Easy resolution of the biggest abuse

[laszlo]

What is the biggest liturgical abuse?
“The habit of sacrilegious reception”

(Editor’s Note: The following item was taken from the blog Stella Borealis, “a site for the exchange of information about the Catholic Church in Minnesota, neighboring states and provinces.” It addresses a problem, however, prevalent in many California parishes as well.)

The biggest abuse at almost every parish is the nearly 100% reception of Holy Communion by the congregation in parishes that have minuscule Confession opportunities and lines.

I would think that the Communion fast from food before reception should be increased from one hour to three hours. This would make it much more likely that many parishioners would not be able to keep the fast and if they were adequately catechized, they would not want to receive Communion.

This requirement and that of being free from mortal sin should be announced by the celebrant immediately before Communion in every Mass for several years before the habit of sacrilegious reception can be minimized. [A similar announcement is generally given at Christmas and Easter Masses and at marriages and other events where large numbers of non-Catholics might be present.]

Ushers should cease guiding communicants “row by row” up to the front. Let them go up as they want, or don’t want. Then it won’t be so conspicuous if some don’t receive, putting an end to idle speculations as to which mortal sin one’s neighbor or pew-mate had committed.

Confession opportunities must then be increased for parishioners to more than just 30-60 minutes before the Saturday Vigil Mass.

 

[bayernfan]

YES!

 

[ConstantineTG]

If people aren’t confessing their sins before going for Communion, what makes you think they’ll keep the Communion fast, no matter the length of time?

 

[Timothysis]

Perhaps the author can be the first to deny himself reception of the Eucharist. If he can judge the state of others, then he should certainly be able to discern his own unworthiness.

 

[bayernfan]

Perhaps the author can be the first to deny himself reception of the Eucharist. If he can judge the state of others, then he should certainly be able to discern his own unworthiness.

ROFL.

Objectively, the mass majority of Catholics attending Mass on Christmas and Easter ought not to receive, because they do not attend Mass weekly (under pain of mortal sin).

This “not judging others” **** is ridiculous. You know, I know, they know, they sin. No one wants to be the one to say it.

Also, why are you so opposed to getting people to go to confession? This world is full of sin, and all of us sin. Therefore, we need to promote and increase the usage of confession.

 

[ConstantineTG]

ROFL.

Objectively, the mass majority of Catholics attending Mass on Christmas and Easter ought not to receive, because they do not attend Mass weekly (under pain of mortal sin).

This “not judging others” **** is ridiculous. You know, I know, they know, they sin. No one wants to be the one to say it.

Also, why are you so opposed to getting people to go to confession? This world is full of sin, and all of us sin. Therefore, we need to promote and increase the usage of confession.

Maybe you can volunteer at the door and put a sticker on people’s shirts who can receive Communion. No sticker means they cannot receive.

 

[thomasf]

The priests should stamp the hands of each person that comes to confession. They could use ink that lasts up to a month. Anyone with a hand stamp can go to communion. Simple solution.

 

[bayernfan]

Maybe you can volunteer at the door and put a sticker on people’s shirts who can receive Communion. No sticker means they cannot receive.

If it would increase reverence and decrease the number of sacrilegious Communions then yes, I WOULD do this.

This is our Lord and Savior we are talking about!
From 1 Corinthians, Chapter 11:
Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord. [28] But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of the chalice. [29] For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord

 

[benedictus2]

ROFL.

Objectively, the mass majority of Catholics attending Mass on Christmas and Easter ought not to receive, because they do not attend Mass weekly (under pain of mortal sin).

This “not judging others” **** is ridiculous. You know, I know, they know, they sin. No one wants to be the one to say it.

Also, why are you so opposed to getting people to go to confession? This world is full of sin, and all of us sin. Therefore, we need to promote and increase the usage of confession.

Maybe you can volunteer at the door and put a sticker on people’s shirts who can receive Communion. No sticker means they cannot receive.

I think this is a ridiculous reply to bayernfan.

He points out a real issue. Saying things like this does not contribute anything.

I think what the OP suggested is good: that the parshioners should be reminded that they need to be in a state of grace to receive communion.

I recently read Light of the World (the interview with Pope Benedict) and he said the reason he has started getting people to kneel at communion is so that they realize that they are receiving quite extraordinary here.

We have become quite blase about communion. A priest I know who knows all his parishioners know that there are actively cohabiting homosexuals and many cohabiting divorced people in his congregation and not once has he said anything to them. So Sunday after Sunday these people front up to communion. Hardly anyone goes to confession.

Another thing that I think needs to be said is that in pilgrimage sites, there should be an announcement that only Catholics are allowed to receive communion because some people, not knowing the liturgy can think that once everyone goes up they can go up as well.

