Does our Sunday obligation require us to spend at least an hour in church? Our priest races through Mass so fast, we are out in a few minutes.
Church Law requires us to attend and participate in the holy sacrifice of the Mass every Sunday and holy day of obligation. We should certainly do so as reverently and devoutly as we can. I recommend that you make an appointment with your priest and explain your discomfort with his speed at Mass. There is no specific law stating exactly how much time we are to spend in church each Sunday. It is a good ideas, however, to give a generous portion of that day each week to God.
Reprinted from January 22, 1999
Is there any church directive or statement about people holding hands during
the recitation of the Our Father at Mass?
I do not know of any. There seems to be some places where this practice is used and others where it is unheard of. At the Holy Father's Masses in Rome, there does not seem to be any widespread hand-holding. In some places children's Masses are marked with this practice. Some people seem to object strenuously to holding hands with others because of germs or just because of a general dislike to touch and be touched by others. It does not seem too conducive to prayer to make people uncomfortable by trying to force them to hold hands with others when they do not care to do so. In some places the lay people, during the Lord's Prayer, extend their hands in imitation of the ancient Christian way of praying (similar to the gesture of the priest at that time). If you have concerns about these matters, make an appointment with your parish priest and talk it over with him.
Reprinted from February 26, 1999
Does the Eucharistic fast include coffee? Is it not true that the letter of
the law about this fast is not binding so long as one observes the spirit
of the law?
The present law of the Church for Catholics of the Latin Rite is that there is to be a fast from all food and drink for one hour before receiving Holy Communion. Water and medicine are not counted in this fast. Coffee certainly would be included. Those who are genuinely sick are not obliged to observe this law of fasting but all others are. People who claim to be observe the "spirit" seems to be apostles of antinomianism and simply trying to justify their disobedience with specious reasoning. The Eucharistic fast is seriously binding.
Reprinted from February 12, 1999
Is it all right for a Catholic to receive communion in a
non-Catholic church, even though he would not really believe in it?
It is my opinion that it would be seriously wrong for a Catholic to receive communion in a non-Catholic church, even if invited to do so. It would symbolize adherence to the non-Catholic religion or, at a minimum, a measure of religious indifference. Some few non-Catholic religions may have valid orders (for instance, some of the Eastern Orthodox, the Polish National Church, etc.), because they have maintained correctly apostolic succession when they broke away from the Catholic Faith, and hence have a valid Eucharist. However, intercommunion even with those denominations is forbidden to Catholics. There are some rare circumstances when members of such churches may receive Holy Communion in a Catholic church. These things are explained by order of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in all the missalettes and liturgy aids printed in the U.S. Before being involved in all such matters, it is always swell to confer with your parish priest or confessor.
Reprinted from January 22, 1999
In certain circumstances may an unbaptized person receive
Holy Communion in a Catholic Church (A Jewish girl at her wedding to a Catholic
man)?
No. There are no circumstances or situations which ever permit an unbaptized person to receive Holy Communion at a Catholic Mass. If such a person would do so, this abuse would have no spiritual or supernatural effect. She would materially receive but not validly or licitly. Any Catholic who would deliberately connive in such an abuse would, of course, incur a grave sin. Incidentally, a wedding, with an appropriate dispensation form a bishop, between a Catholic and an unbaptized person normally is not allowed to be celebrated in connection with Holy Mass.
Reprinted from October 23, 1998
Is it permissible for a non-Catholic to occasionally attend Mass and receive
Holy Communion in a Catholic Church?
No, it is not permissible. On the inside of every missalette printed in the U.S.A., there are "guidelines for the reception of Communion" issued by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops' Liturgy Committee. These should be read and followed. Individual priests have no authority to alter these guidelines on their own.
Reprinted from May 8, 1998