"At the age of thirty-five, St. Anthony (the desert hermit around 300 A.D.) determined to withdraw from the habitations of men and retire in absolute solitude. He crossed the Nile, and on a mountain near the east bank, then called Pispir, now Der el Memum, he found an old fort into which he shut himself, and lived there for twenty years without seeing the face of man, food being thrown to him over the wall."

So how did St. Anthony, the "founder of Christian monasticism", get his strength from above? He did go to Sunday mass before he shut himself up, but for twenty years he had no body and blood of Christ. Is frequent reception of Holy Communion needed?

-- Mike H (michael.hitzelberger@vscc.cc.tn.us), June 04, 2002

Answers

you can ask this server to expire your cookies

-- Mike H (michael.hitzelberger@vscc.cc.tn.us), June 04, 2002.

I think the answer is quite simple. If he is an ordained priest he can still consecrate the Body and Blood with the presence of the holy spirit himself and recieve communion from the geraces of GOD. I know of an elderly priest who did this himself daily. Now he is in the nursing home at about 96 years old and still as spry as a kid.

-- Fred Bishop (FCB@heartland.com), June 04, 2002.

I don't think St. Anthony was ordained so he didn't give himself communion. He was a member of the laity. He was not "a man of letters" either. He was ordinary, like St. Francis of Assisi, who was only laity also.

"Such was St Anthony's life and character, and such his role in Christian history. He is justly recognized as the father not only of monasticism, strictly so called, but of the technical religious life in every shape and form. Few names have exercised on the human race an influence more deep and lasting, more widespread, or on the whole more beneficent."

-- Mike H (michael.hitzelberger@vscc.cc.tn.us), June 04, 2002.

Mike

Are you sure that Monks are not ordained? I used to know of one who is also an ordained priest. From what I believe all monks are religious people and ordained. Guess I will have to wait and see what someone who is more knowledgeable on this will reveal to us later.

-- Fred Bishop (FCB@heartland.com), June 04, 2002.

Fred,

The monk I refer to, St. Athony the desert hermit (also called St. Antony), is the grand-daddy of all Christian monks. A few ascetics preceeded him but those few lived near their parent's homes and home villages and practiced their ascetics around family members. St. Anthony was the first to form a semi-cloistered community away from the world. When he holed up in the desert, others dug in near him until they could get him to come out, 20 years later. So he had no priest, he was solo with prayer alone and perhaps he took some written scripture with him to the desert, I don't know.

Soon after St. Anthony's time, the monks who were the "first fruits of his teaching" lived in monestaries, in isolated communities. Those monks usually have only one ordained monk who offers masses with and for the whole community. These monks sometimes act as spiritual advisors but they do not preach such as mendicant friars might preach. Friars also use the title "monk" although they live significantly different as compared monks who take after the desert fathers. Mendicant friars originate from the Middle Ages, a whole millenium later and most of these later type of "monks" are ordained.

So what of Holy Communion? Frequently needed? St. Anthony prayed constantly. He prayed the Jesus Prayer a lot and spoke of being fortified by the sign of the cross. "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me a sinner." Said a thousand times a day perhaps.

-- Mike H (michael.hitzelberger@vscc.cc.tn.us), June 05, 2002.

Yes it is needed by most of us, as it is a physical gift to us, which unifies us with Christ. Christ also told us to "do this in remembrance of me". And just as the Israelites in the OT commemorated the Passover by eating the flesh of a lamb, we are called to commemorate the death of The Lamb by eating his flesh. Nevertheless, I would probably argue that for some people (that is, saints) it might not be necessary to bring them to full communion with Christ. Christ told us that man does not live on bread alone... And although Christ's real presence in the Eucharist is not equivocal in any other form, to be so close to Christ as St. Anthony might not require the extra boost the Body of Christ in the Eucharist gives us. In other words, by shutting himself up for years and years and focusing on Christ and praying, St. Anthony might have been justified in not receiving the Body of Christ in the Eucharist. We can also look at it from the complete negative: How useful is it for a parishioner to weekly (or even daily) receive the Body of Christ, only to go out and live a life contrary to its very meaning? The Body of Christ is a gift from God to aid us in our walk with Him. And in most instances it is a need, in that it sustains us and unifies us physically with our God. But if one were to experience the closeness to Christ that St. Anthony (and many others have), it might not be a “necessity” per say, however it is still recommendable (and it has been recommended by several Saints). In some instances, Saints have been sustained physically (that is nourished) by the Body of Christ alone. Theresa Nuemann (who isn’t a saint yet) lived on the Eucharist alone for several years, and from the pictures taken you can see that she wasn’t malnutrition in the least (her face is quite plump:).

