Communion before Confession - even with mortal sin?

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daughterofmary

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I was on a youth retreat this weekend. After Mass we had adoration where the priest, during adoration, was hearing confessions. The youth were told before Mass that they could receive Communion at Mass because they had the intention to go to Confession afterward. The priest did not arrive until Mass. He did not mention anything about those who had mortal sin not being able to take Communion. This Mass would be the Mass that fulfilled their Sunday obligation. Is it alright to receive Communion - even in the case of having mortal sin - if one has the intention to go to Confession afterward? What does the Church teach? Was the YM correct? I googled this and found some stuff relating to Canon Law and how their were exceptions and things. I would appreciate some clarification. I am confused. 🤷

Thank you! 🙂

EDIT: And if the YM was correct why is this exception not mentioned? I went through a very good, orthodox RCIA. I have listened to a number of speakers talk on the subject of confession before Communion. I have read articles on it, even at Catholic Answers. I have never heard this. Why is it not mentioned?
 
daughterofmary said:
I was on a youth retreat this weekend. After Mass we had adoration where the priest, during adoration, was hearing confessions. The youth were told before Mass that they could receive Communion at Mass because they had the intention to go to Confession afterward. The priest did not arrive until Mass. He did not mention anything about those who had mortal sin not being able to take Communion. This Mass would be the Mass that fulfilled their Sunday obligation. Is it alright to receive Communion - even in the case of having mortal sin - if one has the intention to go to Confession afterward? What does the Church teach? Was the YM correct? I googled this and found some stuff relating to Canon Law and how their were exceptions and things. I would appreciate some clarification. I am confused. 🤷

Thank you! 🙂

EDIT: And if the YM was correct why is this exception not mentioned? I went through a very good, orthodox RCIA. I have listened to a number of speakers talk on the subject of confession before Communion. I have read articles on it, even at Catholic Answers. I have never heard this. Why is it not mentioned?
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You have done the reading and know the YM wasn’t right. It’s too bad the priest didn’t hear confessions before mass and that there wasn’t an opportunity to receive communion the next day. If someone believed what the YM said and received communion in mortal sin, he wouldn’t have committed a mortal sin of sacrilege in doing so because the person didn’t know it was sinful but the YM should have known better and you should tell your pastor so he can tell the YM never to say this again. And next time whoever plans the retreat should make sure confessions precede the mass.

Never receive the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin! My goodness, anyone should know that. The YM shouldn’t have said anything except apologize that there were no confessions before mass. By talking about the matter, it would just make anyone who felt they shouldn’t receive communion feel conspicuous. It is nobody’s business why someone doesn’t receive communion.
 
daughterofmary said:
I was on a youth retreat this weekend. After Mass we had adoration where the priest, during adoration, was hearing confessions. The youth were told before Mass that they could receive Communion at Mass because they had the intention to go to Confession afterward. The priest did not arrive until Mass. He did not mention anything about those who had mortal sin not being able to take Communion. This Mass would be the Mass that fulfilled their Sunday obligation. Is it alright to receive Communion - even in the case of having mortal sin - if one has the intention to go to Confession afterward? What does the Church teach? Was the YM correct? I googled this and found some stuff relating to Canon Law and how their were exceptions and things. I would appreciate some clarification. I am confused. 🤷

Thank you! 🙂

EDIT: And if the YM was correct why is this exception not mentioned? I went through a very good, orthodox RCIA. I have listened to a number of speakers talk on the subject of confession before Communion. I have read articles on it, even at Catholic Answers. I have never heard this. Why is it not mentioned?
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The Church does not teach that. The YM basically advised them to commit another mortal sin. All the youth could have easily met their Sunday obligation by attending Mass, without receiving Holy Communion. No Catholic is required to receive Holy Communion at every Mass they attend.

The only “exception” would be if there was the possibility that one would not be able to receive Holy Communion or attend Mass again for say several months. Like in remote areas of the world.
 
If you know you are in mortal sin, it is an additional sin of sacrilege to receive the Eucharist in that state. I would point this out to the pastor immediately to have this situation corrected so it does not happen again.
Deacon Ed B
 
Bro. Rich, What is your source for your exception?
Deacon Ed B
 
Deacon_Ed_B said:
Bro. Rich, What is your source for your exception?
Deacon Ed B
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The reason the word “Exception” is in quotes was because it was not an official exception. I read that in areas where you will not have access to Holy Communion for a long time (months) and do not have access to Confession before Mass. ( It does not apply to those who had access to Confession but didn’t go) You can reflect on your sins and say an Act of Contrition, receive Communion and go to Confession as soon as Confession is available.
 
