**SPIRITUAL COMMUNION** — I. An Eucharistic practice which, as the Council of Trent teaches (sess. XIII, c. 8: Denz-U, no. 88), consists in a *votum Sacramenti*: it is a union with Jesus Christ present in the Eucharist, not by sacramental reception, but by a living desire springing from faith enlivened by charity. In the supernatural order, desire can sometimes (when it is impossible to receive them) supply certain Sacraments, even to the point of causing justification, as the desire—at least implicit in an act of charity or contrition—for Baptism and Confession. Thus the desire for sacramental Communion has an efficacy that approaches that of the Sacrament itself.
Spiritual Communion is constituted by three acts: 1) faith in the real presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist; 2) the desire (which here must be explicit) for sacramental Communion; 3) thanksgiving for the gift which Jesus makes of Himself, as in sacramental Communion. It may be repeated as often as one wishes; but it is especially recommended at Mass during the priest’s Communion. The Council of Trent, in giving this counsel, draws from it the proof that all Masses, even those in which only the priest communicates, are the sacrifice offered by the faithful, because they communicate spiritually (sess. XXII, c. 6: Denz-U, no. 944).
For Spiritual Communion, Confession is not required: if the faithful person is in sin, he must first make an act of contrition before desiring to communicate, otherwise he would lack an essential disposition, namely charity; but he is not obliged to make Confession beforehand, as he would be for sacramental Communion.
The effects of Spiritual Communion are identical to those of sacramental Communion, namely an increase of grace and of the infused virtues, that is, spiritual nourishment; but they are certainly less intense, since they do not take place *ex opere operato* (i.e., by virtue of the divine institution), but only *ex opere operantis* (i.e., by virtue of the individual’s dispositions, and in proportion to them). St. Thomas says: *“Sacramentalis manducatio plenius inducit Sacramenti effectum”* (Sum. Theol., 3ª, q. 8, a. 1, ad 1). They are, however, always very precious effects, among which is the immense quickening of faith and love for the Most Holy Sacrament and the impulse to sacramental Communion.
II. In a quite different sense, the term Spiritual Communion is applied to a particular method of prayer taught by the Venerable Olier and promoted by him in the seminary of St. Sulpice in Paris (*Catéchisme chrétien pour la vie intérieure*, lesson 8). According to Olier, the process of prayer, beyond preparation and the concluding colloquy, consists of three distinct acts which must always be performed, whatever stage of Christ’s life is being meditated upon: adoration, communion, and cooperation. After adoration (thinking with faith and love of Jesus present in that particular mystery), communion (or rather, communication) consists in applying to oneself the teaching of Jesus, striving to conform one’s thoughts and affections to Him. This is followed by cooperation, made up of practical resolutions according to the lights received, to order one’s life in a holy manner. It is a method of meditation in which attention is given rather to the effects than to the unfolding of the subject matter; and Spiritual Communion is a psychological and moral conformation, not a desire for sacramental union.
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A. M. Fiocchi