An Ethical Problem

[lewevanhoop]

The following situation was brought to my attention:

A friend of mine who converted 16 or so years ago was never told that you should go to confession prior to receiving our Lord in the Eucharist and has been doing so for all that time (he has never been to confession). Now for the Kicker he told his parish priest this fact and the priest has not only been permitting him to take communion but to serve as a lector. I know that this is a serious abuse but am unsure of the proper way to handle it.

BTW I explained the necessity of confession and have agreed to help fill some of the gaps in his knowledge of the faith.

 

[nodito]

The following situation was brought to my attention:

A friend of mine who converted 16 or so years ago was never told that you should go to confession prior to receiving our Lord in the Eucharist and has been doing so for all that time (he has never been to confession). Now for the Kicker he told his parish priest this fact and the priest has not only been permitting him to take communion but to serve as a lector. I know that this is a serious abuse but am unsure of the proper way to handle it.

BTW I explained the necessity of confession and have agreed to help fill some of the gaps in his knowledge of the faith.

One must go to confession prior to receiving the Eucharist only if one is conscious of having committed mortal sin. Reception of the Eucharist itself remits venial sin. Unless the parish priest is aware of some grievous public sin that your friend persists in commiting in spite of the Church’s counsel, he should not deny your friend communion. You can recommend to your friend to start going to confession, but otherwise, trust that the priest knows what he’s doing, pray for both of them, and let the matter drop.

 

[Spirithound]

A friend of mine who converted 16 or so years ago was never told that you should go to confession prior to receiving our Lord in the Eucharist and has been doing so for all that time (he has never been to confession). Now for the Kicker he told his parish priest this fact and the priest has not only been permitting him to take communion but to serve as a lector. I know that this is a serious abuse but am unsure of the proper way to handle it.

BTW I explained the necessity of confession and have agreed to help fill some of the gaps in his knowledge of the faith.

It’s not an abuse. It is a grave sin to receive the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin, but it cannot be called an abuse.

You have no authority in this matter. You have offered your services to help catechize your friend, and that is a good thing. You have already told your friend that he needs to go to confession. This is a very good thing. Whether he does or not, is on his shoulders, and to some measure, on his pastor’s. Whether he acts as a reader at Mass, is his and his pastor’s responsibility.

 

[paperwight66]

OP, were you specifically taught that you should go to confession before every time of receiving Holy Communion?

As has been pointed out, this isn’t the case, so it would be shocking if you were taught this by someone in authority.

 

[TuAutem]

It is one of the precepts of the Church to confess at least once per year (CCC 1457 & 2041).

Can. 989 After having reached the age of discretion, each member of the faithful is obliged to confess faithfully his or her grave sins at least once a year.

 

[paperwight66]

Indeed. Garve sins, and not before every Holy Communion.

 

[jeanannemarie]

I understood the OP to mean that the person had not done a confession prior to being received into the Church and that he had not ever done so since then. I was required to confess before the Easter Vigil by my priest.

 

[nodito]

I understood the OP to mean that the person had not done a confession prior to being received into the Church and that he had not ever done so since then. I was required to confess before the Easter Vigil by my priest.

I’m guessing you were baptized some time prior to your conversion to Catholicism? So you needed to confess any grave sins you committed since your baptism before receiving the Eucharist. But baptism removes all sin, so if the OP’s friend was baptized when he was received into the Church, he would have been in a state of grace at that time.

 

[jetpack_joe]

If your friend converted, then he was baptized… as long as he commits no mortal sin, there is no need for confession. (despite what the precept says).

That being said, confession can be a great tool for overcoming any habit of venial sin that could lead to mortal sin and should be recommended anyways.

 

[lewevanhoop]

my primary concern is that it has been 16 years and short of being a living saint i know of no person who could go that long without at least one mortal sin. Now as for the priest i am just a bit worried that he knows the situation and A) Didn’t give him the instruction needed B) Never once said anything to him in private about Mortal sin and the Eucharist.

 

[Spirithound]

my primary concern is that it has been 16 years and short of being a living saint i know of no person who could go that long without at least one mortal sin. Now as for the priest i am just a bit worried that he knows the situation and A) Didn’t give him the instruction needed B) Never once said anything to him in private about Mortal sin and the Eucharist.

You may certainly continue to instruct your friend, especially when he asks for it, however, you have no way to force him to go to confession, nor can you remove him from parish ministry.