Eucharist and Mortal Sin

[ProVobis]

Now scruples? I think you’re overanalyzing things a little bit too much. I’ll leave the courtrooms and judges to decide if my excuses are good enough. If everyone were their own judge, there would be very few confessions. Oh wait…

 

[Bookcat]

I think you’re overanalyzing things a little bit. I’ll leave the courtrooms and judges to decide if my excuses are good enough. If everyone were their own judge, there would be very few confessions. Oh wait…

Are you directing this post to me?

I am not sure what your referring to?

One is to examine ones conscience - and thus from that examination make a judgment as to what sin was committed and what was not. A confessor can assist one if need be (yes regarding possible mitigating aspects - I would confess that which was grave matter and note such if such --the confessor can assist one).

And of course frequent confession of venial sins too is recommended.

(what I noted is not overanalyzing -but simply noting what is needful and how to proceed accordingly in various matters).

 

[fencersmother]

From our OP’s original question:

But what of the sinner who just goes up any-old-how and receives the host (as a matter of habit, perhaps) in a state of carelessness, or worse, fully intending to mock the institution of Communion? In these cases, it can hardly be regarded as a valid communion, any more than an insincere confession is held to be valid.

I hate to judge others, but certainly, there is the appearance of this in my parish every single Sunday. Not the mocking, but the carelessness, the irreverence, the inability to recognize the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Savior. For a new convert, and I suspect, for a devout cradle Catholic too - it’s shocking.

 

[Brendan_64]

From our OP’s original question:

But what of the sinner who just goes up any-old-how and receives the host (as a matter of habit, perhaps) in a state of carelessness, or worse, fully intending to mock the institution of Communion? In these cases, it can hardly be regarded as a valid communion, any more than an insincere confession is held to be valid.

I hate to judge others, but certainly, there is the appearance of this in my parish every single Sunday. Not the mocking, but the carelessness, the irreverence, the inability to recognize the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Savior. For a new convert, and I suspect, for a devout cradle Catholic too - it’s shocking.

We need to be very careful here. It is not possible to tell the a person’s internal state or that they do not recognise the Eucharist for what it truly is.

But yes, there does seem to be a serious mismatch between the amount of people presenting themselves for Communion, and the lack of people queueing up for Confession. Either the world is much less sinful place than it used to be (to the point where so many people are in a constant state of grace), or people don’t care or believe in Church teaching, or they aren’t actually aware of Church teaching on a state of grace. It’s probably the latter, I suspect, as it has been quite a few years since I’ve heard a priest ever talk about the need for being in a state of grace before receiving Communion and the importance of Confession in this matter (he was one of those rare priests that gave very good homilies, sadly moved on to another parish).

Then we have the situation in the UK where a very good and orthodox bishop (Bishop Egan) speaks out that politicians who actively support and vote for issues such as gay marriage, abortion etc. should not present themselves for Communion, and he gets slapped down by the Bishops Conference of England and Wales for saying this.

 

[simpleas]

We need to be very careful here. It is not possible to tell the a person’s internal state or that they do not recognise the Eucharist for what it truly is.

But yes, there does seem to be a serious mismatch between the amount of people presenting themselves for Communion, and the lack of people queueing up for Confession. Either the world is much less sinful place than it used to be (to the point where so many people are in a constant state of grace), or people don’t care or believe in Church teaching, or they aren’t actually aware of Church teaching on a state of grace. It’s probably the latter, I suspect, as it has been quite a few years since I’ve heard a priest ever talk about the need for being in a state of grace before receiving Communion and the importance of Confession in this matter (he was one of those rare priests that gave very good homilies, sadly moved on to another parish).
Then we have the situation in the UK where a very good and orthodox bishop (Bishop Egan) speaks out that politicians who actively support and vote for issues such as gay marriage, abortion etc. should not present themselves for Communion, and he gets slapped down by the Bishops Conference of England and Wales for saying this.

I agree with this. I know only one priest who gave a homily about grace confession etc, during Easter.
What I don’t understand is that it is important to be in a state of grace yet we rarely hear about it. Our teachers should be pointing it out more, if it is to be taken seriously. They seem to be letting us make up our own minds as to if we are with grace or not.

 

[hansard]

Exactly.
I don’t take communion if I haven’t confessed, and I won’t profane the Church’s most sacred ceremony by taking part unworthily.

In these parts, there is never a mention of the requirements for receiving communion. I think it’s driven by the fear of offending an already-dwindling congregation. Many people receive communion out of tradition and habit. Priests probably don’t want to send away the only people who are keeping the doors open.

I wonder if it might be better done the other way around: tell people politely but firmly that they cannot take communion unless they are in a state of sanctifying grace. They just might get a few more at confession. Worth a try, perhaps. Put it on the line and be unequivocal about it.

 

[fencersmother]

I like that idea Hansard: *Put it on the line and be unequivocal about it. *

We withdrew our children from the local Catholic school years ago after long discussion and prayer. When the kindergarten, first- and second- grade teachers all told me they’d had their “tubes tied” and that they didn’t believe in the sacrament of confession (“I’m never mean!” said one, with earnest and sincere voice)… we figured they might as well be teaching in some protestant church’s school.

I live in a parish with about 1200 registered families and even during Lent at Saturday morning confession, there were at most 20 people in line. On Easter Sunday, only seven people did not present themselves for Holy Communion.

Of course, that lead me to an additional sin: jealousy - since they ALL seem to be able to partake of the Blessed Sacrament but I was concerned about the state of my soul and did not.

 

[Starrsmother]

About a month ago at our parish, a little plastic-coated card appeared in all the pews alongside our books that have the Mass readings in them and the second book of hymns. On one side of the card, it lists the rules for receiving communion, right down to being a Catholic. It even states flatly that Catholic communion is NOT open to other faiths On the back side is a brief examination of conscience–I assume to assist even Catholics to decide if they should receive communion. It’s subtle–but to me seemed a good way of making a point gently but firmly.