Hope this helps Mike.

In Christ

-- Jake Huether (jake.huether@lamrc.com), June 05, 2002.

Jake,

Thanks for the post, that helped a lot. Your statement:

How useful is it for a parishioner to weekly (or even daily) receive the Body of Christ, only to go out and live a life contrary to its very meaning?

Hits the nail on the head for me. My daily reception gets mechanical. I don't pray enough throughout the day after mass, to remain humble and pure enough. In the middle of the night or before bed time, I pray only a little bit and it is not enough and yet I go to Communion daily. I think it is easy for me to put too much reliance on the Eucharist as if it were all I needed to do. Sigh. Pray for me and I for you.

-- Mike H (michael.hitzelberger@vscc.cc.tn.us), June 05, 2002.

Dear Mike,

Receiving the Eucharist daily is not 'needed' or 'required.' In other words, it is not mandatory. However, I find that I have better days when I receive the Eucharist daily. My days just seem to go better, or I just "handle" things better. I feel better. I am not saying that the Eucharist is a "magic bullet." It is not. Problems do not go away because I receive the Eucharist, but I have an inner peace and calm and the strength to deal with them.

In other words, receiving the body and blood of Jesus Christ every day sustains me in a way nothing else could. It certainly doesn't make me a perfect human being, but I think it does contribute to my being a 'nicer' human being.

As for your not praying enough, I suggest you try to set aside a few minutes a day - doesn't have to be an hour..start with five minutes and just mediate on God for those few minutes, talk to Him, have a conversation with him like you would with a friend or a family member. Let Him know you are thinking about Him. Praise him and thank Him for another day, talk to Him about whatever is on your mind. Prayer takes all different forms. It doesn't have to be a formal prayer.

Or just let Him know that you trust Him, or think about all the things in your life you have to be thankful for and thank Him for those things - family, friends, the sun, the rain, your job, whatever you think of and there are so many things we all have to be thankful for.

Ask Him for help with something, but praise and thank first..He asks us to thank and praise first. Thank Him for the gift of the Mass, the Eucharist, the gift of His Word.

Read one or two verses in Scripture....there are so many ways to pray.

Start small, 5 minutes one day or one week, then work up to ten. You can fit ten minutes into your day for prayer. Pray on the way to work, or school, or while you are at a traffic light. Play some spiritual tapes in the car.

If someone is kind to you, thank Him for sending that person into your path, etc., There are thousands of ways to pray...just say the Our Father or a Hail Mary - whatever comes to mind.

We can develop good habits slowly and before you know it, you will look forward to that prayer time every day. Doesn't have to be the same time every day, but that helps me to stay focused and keep it up.

There are great little Meditation Books (sometimes in the back of the church or you can check them on the Internet) One is "Living Faith," "Daily Bread," "Living Word" (I think) Anyway, look for little daily meditation books - they all contribute to getting to know Jesus and teach us how to pray.

God Bless, Mike MaryLu

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), June 05, 2002.

I think what happens is that when we receive Christ daily, we start to forget what it is we are doing. I think, and it is sad really, but eventually familiarity breeds contempt. Of course, that contempt could either be a form of contentment or an actual dislike in going to Mass and receiving anymore because it "stopped working."

Personally, I find preparing myself to, during, and right before actually receiving helps a tremendous amount. First, I believe that when we are driving to the Church, we should free ourselves of distractions, radio, cell phone, and the like. Then when we enter the Church we should recognize that we have just entered the house of a King, and not just any King, but the King of Kings. Second, when the priest states "This is My Body" "This is My Blood" our heart should be moved, we should feel pain knowing that Christ is about to die for us. Incidentally, this is the reason the host and chalice our raised separately, the separation of body and blood is a symbol of death. Fulton Sheen and the Baltimore Catechism speak at great length with regard to this. Third, right before we receive Him, we should, at least this is what I do, ask Mary to help us to receive Her Son, the way She accepted Him on the first Christmas. Of course, this should come after a recognition of some kind of our failures and sins. Although, we do take care of that in the beginning of the Mass at the confiteor, it is always good to remember our unworthiness in accepting God who is not only humble enough to remain in the tabernacle, but even moreso to allow us to accept Him into our very body. Finally, we should always make a thanksgiving. Some Saints have said that they have seen the Host remain in our bodies for 15 minutes. Personally, I don't think 15 minutes is a long time for us to give thanks, but if you need to get to work, you still can pray on your way there, no one said that the radio had to go on the moment you jumped in the car.

