Welcoming Jesus to our home in time of sickness
If we are unable to come to Church, Church can come to us! Catholics who are, for any reason, housebound (whether for a short time or longer) may receive Holy Communion at home, normally from one of our lay ministers. This can be a great support at a time when life seems to be changing, or full of problems or worries, and gives an individual (and their family) great reassurance that God never forgets tham, and Jesus never stops loving us!
There are lots of reasons why you may need to receive Holy Communion at home: it may be during a period of illness, when for a period of time you cannot get out (this would mean more than just a couple of weeks!); it may be that you are recovering from surgery or an illness. Or it may be (though this can be a challenging thing) that you are not able to get out and about as you used to.
In these circumstances, please get in touch to arrange home communion. Please be aware that this will normally be through a lay minister (an “extraordinary minister of Holy Communion”) rather than the priest.
We shouldn’t have to say this, but please don’t abuse this service – there have been cases of people receiving communion at home because they cannot come to Church, but they have still been able to get to the shops or the Bingo!
You would normally receive Holy Communion at home if you have been a regular Mass-goer; if you have been away from the Church, the priest would pop in on you first, just to talk about your situation and make sure you can get the most out of this special sacrament. This might also involve the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession).
When you receive communion at home it will be very similar to what you experience in Mass at Church – many of the prayers will be the same, as will the structure of Preparation, Listening to the Scriptures, and celebrating Holy Communion. Depending on the availability of ministers, your home communion would (if possible) be on Sunday, the Lord’s Day, so that even if you cannot get out you can still keep that day holy.
Fasting Beforehand
Normally we fast from all food and drink for an hour before receiving Holy Communion, but in the case of Communion to the Sick this is reduced to fifteen minutes.
Do I Need Any Equipment?
You do not need any “equipment” to receive Holy Communion at home, though it is good to have a clear table with a white cloth and a candle if you have one.
When a priest or minister calls...
The first thing you should do is celebrate the Communion Rite and greet the Lord Jesus. You can have a natter with the priest or minister afterwards!