We need priests who will teach the truth and not be cowed by the relativism of the world.

 

[LilyM]

If people aren’t confessing their sins before going for Communion, what makes you think they’ll keep the Communion fast, no matter the length of time?

Exactly. Catechesis on the need for confession, as well as on the need for a fast (and some people are either unaware or don’t care that one is required to fast for an hour) is the answer, not simply reimposing a three-hour fast.

 

[laszlo]

If people aren’t confessing their sins before going for Communion, what makes you think they’ll keep the Communion fast, no matter the length of time?

People are not confessing their sins, because priests are not available for confession before and during the Mass. In the Church what I attend there is confession before and during the mass, and always there are lines. In that Church there are 2 regular and a visitor priests for 350 registered families, about 600 people attending Mass on a weekend.

The problem is not resolvable for everyone. In the US there are 20 million practicing Catholics. If each would confess their sins at least once a month that would require (5 * 12 = 60 minutes = 1 hour time of the priest for each person) 20 million / 40,000 = 500 hours yearly, close to 10 hours for a weekend for each priest .

Consequent catechesis about the dignity of the Eucharist could help among the regular believing Churchgoers who believe in the Magisterium. The expanded Eucharist fast would diminish among them the number who are going to receive the Eucharist on every Mass, and the majority of the ad hoc churchgoers almost certainly will follow the example.

At this moment practically the only reason to stay at the pew is mortal sin. We need something to keep the face. Not absolute remedy, but one step toward the goal

There will be sacrileges, as there were sacrileges in the past too, but at least not the majority.

 

[jamanne]

Many parishes don’t have enough clergy to spend a lot of time for confession,but I have been attending very regular Sunday Mass for the last few years and I sometimes feel I;m the only one not accepting Communion.I also think the ushers play a part here because some people may feel compelled to receive out of embarrassment of remaining in their seats.I never speculate about someone else’s sin , I have enough of my own ,as for in creasing the fast times ,I don’t see how this would help.Consider the person who is in good grace but maybe has worked long shifts at a hospital or steel company where the opportunity to eat is sometimes limited by their work load and may have to grab a snack at the last minute ,this has happened to me and when i 've watched the clock and swallowed some milk or bread to make the deadline of an hour but hadn’t eaten for eight hours before.I remember as a child people fainting in Church because of the longer fast,.It happened to me twice ,now that’s embarrassing!!
’

 

[frenchbeatle]

I don’t go to Confession every time before I receive because I don’t have any mortal sins to confess. I haven’t for more than a year. How do you know that everyone who goes up is receiving under mortal sin? For all you know, they are all in a state of grace. Yes, I’ll grant you that some people, like the politicians who are still supporting abortion and claim to be Catholic probably shouldn’t be in line to receive. It really just sounds like the author is trying to keep people from receiving Communion. Catechesis on the rules about reception of Communion is what is needed in this situation.

 

[catsrus]

originally posted by benedictus2
We need priests who will teach the truth and not be cowed by the relativism of the world.

Amen to that and then some!!
Priests should be leading the way to holiness among us. Most of the ones I know NEVER bother to comment during a homily about the need for confession and the need to abstain from Eucharist if one is aware of the stain of sin on one’s soul.
Everything has become so lackadasical and irreverant.

originally posted by frenchbeetle

Catechesis on the rules about reception of Communion is what is needed in this situation.

Excellent suggestion. Now…who will lead?

 

[zab]

ROFL.

Objectively,** the mass majority of Catholics attending Mass on Christmas and Easter ought not to receive, because they do not attend Mass weekly** (under pain of mortal sin).

This “not judging others” **** is ridiculous. You know, I know, they know, they sin. No one wants to be the one to say it.

Also, why are you so opposed to getting people to go to confession? This world is full of sin, and all of us sin. Therefore, we need to promote and increase the usage of confession.

While it is true that there are many more people in attendance on these major feast days, I would say that the majority in attendance (at our parish anyway) are people from our parish that attend every week and some of those visitors are family that are visiting.

 

[Alex2008]

It does boil down to cathechizing the faithful, but allow me to share something once done at a parish I served at:

With low confession attendance and wanting to teach about receiving communion worthily we decided to do a massive 3 year teaching on the topic during Advent and Lent. Over a three year period during those two seasons, we did the following:

1. Talked about the communion fast
2. Talked about sin (emphasized what was sinful: gave many examples, including mass attendance)
3. Talked about the importance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation
4. Reminded people at all Masses about receiving worthily (written in worship booklet and announced from the Altar)
5. Increased confessional times (offered other days/evenings)

We tied all of it into the seasonal readings and guess what happened???