Sometimes we allow ourselves the ease in forgetting we are Catholics the minute we leave the Church door, but then, there too, the point is missed. When the priest states the final blessing, he says "Mass is ended go in peace to love and serve the Lord and on another." This is quite similar to Christs response to his Apostles, "Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 20 and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20). Further, the priest in "Persona Christi" is not saying, "if you want, do this," no, he is commanding us, as did Christ Go, get out! be Christ to others. We don't forget we our Catholics just because we enter a secular society, we are called to be a witness to all those we meet and come in contact with, sharing with them our whole person, which includes our Catholicism.

The Eucharist is not just a quick fix, get it, fill up, and forget all about it. It is similar to a fire which burns within us, but which weakens if we let it. When this happens it becomes similar to an ember which needs more wood (prayer) so that it may burn once again. Eucharist without prayer and prayer without the Eucharist doesen't seem right, it always seems that the two go hand in hand. Of course, if you can only attend Sunday Mass, then that is when you need more prayer, and should make frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament, as well as frequent spiritual communions.

Finally, one should always try and make daily Mass that they may receive Our Blessed Lord as often as possible, but one should always be prepared and ready to fan the flame during the course of the day that both our prayer and our witness may inspire all those we meet during the course of our day.

God Bless

-- Brian (sacerdos@hotpop.com), June 05, 2002.

Hello, folks.

Many Catholics nowadays are not aware of the fact that, one hundred years ago, reception of Holy Communion by the laity was very infrequent. Many people received only a few times a year (e.g., Christmas, Easter, Pentecost).

How did such a radical change come about? It was through the encouragement and disciplines of Pope St. Pius X (whose reign began in 1903). Here is an excerpt from the Encyclopedia, which shows what I mean:

"In his first encyclical, wishing to develop his program to some extent, he said that the motto of his pontificate would be "instaurare omnia in Christo" [Restore all things in Christ] (Ephes., i, 10). Accordingly, his greatest care always turned to the direct interests of the Church. Before all else his efforts were directed to the promotion of piety among the faithful, and he advised all (Decr. S. Congr. Concil., 20 Dec., 1905) to receive Holy Communion frequently and, if possible, daily, dispensing the sick from the obligation of fasting to the extent of enabling them to receive Holy Communion twice each month, and even oftener (Decr. S. Congr. Rit., 7 Dec., 1906). Finally, by the Decree 'Quam Singulari' (15 Aug., 1910), he recommended that the first Communion of children should not be deferred too long after they had reached the age of discretion."

Here is the text of the 1905 decree on frequent reception of the Blessed Sacrament.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), June 06, 2002.

Thanks for all the support regarding prayer MaryLu and Brian, also to John thanks for the link and history information. I do know Jesus helps me a lot when I receive him daily at mass. I have felt illness or temptation leave quickly during mass or during other prayer, but it is temporary healing. Then I crack or something and the grace leaves not long after. I lose touch afterwards, during the day, even if I pray periodically throughout it as much as most others (but not as much as the desert hermits). I live alone, the loss happens especially when alone at home, unfortunately I don't have any intimate relationships, no family or relatives for miles, no phone to call people with and I was told yesterday that this might be a problem for me too.

Peace to you

-- Mike H (michael.hitzelberger@vscc.cc.tn.us), June 07, 2002.

Thanks, Mike H.
You wrote: "Then I crack or something and the grace leaves not long after." And then you told us about your living in relative isolation.
Mike, I strongly recommend that you discuss your experiences with a trusted, elderly parish priest or monk at your nearest contemplative monastery.

