Everyone receiving the Eucharist

[THurifer2]

many people in “those days” had the mistaken notion that they had to confess each and every week before receiving communion, so did not receive because they couldn’t make it. Others had trouble keeping to the stricter fasting regulations, or refrained because of divorce (without remarriage) because they had been told by a priest they could not receive. but we were also taught back then it is wrong to speculate or even take notice of who does not receive and why, and it is still wrong today. concentrate on participating fully in the Mass and preparing for your own reception of Christ, and do not let your peace be disturbed by such idle and useless considerations at Mass.

Interesting and true…you mention almost a scrupulosity of the people…Now, however it seems to be an extreme in the Other direction. Now people have the notion that confession is no longer practiced, most people have no idea of what a Eucharistic fast is, divorce and remarriage is a frequent and almost a norm but no doubt doesn’t impede many from recieving.

 

[tom.wineman]

---

**When was the last time you heard a priest speak about grievous sin ? **Or sin at all.

 

[Matas]

Turn a blind eye.
Pay no attention.
Don’t rock the boat.
Never judge anyone.
Don’t step on anyone’s toes.

I hear sentiments like these express by Catholics that I meet. It seems related to the “my truth is different from your truth” philosophy. With attitudes like these, getting together to have a community celebration hosted by our good buddy in heaven makes sense. Afterall, we’re forgiven even before we commit the sin, right? Why can’t you all just be “nice.”


The devil must be dancing with glee.

 

[THurifer2]

Turn a blind eye.
Pay no attention.
Don’t rock the boat.
Never judge anyone.
Don’t step on anyone’s toes.

I hear sentiments like these express by Catholics that I meet. It seems related to the “my truth is different from your truth” philosophy. With attitudes like these, getting together to have a community celebration hosted by our good buddy in heaven makes sense. Afterall, we’re forgiven even before we commit the sin, right? Why can’t you all just be “nice.”


The devil must be dancing with glee.

As a cynical Gen Xer…I place the blame squarely on the Boomers Juuuust kidding…sorta

 

[Pious_Mat]

The question then becomes how do we, as laymen, try to stop these evils? How do we promote Confession and the Real Presence?

 

[Matas]

The question then becomes how do we, as laymen, try to stop these evils? How do we promote Confession and the Real Presence?

Go to Confession and receive the Eucharist, often, and do as PuzzleAnnie suggested in an earlier post, which was along the lines of, “don’t worry so much about the guy in the next pew.”. Go to Eucharistic Adoration. Pray.

 

[blessedtoo]

it is wrong to speculate or even take notice of who does not receive and why, and it is still wrong today. concentrate on participating fully in the Mass and preparing for your own reception of Christ, and do not let your peace be disturbed by such idle and useless considerations at Mass.

I’m sorry annie, but I think this is a simplistic view of how natural human observation can effect newcomers or those, like myself, who return after long absences.

When I had been back around 3 months, it occurred to me that perhaps something had changed dramatically within our Church that enabled the faithful to receive the Eucharist en masse, with little or no exception. I had refrained from receiving because I had not gone to Confession, but after attending Masses every week for 3 months, and finding that I was the only one to remain in my pew during Communion, I decided that it was virtually impossible that I could be the only sinner in a Church full of 100’s of folks. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit interevened shortly thereafter and directed my radio dial to EWTN, where I realized that nothing had changed EXCEPT the general misunderstanding among the laity about mortal sin.

A year later, a friend who had been outside the Church for many years, attended Mass with me. He went along for weeks, not receiving, believing as I had that Confession was necessary after such a long absence. But one Sunday, he turned to me right before I went up to receive and announced that God had forgiven him privately and he too was going to receive. When we spoke of it later, he told me he couldn’t imagine that he was the only sinner in the whole Church and he was tired of sitting alone in the pew while the entire congregation participated.

