What is the Eucharistic fast and what are its exemptions?
Under Canon 919 of the Code of Canon Law, Catholics preparing to receive Holy Communion must abstain from all food and drink (except water and true medicine) for at least one full hour prior to receiving the sacrament. This brief physical fast fosters reverent anticipation and recollection, reminding us that the Eucharist is heavenly food unlike ordinary meals. The elderly, the sick, and those caring for them are exempt from the one-hour fast and may receive Communion without delay.
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1387
- 1 Corinthians 11:27-29
Awaiting review by the chaplaincy. Written in our own words; the Church's own texts are the authority.