There was little to no increase in confessional attendance and people still continued to receive communion enmasse. We were absolutely flumoxed by this and began to ask around as to why this didn’t seem to work?? Answer: people disliked being preached to about sin and what they should and shouldn’t be doing. The answer did not stop us from continuing to preach about sin, but we realized that our parishoners, like most Americans had fallen into the “I’m OK, You’re OK” philosophy.

Any attempt to molify that philosophy is going to take many, many, many years to change!

 

[Joannm]

That reminds me of a staff meeting we had. We were talking about getting a speaker in for the teen to talk abou chastity and the need to respect their own bodies and to see the holiness in others by respecting them. One of our associate priests didn’t see a need for this and said we should just tell them it is a mortal sin to have sex outside of marriage. We all stared at him for a moment and then said that he should be the one to talk to the kids and tell them that. He said no, he didn’t like talking to teens. So much for that idea. The kids know it is a sin, at least those who go to the Catholic schools do, yet they still ignore it. You can preach all you want about sin, but unless there is a conversion of heart in a person they are just going to ignore any talk about sin. Sad but true.

 

[laszlo]

There was little to no increase in confessional attendance and people still continued to receive communion enmasse. We were absolutely flumoxed by this and began to ask around as to why this didn’t seem to work?? Answer: people disliked being preached to about sin and what they should and shouldn’t be doing. The answer did not stop us from continuing to preach about sin, but we realized that our parishoners, like most Americans had fallen into the “I’m OK, You’re OK” philosophy.

This is the point when baby steps can work.

In the end of the first Millennium, Europe felt deeply into the immorality. The highest problem was the vendetta: if the opposing clan killed somebody from your clan, you had to pay it back.

So the little monks of Cluny came and said: OK it is impossible to stop the vendetta, it is required by all of your traditions, but now you are Christians, so

Do not kill on Wednesday, because that is the middle of the week
Do not kill on Thursday, because that was the day of the Last Supper of the Lord
Do not kill of Friday, the Lord died on Friday
Do not kill on Saturday, our Lord was in the sepulcher of Saturday
Do not kill on Sunday, that is the day of the Lord
Do not kill on Monday, remember still the day of our Lord
If you must kill, kill on Tuesday, that is not holy at all, you as Christian shall be able to wait with your vengeance till Tuesday

The baby step worked, within a Century Europe was safe.

I believe the official and well announced expansion of the Eucharistic fast for 3 hours would be a useful baby step.

 

[ConstantineTG]

People are not confessing their sins, because priests are not available for confession before and during the Mass. In the Church what I attend there is confession before and during the mass, and always there are lines. In that Church there are 2 regular and a visitor priests for 350 registered families, about 600 people attending Mass on a weekend.

The problem is not resolvable for everyone. In the US there are 20 million practicing Catholics. If each would confess their sins at least once a month that would require (5 * 12 = 60 minutes = 1 hour time of the priest for each person) 20 million / 40,000 = 500 hours yearly, close to 10 hours for a weekend for each priest .

Consequent catechesis about the dignity of the Eucharist could help among the regular believing Churchgoers who believe in the Magisterium. The expanded Eucharist fast would diminish among them the number who are going to receive the Eucharist on every Mass, and the majority of the ad hoc churchgoers almost certainly will follow the example.

At this moment practically the only reason to stay at the pew is mortal sin. We need something to keep the face. Not absolute remedy, but one step toward the goal

There will be sacrileges, as there were sacrileges in the past too, but at least not the majority.

I’m not talking about those who would otherwise confess. There are people who really never confess and receive Communion. If they don’t follow that rule, why would they follow a 3-hour fast?

 

[Alan55]

Please understand that reception of the eucharist by most people attending a mass, whether or not they have confessed recently, is the result of decades of attempting to encourage lay people to receive the eucharist more frequently after the disastrous impact of Jansenism. Those affected by Jansenism, which was very widespread, were reluctant to receive the eucharist if they felt themselves unworthy in some way, even if they had confessed recently. The emphasis on personal sin and God’s judgment in preaching and teaching led most people to think of themselves primarily as unfit for the eucharist and unfit for heaven. As a result in some parishes very few people received communion.

One of the reasons that Therese of Lisieux was considered a saint and a Doctor of the Church was because her spirituality was so effective in confronting the most damaging aspects of Jansenism, which was especially strong in France, where it originated.

I, for one, would not want to go back to those days. Encourage frequent confession, teach a proper understanding of sin and forgiveness, but don’t fall back into the judgment and fear that was so prevalent just a few decades ago.