THE EFFICACIOUS PRACTICE OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

From:  https://catholicstrength.com/2017/09/20/the-efficacious-practice-of-spiritual-communion/

“[T]he most holy Eucharist contains the Church’s entire spiritual wealth: Christ himself, our passover and living bread. Through his own flesh, now made living and life-giving by the Holy Spirit, he offers life to men.” (Saint Pope John Paul II)

In his Apostolic Exhortation on the Eucharist, SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS, our Holy Father Emeritus, Pope Benedict XVI, recommends the practice of making spiritual communions. He states:

“Even in cases where it is not possible to receive sacramental communion, participation at Mass remains necessary, important, meaningful and fruitful. In such circumstances it is beneficial to cultivate a desire for full union with Christ through the practice of spiritual communion, praised by Pope John Paul II  and recommended by saints who were masters of the spiritual life” (no. 55).

Further on in Sacramentum Caritatis, Pope Benedict XVI urges Catholics to “rediscover the Eucharistic form which their lives are meant to have,” thus making of our lives “a constant self-offering to God….” (no. 72). The practice of making spiritual communions throughout the day is one way to rediscover our Eucharistic form.

In his encyclical letter, Ecclesia de Eucharistia,  Saint Pope John Paul II wrote:

In the Eucharist, “unlike any other sacrament, the mystery [of communion] is so perfect that it brings us to the heights of every good thing: Here is the ultimate goal of every human desire, because here we attain God and God joins himself to us in the most perfect union.” Precisely for this reason it is good to cultivate in our hearts a constant desire for the sacrament of the Eucharist. This was the origin of the practice of “spiritual communion,” which has happily been established in the Church for centuries and recommended by saints who were masters of the spiritual life. St. Teresa of Jesus wrote: “When you do not receive communion and you do not attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion, which is a most beneficial practice;
by it the love of God will be greatly impressed on you” [The Way of Perfection, Ch. 35.].

According to Saint Thomas Aquinas spiritual communion consists of “an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Holy Sacrament and a loving embrace as though we had already received Him.”

A prayer of spiritual Communion with Jesus can be made in a matter of seconds and repeated often throughout the day. The prayer is highly thought of by the Church since it is indulgenced (see Manual of Indulgences, 4th Edition, p.51). To make a spiritual communion you can simply say the following prayer in a recollected manner:

“My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You“ (From sacredheart.com).

The prayer of spiritual communion – which may even be made without words in the yearnings of our heart – shows our deep hunger for the Eucharist; it further shows our deep desire to be united to the Eucharistic life of Christ; it shows, as well, our profound love for the Sacrament of Love!

You can make this prayer throughout the day on days when you are unable to attend daily Mass, or you can say the prayer throughout the day as preparation for your next Holy Communion at Mass. Vinny Flynn relates that “Saint Francis de Sales resolved to make a spiritual Communion at least every fifteen minutes so that he could link all the events of the day to his reception of the Eucharist at Mass” (7 Secrets of the Eucharist, pp. 85-86). Flynn relates that Saint Maximilian Kolbe also made frequent spiritual Communions (p.86).

Flynn also refrences Saint Leonard of Port Maurice, who said:

“If you practice the holy exercise of spiritual Communion several times each day, within a month you will see your heart completely changed” (7 Secrets of the Eucharist, pp. 97-98)

In his book, Jesus our Eucharistic Love, Father Stefano Manelli explains what the effects of a well made spiritual communion may produce. He says, “Spiritual Communion, as St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Alphonsus Liguori teach, produces effects similar to Sacramental Communion, according to the dispositions with which it is made, the greater or less earnestness with which Jesus is desired, and the greater or less love with which Jesus is welcomed and given due attention.”

Two other books which highly recommend this practice of making spiritual Communions are: The Blessed Sacrament by Father Faber (beginning at p. 438), and The Blessed Eucharist by Father Muller (Chapter 11). Surely, this practice of making spiritual Communions will draw you closer to the Lord, and make you more desirous of receiving Him sacramentally at Holy Mass.

The practice of spiritual communion secures our life-long love of the Eucharist, for the Eucharist is constantly close to our heart. By this efficacious practice, our hearts are always longing to receive Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

Spiritual communion is a great preparation for Holy Communion at Mass.

“Oh Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, please place in our hearts profound gratitude for the Holy Eucharist.”

Tom Mulcahy, M.A.

Photo Attribution: This photo of Pope Benedict XVI celebrating Mass on May 11, 2007 was taken by Fabio Pozzebom/ABr and produced by Agência Brasil, a public Brazilian news agency. This file is licensed under the Creative CommonsAttribution 3.0 Brazillicense (per Wikipedia).

References: The quotes from St. Thomas Aquinas and Father Manelli were found in the Wikipedia article entitled, “Spiritual Communion.” The quote from Pope John Paul II was found in the Catholics United for the Faith internet article entitled, “Spiritual Communion.” See also Summa Theologica III, question 80, by Saint Thomas Aquinas, discussing the spiritual profit of spiritual Communions (as discussed in Flynn’s book, 7 Secrets of the Eucharist).

