J
JOL
Guest
Are you allowed to receive Communion if you haven’t attended Mass in over a year or so, haven’t gone to Confession in at least that amount of time by only saying an Act of Contrition?
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Pete_1
Guest
Catholic mass?
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ralphinal
Guest
Yes and no.
Yes if you had no chance to attend confession before hand, were truly sorry for your sins, spiritually needed the sacrament to sustain your growth in Christ, and here is the kicker, you fully intend to go to Confession AS SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE, confessing the reason that you received in a state of sin.
No if any of the prior reasons are omitted.
Now, I do not want to discourage you. The fact that you went to mass is major. I am thankful for the grace that you had to go adn received while you were there. Just keep heading in the right direction:thumbsup:
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LilyM
Guest
Being that poster is asking on a Catholic forum, I’ll take a stab in the dark and guess that they are meaning Catholic Mass.
The answer to that most likely would be no. I dont know where the poster got the idea about ‘needing it to maintain your growth’
but what Canon Law (Canon 916 to be precise) ACTUALLY says is that you need ‘grave reason’ to receive and no possibility of confession.
Gave reason could be something like serious illness or danger of death, or if you won’t have an opportunity to confess or receive the Eucharist for quite some time (like many months or something). But not a mere motherhood statement like ‘needing it to sustain your growth in Christ’ whatever the heck that means.
If you live in a reasonably well-populated area, like most of us, you’ll have plenty of chances in future, after your confession, to access the sacrament, so you most likely have no grave reason and will need to confess first.
If you need to confess first, you must mention having not been to Mass in a year. More than that, for a valid confession you must have a firm purpose of amendment, you must be resolved NOT to sin in that way again - to attend Mass every Sunday that from now on, excepting those Sundays when it’s really impossible.
The answer to that most likely would be no. I dont know where the poster got the idea about ‘needing it to maintain your growth’
but what Canon Law (Canon 916 to be precise) ACTUALLY says is that you need ‘grave reason’ to receive and no possibility of confession.Gave reason could be something like serious illness or danger of death, or if you won’t have an opportunity to confess or receive the Eucharist for quite some time (like many months or something). But not a mere motherhood statement like ‘needing it to sustain your growth in Christ’ whatever the heck that means.
If you live in a reasonably well-populated area, like most of us, you’ll have plenty of chances in future, after your confession, to access the sacrament, so you most likely have no grave reason and will need to confess first.
If you need to confess first, you must mention having not been to Mass in a year. More than that, for a valid confession you must have a firm purpose of amendment, you must be resolved NOT to sin in that way again - to attend Mass every Sunday that from now on, excepting those Sundays when it’s really impossible.
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Cordelil
Guest
Hello! I had a similar situation yesterday and did take communion even though I shouldn’t have done so. It has been a couple of years since I had attended church.
John
John
J
JOL
Guest
Forgive my ignorance, but I didn’t realize there were more “Masses” than Catholic. But, yes, it was a Catholic Mass.
I didn’t receive the Eucharist because I hadn’t gone to Confession. My mom told me I could have if I prayed the Act of Contrition.
I guess I will not receive the Eucharist for an undetermined amount of time until I find out if I am returning to the Catholic church or not. Maybe I just need to attend Mass for a while and continue in prayer.
I didn’t receive the Eucharist because I hadn’t gone to Confession. My mom told me I could have if I prayed the Act of Contrition.
I guess I will not receive the Eucharist for an undetermined amount of time until I find out if I am returning to the Catholic church or not. Maybe I just need to attend Mass for a while and continue in prayer.
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ralphinal
Guest
Please read this link
catholic.com/thisrock/1999/9903up.asp
From the CCC
The original answer that I gave was based on what I have been told, more than once, by priests at EWTN.
catholic.com/thisrock/1999/9903up.asp
From the CCC
Again, it is possible to receive, but there is the issue of not having the possibilty of Confession first.
The original answer that I gave was based on what I have been told, more than once, by priests at EWTN.
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LilyM
Guest
Go to confession as soon as you can (assuming you knew it was wrong at the time) and don’t receive communion again without it.
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Harpazo
Guest
Welcome!
Hello John,
It’s good that you have returned to church. It’s also good that you know that you should not have taken the Holy Eucharist. As soon as you can, it would be a most prudent thing to visit a priest and make as good a confession as you can make. I would not take the chance on waiting any longer. Your soul is much to important.
Alaha minokhoun,
Andrew
J
JOL
Guest
Thanks…this was my next question… “As for ‘perfect’ contrition-how do you know? Is it a feeling? An inner voice? I cannot say whether or not I have committed an act of perfect contrition. Can you?” "…How do you know you have givin a “perfect” contrition?
J
JOL
Guest
She is a fallen away Catholic as well…
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allhers
Guest
Under normal circumstances you ought to go to confession first, with a firm purpose of amendment. (changing the way you’ve been living your life.) I do not believe that simply praying an Act of Contrition before going to Holy Communion after a year of missing Mass would be sufficient unless, as others pointed out, you were in the situations they described. Not that your contrition wouldn’t be sincere, just isn’t sufficient under normal circumstances is all.
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puzzleannie
Guest
depends on the reason why you missed Mass, which is a mortal sin unless you had a valid reason (necessary work or travel, illness, caring for an infant or sick person etc.). We are obliged to confess all mortal sins at least once year, and to receive communion during the Easter season. Go to confession, take the priest’s advice, return to regular Mass attendance and reception of communion. Jesus is waiting for you in the sacraments so do not delay.
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puzzleannie
Guest
absolutely you need to do that. what is to find out? either you accept all the Jesus said and did, including founding the Catholic Church and establishing the Eucharist and her sacramental system for our sanctification, or you reject him. If you accept Him, nothing will keep you away from Mass and the sacraments. If material, secular, selfish considerations do keep you from Mass and the sacraments, you are already well on your way to rejecting him. Make up your mind and be a player in your own life. by the way, welcome home, as I deduce you have been to Mass recently since the question arose for your. you have good instincts, now follow them up.
J
JOL
Guest
The reason for my delay is because I have gone through periods like this for the last 11 years, at least once a year I go to Mass and Confession only to leave again. I honestly don’t know why this keeps happening to me but I don’t want to jump in when I can walk in cautiously to make sure I am coming back for the right reasons. It isn’t selfish considerations that keep me from coming back to the Church, after all, I want to live my life pleasing to Him who died for me. I want to honor Him in all I do. I have read so much anti-Catholic rhetoric that I want to do the research and learn what it is the Church teaches since I was so poorly catechised as a child.
Other than the catechism does any know of any good books that explains along with Scripture why the Catholic church believes and does what she does?
J
JRKH
Guest
Since you are discerning a return to the Church, may I suggest going ahead and getting to confession so you can recieve communion. The grace thereby may be instrumental in your journey.
When you go to confession, tell father that you are in this descernment process, he may be able to offer you additional help, reading etc.
Peace
James
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allhers
Guest
Go to the home page on this site, www.catholic.com
I am sure you will find something you are looking for, check out their catalog and check out what they have listed to read already on the upper left hand corner at the top of the home page, plus, they have a search engine for particular topics. In addition EWTN has an excellent catalog of books and particular things also.
www.ewtn.com
We’ll keep you in our prayers, as puzzleannie said, “Jesus is waiting for you.”
Two other great sites that will help you are:
fathercorapi.com/index.aspx
catholicity.com/
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