Guidelines for receiving Holy Communion?

[dfp42]

I noticed that it states:

***FOR CATHOLICS: ***As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. We are encouraged to receive Communion devoutly and frequently. In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (Code of Canon Law, canon 916). A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all

Of course the part I don’t understand correctly is where it says *except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (Code of Canon Law, canon 916)

*Does this mean that one may still be able to receive communion while in mass if in mortal sin, because if he sincerely tried to find a priest that day to confess, but was unable? And knowing this after mass would need to seek a priest as soon as possible?

I read a book called Understand Scrupulosity and there is a story regarding a young brother who fell into a temptation of masturbation.** It was his intention to confess the act and to seek the absolution he desired. However, it was not possible for him to go to confession at his place of residence** (there were priests in his community, but he was too embarrassed to confess them- a completely understandable reaction). The situation was complicated by the fact that he did not have the time to make an appointment or a car for that matter to drive. and out of fear took the hosts and hid them. Finally down the line he confessed this to a trusted priest who absolved him and told him to consume all the host immediately and this priest understood his scrupulosity problem and informed him to only go to him for the celebration of the sacrament (establishing a relationship as the brother’s regular confessor) and that when he was not home, regardless of what condition he found himself in, to go to Mass and to receive and consume the Blessed Sacrament. Could these types of mitigating factors occur to some people who are scrupulous on receiving the sacrament? Is this what is intended by the communion guidelines?

 

[ConstantineTG]

I noticed that it states:

***FOR CATHOLICS: ***As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. We are encouraged to receive Communion devoutly and frequently. In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (Code of Canon Law, canon 916). A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all

Of course the part I don’t understand correctly is where it says *except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (Code of Canon Law, canon 916)

*Does this mean that one may still be able to receive communion while in mass if in mortal sin, because if he sincerely tried to find a priest that day to confess, but was unable? And knowing this after mass would need to seek a priest as soon as possible?

I read a book called Understand Scrupulosity and there is a story regarding a young brother who fell into a temptation of masturbation.** It was his intention to confess the act and to seek the absolution he desired. However, it was not possible for him to go to confession at his place of residence** (there were priests in his community, but he was too embarrassed to confess them- a completely understandable reaction). The situation was complicated by the fact that he did not have the time to make an appointment or a car for that matter to drive. and out of fear took the hosts and hid them. Finally down the line he confessed this to a trusted priest who absolved him and told him to consume all the host immediately and this priest understood his scrupulosity problem and informed him to only go to him for the celebration of the sacrament (establishing a relationship as the brother’s regular confessor) and that when he was not home, regardless of what condition he found himself in, to go to Mass and to receive and consume the Blessed Sacrament. Could these types of mitigating factors occur to some people who are scrupulous on receiving the sacrament? Is this what is intended by the communion guidelines?

The act of perfect contrition is key. Since God can see in your heart, He will know if there is a real contrite heart, truly sorry for sin and truly desiring to be united with Him.

 

[LilyM]

“A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession.”

Now what ‘grave reason’ could a person have to receive Communion? Danger of death, perhaps. I can see a point where someone is dying, has a layperson who can give them Communion but not hear their confession, and in such a case the Canon permits this person to receive.

Otherwise? Well, we’re obligated to receive once a year. That’s it. So very few occasions, it seems to me, where a layperson would have a ‘grave reason’ to receive without having first confessed. The Canon is probably more directed at priests, since a priest who celebrates Mass must receive communion. Perhaps also for lay ministers of holy communion, I think they too must receive before ministering.

The purpose of the story in your book is simply that it is important for scrupulous people in particular to trust and abide by the advice of their confessors. It doesn’t seem to be intended as a general guide to when one can receive Communion, being a highly unusual story in many ways.

If your confessor advises you badly, presuming it’s not something completely obviously wrong like advising you to murder someone in cold blood, and you act on that advice in good faith, then any fault is with the confessor alone. The penitent who is obedient will suffer no harm and do nothing wrong by obeying.

 

[dfp42]

I personally feel as the statement would be better if it written so lay people could understand it better.