We have to realize that this “trend” influences others who may not fully understand their obligations as Catholics. It is naive to think that flawed human beings will not be influenced by one another. And isn’t there some obligation on us all to witness as faithful Catholics for eachother?

 

[brianwalden]

People have done a good job of explaining what has changed. Being a relative youngin’ (under 30) I’m wondering why? If the documents of Vatican II had been implemented as they were written, none of this would have happened. What was it that caused a whole generation to use Vatican II as an excuse for all kinds of abuses?

 

[MH84]

I am relatively young , but I just wanted to say that out of the different reasons there is irreverence or not full belief towards the Eucharist these five are near the top of the list:

People receiving Holy Communion in the hand

The priest going through the motions while celebrating Mass, or not following properly the order of the Mass.

The priest not talking about the Real Presence in the homilies, or not being as reverent perhaps around the Eucharist as he should.

The lack of encouragement by the priest to go to Confession, and lack of talk about the problems of receiving Holy Communion with mortal sin on your conscience

Irreverent music playing during the Mass

 

[mikeanayaus]

I think it’s also a culture thing. Before I entered the Church the only time I went to mass was for funerals and on the anniversaries of death of friends and family, all of these times the mass was in Spanish. At communion time even I as a non-catholic knew you weren’t supposed to commune unless you’ve been to confession. When I started attending mass regularly in English everyone went up, so it felt awkward being the only in the pew at communion time, but whenever I go in Spanish only about half the congregation goes up.

 

[ElizabethPH]

The Loss of the Sense of Sin

 

[Holland]

many people in “those days” had the mistaken notion that they had to confess each and every week before receiving communion, so did not receive because they couldn’t make it. Others had trouble keeping to the stricter fasting regulations, or refrained because of divorce (without remarriage) because they had been told by a priest they could not receive. but we were also taught back then it is wrong to speculate or even take notice of who does not receive and why, and it is still wrong today. concentrate on participating fully in the Mass and preparing for your own reception of Christ, and do not let your peace be disturbed by such idle and useless considerations at Mass.

I sort of agree with the first part of your reply. I would only add that at my parish, while growing up, you didn’t go to Communion if it had “been awhile” since you had gone to Confession. I aspire to do what you mention at the end of your post and being a weak, sinful human being, I fail from time to time.

I will say that I came back to a very, very different Church and I have floundered a bit to say the very least. I too, like another poster thought that something dramatically different was being taught that enabled everyone to receive the Eucharist.

I guess what I am seeing from these posts is the changes happened gradually. Same Church but a different emphasis in the teaching.

 

[Brooklyn]

As a cynical Gen Xer…I place the blame squarely on the Boomers Juuuust kidding…sorta

Being a baby boomer, I completely agree with you. Our generation has done so much wrong, beginning with not wanting to grow up - “Hope I die before I’m old”, “Never trust anyone over 30.” As much as I love the Beatles and their music, I have to admit that they were a major part of the destruction of our world. As one priest said to me, they were a malignant force. And it keeps getting worse with each successive generation.

I hope I’m not getting off track, but it is my opinion that much of that thinking has gotten into the priests of the Catholic Church. Our generation was all about feeling good, especially about yourself. But that was not the case before the baby boomers. As one poster here said, back 40 or 50 years ago, we didn’t understand the meaning behind the teachings, but we had so much fear of doing wrong, that we just didn’t want to take any chances. There is something to be said for that.

As so many have clearly and correctly pointed out here, people no longer have a concept of sin and no longer have a concept of the Real Presence. Paul gave a stern warning in I Corinthians to examine our conscience and not take the body and blood of our Lord unworthily. The Catholic Church is the only Church which really preaches that. But unfortunately, a lot of individual priests don’t preach it, and a lot of those priests are from the baby boomer generation.

Our generation has so much to answer for.

Mary

 

[Matas]

And isn’t there some obligation on us all to witness as faithful Catholics for eachother?

