How to make a spritual communion and why it's important
Even though we would LOVE to be able to go to daily mass and receive Jesus' Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity as often as we can, for Trads these days, it is almost impossible. Many of us do not live near enough to our Traditional Churches and priests, and an hour long drive, one way, just isn't feasible for most of our budgets.
We know how much we need those graces that pour into our hearts during mass. Our daily lives are such a struggle. Just walking out the door and down the street could offer us many near occasions of sin and temptations, and the amount of blatant evil has steadily increased, while the ready access to strength and grace from the sacraments has steadily decreased.
This is where the spiritual communion comes galloping to the rescue, like much needed reinforcements on the battlefield. Knowledge of the spiritual communion used to be so commonplace, it was just as well known to Catholics as the Hail Mary. People used to make many spiritual communions throughout the day, but this devotion has sadly become forgotten.
So here it is. Let us make use of it many times during the day. For those of us who are just barely surviving on the one and only mass we can get to on Sundays, let's REALLY make use of this grace-filled act.
By a rescript of November 24, 1922, The Sacred Congregation of Indulgences approved the following formula for a spiritual communion:
"O Jesus, I turn toward the holy tabernacle where You live hidden for love of me. I love you, O my God. I cannot receive you in Holy Communion. Come nevertheless and visit me with Your grace. Come spiritually into my heart. Purify it. Sacntify it. Render it like unto your own. Amen."
The indulgence granted to this devotion is 500 days, if thrice repeated.
St. Jean Vianney, Cure d' Ars, said, "A spiritual communion acts on the soul as blowing does on a cinder covered fire which was about to go out. Whenever you feel your love of God growing cold, quickly make a spiritual communion."
We know how much we need those graces that pour into our hearts during mass. Our daily lives are such a struggle. Just walking out the door and down the street could offer us many near occasions of sin and temptations, and the amount of blatant evil has steadily increased, while the ready access to strength and grace from the sacraments has steadily decreased.
This is where the spiritual communion comes galloping to the rescue, like much needed reinforcements on the battlefield. Knowledge of the spiritual communion used to be so commonplace, it was just as well known to Catholics as the Hail Mary. People used to make many spiritual communions throughout the day, but this devotion has sadly become forgotten.
So here it is. Let us make use of it many times during the day. For those of us who are just barely surviving on the one and only mass we can get to on Sundays, let's REALLY make use of this grace-filled act.
By a rescript of November 24, 1922, The Sacred Congregation of Indulgences approved the following formula for a spiritual communion:
"O Jesus, I turn toward the holy tabernacle where You live hidden for love of me. I love you, O my God. I cannot receive you in Holy Communion. Come nevertheless and visit me with Your grace. Come spiritually into my heart. Purify it. Sacntify it. Render it like unto your own. Amen."
The indulgence granted to this devotion is 500 days, if thrice repeated.
St. Jean Vianney, Cure d' Ars, said, "A spiritual communion acts on the soul as blowing does on a cinder covered fire which was about to go out. Whenever you feel your love of God growing cold, quickly make a spiritual communion."
posted by Therese_Rose_Morning at 2:11 PM
2 Comments:
When I was growing up in Catholic school taught by Nuns and priests, we not only went to daily mass in the early morning before school started but we also made spiritual communions together as we got back in our classrooms after lunch break. I haven't met anyone nowadays who even knows what a spiritual communion is. I'll point them to your blog post.
Pope St. Pius X recommended that Catholics in sanctifying grace receive Holy Communion often. I believe a spiritual communion may sometimes be more appropriate at Mass, especially if there is a long list of venial sins since the last confession or if the person is attached to venial sin.
Yes, the priest absolves repentent sinners of venial sins just before Holy Communion, but an occasional voluntary act of humility in remaining in the back of church and refraining from receiving Our Lord in the Eucharist can make His presence even more desirable and appreciated in the future.
A spiritual communion is often the best way to involve a non-Catholic in the Catholic Church. He can be told that his own church allows him to make a worthy spiritual communion, but the Catholic Church offers the actual Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
When Protestants attend Mass, they need to be told that they should make a spiritual communion until they fully join the Catholic Church. Many blessings come from spiritual communion.
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