Addiction and The Eucherist

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Bentonj

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Does being addicted drugs or alcohol make an otherwise practical Catholic unable to consume the Eucherist? If a person presents himself in Mass regularly while NOT under the influence of alcohol or drugs but, nevertheless, does suffer from addition, is this person guilty of grave sin and therefore not to take communion?
 
Having an addition does not automatically mean that someone has mortal sin on their soul. An alcoholic/drug addict/sex addict can go to confession just like anyone else and repent of their sins. They can go to mass afterward and receive the Eucharist. Now, they might fall into their addiction again sometime after mass, but it does not mean that they were not sincere in their confession when it was made. God is merciful toward all sinners who repent and confess.

If someone is participating in something that is a mortal sin (serious sin, they know it is a serious sin, they purposefully choose to do it anyway) and they don’t really repent, then they should not receive the Eucharist. It does not matter what the mortal sin involves.
 
I’ve never seen sex addiction. But I am very concerned with drug and alcohol addiction. Is being addicted to drugs and/or alcohol a mortal sin? If one is addicted and succumbs to it, is he or she in mortal sin from that? I think when you’re an addict, merely repenting and wanting to not consume drugs or alcohol may not be enough. Should a person not take communion until he or she is clean and sober according to generally accepted definitions of that? That could be a long time without the Eucharist.
 
Bentonj said:
I’ve never seen sex addiction. But I am very concerned with drug and alcohol addiction. Is being addicted to drugs and/or alcohol a mortal sin? If one is addicted and succumbs to it, is he or she in mortal sin from that? I think when you’re an addict, merely repenting and wanting to not consume drugs or alcohol may not be enough. Should a person not take communion until he or she is clean and sober according to generally accepted definitions of that? That could be a long time without the Eucharist.
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Addiction can reduce culpability. Find a good regular confessor and talk to him about it.
 
Bentonj said:
Does being addicted drugs or alcohol make an otherwise practical Catholic unable to consume the Eucherist? If a person presents himself in Mass regularly while NOT under the influence of alcohol or drugs but, nevertheless, does suffer from addition, is this person guilty of grave sin and therefore not to take communion?
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I am worried sometimes reading this forum how little understanding seems to be out in the general Christian population about the astoundingly limitless love, compassion and forgiveness of our God. God went so far as to incarnate himself into earthly existence to provide Himself as the ultimate sacrafice for the salvation of mankind. He forgave his executioners while they were executing him. He said we must forgive our brothers here on earth endlessly. On top of all this, the sacrament of the Eucharist is a healing sacrament. It is we sinners who are in most need of God’s grace and forgiveness. He came among us to help us sinners. Those who are not sick are in no need of a physician.

If the alcoholic or addict is repentent, wants to change, and is otherwise living a good Christian life as you say in your post, then, in spite of the cross he bears in addiction, he is welcome with love and gentle forgiveness at our Father’s table. If he were intoxicated at the time of mass, this would be another story, because his mind and heart wouldn’t be receptive to the grace of the sacrament.

People have all kinds of problems. We are all damaged. We all are sinners. We all carry our crosses every day. The Lord is here among us, through his Church to give legs within the living human community of Christians to the otherwise etheral concepts of Word and tradition. Liturgy is literally, “works of the people”. The Church is doing God’s business here on earth. If addicts and alcoholics are submitting themselves to the Church community for scrutiny, there is already an internal faith that God is calling him to repentence and atonement. We are not to judge or be obstacles to the internal connection between man and his Lord and Saviour. It suffices for man’s purpose and knowledge to accept the sinner into our spiritual community and acknowledge his quest for sanctity. The same quest that we are all undertaking, with various degrees of terrestial success, until the fullness of time is realized and Lord’s kingdom established forever. Praise the Lord that the sinner has come asking for his spiritual meal, rather than passed by our parish in dejection and contempt.

