Communion/Confession

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mommy25

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I went to confession this morning and was told something by the priest that I think is wrong. I told him that I avoid going to communion if I have even the slightest doubt about being in mortal sin and during times when I am angry and haven’t been able to forgive yet. He said I should never miss communion even if I were in mortal sin. He said that it is in canon law that if we are sorry and tell God, that we should go on to communion and then get to confession as soon as possible afterward because it is at those times that we need the grace from communion more than ever. I’ve never heard of such a thing before - could that be true?
 
I believe that what the priest told you is an Urban legend in the Church, no pun intended. However I have heard of that too, and I am also not too certain about it. I have always been under the impression that the only time you could recieve communion, when a mortal sin has been commited, is if the sinner does not realize or know that what he/she did was a mortal sin. Once he/she realized that the sin was mortal, he/she should go to confession at the next possible moment.
 
The Priest is WRONG

One cannot approach Holy Communion if one is AWARE they have committed Mortal Sin. In order:
  1. Mortal Sin
  2. Confession
  3. Communion
 
Here is the canon law. It is possible to partake of communion after committing a mortal sin but prior to confession; however, there are strict requirements to this exception:
Can. 916 Anyone who is conscious of grave sin may not celebrate Mass or receive the Body of the Lord without previously having been to 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 resolve to go to confession as soon as possible.
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Yea, that priest is wack! Totally false, and now He is in mortal sin for deliberately trying to mislead you. I’m sure it makes no differenct to him anyway.
 
Psalm45:9:
…the only time you could recieve communion, when a mortal sin has been commited, is if the sinner does not realize or know that what he/she did was a mortal sin. Once he/she realized that the sin was mortal, he/she should go to confession at the next possible moment.
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Actually, under these circumstances, no mortal sin has been committed. Three things are necessary to make an act a mortal sin: First, the act itself must be gravely wrong. Second, the person committing the act must know it is gravely wrong. Third, the person must give full consent of the will.

An act cannot change from no sin to venial sin to mortal sin after it has been committed. It is what it is. In the case of someone who does not realize that the act is gravely wrong, the second condition for mortal sin is missing. Learning about it later does not convert the act into a mortal sin. Once the person becomes aware that the act is wrong, he is fully responsible and guilty of mortal sin if he does it again with full consent.

That said, there is nothing wrong with being horrified and sorry once you find out you’ve done something gravely wrong, and you can even bring it up in your next confession if you are so moved. But there is no obligation to do so.

All this presupposes good will on the part of the person. If someone is in doubt as to whether an action is mortally sinful, he has the obligation to find out.

Betsy
 
Thanks to all of you for taking the time to respond to my question.

I had a feeling that what I was told was incorrect. Something I’m curious about though - in the quote from canon law, it said we cannot celebrate Mass if we’re aware of grave sin - is that just for priests or does that mean that we too cannot even attend Mass if we’re aware of grave sin?

Thanks again!
 
CCC 1385 To respond to this invitation we must prepare ourselves for so great and so holy a moment. St. Paul urges us to examine our conscience:“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgement upon himself.” Anyone conscious of grave sin must receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion.

CCC 1858 Grave matter is specified by the Ten Commandments, corresponding to the answer of Jesus to the rich young man: “Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not Defraud, Honor your father and your mother.” The gravity of sins is more or less great:murder is graver than theft. One must also take into account who is wronged:violence against parents is in itself graver than violence against a stranger.

Don’t know if this helps any. 🙂
 
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mommy25:
Something I’m curious about though - in the quote from canon law, it said we cannot celebrate Mass if we’re aware of grave sin - is that just for priests or does that mean that we too cannot even attend Mass if we’re aware of grave sin?
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It only applies to priests, as they are the only ones who actually “celebrate” Mass. We can attend Mass in any spiritual condition at all; it’s just that we cannot receive Communion in a state of mortal/grave sin. When a priest celebrates Mass, he must receive Communion, and that’s where the problem lies.

Betsy
 
Interesting old argument of the church…Is your mass valid if the priest in currently in mortal sin? The answer is the Sacrament is valid! Regardless of the state of sin of the priest…The “Church Provides.” Meaning the Sacrament is valid. This teaching was provided after much discussion in the early church.

God bless,
Deacon Tony
 
So if the priest has public beliefs contrary to the Church’s teaching, the Mass and Communion is still valid? For instance, if the priest advocates abortion in his homily and states that he thinks the Church is wrong with her teaching, it would still be a licit consecreation?
 
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mommy25:
I went to confession this morning and was told something by the priest that I think is wrong. I told him that I avoid going to communion if I have even the slightest doubt about being in mortal sin and during times when I am angry and haven’t been able to forgive yet. He said I should never miss communion even if I were in mortal sin. He said that it is in canon law that if we are sorry and tell God, that we should go on to communion and then get to confession as soon as possible afterward because it is at those times that we need the grace from communion more than ever. I’ve never heard of such a thing before - could that be true?
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Surprisingly, it’s true, but only under very particular conditions. First, this applies primarily to cases of life and death. In general, if communion is available confession is also available. However, this pertains to cases where a lay person or deacon has brought communion to one who is near death (or faces potential death – perhaps a soldier in the field). Under those conditions a person should make an act of contrition with the intention of going to confession as soon as possible. He or she may then receive communion.

Note that if a priest is available but the numbers are too great for him to hear individual confessions he may use the general confession form, but that still requires individual confession as soon as possible.

I doubt that you were in such situations so it seems disingenuous for the priest to make the suggestion that he did. I would say if your anger and inability to forgive are not mortal in nature, then the Eucharist is a good spiritual remedy that you may access. But if you think mortal sin is involved, then you should abstain until you have been to confession.

Deacon Ed
 
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