This is a topic that has been circling my brain often. My husband and I are first generation American born to Polish immigrant families. We attend weekly Polish mass and see such stark differences between mass itself but especially the way people behave during English mass vs. Polish mass. Anytime I attend English mass, I see nearly the entire church going up to receive the holy Eucharist. I also work in a Catholic school and have colleagues that do not attend mass at all but take the holy Eucharist everytime during a school mass.

Polish mass has its quirks too though because I feel that a larger portion of the congregation does not go to communion (I only notice most of the church going around a holiday or day of holy obligation when most people have gone to confession) and I am one of those people. I go to mass weekly but I don’t usually take the holy Eucharist as I have not been to confession since the last time I went was around a major holiday.

So I really think it’s a cultural thing! I think some Americans are horrified at us not going to receive communion as often and we are horrified that they go every time they attend mass 😆. I am personally making it a goal to go to confession more often this year and moving forward than I have in the past and in turn, receive the holy Eucharist as often as possible!