…after receiving Holy Communion, what we really are saying is this:
“I believe that the Catholic Church is the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church started by Jesus Christ. I believe that the Lord is really and truly present in the Eucharist. I believe in everything the Church teaches, even on those hot-button social issues like abortion, contraception, and homosexuality. I agree that I am in communion with the Church. I agree that I am not cohabiting with my spouse prior to marriage, that I am not divorced and remarried without a declaration of nullity, and that I have not committed a mortal sin since my last confession. I agree that I have not violated any of the precepts of the Church, including participating in Mass on all Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation and going to confession at least once per year. I agree that I have kept the Eucharistic fast.”
I’m probably forgetting a few things, too. Point is, just two things on that list break the whole thing for a lot of people (according to polls, anyway): the use of artificial contraception, and the belief in the Real Presence. This should mean that many people aren’t going up and receiving every Mass, but unfortunately, close to 100% usually do.
Now, I’d imagine that parish priests know this, and would like to address it. However, they know that there would be parishioners who would not return to that parish because the pastor there is “too mean”. That would, of course, mean that those people would be walking away from the Church and thus lessening their chances of being revitalized by the Holy Spirit significantly. It would also mean that the number of volunteers in the parish would inevitably be lessened, along with the amount of donations. So, obviously, any attempts to address this problem would have to be done with a significant amount of tact (except in more conservative parishes, where the parishioners are more likely to fulfill the criteria to properly receive our Lord anyway).
What can be done to address this, if anything?
