Altar Server Not Receiving Eucharist?

[Tired]

I recently saw an adult altar server not receive Holy Communion. It was on a Saturday morning and he said he wanted to go to confession that afternoon before receiving again.

That seemed all well and good to me – even brave given the peer pressure to receive in this day and age. My question is, should he have served Mass while not in a state of grace? I don’t believe it would have been too easy for him to find a replacement. It’s clear he did the right thing by not receiving, but should he have served Mass? I have never seen this discussed before.

 

[buffalo]

Tired:

I recently saw an adult altar server not receive Holy Communion. It was on a Saturday morning and he said he wanted to go to confession that afternoon before receiving again.

That seemed all well and good to me – even brave given the peer pressure to receive in this day and age. My question is, should he have served Mass while not in a state of grace? I don’t believe it would have been too easy for him to find a replacement. It’s clear he did the right thing by not receiving, but should he have served Mass? I have never seen this discussed before.

It is not a problem to serve Mass and not receive.

 

[Brendan]

Tired:

I recently saw an adult altar server not receive Holy Communion. It was on a Saturday morning and he said he wanted to go to confession that afternoon before receiving again.

That seemed all well and good to me – even brave given the peer pressure to receive in this day and age. My question is, should he have served Mass while not in a state of grace? .

How do you know he wasn’t in a state of Grace. Perhaps he had something to eat prior to Mass and was observing the Eucharistic fast?

I’ve done that a few times myself.

 

[Marauder]

The only lay position where I have heard them say you should not be if you are in a state of sin is EMHC during Mass.

This is due to the fact that an EMHC is supposed to receive the Eucharist before distributing it to others during Mass. They are not supposed to distribute communion without receiving it first.

Ideally everyone on the altar should be in a state of grace, but we know things can happen, especially in areas where confession isn’t offered more then 1 hour a week.

 

[kage_ar]

Brendan:

How do you know he wasn’t in a state of Grace. Perhaps he had something to eat prior to Mass and was observing the Eucharistic fast?

I’ve done that a few times myself.

There were times in order to help out, when my son served 3X in one day. We are only permitted to recieve at twice (unless there is a danger of death…)

 

[Tired]

Brendan:

How do you know he wasn’t in a state of Grace. Perhaps he had something to eat prior to Mass and was observing the Eucharistic fast?

I’ve done that a few times myself.

Because he’s a very close friend and I asked him, point-blank.