I'm homebound and my Priest comes to give me Communion and won't hear my confession

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randirhoades

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Hi friends, I’m disabled.

I’ve asked my Priest to hear my confession before receiving the Body of Christ but Fr. says it’s not necessary. I always felt like it’s a cup that is,“only half full” with this particular Liturgy. I’ve also never heard of not confessing sins, given a penance and then receiving the Eucharist. And I don’t want to go against God’s teachings if this is wrong.

I wish I could get it through to Fr. that I don’t think it’s right. Please help me. The Parish I live near is the only one in my small rural area. And I can’t get a ride to that Church, (No buses) another Church (The only Church near is in the next town and I can’t walk very well and couldn’t walk the many miles to the next town even if I could) I need help.

Thank you and ❤️ §

I hope this is the right category.
 
randirhoades said:
Hi friends, I’m disabled.

I’ve asked my Priest to hear my confession before receiving the Body of Christ but Fr. says it’s not necessary. I always felt like it’s a cup that is,“only half full” with this particular Liturgy. I’ve also never heard of not confessing sins, given a penance and then receiving the Eucharist. And I don’t want to go against God’s teachings if this is wrong.

I wish I could get it through to Fr. that I don’t think it’s right. Please help me. The Parish I live near is the only one in my small rural area. And I can’t get a ride to that Church, (No buses) another Church (The only Church near is in the next town and I can’t walk very well and couldn’t walk the many miles to the next town even if I could) I need help.

Thank you and ❤️ §

I hope this is the right category.
Click to expand...
listen to your priest, he probably wants you to take your sins to god instead.
 
If you have mortal sins to confess, then, yes, generally you should be receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation before receiving the Eucharist. If you have only venial sins, or tend to be scrupulous, then it is quite possible that confession is not necessary in your case. I would discuss the issue with the priest again, clarifying if you have mortal sins and stating that you desire the Sacrament of Reconciliation. If he refuses again, ask him to help you understand why confession is not necessary for your situation. He may have good reasons.

If he is refusing you without good reason, it may be time to contact the bishop or archbishop of your diocese, and let him know that your priest is denying you the Sacrament of Reconciliation. However, consider this a LAST RESORT. Try to work it out with the priest first. It may simply be a misunderstanding between the two of you.

HTH!
 
Did you ask him why? I would really like to know his reasoning. Doesn’t seem that a priest should refuse to hear a confession when asked.:confused:
 
randirhoades said:
Hi friends, I’m disabled.

I’ve asked my Priest to hear my confession before receiving the Body of Christ but Fr. says it’s not necessary. I always felt like it’s a cup that is,“only half full” with this particular Liturgy. I’ve also never heard of not confessing sins, given a penance and then receiving the Eucharist. And I don’t want to go against God’s teachings if this is wrong.

I wish I could get it through to Fr. that I don’t think it’s right. Please help me. The Parish I live near is the only one in my small rural area. And I can’t get a ride to that Church, (No buses) another Church (The only Church near is in the next town and I can’t walk very well and couldn’t walk the many miles to the next town even if I could) I need help.

Thank you and ❤️ §

I hope this is the right category.
Click to expand...
You do not need to go to confession before receiving unless you are in a state of mortal sin. If you are not in a state of mortal sin, and your priest has a reason that he cannot give you confession at a particular time, he is justified in telling you to just receive.

If you are in a state of mortal sin, simply tell your priest that you NEED to go to confession and CANNOT receive. He will understand, and do what is necessary.
CatholicRaven said:
If you have mortal sins to confess, then, yes, generally you should be receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation before receiving the Eucharist.
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Not just “generally”. If a Catholic is in a state of mortal sin, he MUST NOT receive, on pain on incurring another mortal sin through disrespect to the sacrament.
Pax2u said:
Did you ask him why? I would really like to know his reasoning. Doesn’t seem that a priest should refuse to hear a confession when asked.:confused:
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By the OP, it appears that the priest is coming to the home of this person and offering him/her communion in a Pyx. In these circumstances it is very likely that the Priest is taking time out of his very busy workday (Sunday is generally very busy for priests) to offer her communion. He probably doesn’t have time to hear her confession, and is trying to help her and get back to his other responsibilities. It is likely that he senses scrupulosity or some other reason that the OP may be asking for communion unnecessarily.
 
ventura2323 said:
listen to your priest, he probably wants you to take your sins to god instead.
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The sacrament of Reconciliation IS taking one’s sins directly to God. And dare I say, it is shameful to call Him a god with a small g. He is the One, the Only, God.
 