Peace to all,

Steven
 
Bentonj said:
Does being addicted drugs or alcohol make an otherwise practical Catholic unable to consume the Eucherist? If a person presents himself in Mass regularly while NOT under the influence of alcohol or drugs but, nevertheless, does suffer from addition, is this person guilty of grave sin and therefore not to take communion?
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This cannot be determined on a forum such as this. It depends on the exact situation of the individual. You need to speak with your confessor about this so that he understands you situation and can advise you accordingly.
 
Bentonj said:
Does being addicted drugs or alcohol make an otherwise practical Catholic unable to consume the Eucherist? If a person presents himself in Mass regularly while NOT under the influence of alcohol or drugs but, nevertheless, does suffer from addition, is this person guilty of grave sin and therefore not to take communion?
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I’m a recovering addict, and IMO Ignatius provided very wise counsel.
 
Ignatius said:
This cannot be determined on a forum such as this. It depends on the exact situation of the individual. You need to speak with your confessor about this so that he understands you situation and can advise you accordingly.
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Besides the wise counsel from Ignatius, I would also recommend a publicly recovering priest if one is available.
 

have come not to bring peace but division … that will separate a household of five, three against two and two against three, father against son and son against father…" What could the Prince of Peace mean by this? Precisely that the bold and clear proclamation of the truth will separate at first​

JACK
This is a comprehensive addiction portal focusing on topics of alcohol and drug abuse. alcoholaddiction.org
 
Hey our priest is coming back on May 20 after a seven month hiatus for alcohol dependency. Thank God we need him back and 100%. Our temporary pastor had to leave this week for kidney surgery.
 
Bentonj said:
Does being addicted drugs or alcohol make an otherwise practical Catholic unable to consume the Eucherist? If a person presents himself in Mass regularly while NOT under the influence of alcohol or drugs but, nevertheless, does suffer from addition, is this person guilty of grave sin and therefore not to take communion?
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no not necessarily as long as he has repented, confessed and been absolved from his mortal sins before receiving, whether or not those sins result from factors related to his addiction. One of those factors that might present sinful matter is failure to treat the addiction and its underlying causes through medical and psychological means. if you have a particular question, ask a priest, this is a general answer.

for anyone looking for a spiritual component to healing from addiction, consider calling the Jesuit Retreat Center in Parma Ohio, if you are in the NE OH area, and take advantage of their retreats and ongoing programs.
 

This cannot be made up one’s mind on a forum such as this. It depends on the exact situation of the individual. You need to speak with your confessor about this so that he understands you situation and can advise you accordingly.​

Ancil

Texas Drug Addiction
 
Addiction is an illness, physical and mental, and is therefore not per se a sin.

Drunkedness IS the sin.
 
Just asking the question is a step in the right direction. God bless anyone struggling with addiction. The worst thing to do is to hide yourself away from people. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people. If you hold out your hand for help, another hand will reach out to give you support.
 
bpbasilphx said:
Addiction is an illness, physical and mental, and is therefore not per se a sin.

Drunkedness IS the sin.
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Addiction is an illness only a loose sense. Addiction is the only “disease” you can cure by choosing to walk away from it and joining a support group. Claiming the “disease” title for addictions is merely a way to avoid the responsibility for one’s voluntary behavior.

Refusing to exhibit the moral fortitude to do whatever is necessary to walk away from a harmful addiction is a sin.

Diabetes is a disease. Cancer is a disease. AIDS is a disease. Schizophrenia is a disease. You can join all the support groups you want, and you can choose to walk away from them. But unless you seek medical intervention it won’t make a difference.
 
Nan_S said:
Refusing to exhibit the moral fortitude to do whatever is necessary to walk away from a harmful addiction is a sin.
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It is easy to exhibit moral fortitude while freshly showered wearing clean clothes and with a healthy body standing on the outside looking in at an addiction. This is particularly true since individuals with addictive personalities didn’t just leap into an addiction, most were driven into it by outside forces. Some addictions are genetically contributed. Does that negate free will, no, but even the Church teaches that addiction limits ones culpability for the sin.
 
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