Cannot attend Mass if one is in a state of mortal sin?

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Ana_v

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I understand that a person who is in a state of mortal sin is ineligible to receive Holy Communion until he/she goes to confession, but, is such a person also ineligible to attend the Mass?

I ask because **Canon 916 **says:
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.
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(emphasis mine)

I am looking for clarification on the above portion that I bolded.
 
Ana_v said:
I understand that a person who is in a state of mortal sin is ineligible to receive Holy Communion until he/she goes to confession, but, is such a person also ineligible to attend the Mass?

I ask because Canon 916 says:

(emphasis mine)

I am looking for clarification on the above portion that I bolded.
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The person who celebrates Mass is the priest.
 
If “person” means a priest, then no, he may not say mass; otherwise he commits a sacrilege although the mass is nevertheless valid. If “person” means Joe Churchgoer then yes he can stay in the church and say all the responses and all but must not attempt to receive communion. If there is a priest in one of the confessional boxes hearing confessions while mass is going on, he may have his confession heard while mass is going on and then go up to receive communion if he was absolved, even if he has not yet done his penance.
 
No, that simply means a priest or bishop may not celebrate in mortal sin. Anyone, even a priest, may attend Mass, no matter the state of one’s soul.
 
For a lay person, it’s a mortal sin to miss your Sunday obligation of Mass. It’s a Holy Day of Obligation.

Anyone can feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe saying this prayer would be a pious act of faith and love…

My Jesus,
I believe that You
are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment
receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.

Blessings
 
My late paternal grandmother lived in an invalid marriage for many, many years (maybe three decades); however, that did not stop her from going to Mass. She faithfully went to Mass every Sunday, every First Friday and attended the entire Holy Triduum. Even though she could not receive, she still made it to church. After much prayer, she finally received her annulment. I love my grandmother and do not judge her; however, her steadfast devotion to the Mass, even though she could not receive Holy Communion, was one of the best gifts she could have ever given my dad, and, by extention, to me. She ensured that my father would go to Mass every Sunday and whenever we visited her during summer vacation, she made sure that we went to Mass.
 
Mortal sin or not, a lay person attempting to celebrate Mass I believe will be excommunicated.
 
benedictgal said:
My late paternal grandmother lived in an invalid marriage for many, many years (maybe three decades); however, that did not stop her from going to Mass. She faithfully went to Mass every Sunday, every First Friday and attended the entire Holy Triduum. Even though she could not receive, she still made it to church. After much prayer, she finally received her annulment…
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During a sermon, a priest told us that, although unable to receive Holy Communion, a person at Mass whos not in the state of sanctifying grace will receive some benefit from the Precious Blood at the Consecration. Your grandmothers fidelity to the Mass must have benefited her, and hers. 👍
 
If I may go off on a tangent for a moment… when did the practice begin of having a person who’s unable to receive Holy Communion fold his arms to receive a blessing from the priest? It seems unnecessary because we ALL receive the priest’s blessing at the end of Mass! But maybe it is helpful for those who would feel awkward just sitting in the pew while everyone else goes up.
 
Yep, that’s off on a tangent. 😃 Very contentious subject for discussion. :eek:

Many threads on that in this subforum.
 
surritter said:
If I may go off on a tangent for a moment… when did the practice begin of having a person who’s unable to receive Holy Communion fold his arms to receive a blessing from the priest? It seems unnecessary because we ALL receive the priest’s blessing at the end of Mass! But maybe it is helpful for those who would feel awkward just sitting in the pew while everyone else goes up.
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Rome has adderssed this particular matter. Please note what the CDWDS said:
  1. The Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio n. 84, “forbids any pastor, for whatever reason to pretext even of a pastoral nature, to perform ceremonies of any kind for divorced people who remarry”. To be feared is that any form of blessing in substitution for communion would give the impression that the divorced and remarried have been returned, in some sense, to the status of Catholics in good standing.
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  1. In a similar way, for others who are not to be admitted to Holy Communion in accord with the norm of law, the Church’s discipline has already made clear that they should not approach Holy Communion nor receive a blessing. This would include non-Catholics and those envisaged in can. 915 (i.e., those under the penalty of excommunication or interdict, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin).
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The problem is that we have this mentality that the line is for everyone, when it really is not.
 
benedictgal said:
My late paternal grandmother lived in an invalid marriage for many, many years (maybe three decades); however, that did not stop her from going to Mass. She faithfully went to Mass every Sunday, every First Friday and attended the entire Holy Triduum. Even though she could not receive, she still made it to church. After much prayer, she finally received her annulment. I love my grandmother and do not judge her; however, her steadfast devotion to the Mass, even though she could not receive Holy Communion, was one of the best gifts she could have ever given my dad, and, by extention, to me. She ensured that my father would go to Mass every Sunday and whenever we visited her during summer vacation, she made sure that we went to Mass.
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:thumbsup:
 
Thanks! I agree that it should not be done. (Didn’t know that it was a point of contention that has been addressed so often here … sorry)
 
surritter said:
If I may go off on a tangent for a moment… when did the practice begin of having a person who’s unable to receive Holy Communion fold his arms to receive a blessing from the priest? It seems unnecessary because we ALL receive the priest’s blessing at the end of Mass! But maybe it is helpful for those who would feel awkward just sitting in the pew while everyone else goes up.
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Not only is it unnecessary, it is not allowed. A communion line is exactly that: A communion line.
 
TheMc said:
No, that simply means a priest or bishop may not celebrate in mortal sin. Anyone, even a priest, may attend Mass, no matter the state of one’s soul.
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How about people who are Eucharistic ministers / lectors / alter servers / choir members … may they still participate in their ministry functions at the Mass, if they are in a state of mortal sin?
 
I am sure you should always go to Mass even if you are in a state of Mortal Sin- especially if you are. Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” I go and I say the Act of Spiritual Communion. A Priest once told me I could do that if I could not receive the Eucharist. Unfortunately, I have had to say it a lot. But even when I am feeling like the most unworthy person in the world, it always comforts me and makes me feel as though Jesus is extending His Grace towards me even though I have separated myself from Him:

My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.

I love the last part- asking that He not permit me to be separated from Him.
 
I recommend going to the bathroom before communion time and staying there long enough so you’re sure communion’s passed or eating during the hour fast required before receiving communion. The church forbids people who break the fast from receiving. You could say you can’t because you ate and respect church rules if you go with someone who you don’t want to know that you are in mortal sin.
 
The_Blunt_Brig said:
I recommend going to the bathroom before communion time and staying there long enough so you’re sure communion’s passed or eating during the hour fast required before receiving communion. The church forbids people who break the fast from receiving. You could say you can’t because you ate and respect church rules if you go with someone who you don’t want to know that you are in mortal sin.
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Why not just sit in the pew? And why not just tell the truth, or even refuse to talk about it? A “white lie” is not permissible here or anywhere - that would be another sin! Why compound your state of mortal sin by sinning again to cover it? Just tell anyone who asks that it is none of their beeswax.
 
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