BLOG POST | Hey Deacon!

One of the minimum requirements in the Church is called by some, “The Easter Duty,” requiring Catholics to receive holy communion at least once during the Easter Season. This requirement is spelled out in the Code of Canon Law:

Canon 920 §1. After being initiated into the Most Holy Eucharist, each of the faithful is obliged to receive holy communion at least once a year. §2. This precept must be fulfilled during the Easter season unless it is fulfilled for a just cause at another time during the year.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1389) adds that this Easter Duty for Catholics should be preceded by confession.

“The Church obliges the faithful to take part in the Divine Liturgy on Sundays and feast days and, prepared by the sacrament of Reconciliation, to receive the Eucharist at least once a year, if possible, during the Easter season. But the Church strongly encourages the faithful to receive the holy Eucharist on Sundays and feast days, or more often still, even daily.”

This requirement is meant to serve as a bare minimum for Catholics as they are encouraged to frequent both the sacraments of holy communion and reconciliation throughout the year.

Catholics may wonder why the need for the Easter Duty, it seems unnecessary. Fr. Jim Achacoso, in an online article entitled, “The Easter Eucharistic Precept and the Law of Annual Confession,” discusses the importance and history of this precept. He wrote:

“Due to a widespread neglect of the sacrament of the Eucharist in the Middle Ages, various Church Councils, from the 6th Century onward, enacted laws obliging the faithful to receive the Holy Eucharist, especially on the principal feasts. The IV Lateran Council (1215) established a general law for the Latin Church requiring the reception of Communion at least once a year at Easter by those who had attained the age of discretion. This law, which was confirmed by the Council of Trent, was incorporated in the 1917 Code of Canon Law. The actual Code of 1983 retains the annual precept, with some modifications…”

The Easter Duty also emphasizes Jesus’ resurrection and its connection to the gift of the Eucharist that Jesus gave the Church. Easter is the time of the year when the Church more intimately reflects on these central beliefs of the Christian faith. This is one of the many reasons why the Church urges her faithful to receive the sacraments during this holy season.

Easter is the “feast of all feasts,” making it an appropriate time to fulfill the Easter Duty, uniting ourselves with Jesus in holy communion.

Author Bio:
Deacon Dan Vaughn