Happy and Blessed Birthday to Our Little Mama Luisa!

FIAT!!!

click image for the Titles of Luisa

The Queen Mama Sings the Praises of Her Little Daughter

V27 – 1.20.30 -“Now, You Must Know  that just as you find, present in the Divine Fiat, the Creation of the Sovereign Lady and you sing Her praises as Queen, so did She find you present in the same Divine Fiat and heard your singing.  The Mama does not want to be outdone by the daughter; from that time She sang your Praises to Honor that Divine Will that was to Possess you; and in order to requite your singing, how many times She calls the heavens, the sun, the Angels, and everything, to sing the Praises of Her little daughter who wants to Live in that Fiat that formed all Her Glory, Her Greatness, Beauty and Happiness.”

BIRTHDAY GIFT FOR LUISA

TO HAVE JESUS CLOTHE LUISA WITH EVER NEW LIGHT AND GLORY

THROUGH THE HOURS OF THE PASSION

VOL. 11 – November 4, 1914 – The new and continuous way to meditate the Passion.

            I was doing the Hours of the Passion and Jesus, all pleased, told me:  “My daughter, if you knew what Great Satisfaction I Feel in seeing you repeating these Hours of My Passion – always repeating them, over and over again – you would be happy.  It is true that My Saints have meditated on My Passion and have comprehended how much I suffered, melting in tears of compassion, so much so, as to feel consumed for love of My Pains; but not in such a continuous way, and repeated many times in this order.  Therefore I can say that you are the First one to give Me this Pleasure, So Great and Special, as you keep fragmenting within you – hour by hour – My Life and what I Suffered.  And I Feel So Drawn that, hour by hour, I Give you this food and I Eat the Same Food with you, doing what you do Together with you.  Know, however, that I will Reward you Abundantly with New Light and New Graces; and even after your death, each time souls on earth will do these Hours of My Passion, in Heaven I will Clothe you with Ever New Light and Glory.”

Luisa Piccarreta The Little Daughter of the Divine Will
Written by Father Bernardino Giuseppe Bucci, Parish Priest Cappuccino

Immaculate Church – Trinitapoli (Foggia) 1980, With Ecclesiastical Approval

            Saint Padre Pio sent many people to Luisa Piccarreta and would say to the people of Corato who went to San Giovanni Rotondo: “What have you come here for?  You have Luisa, go to her.”

            (…)Aunt Rosaria (Fr. Bucci’s aunt) went regularly to San Giovanni Rotondo, especially after Luisa’s death.  Padre Pio knew her very well, and when Luisa was still alive he would ask Aunt Rosaria when he saw her: “‘Rosa’, how is Luisa?”  Aunt Rosaria would answer him: “She is well!”.

            After Luisa’s death, Aunt Rosaria increased her visits to San Giovanni Rotondo, in order to receive enlightenment and advice from Padre Pio.

            Aunt Rosaria was the one lamp that stayed alight to resolve Luisa Piccarreta’s case regarding the sentence of the Holy Office, visiting various ecclesiastical figures and, in addition, confronting the Congregation of the Holy Office.  Once she managed – it is not known how – to enter the office of the Cardinal Prefect, Ottaviani, who heard her kindly and promised to take up the case.

            Indeed, a few days later, Aunt Rosaria was summoned by Archbishop Addazi of Trani, who said to her: “Miss Rosaria, I do not know whether to reprimand you or to admire you for your courage.  You have faced the guard dog of the Church, the great defender of the faith, without being bitten.”

            The conclusion was that permission was obtained to move Luisa’s body from the cemetery to the Church of Santa Maria Greca. Luisa said to my aunt: “You will be my witness”  and one day Padre Pio told her point-blank in his Benevento dialect: “‘Rosa’, va nanz, va nanz ca Luisa iè gran e u munn sarà chin di Luisa”  (“Rosaria, go ahead, go ahead for Luisa is great and the world will be full of Luisa”).  My aunt often recounted this episode, but things were not going well: everything indicated that Luisa would soon be forgotten.

            After the venerated Padre Pio’s death, my aunt said one day: “Padre Pio prophesied that Luisa would be known throughout the world.”..And she repeated the phrase Padre Pio had said in his dialect.

            I answered that there would be no easy solution to the case of Luisa Piccarreta.  Indeed nothing further was said of it in Corato either, and Padre Pio’s words could have been considered merely a comforting remark.  But Aunt Rosaria retorted: “No!  During my confession Padre Pio told me that Luisa is not a human factor, she is a work of God and He Himself will make her emerge.  The world will be astounded at her greatness; not many years will pass before this happens.  The new millennium will see Luisa’s light.”

            I was silent at this assertion and my aunt asked me: “But do you believe in Luisa?”

I answered her that I did.