“*except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (Code of Canon Law, canon 916)”

*This should be explained better. It is possible that those reading this could say to themselves, “it’s okay to receive communion”. I think grave reason should be explained a little more along with the intention of confessing as soon as possible. It makes it seem as if it’s really not that big of a deal to be caught in a mortal sin and since one didn’t make it to confession, he’ll get to it as soon as possible…next week, next month etc. What constitutes an act of perfect contrition? Perfect love for God? Why don’t they just say, if you commit a mortal sin, you should not receive communion until you go to confession first?

 

[LilyM]

I personally feel as the statement would be better if it written so lay people could understand it better.

“*except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (Code of Canon Law, canon 916)”

*This should be explained better. It is possible that those reading this could say to themselves, “it’s okay to receive communion”. I think grave reason should be explained a little more along with the intention of confessing as soon as possible. It makes it seem as if it’s really not that big of a deal to be caught in a mortal sin and since one didn’t make it to confession, he’ll get to it as soon as possible…next week, next month etc. What constitutes an act of perfect contrition? Perfect love for God? Why don’t they just say, if you commit a mortal sin, you should not receive communion until you go to confession first?

Because if they did, then people who were dying would think they couldn’t receive communion because they were unable to confess. People who lived in remote areas and had little access to confession would think they couldn’t receive communion either. Priests who were in mortal sin would presume that they couldn’t celebrate Mass, because they couldn’t receive.

People who read ‘grave reason’ normally understand the words.

I mean you wouldn’t read the words ‘grave sin’ and think that all sin was serious enough to be grave. Or even nearly all sin.

Neither would a person ordinarily read the words ‘grave reason’ and think that every reason they might want to receive communion would be serious enough to be ‘grave reason’.

 

[Barbkw]

Attend daily Mass, don’t receive the Eucharist. After Mass, ask the priest to hear your confession. Or, call ahead and arrange a time to have your confession heard midweek. We have confession on Saturday, 90 minutes prior to Mass.

*“I read a book called Understand Scrupulosity and there is a story regarding a young brother who fell into a temptation of masturbation. It was his intention to confess the act and to seek the absolution he desired. However, it was not possible for him to go to confession at his place of residence (there were priests in his community, but he was too embarrassed to confess them- a completely understandable reaction).” *

A brother is too embarrassed to confess to the priests within his community.

That’s not a valid example of there being no access to confession - and then to receive the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin.

Who isn’t embarassed to confess those sins?

 

[joly]

I have a stepfather who suffers from dementia, witch seems to be getting worse. Should he receive Holy Communion?

 

[LilyM]

Attend daily Mass, don’t receive the Eucharist. After Mass, ask the priest to hear your confession. Or, call ahead and arrange a time to have your confession heard midweek. We have confession on Saturday, 90 minutes prior to Mass.

*“I read a book called Understand Scrupulosity and there is a story regarding a young brother who fell into a temptation of masturbation. It was his intention to confess the act and to seek the absolution he desired. However, it was not possible for him to go to confession at his place of residence (there were priests in his community, but he was too embarrassed to confess them- a completely understandable reaction).” *

A brother is too embarrassed to confess to the priests within his community.

That’s not a valid example of there being no access to confession - and then to receive the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin.

Who isn’t embarassed to confess those sins?

We don’t know the individual circumstances of the brother in question. Given that the story is put in a book about scrupulosity, it’s likely that the brother suffered an incredibly high level of paralysing or near-paralysing fear at the prospect - very different and far worse, possibly, than the feelings you or I might experience at the idea of confessing sexual sins.

I have a stepfather who suffers from dementia, witch seems to be getting worse. Should he receive Holy Communion?

The rule of thumb seems to be that people in your stepfather’s situation should not be denied communion unless it is reasonably clear that they don’t understand that they are receiving Communion and cannot, for example, make the appropriate response or receive in an appropriate manner. If he tried to pocket the Host instead of consuming it, for example, or said ‘Hello’ to the priest instead of ‘Amen’. That sort of thing.