Yes. When I’ve witnessed, I immediately get the “don’t judge” lecture. Our Lord Jesus never told us not to judge. He did tell us not to condemn or be a hypocrite. If your judgement carries with it condemnation, or certain, “do as I say not as I do” flavor, you are in error. But we must distinguish between right and wrong, and in doing so, one must make a judgement. We use good judgement while acting out our faith. It is possible to exercise judgement as a Christian.

When I came back, I too wondered why so few of us remained in the pews during Communion, and why so few of us showed up for Confession. I thought I was doing something wrong, and naively thought that I was among the holiest people in the world. That was pretty foolish of me to believe.

I don’t have any answers for you all other than, set a good example, revere the Eucharist, and pray. Don’t know what else I could do. The priests at my parish most definitely won’t bring this subject up in a homily. Too many people might get offended and leave. In my mind, they’ve left a long time ago, so what’s the difference? It seems rather hopeless to even talk about this stuff, although I am glad that someone brought this subject up. Best bet seems to me just to keep setting a good example, and just keep plodding along…

 

[Matas]

As a cynical Gen Xer…I place the blame squarely on the Boomers Juuuust kidding…sorta

I was born in 1961, and sort of fall in between Boomer and Generation X. I’m more Generation X, than Boomer. Anyone in my men’s prayer group would second that. Maybe I’m an “ur-Generation-Xer.” Anyways you toss it around, the effect of participating in Mass (as in Confession and Communion) after a lengthy absence was eye-opening.

 

[BobP123]

I think it’s also a culture thing. Before I entered the Church the only time I went to mass was for funerals and on the anniversaries of death of friends and family, all of these times the mass was in Spanish. At communion time even I as a non-catholic knew you weren’t supposed to commune unless you’ve been to confession. When I started attending mass regularly in English everyone went up, so it felt awkward being the only in the pew at communion time, but whenever I go in Spanish only about half the congregation goes up.

I agree with your culture theory. Same seems to hold true in the Polish Masses I have attended. And a third of the people don’t walk out the door immediately after communion either.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

I disagree totally… but then I belong to a very small parish and I don’t see this at all there… your mileage may vary.

I felt it was a generalization, myself.

Remember, unless one has committed a mortal sin (serious matter, full knowledge of the sin, full consent of the the will), one is not required to go to confession prior to receiving the Eucharist.

 

[TMC]

This thread puzzles and disturbs me. Almost everyone at my parish receives communion each week. As far as I know, everyone in my parish believes in the Real Presence. I don’t know if they are in a state of mortal sin, so I assume they are not.

What is wrong with parishoners receiving the Eucharist? Why would anyone assume someone else is not worthy of doing so?

As to whether Jesus told us it was OK to judge folks as long as we are not hypocrites. I think He said:

“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1-2

 

[anamchara]

Maybe I should have addressed this question to those of you out there that are at least 50 years old. If you were Catholic “back then” not everyone went to Communion. It was quite different than what you now have in most Parishes today. This isn’t an agree or disagree statement. It was different “back then”. I was just wondering if there was something specific you could point to that changed things.

You haven’t seen all the posts about the horrors of the “Spirit of Vatican II” and all problems it caused? Or all the post on liturgical abuse? Maybe I spend too much time on here Just browse through all the old threads and you will get your answers. Everyone has an opinion on this topic.

 

[anamchara]

This thread puzzles and disturbs me. Almost everyone at my parish receives communion each week. As far as I know, everyone in my parish believes in the Real Presence. I don’t know if they are in a state of mortal sin, so I assume they are not.

What is wrong with parishoners receiving the Eucharist? Why would anyone assume someone else is not worthy of doing so?

As to whether Jesus told us it was OK to judge folks as long as we are not hypocrites. I think He said:

I agree. It’s frankly no ones business what is in our hearts at Mass. No one should be sitting there taking note of how many are going up or who is going up for that matter. Your focus should be on God and the sacrifice. Although, I do realize our minds wander and we look around but we shouldn’t be judging.