The Holy Mass is at the center of our Catholic life because the Holy Eucharist is “the source and summit” of our Faith.
Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper while celebrating the Passover meal with his apostles. The gift of the Holy Eucharist makes Jesus present to us today and every day. He did not abandon us, rather he gave us the Church in whose authority priests and bishops consecrate the unleavened bread and wine at the Mass by which it becomes the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus. Through this miracle the same Jesus who was crucified and rose from the dead may be received by Catholics today.
The grace of this sacrament provides supernatural food for the soul to strengthen and nourish the faithful as they seek greater union with Christ in their daily life. Each time Catholics receive holy communion they have an opportunity to grow in holiness through their openness to the graces offered in this encounter with Jesus. In the Catholic tradition we call these graces the fruits of Holy Communion.
Common Questions
When he was resurrected, Jesus received a fully glorified body, which allows for him to be truly and really present in truly incredible ways, beyond our human comprehension.
Jesus' Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity are fully present in the smallest drop from the chalice (what appears and tastes like wine) or the smallest crumb from a host (what appears and tastes like bread).
So, you don't have to receive the Eucharist under both forms to "completely" receive Jesus. You get all of him no matter what!
For Catholics, receiving our Lord Jesus requires the proper disposition. The basic requirements are that one be baptized, be free of any serious (mortal) sin, and to observe the minimum one-hour fast. Additionally reception of Holy Communion serves as a sign that the believer both believes all that the Church teaches as revealed by God and that they are in visible unity with the Church.
St. Paul speaks of this unity in his first letter to the Corinthians: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread." (1 Corinthians 10:16-17)
Communion in the Church represents the assent of the faithful to all that the Church teaches. Therefore, non-Catholics cannot participate in Holy Communion, because they do not accept all that the Church teaches and are not united as a member to His Body, the Church. Allowing non-Catholics to receive Communion would falsely demonstrate a unity that does not exist.
Of course, Catholics desire that our unity be restored, but not at the expense of the truth of the situation. Insisting on this practice is not the Church being harsh or unwelcoming, rather it is the Church protecting the holiness of the Eucharist and the awesome sign of unity it communicates. The Catechism teaches that, "The more painful the experience in the divisions in the Church which break the common participation in the table of the Lord, the more urgent are our prayers to the Lord that the time of complete unity among all who believe in him may return." (Catechism, 1398)
Mass Times
Monday - Friday:
6:30 am | 8:30 am
Saturday:
8:30 am | 5:00 pm | 7:00 pm (Spanish)
Sunday:
7:30 am | 9:00 am | 10:45 am | 12:30 pm | 5:00 pm
Confession Times
Wednesday: 7:00 - 7:30 pm
Saturday: 9:00 am & 4:00 - 5:00 pm
Sunday: 30 min. before each Mass
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