Atheist receiving Communion -- need some advice!

[Monica4316]

Hello,

I’m a young adult living at home with my parents, as is my older brother. We were both raised Catholic, at least to the extent of going to church nearly every Sunday. My brother announced several months ago to our family that he is now an atheist (and quite hard-core, too). My parents still want him to go to Mass with us, which I guess is fine. But he is still expected to receive the Eucharist, and he does.

I talked to him about it right away and he said he feels bad about “disrespecting our traditions,” but doesn’t think it’s worth the hassle to talk to my parents about it. Then I went to my mom and told her I didn’t think he should be receiving since he’s not Catholic anymore and obviously does not believe in the Real Presence. She told me that there’s still grace there whether or not he believes it.

I’ve let it go since then – maybe because my brother has not been attending Mass with us all that regularly due to conflicts – but now I’ve been thinking about it a lot again as he seems to be going with us more.

He shouldn’t be receiving, should he? Or am I wrong? Any advice about what I should do?

Thanks and God bless,
little rose

little rose, no he should not be receiving because he is receiving unworthily… he’s committing a mortal sin each time he does this. We only benefit if we receive Communion worthily, with faith and in a state of grace. Maybe try to talk to your mom again about this… it is not helping your brother but adding more sins, because Communion in a state of mortal sin is another mortal sin and grieves Christ. It is of utmost importance that your brother does not receive Communion until he believes and has been to Confession. Pray for him

maybe try telling your mom that this is definite Church teaching… or ask a priest and then say to your mom that the priest told you this too? it’s also in Canon Law, and I believe in the Catechism too.

God bless!

 

[Monica4316]

From Canon Law:

Can. 916 **A person who is conscious of grave sin **is not to celebrate Mass **or receive the body of the Lord **without previous **sacramental confession **unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess; in this case the person is to remember the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition which includes the resolution of confessing as soon as possible.

Of course if a person is not conscious of grave sin because they don’t believe (such as an atheist) or are hardened to sin through their own fault - the same rules apply.

 

[ConstantineTG]

If he’s old enough to receive communion he’s old enough to mortally sin.

So infants in the Eastern Rites commit mortal sin?!

 

[kdub432]

As for OP’s question, I’d encourage him to talk to his mother more, and try to convey the gravity and truth of the Eucharist. (especially the real presence) Once his mother understands more, she’ll take the same position that OP has. She’ll might even get in OP’s camp as for re-converting the son!

As for the question of the gravity of the OP’s brother’s sin of receiving communion in this circumstance, any sin that comes from receiving communion seems dwarfed by renouncing God in accepting and professing atheism!

I’d also suggest praying for the intercessions of St Monica, usually she’s a good saint to ask for intercessions in family/faith conundrums like this.

 

[littlerose1]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Many of you said that I (or my parents) should talk to our priest. However, my parents have told my brother and I that we cannot tell anyone that he is an atheist (thus my hesitating to post this for so long… I’ve been really torn about what to do, but finally decided that getting advice through the anonymity of the Internet is different than telling someone who actually knows me or my family personally). Unless my parents have talked privately to our priest about it, which I very much doubt but cannot know for sure, he doesn’t know my brother is an atheist. Our family doesn’t have much of a relationship with him when it comes to things related to faith. So while I could potentially talk to our priest about it, since my parents instructed us so firmly not to tell anyone, I’m not sure what to do. And also, he doesn’t really know my brother on a personal level anyway.

Someone mentioned that maybe my brother is confused between obeying parents and not receiving. I don’t really think that is the issue, as he tells me that I am obsessed with respecting our parents and that they need to earn his respect, he’s not just going to give it to them. I think the larger issue is him trying to avoid conflict within our family.

And as far as judging where my brother stands, it’s true that only God can completely know. However, I know my brother quite well, and he is mature and a very deep thinker; we debate frequently about free will, what love is, and other points of philosophy. He did not become an atheist lightly or without much thought. That said, I trust that God’s grace can bring about a change of heart within him, and I pray every day that he will find the beauty of our God.