you more about the requirements and procedure for receiving this holy Catholic sacrament.

Quick Guide for Taking Communion

Leave your pew and process to the front of the church with the rest of the congregation. Bow when you reach the priest, then hold out either your hands or tongue to receive the host. Say, “Amen,” after the priest says, “The Body of Christ,” then accept the host.

Section 1 of 3:

Receiving Communion

PDF download Download Article
  1. Communion can be taken at any mass, and occurs toward the end of the ceremony. Prepare yourself mentally during the Consecration of the Eucharist (when the priest raises the host and it is changed into the body and blood of Christ) to participate in Communion by giving your thanks, appreciation, and reverence to Jesus Christ through prayer . [1]
    • Note that only baptized Catholics can receive Communion, but anyone may attend mass.
  2. The priests and altar servers will prepare to give Communion by taking their customary places, standing at the head of the Church, in front of the altar. If there’s an usher, wait for them to guide your row to walk up. When leaving the pew there is no need to genuflect (to kneel and cross oneself). Wait in line and do not skip people. [2]
    • If there is no usher, wait until the people in the pew in front of you have processed out of the pew, then stand and join the procession.
    • Since the sacrament occurs while the congregation is kneeling, lift your kneeler before you proceed, so others can walk through the pew.
    Advertisement
  3. This is a show of reverence. Once the person ahead of you has received Communion, bend slightly at the hips, then step forward within arm’s length of the priest so that you may receive the sacrament yourself. [3]
    • When you approach the priest or Extraordinary Minister, they will proclaim, "The Body of Christ." Proclaim your faith by replying, "Amen,” which means, “I believe.”
  4. Depending on the church and your personal preference, you can either have the host fed to you or handed to you. In the Traditional Rite, the host is fed to you. Open your mouth and extend your tongue so that the host does not fall. The host will be placed on your tongue. Close your mouth and allow the host to dissolve on your tongue while thinking of the sacrifice made. [4]
    • If you wish to have the host handed to you, hold out your hands, left on top of right. Do not take the host from the priest, but rather allow them to place it in your hand.
    • Some Catholics kneel to receive Communion. This is more traditional and isn’t required, and has become more and more unusual, but is a powerful show of faith and obedience.
  5. After receiving the host, you may choose to receive the Blood of Christ. Take a small sip from the chalice that is offered to you. The person offering the cup will say “the Blood of Christ,” and you respond (as before) with a bow and a proclamation of your faith: "Amen." [5]
    • The lip of the chalice is wiped off after each member receives the blood as a way to limit germs, but if you are ill or contagious, refrain from receiving the Blood of Christ.
  6. This is a time to reflect and thank Jesus for coming to you in the Holy Eucharist. [6] Return to your pew and pray, until the priest is finished offering the Blessed Sacrament. Follow the lead of more established church members if you are unsure what to do.
    7. Advertisement
Section 2 of 3:

Qualifying for Communion

PDF download Download Article
  1. You must be of the Catholic faith to take Communion, and baptized into the Catholic Church. Taking Communion is a show of faith, and by taking it, you’re saying that you believe everything the Catholic Church teaches. That’s why even non-Catholic Christians usually don’t take the sacrament at a Catholic mass, since their beliefs differ, even if only slightly. [7]
    • To become Catholic , adults take a class called RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults), learning what the Catholic Church teaches, and preparing you for Reconciliation, first Communion, and Confirmation.
    • Children take a similar course called the Rite of Initiation of Children.
    • If you were Baptized in another Christian denomination you will make what is called a "Profession of Faith" to convert to Catholicism.
  2. Before you can receive communion regularly, baptized Catholics first must receive their First Communion. This is a special occasion that’s often accompanied by other sacraments like your first Reconciliation. Adults who are baptized into the Church often take their First Communion and Reconciliation shortly after baptism. [8]
    • Baptized children often wait until they’re older and can fully comprehend the sacraments.
  3. The Eucharist may not be received by a person who’s committed a mortal sin and hasn’t repented. If you have committed a mortal sin, you must go to Reconciliation and repent before receiving Communion. To receive communion knowingly in a state of mortal sin is a sin of sacrilege. [9]
    • A mortal sin is a major sin which has seriously damaged your relationship with God and fulfills 3 requirements: full knowledge of the sins’ grave nature, complete and unhindered consent to commit the sin, and grave matter.
  4. You must believe in transubstantiation, which means that the bread and wine are actually transformed into the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ. The offerings only appear as bread and wine, but are believed to actually be parts of Christ himself. [10]
    • This is an important aspect of the Catholic faith, and of Communion. For Catholics, there’s not much point taking Communion if you don’t believe this.
  5. This is known as the “Eucharistic Fast,” and is a show of faith, reverence, and devotion. It means you cannot eat or drink anything for at least one hour before taking Communion. Water and medicine are excluded from the fast. Those who are elderly or ill can be excused from fasting, with the priest's permission. [11]
    • This practice began in 393 and was instituted at the Council of Hippo, then affirmed in 397 at the Third Council of Carthage.
  6. Those who are under ecclesiastical censure, meaning they have been excommunicated from the church or continually commit grave sins, cannot receive Communion. [12]
    • If you’re not sure whether or not you’re under censure, you’re probably not. It’s a big deal, and there’s no way you wouldn’t be told directly by the Church.
    7. Advertisement
Section 3 of 3:

