Fasting

  • Thread starter Thread starter ChrisC
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

ChrisC

Guest
My question is whether or not breaking the fast before communion is grave matter. I understand there are certain circumstances in which one is not bound to fast (i.e. sickness). However, if a person who is perfectly able to observe the fast, willingly and knowingly disregards the fast by, for example, eating a piece of candy or drinking a of cup of coffee WITHIN the hour before receiving communion - is it a mortal sin?

Thanks to whomever will answer this question definitively.

Chris
 
40.png
Chatter163:
It is, if the person then knowingly receives communion.
Click to expand...
I suspect that since it probably is done without full knowledge that one of the three conditions for a mortal sin is not present. I bet it would be hard to find many people under 45 years of age who had the importance of the fast explained to them. In this case, ignorance of the law is probably an excuse – just not for the teachers.
 
I must admit that it really bothers me when I see how many people do not observe the hour fast before communion. Many Sunday masses are over and done in 45 minutes and I’ve seen people drinking coffee without regard for the time. In choir lofts galore, I see people taking cough drops rationalizing that they NEED this. And I’ve not been able to find one line about it in the New Catechism so I can’t show anyone anything written to say it’s wrong. What to do!??
 
how hard could it possibly be to fast for 15 minutes? I would say most of the time communion comes 45-50 minutes into the mass so I don’t see how people can’t handle that. However, I just realiszed that we have a Friday night dinner each week for our Newman Center and there is a mass before it. Daili\y masses are much shorter and I usually forget about that rule in this case as I a lot of times taste some of the stuff if I get there early so in those cases I didn’t fast for an hour. I dind’t even think of the rule though.
 
40.png
wjp984:
how ahrd could it possibly be to fast for 15 minutes? I would say most of the time communion comes 45-50 minutes into the mass so I don’t see how people can’t handle that.
Click to expand...
I think they just don’t understand that it is a sin. I was just on retreat last weekend and the retreat master (a priest) happily mentioned this in one of his conferences. I was starting to wonder if I was confused on this and maybe misunderstood thinking that perhaps it wasn’t a sin. People seem to be oblivious.
 
I suspect that since it probably is done without full knowledge that one of the three conditions for a mortal sin is not present. I bet it would be hard to find many people under 45 years of age who had the importance of the fast explained to them. In this case, ignorance of the law is probably an excuse – just not for the teachers.
Click to expand...
But the original question stated that the individual “willingly and knowingly” broke the fast.
 
40.png
Walburga:
I must admit that it really bothers me when I see how many people do not observe the hour fast before communion. Many Sunday masses are over and done in 45 minutes and I’ve seen people drinking coffee without regard for the time. In choir lofts galore, **I see people taking cough drops rationalizing that they NEED this. ** And I’ve not been able to find one line about it in the New Catechism so I can’t show anyone anything written to say it’s wrong. What to do!??
Click to expand...
Who are you to judge if someone NEEDS to take a cough drop or not?
 
40.png
thistle:
Who are you to judge if someone NEEDS to take a cough drop or not?
Click to expand...
It’s just that people in affluent societies think they need everything immediately. I gave up all candy forty years ago and have not had a cough drop since 1965 yet I have often struggled with respiratory problems. It seems that the tiniest sip of water should be enough for a tickle in the throat.
 
G&S:
It’s just that people in affluent societies think they need everything immediately. I gave up all candy forty years ago and have not had a cough drop since 1965 yet I have often struggled with respiratory problems. It seems that the tiniest sip of water should be enough for a tickle in the throat.
Click to expand...
The point is that nobody apart from the person taking the cough drops and God know that. Its not up to any of us to judge if someone has committed a sin.
 
I’m not trying to judge anyone. I am asking the question for myself. If** I** WILLINGLY and KNOWINGLY eat or drink anything (other than water) within the hour before receiving Communion, am I guilty of mortal sin? Again, I understand that there are exceptions to any rule. In general though, is it grave matter?

How does one, using church documents and logic, substantiate the answer?

Thank you,
Chris
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top