One may ask a Priest to hear your confession any time.

If one commits mortal sin - such would be necessary prior to Holy Communion.

If one has not committed a mortal sin - one need not go to confession prior to Holy Communion. That being said -venial sins while they can be forgiven in many ways (such as when receiving Holy Communion) -frequent confession of such out of devotion is very good (see Catechism).

Sometimes some persons think that one must go to confession for venial sins prior to reception of Holy Communion -such would not be the case. Perhaps that is what he meant when he said it was not necessary.
 
dshix said:
Not just “generally”. If a Catholic is in a state of mortal sin, he MUST NOT receive…
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Oops! I started to type something different and then changed it, and meant to delete that “generally.” Thank you for the correction. 👍
 
Pax2u said:
Did you ask him why? I would really like to know his reasoning. Doesn’t seem that a priest should refuse to hear a confession when asked.:confused:
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One doesn’t have to have mortal sins to go to Confession. I don’t think a priest can or should ever refuse someone Confession. You could tell him you want to go to Confession at least once a month, BEFORE Communion. The Church recommends monthly Confession. You receive the Sacramental grace every time you Confess. It is not necessary to go to Confession before each time you receive Holy Communion, unless you have a mortal sin to confess. You could make a good Act of Contrition just before Fr. arrives and that would take care of all venial sins. God Bless, Memaw
 
Maybe you can call the priest and schedule a day outside of Sunday for him to come and give you confession, or to give a heads up that you also want confession the day he normally comes and brings communion. If he will not, could you try and call the priest from the next town over and see if he will make the trip on a day he is not busy? Otherwise I agree with CatholicRaven, as a last resort call your Bishop/Bishop’s office, and let them know you are being denied the sacrament of confession.
 
CatholicRaven said:
Oops! I started to type something different and then changed it, and meant to delete that “generally.” Thank you for the correction. 👍
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Got it. 🙂
Memaw said:
One doesn’t have to have mortal sins to go to Confession. I don’t think a priest can or should ever refuse someone Confession. You could tell him you want to go to Confession at least once a month, BEFORE Communion. The Church recommends monthly Confession. You receive the Sacramental grace every time you Confess. It is not necessary to go to Confession before each time you receive Holy Communion, unless you have a mortal sin to confess. You could make a good Act of Contrition just before Fr. arrives and that would take care of all venial sins. God Bless, Memaw
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A priest actually can have a just reason to deny a person confession (not permanently, but at a particular time) and thus I think it is unreasonable, uncharitable, and wrong for posters on this board to be indicting the priest when they have no understanding of the context and only the story given by the OP to judge the situation from.

Come on, people, can’t you give a priest benefit of the doubt, for once?
 
Canon Law:

Can. 986 §1. All to whom the care of souls has been entrusted in virtue of some function are obliged to make provision so that the confessions of the faithful entrusted to them are heard when they reasonably seek to be heard and that they have the opportunity to approach individual confession on days and at times established for their convenience.

vatican.va
 
Ask him if he minds if you may say the “Confiteor” hfccmd.org/prayers/confiteor
As indicated by paragraphs 1434-1439 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, venial sins are forgiven in a variety of ways, including the Confiteor. However, mortal sins must be confessed in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, as indicated in paragraph 1456.
ewtn.com/vexperts/showmessage.asp?number=349375&Pg=&Pgnu=&recnu=

This might be a good compromise: makes you feel better about everything and doesn’t inconvenience the priest overly.

This might also be helpful regarding the “Act of Contrition”
catholic.com/quickquestions/how-do-i-make-an-act-of-contrition

Blessings.
 
Bookcat said:
Canon Law:

Can. 986 §1. All to whom the care of souls has been entrusted in virtue of some function are obliged to make provision so that the confessions of the faithful entrusted to them are heard when they reasonably seek to be heard and that they have the opportunity to approach individual confession on days and at times established for their convenience.

vatican.va
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I see no mention of the Church recommending confession monthly, if that was in reply to my post.
 
Memaw said:
The Church recommends monthly Confession.
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The Church recommends rather “regular confession”…that may be weekly or bi-weekly or monthly…

CCC

1458 Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church. Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit. By receiving more frequently through this sacrament the gift of the Father’s mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is merciful.

scborromeo.org/ccc/p2s2c2a4.htm#VI
 
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