History of Communion

PDF download Download Article
  1. Before he was crucified, Jesus assembled his apostles for a meal, where he shared with them bread and wine. He said, “Take and eat; this is my body,” and, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” [13]
    • Jesus instituted the Eucharist, or Communion, as a way to share his grace, offer forgiveness for sins, and remain physically with us on earth. [14]
    • These words are echoed by the priest during the transubstantiation at mass.
  2. In the early Church, believers would gather for a Communion that more closely resembled a regular meal, where bread and wine were blessed and shared around a table. This practice changed and morphed, and the liturgy and ceremony developed around 150 CE. [15]
  3. Both the Old and New Testaments are full of “foreshadowing” for the Eucharist. The Israelites sacrificed a lamb at Passover and made unleavened bread. Thousands of years later, we acknowledge Jesus as the sacrificial lamb that saves us, and eat our own form of unleavened bread in his memory. [16]
    • God provided manna for the Israelites as they wandered the desert in exile.
    • Jesus multiplied the fishes and loaves to feed the crowd during the Sermon on the Mount.
    4. Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    Do I take the Host in the right hand first?
    Community Answer
    Your left hand should be over the right when you choose to receive it in your hands.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 38 Helpful 148
  • Question
    Will I drink the blood of Christ for the first time at my Confirmation?
    Community Answer
    No, you can receive the blood of Christ as soon as you make your first Communion.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 18 Helpful 84
  • Question
    What seat do I take after taking communion?
    Community Answer
    Your original seat. However, you should not sit after communion; you should kneel, pray, and reflect until the priest is finished serving everyone.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 23 Helpful 113
See more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Tips

      • If you accidentally drop the host (the Body of Christ) while receiving it, don’t panic! It happens. Different diocese have different procedures, but always follow the priest’s lead. Often, he’ll retrieve it and consume it himself, then present you with a new host. [17]
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • When you're taking communion, do not talk to other people in the line. Whisper if you absolutely need to say something, but don't break the silence if you can.
      • If you are handed the host, it's important to eat it right away. Don't try to take it back to your seat to eat.
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      Warnings

      • Generally, avoid chewing the host vigorously or with your mouth open, which is seen as disrespectful in some parishes.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Join the Roman Catholic Church
      How to
      Become a Catholic Priest
      How to
      Address Catholic Clergy
      How to
      Make Your Own Holy Water
      How to
      Become Pope
      How to
      Make a Rosary: 3 DIY Methods
      Visit a Catholic Mass: Etiquette for Catholics and Non-Catholics
      How to
      Properly Address an Archbishop
      How to
      Make a Cord Rosary
      How to
      Pray the Chaplet of the Holy Wounds
      How Does Someone Become a Saint?
      How to
      Wear the Brown Scapular
      Catholic Confession: How to Perform the Sacrament of Penance
      How to
      Select a Saint for Your Confirmation Name
      Advertisement

      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about christianity, check out our in-depth interview with Olivia Woodford .

      References

      1. ↑ https://thosecatholicmen.com/articles/how-to-receive-the-eucharist-worthily/
      2. ↑ https://www.stmvictoria.org/documents/2014/2/Holy%20Communion%20Instructions.pdf
      3. ↑ https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/how-to-receive-the-eucharist.html
      4. ↑ https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/how-to-receive-the-eucharist.html
      5. ↑ https://www.detroitcatholic.com/voices/a-gift-of-inestimable-worth-a-reflection-on-the-precious-blood-of-jesus-christ
      6. ↑ https://thosecatholicmen.com/articles/how-to-receive-the-eucharist-worthily/
      7. ↑ https://fargodiocese.net/news/why-arent-non-catholic-but-baptized-christians-not-to-receive-the-eucharist
      8. ↑ https://allsaintshayward.org/eucharist-first-communion
      9. ↑ https://thosecatholicmen.com/articles/how-to-receive-the-eucharist-worthily/
      1. ↑ https://nwcatholic.org/voices/cal-christiansen/how-can-i-explain-transubstantiation
      2. ↑ https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/fasting-before-mass-4584
      3. ↑ https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/excommunication-10797
      4. ↑ https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2026%3A17-30&version=NIV
      5. ↑ https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/how-to-receive-the-eucharist.html
      6. ↑ https://catholicidentity.bne.catholic.edu.au/scripture/SitePages/History-of-Eucharist.aspx?csf=1&e=KA8aeA
      7. ↑ https://denvercatholic.org/the-eucharist-throughout-history-a-timeline/
      8. ↑ https://dio.org/catholic-times/what-is-the-procedure-if-the-eucharist-is-dropped-during-the-distribution-of-holy-communion/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To take communion in the Catholic church, open your mouth and extend your tongue so the priest can place the host on it. If you'd prefer to not have the host fed to you, you can hold out your hands, left on top of right, and wait for the priest to place it in your hand. When the priest is finished talking, say "Amen" and wait to receive the blood. When you're handed the chalice, take a small sip and then walk back to your seat and kneel. To find out if you qualify to take communion, keep reading.

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 658,136 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Lawrence Naipokim

        Mar 20, 2016

        "This article helped me a lot. I was born Catholic but never attended church for more than 20 years, so I started ..." more
      More reader stories Hide reader stories
      Share your story

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement