Q&A for How to Take Communion in the Catholic Church

Your left hand should be over the right when you choose to receive it in your hands.

No, you can receive the blood of Christ as soon as you make your first Communion.

Your original seat. However, you should not sit after communion; you should kneel, pray, and reflect until the priest is finished serving everyone.

You say "Amen". You don't need to say it loudly, though.

No, it isn't right for the priest to leave the host on the altar. The Eucharist should only be distributed by a priest or a deacon or an extraordinary minister.

By receiving the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin, you commit a sacrilege against the Body and Blood of Christ. A sacrilege is deliberately defiling the Eucharist, or anything holy, like a Rosary. A sacrilege is definitely a mortal sin and you must go to Confession as soon as possible.

If you are Catholic, receiving the body and blood of Christ is a very important part of the faith.

Yes. Place your crossed hands over your chest in the communion line, and when you get to the priest he will bless you.

No, but it's the polite (and sanitary) thing to do to wash your hands ahead of time after you've touched anything dirty or unsanitary.

Yes, it is. The host should be consumed right after it is placed on your hand, while you are facing the alter, before you turn to leave.

Yes, this can be seen as sacrilegious. You should not break the host before putting it in your mouth. Some people also believe that you shouldn't chew the host, but rather let it dissolve.

The priest will raise the host and say "The body of Christ". You will then respond with "Amen".

Using your right hand, you touch your forehead, then around your sternum area, then your left shoulder, then your right shoulder.

You don't say anything. Whoever is giving out the ashes will say,"Repent and believe in the Gospel." After that, you just walk away.

Twice in a day. This was changed through Canon Law recently. You can receive the Eucharist every day, a maximum of twice a day.

The Church obliges all Catholics to go to mass every Sunday, under penalty of mortal sin. You don't have to receive communion every Sunday but you should be receiving it most of those times that you go to mass.

As Catholics, we truly believe that Christ is fully present under both species of Bread and Wine, and that both have been transformed into Christ's Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Thus, you are still receiving the whole of Christ, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, if you just receive the host.

Typically, you should put the host in your mouth as soon as it is received. Alternatively, you can have the host placed on your tongue rather than in your hand.

Yes, of course he will. God loves everyone, including homosexuals. It isn't a choice; your son was made that way by God. To Him, your son was perfect.

It doesn't matter if the host touches your teeth or not. In fact, it's acceptable to chew the host now too. As long as you aren't being disrespectful to the Eucharist while chewing the host (e.g. chewing with your mouth open) I would say that it's totally fine.

It is not a sin to receive holy communion without drinking from the chalice. The holy communion can be received in either form, under the species of bread or under the species of wine. In either case, it is the Body and Blood of Christ. It is only a sin if you receive communion in the state of mortal sin without confession.

I doubt they will do this. However, it has been done in the past (like in the case of an Ebola outbreak), so it's possible.

It is very good, but make sure you have done confession before you receive as receiving communion with impurity or sin is a sin called sacrilege as you are receiving the physical body of Christ.

No. Just follow the guidelines in the article.

Most people say a short prayer asking for forgiveness for their sins and thanking God for their blessings.

You can accept the body and blood of Christ and welcome Jesus spiritually, but not physically. You can still line up, but instead ask to be blessed and not be given the body and blood of Christ. Most importantly, speak with your priest in regards to being baptized, going to confession, and preparing for your first communion.

Twice in a day. This was changed through Canon Law recently. You can receive the Eucharist every day, a maximum of twice a day.

Yes, as long as you are attending two different masses.

"Agnus Dei." It is Latin for "Lamb of God."

That is fine. When you receive the Host you receive the entire Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus.