Thomas Aquinas defined spiritual communion as "an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the
Holy Sacrament and a loving embrace as though we had already received Him." The basis of this practice was explained by
Pope John Paul II in his
encyclical,
Ecclesia de Eucharistia: Thus, the passionate
desire for
God, whom the saints have seen as the Sole Satisfier, and who in the Eucharist is the "summit and source of the Christian life", is at the root of this practice. The experience of
Padre Pio illustrates the compelling desire felt by the saints in the face of the drawing and attracting power of God's love:
Jean-Marie Vianney compared spiritual communion to blowing on fire and embers that are starting to go out in order to make them burn again:
Josemaría Escrivá taught spiritual communions improve
presence of God: "What a source of grace there is in spiritual Communion! Practise it frequently and you'll have more presence of God and closer union with him in your life." He also taught: "Do not neglect to say, 'Jesus, I love you', and make one spiritual communion, at least, each day, in atonement for all the profanations and sacrileges he suffers because he wants to be with us." According to Catholic theologians, the value of a spiritual communion can be as great as Holy Communion itself. Stefano Manelli wrote: The
Church of England, mother church of the
Anglican Communion, teaches with regard to spiritual communion that "Believers who cannot physically receive the sacrament are to be assured that they are partakers by faith of the Body and Blood of Christ and of the benefits he conveys to us by them." The
Methodist Church in Great Britain teaches that "Spiritual Communion is a practice where we entrust ourselves to God in prayer, pledging ourselves to God once more as disciples and praying that God might give us spiritually the same grace we share when we physically receive Holy Communion." ==Examples==