It could be that you are experiencing something quite normal for a person who has given himself up to a deep life of prayer and virtue -- something known as spiritual dryness or "aridity."
Or it could be that what you are dealing with is a negative thing that needs a remedy. That is, your advisor may suggest that you spend at least one day a week in direct service to others, to get your mind off your own problems and to help them to overcome theirs (e.g., elderly needing a companion in a nursing home, poor needing service in a shelter or soup kitchen, immigrants needing to learn English, blind needing a reader/writer, etc.).

God bless you.
John

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), June 08, 2002.

John,

"suggest that you spend at least one day a week in direct service to others, to get your mind off your own problems and to help them to overcome theirs"

That might be it. I somewhat avoid people out of fear however it is not because I don't like people. Rather, I want to interact in helpful or social ways but feel inadequate, have fear of making a fool of myself, or am hypersensitive to minor comments which I take personal and misinterpret etc. This problem is not as bad as it used to be. This is why I became an alcoholic, I drank to be social or when alone the alcohol calmed fears. I don't drink anymore, I am sober three years. And I just moved to a new state two years ago. So I have to start all over socially without medicating my fears. And I need to find spiritually healthy friends to do service and have fun with. All not easy for me. I tend to cut cornors and find a person or two to get socially dependent on.

To the topic of this thread, I think I would like Holy Communions and periodic prayers to fix it all. No unpredictable people to deal with.

I have to take your suggestion and "love thy neighbor" who is Christ.

Thanks

-- Mike H (michael.hitzelberger@vscc.cc.tn.us), June 08, 2002.

Dear Mike,

Even though you are dry now, do you still attend AA meetings? You may be able to help those who are fighting the battle and feel alone. You could probably be a very good example for them. Also, are you seeing a therapist? Sounds like your self-esteem is in poverty right now. When we turn our pain inside-out and use our experiences to help others, it is a blessing and helps us to get out of our selves and off the pity pot. It is not good for us to sit on the pity pot for too long...

I think you have a lot to offer others, Mike. Look at yourself and see all the good things about yourself, add up your accomplishments and focus on what you do have in your life, instead of what you don't have.

As I said in a previous post, the Eucharist is not a magic bullet for all of our ills, but it helps us to get closer to Jesus who sustains us. If you attend daily mass, or even just go on Sunday, read the bulletin to see if your church needs help or talk to your pastor and tell him how you are feeling, ask him if there is somewhere you can help out. Hospitals always need volunteers, nursing homes needs volunteers, Hospice needs volunteers - think about something you would like to be a part of and get moving. Get yourself out of that house. Ask Jesus to be the wind beneath your wings who pushes you where you fear to go.

I will pray for you, Mike and may you get strength and peace from the Eucharist.

God Bless you. I am going to send you a copy of a poem I wrote years ago when I was going through a difficult time.

MaryLu :)

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), June 08, 2002.

Dear Mike,

Here is the poem I wrote when I was going through a difficult time. May it bring you comfort and hope.

THANK YOU LORD...

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for being…

The light in my darkness The calm in my storm The strength in my weakness The courage in my fear The voice in my silence The boldness in my timidity The companion in my solitude The peace in my chaos The wisdom in my uncertainty The hope in my despair The joy in my sorrow The food for my hunger The drink for my thirst But most of all, Dear Jesus, thank You for loving me as I am.

Thank you Jesus for being the wind beneath my wings and pushing me forward to places I fear to go. Amen

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), June 08, 2002.

Thanks for the poem MaryLu,

I do go to 12 step support groups, they help but don't go far enough or I don't trust any of the members to be a sponsor to me. I avoid close scrutiny by anyone who might tell me what to do. I probably need a mentor or therapist but that's trust! Oh my! Hard for me to trust anyone. Last time I did that.... bad stuff happened..... that is how it goes in my head.

The avoidance, which I see as a solution is actually adding to the problem. I probably need a mental doctor I can trust. I may look into that.

-- Mike H (michael.hitzelberger@vscc.cc.tn.us), June 08, 2002.

Dear Michael,

I will keep you in my prayers, sounds to me like you do need some help from a professional Mike. There is no need for you to walk around in such misery and isolation. Trust is a big issue for many people. I will pray that God sends an angel in your path who can help you, someone you immediately have a good feeling about. There are good people you can trust Mike, don't give up hope.

May you find peace of mind. MaryLu

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), June 08, 2002.