If there are no mortal sins, I would agree with you. But if you are in a state of mortal sin, confession is a must. If the priest is there with the Eucharist, he can also hear confession, even if you have to wait until after mass.
Deacon Ed B
 
I looked in the CCC and it says, 1457, “According to the Church’s command, ‘after having attained the age of discretion, each of the faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year.’ Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession. Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time.”

Then Canon Law 916 echoes this saying, “A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to celebrate Mass or to receive the Body of the Lord without prior sacramental confession unless a grave reason is present and there is no opportunity of confessing; in this case the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible.”

I guess another question is what constitues a “grave reason,” and does not having the opprotunity for Confession Saturday constitue a grave reason? How does one find what constitutes a grave reason?

I suppose that the above, being traped on an island or something, if Communion were avaliable and a priest was not, that it would be a grave reason? I don’t know.
 
While grave reason is required, the only one I can think of is danger of death.
Deacon Ed B
 
Grave reason would be danger of death like as in you are on a battlefield and the Priest only has time to give you communion and a general absolution.Or an EMOHC on the battlfield. Or you are in the hospital and the Priest hasn’t been able to get to you and you are about to go into surgery but an EMOHC comes to your room.Or you are in China and the Blessed Sacrament is being smuggled to the faithful so that they can perform thier Easter Duty and they just don’t know when a real Priest can get to them . It would have to be a seriously extreme condition.You would have to be able to discern your contrite state.
 
Deacon_Ed_B said:
If there are no mortal sins, I would agree with you. But if you are in a state of mortal sin, confession is a must. If the priest is there with the Eucharist, he can also hear confession, even if you have to wait until after mass.
Deacon Ed B
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If you are only aware of Venial sins the Penitential Rite addresses that. The article I was reading was speaking of Mission territories where priests visit villages once every 3 to 4 months. Mass is celebrated in very crude conditions many times out of doors. All of the remaining Hosts are consumed, there is no tabernacle available. This obviously does not apply to the YM event, since they will be able to attend Mass next week and receive Holy Communion after going to Confession.
 
If the priest is in an area only once every 2 or 4 months, and is there to say mass and give sacraments, why could not a general absolution be given, with the understanding that if there is time, individual confessions would be heard.
Deacon Ed B
 
Deacon_Ed_B said:
If the priest is in an area only once every 2 or 4 months, and is there to say mass and give sacraments, why could not a general absolution be given, with the understanding that if there is time, individual confessions would be heard.
Deacon Ed B
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I thought of that also, but it was not in there that I remember.
 
I talked to my ym and he said the grave reason would be, in his opinion, that Confession was not available prior to the sacrament.

Is there anything to support that? Or not support that?
 
daughterofmary said:
I talked to my ym and he said the grave reason would be, in his opinion, that Confession was not available prior to the sacrament.

Is there anything to support that? Or not support that?
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Did they not have access to Holy Communion and Mass within a reasonable amount of time, say 3 or 4 months, if they did not receive. In other words would they have been deprived of access to the Saraments for an unreasonable amount of time, if they didn’t receive then??
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
Did they not have access to Holy Communion and Mass within a reasonable amount of time, say 3 or 4 months, if they did not receive. In other words would they have been deprived of access to the Saraments for an unreasonable amount of time, if they didn’t receive then??
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Right this is the way to look at it. Didn’t they all have access to both sacraments the next weekend or sooner ?It’s not a grave reason if you can reasonably go to confession and Mass next weekend.

It was possibly poor planning on the organizers part or an unforseen delay that caused the lack of confession.
 
What if a person has committed a mortal sin, but is not able to get to confession before Sunday? Like the person commits it Saturday night, and goes to Mass in the morning. Is he or she allowed to receive if he or she is truly sorry and intends to go to confession at the next available time?
 
hamburglar said:
What if a person has committed a mortal sin, but is not able to get to confession before Sunday? Like the person commits it Saturday night, and goes to Mass in the morning. Is he or she allowed to receive if he or she is truly sorry and intends to go to confession at the next available time?
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In ordinary circumstances, since you are not obliged to receive the Holy Communion, no. The Holy Communion is a great gift and it would be wrong to receive even if you are contrite. Perfect contrition would blot out mortal sin, but I doubt many are perfectly contrite.
 
hamburglar said:
What if a person has committed a mortal sin, but is not able to get to confession before Sunday? Like the person commits it Saturday night, and goes to Mass in the morning. Is he or she allowed to receive if he or she is truly sorry and intends to go to confession at the next available time?
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There is another thread with the same theme going. Will the person be unable to receive Holy Communion again for an exceptional amount of time say like several months? Or that there is a real possibility that they might die or be killed before being able to Confess and attend Mass again?
 
We know that all sin is deeply offensive to our Lord – especially mortal sin. Our Lord loved us so much that He gave His very life for us. Do we love Him enough NOT to expose Him to mortal sin that has not been removed from our soul?
 
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