Parish of St Osmund
Churches of St Gregory & St Osmund

Holy Communion is the act by which we receive the sacrament of Holy Eucharist.  The Eucharist is the greatest of the seven sacraments celebrated by the Catholic Church. At each Mass, the bread and wine is consecrated, and is thus transformed to become in its deepest reality the body and blood of the risen Christ. As we eat the host and drink from the chalice, we are nourished by Jesus himself.

Union with Christ in Holy Communion is the bond of charity which makes us one with our neighbour. When we grow in love for God through our union with Jesus, we also necessarily grow in love for our fellow man. If we have the right disposition, receiving the Eucharist produces changes in ourselves that we notice over time: a lessening of racial and national prejudices, of neighbourhood resentments; an increase in love, in compassion, in patience and forbearance towards others.

In order to receive the sacraments of Holy Communion and Reconciliation a child must first be baptised.  If you would like your child to be baptised, please go to our Baptism page or ring us on 333581.  If your unbaptised child is in Year 2 or above and you are hoping that they will join the FHC programme imminently, please contact us without delay and we will do our best to accommodate your request quickly.

Yes. When it is no longer possible to get to Mass due to illness or infirmity, the Holy Eucharist can be brought to you either by one of our priests, deacons or by a specially commissioned extraordinary minister of Holy Communion.  If you, or a relative, need to receive the Eucharist in this way, please contact the parish office on 333581.

The faithful are encouraged to abstain from any food or beverages for at least one hour before receiving Holy Communion. Water and medicine may be taken at any time. However, the elderly and the sick, as well as persons caring for them, may receive Holy Communion even though they have not observed the Eucharistic fast.

All the faithful who have received First Holy Communion should receive the Holy Eucharist at least once a year.

The Church allows people who have already received Holy Communion to receive it a second time only on the same day at a Mass in which they participate.

In order for people to receive Holy Communion in our churches, they need to be in union with the Catholic Church and they must believe that the Eucharist is the body of Christ, not just a symbol of Christ’s body.  The Church has always been clear that at Mass the bread and wine literally become the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. They may still have the appearance and taste of bread and wine, but they have truly and substantially changed. When Our Lord said at the Last Supper “This is my body…” we take Him at His word. It shows you are part of the Church. When a Catholic receives Communion, they show they are a member of the wider Catholic community – literally “in communion” with the Church. It would therefore make no sense for a non-Catholic to take Communion. As the bishops of England and Wales say:  “Normally when people receive Holy Communion at a Catholic celebration of Mass, they should be saying: ‘We are in full communion with the Catholic Church, united with the bishop of this local community and with the Pope.’”