Hello
I have a question
I spoke to my confessor that I attend two masses in one day every week
He advised that the only obligation I had was to attend the 2nd Mass in its entirety… But recently the bus times have changed and I must leave after receiving communion
My question is Am I committing a Sin by leaving early??
Many thanks
A.
As a priest, I feel compelled to intervene in this thread.
First I want to praise, @AtourDOMAN for her devotion and generosity to undertake to attend two Masses in one day as a gift to the Lord. There is no prayer we can offer that is greater than the Eucharist.
Now to clarify the law. To receive Communion a second time, the second time needs to be in the body of a Mass at which you assisted at, from its beginning (hence your confessor saying “entirety”).
The reason for this is to prevent situations such as a person who receives Communion during a visit to the sick then going and receiving Communion by arriving at a Mass somewhere, arriving at the offertory or even only at the Communion. It is a privilege to received the Blessed Eucharist twice in one day and the Church’s legislation is to prevent the privilege from being trivialized.
And you fulfilled the legislation.
The prescription does not oblige you beyond the moment of the reception of the Eucharist…just as it would not if you suddenly became indisposed by an attack of asthma or tachycardia or you had to leave the church because your baby began to scream.
As a pastor of a parish I had many people over the years who, at weekday Masses, had to leave immediately after Communion…because of the brevity of their lunch hour, a meeting or appointment, a pressing commitment or obligation to name just a few.
As I said to them, I would say to you, @AtourDOMAN: you can make your thanksgiving for this second Communion in the intimacy of the Lord’s presence who is within you as you ride the bus.
Is there not another bus after half an hour or so? Is the Mass so late that you are leaving to catch the last bus on your route?
These questions are irrelevant.
It is not necessary to attend two Masses in any day. It is even less so to attend weekday Masses at all.
And these questions, and your comments that follow are
completely inappropriate. The original poster has already said that she has spoken of this devotion with her confessor. It is not your affair.
So, in theory, you could wait less than an hour and catch another bus, after attending the second Mass in its entirety. That is one option for you. Is there a way you could occupy yourself in the neighborhood before the bus arrives? A restaurant, light a candle and pray in the church?
This is completely wrong…and very inappropriate on your part to make demands not at all in accord with the mind of the Church.
@AtourDOMAN: you should be at peace with what you are doing, the way you are doing it, and in taking the bus you need to take.
Rev.do Don Ruggero
