Can I receive Communion?

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Philthy

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Here’s the deal:
  • Last Weekend I was on a camping trip and was unable to attend Mass. Perhaps I could have left camping and driven to a church somewhere nearby - I simply don’t know
  • Today I threw a surprise party for my wife which made going to confession impossible
So my question is, “Should I receive communion sacramentally tomorrow at Mass or wait until after confession next week?”

Thanks

Phil
 
Did you intentionally miss Mass when it was reasonably close? You don’t say where you were camping, or how far it would have been to get to Mass.

People confuse the deliberate choice to go camping with the deliberate choice to go to Mass. The two are not the same.

I go camping every summer with a group, and several of us are Catholic. We all go to Mass on Saturday night; it is about 1/4 mile walk from the campground to the car, and about 15 minutes down the road. However, I have been out elk hunting and missed Mass, as it would have been over an hour to get there - more like an hour and 1/2. I have spoken with several priests and all gave me the same answer; I have a duty in the first instance, and not in the second.

Unless you are a slipshod Catholic, you should be able to distinguisn the two. Those that are slipshod don’t get it anyway.
 
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Philthy:
Here’s the deal:
  • Last Weekend I was on a camping trip and was unable to attend Mass. Perhaps I could have left camping and driven to a church somewhere nearby - I simply don’t know
  • Today I threw a surprise party for my wife which made going to confession impossible
So my question is, “Should I receive communion sacramentally tomorrow at Mass or wait until after confession next week?”

Thanks

Phil
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Seek out the priest before mass and ask about it or try to go to confession before mass. He will know better than us.

matt
 
Thanks both of you- :yup:

Although I think I am probably OK to receive, I have grown increasingly distrustful of myself in recognizing sin in such instances. You both actually gave the same answer: I need to talk to one of my priests first. Seems simple enough now!

Thanks again,

PHil
 
It is sometimes difficult to know where the boundaries of scrupulosity and laxity start and stop.
 
The church does teach that the conscience is that voice deep within us that calls to us, that approves our good acts and denounces our evil acts. We can certainly have feelings of false guilt if we have been poorly instructed about right and wrong, but I find that when I feel “a little bad” about my actions (or inactions) it’s probably because I have sinned. I’m not saying you have, and I am not passing judgement on you or trying to make you feel guilty. But if you feel badly, then maybe the best thing to do is simply go to confession and talk about it to a priest (as someone else already suggested)–it’s really a win-win situation. 👍
 
You described a situation that I found myself in about a quater of a century ago. I was on a camping trip with my girlfriend and her family. We were in the middle of nowhere and I had no clue even where the nearest church was and even if I did know, I had no means of getting there since I came with them. Additionally, since nobody else was talking about going to mass, I felt awkward in bringing up the subject.

The priest told me that I had indeed committed a mortal sin because I didn’t make EVERY reasonable attempt to attend mass and I didn’t do that because I didn’t bring the subject up for discussion. If I had brought it up and they refused to let me borrow the car or refused to take me or we couldn’t find a church, then it would have been a different story.

Hope this helps.
 
I agree with Sir Night. Going camping is not a valid reason for missing Mass. If you planned to go camping over the weekend, you could’ve easily found out where the closest Catholic Church was before you went.

Talk to the priest and go to confession. I’m not trying to be rude, just trying to give sound advice. The Christian life is one of great sacrifice. Jesus died on a cross for us. The least we can do is cancel a few plans or miss out on a camping trip to give Him one hour of our week. Besides, He’s the One who’s giving to us at Mass anyway! We eat His body and drink His blood and He gives us life! Nothing can replace that!!
 
Dear friend

If the Church was out of a reasonable distance, say over 20 to 30 minutes drive one way, then you know yourself that no sin was committed. If you know prior to your journey you will be unable to attend Mass whilst you are away, the previous Sunday at Mass approach the Priest and ask for a dispensation from your Sunday obligation. Take a prayer book with you that contains the words of the Mass and say them at some point on Sunday whilst you are at the camp. Make a spiritual communion with Christ Jesus, spiritually inviting Him into your soul.

You know yourself if you could have made more effort or not and if you feel you could have then you need to make a confession, but if you feel you were as honest at the time as you could have been and only reflected on this after the event, then you did not sin at the time and no confession is required though you know in future now to make more thorough enquiries about the nearest Catholic Church. For your future peace of heart and mind do the foot work and phone the Diocese Office of where you are going to find out where the nearest Catholic Church is before you go, find out if you can make Mass or not and if not ask for the dispensation.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa
 
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UKcatholicGuy:
I agree with Sir Night. Going camping is not a valid reason for missing Mass. If you planned to go camping over the weekend, you could’ve easily found out where the closest Catholic Church was before you went.

Talk to the priest and go to confession. I’m not trying to be rude, just trying to give sound advice. The Christian life is one of great sacrifice. Jesus died on a cross for us. The least we can do is cancel a few plans or miss out on a camping trip to give Him one hour of our week. Besides, He’s the One who’s giving to us at Mass anyway! We eat His body and drink His blood and He gives us life! Nothing can replace that!!
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Interestingly, that does not seem to be the way that this rule has been applied in moral theology. Given the definition of camping - from being 15 to 30 minutes away to being a day or more away, those who are 15 to 30 minutes away would have the obligation; those at a longer distance would not.

for example, if one is needed to stay at home with a sick spouse or child, it is not necessary to go and find someone else to stay with them for the time it takes to attend sunday Mass; one is excuesed because of one’s duty. If there are several people available to watch the sick one, then Mass schedules can be rotated with watching. No one in the family there available or able, no duty.
 
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