 

[revert_jen]

Does this mean that one may still be able to receive communion while in mass if in mortal sin, because if he sincerely tried to find a priest that day to confess, but was unable? And knowing this after mass would need to seek a priest as soon as possible?

I think the straight answer to this is “no.” A grave reason might be the danger of death, or if you were in a location where there are almost never any priests (a priest might only be available once every few months or something). Not happening to find a priest on Sunday morning before Mass isn’t a grave reason, it’s just unfortunate. Basically, if you have every reason to expect that you could find a priest for confession sometime during the next week, and receive the Eucharist the following Sunday (or even the Sunday after that), that is not a grave situation, and you should not receive that day.

I read a book called Understand Scrupulosity and there is a story …]

It is not generally a good idea to receive advice for the scrupulous without first seeking spiritual direction (and I don’t mean in these forums! ) to determine whether you suffer from scrupulosity. It is too easy to be wrong about it if you are trying to figure it out for yourself. For example, most people would find it difficult and embarrassing to confess masturbation to a priest they know. That doesn’t mean that, if you don’t have access to any other priests, you don’t have to go. Sometimes confession is difficult and embarrassing, and unless you have a disorder of some sort, you just have to suck it up.

If you have some sort of real problem, then that is when special situations exist. For example, I might feel that walking around in socks or (especially) pantyhose near the security part of an airport (where all sorts of other people have been walking around, even in bare feet), is disgusting. It is difficult for me to do it, but since I am (at least in that way!) mentally healthy, I can do it. A person who suffers from a true germ phobia might literally not be able to make him/herself do it, so you would have to look for some special way to handle the situation. There might be some way to put paper towels or something on the floor. (I don’t know how this would be handled; I’m just making up an example. Actually, a really severe case of germ phoba would probably prevent you from flying on a commercial airline in the first place.) But for me, since I am able to use the normal procedure (even though I don’t like it!) it would not be appropriate for me to try to get special treatment.

The same general idea holds with scrupulosity. Lots of people find it embarrassing and difficult to go to confession, just as lots of people think it is gross to walk in pantyhose over the same ground as a few thousand perfect strangers. Some people find it paralyzingly embarrassing and difficult to go to confession, and special treatment needs to be developed for those special circumstances. However, applying the special treatment to someone who doesn’t need it is not only unnecessary, it can even be harmful–e.g. helping to reinforce the embarrassment until it actually becomes paralyzing.

If you suspect that you suffer from scrupulosity, you should seek spiritual direction about it. If not, advice and treatment for the scrupulous doesn’t apply to you.

–Jen

 

[Barbkw]

*"We don’t know the individual circumstances of the brother in question. Given that the story is put in a book about scrupulosity, it’s likely that the brother suffered an **incredibly high level of paralysing or near-paralysing fear at the prospect *- very different and far worse, possibly, than the feelings you or I might experience at the idea of confessing sexual sins."

Who doesn’t suffer from that? I used it as a way to stop the habit.

 

[jdnation]

I personally always saw anything ‘grave’ is always taken to mean that you’re in a position where you may never get another opportunity to receive communion ever again or for a long long time, basically very much that you are in danger of dying… In which case also receiving the last rites which includes confession before communion is also of necessity, but this is in case circumstances prevent that.

I always make it a point never to receive communion if I have not confessed after committing a mortal sin. I believe this practice helps discipline us, and reinforce the fact that this is the body of our Lord that we are receiving and thus we would want to be as clean as possible before receiving Him.

Inquire with your priest about confession. Usually it’s always a rule that the priest is there to hear confessions an hour to 1/2 hour before mass, particularly on Saturday evenings. If he’s not, you are fully within your rights to go up to him quietly a suitable amount of time before the mass starts and request that he hear your confession.

Sadly some priests ignore coming in for confessions before mass, and sometimes you can’t blame them as nobody shows up to go depending on your parish… but you can start making it a point and requesting it from your priest.

I also practice the 1 hour fast before communion. So it’s good to stop eating at least a 1/2 hour before mass starts if the service is usually an hour long. Drinking water is okay, and the fast is a discipline, so if you must eat for medical reasons or some circumstance, or even if you were careless and ate something small until you realized it, then it is okay, though remember to keep it in mind along with any veniel sins you may have committed when you say, “Lord, I am not worthy to receive You, but only say the word and I shall be healed…” Because, after all, the mass itself is an absolution. But don’t let this stop you from going to confession regularly. The practice itself will help discipline you and help you resist sin.

 

[LilyM]

*“We don’t know the individual circumstances of the brother in question. Given that the story is put in a book about scrupulosity, it’s likely that the brother suffered an **incredibly high level of paralysing or near-paralysing fear at the prospect ***- very different and far worse, possibly, than the feelings you or I might experience at the idea of confessing sexual sins.”

Who doesn’t suffer from that? I used it as a way to stop the habit.

So bad that you literally couldn’t bring yourself to go to confession - not for many months at a time, if at all - in spite of doing everythign you could to get yourself into that confessional - because it was just THAT terrifying to confess that particular sin? And if by chance you DID manage to step inside, such fear that your mind would go completely blank and you’d forget the sins you wanted to confess?

Then to answer your question lots of people don’t suffer from it. A level of anxiety such as I’ve described - so high that it hinders you from doing (or when doing) even very good and very necessary things like going to confession - is abnormally high.

For me, going to confession would usually be about the level of taking an maths test in high school. Upper-mid-range on the nerve-wracking scale, presuming I’d studied for it, and certainly not so paralyzing that I literally couldn’t do it.

 

[Barbkw]

So bad that you literally couldn’t bring yourself to go to confession - not for many months at a time, if at all - in spite of doing everythign you could to get yourself into that confessional - because it was just THAT terrifying to confess that particular sin? And if by chance you DID manage to step inside, such fear that your mind would go completely blank and you’d forget the sins you wanted to confess?

[edited] yes. We’ve all been there.

Write the sins down on a piece of paper.

 

[thistle]

I noticed that it states:

***FOR CATHOLICS: ***As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. We are encouraged to receive Communion devoutly and frequently. In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (Code of Canon Law, canon 916). A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all

Of course the part I don’t understand correctly is where it says *except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (Code of Canon Law, canon 916)

*Does this mean that one may still be able to receive communion while in mass if in mortal sin, because if he sincerely tried to find a priest that day to confess, but was unable? And knowing this after mass would need to seek a priest as soon as possible?

I read a book called Understand Scrupulosity and there is a story regarding a young brother who fell into a temptation of masturbation.** It was his intention to confess the act and to seek the absolution he desired. However, it was not possible for him to go to confession at his place of residence** (there were priests in his community, but he was too embarrassed to confess them- a completely understandable reaction). The situation was complicated by the fact that he did not have the time to make an appointment or a car for that matter to drive. and out of fear took the hosts and hid them. Finally down the line he confessed this to a trusted priest who absolved him and told him to consume all the host immediately and this priest understood his scrupulosity problem and informed him to only go to him for the celebration of the sacrament (establishing a relationship as the brother’s regular confessor) and that when he was not home, regardless of what condition he found himself in, to go to Mass and to receive and consume the Blessed Sacrament. Could these types of mitigating factors occur to some people who are scrupulous on receiving the sacrament? Is this what is intended by the communion guidelines?

An act of perfect contrition with the firm intent to get to Confession as soon as possible forgives mortal sins if the person dies before getting to Confession.
It does not allow the person to receive Communion until after Confession unless there was some grave reason.
Putting off going to Confession for whatever reason does not constitute a grave reason.

 

[thomasf]

Neither would a person ordinarily read the words ‘grave reason’ and think that every reason they might want to receive communion would be serious enough to be ‘grave reason’.

I disagree with this. People will tell themselves what they want to hear, and make up reasons to fit their circumstances. Heck, many catholics receive when they shouldn’t because they don’t follow catholic teaching and do what they want. It should be made clearer.

 

[LilyM]

[edited] yes. We’ve all been there.

Write the sins down on a piece of paper.

No we have NOT all been there. As I said, most people never suffer quite that level of fear about anything at all, let alone confession.