Is this mortal sin?

[jrs88]

I am away at college and the only way for me to get to Mass many weekends is to get one of my Protestant friends to come with me. In October, I had my friend who is Baptist come with me since I had not been since the end of August and really wanted to go. I knew that people are not supposed to recieve the Eucharist unless they have made their first Communion, and I thought they were supposed to be Catholic in order to recieve, so I told him he shouldn’t go up and to just stay in his seat during communion. He started asking why, so I told him he couldn’t unless he’d had his first communion. He told me he’d had communion before, so I let him recieve it. About 2 weeks later another Baptist friend came and I let her recieve too. It was only after that that I found out that my inkling that they shouldn’t have received was right and that this was a BAD thing. When it happened I thought it wasn’t right but I did not understand how wrong it was. I do now and I swear I will NEVER let this happen again. Is this a mortal sin? And please don’t laugh at this question, is it grounds for excommunication?

 

[Seatuck]

I am away at college and the only way for me to get to Mass many weekends is to get one of my Protestant friends to come with me. In October, I had my friend who is Baptist come with me since I had not been since the end of August and really wanted to go. I knew that people are not supposed to recieve the Eucharist unless they have made their first Communion, and I thought they were supposed to be Catholic in order to recieve, so I told him he shouldn’t go up and to just stay in his seat during communion. He started asking why, so I told him he couldn’t unless he’d had his first communion. He told me he’d had communion before, so I let him recieve it. About 2 weeks later another Baptist friend came and I let her recieve too. It was only after that that I found out that my inkling that they shouldn’t have received was right and that this was a BAD thing. When it happened I thought it wasn’t right but I did not understand how wrong it was. I do now and I swear I will NEVER let this happen again. Is this a mortal sin? And please don’t laugh at this question, is it grounds for excommunication?

No this isn’t grounds for excommunication. This was ignorance. Now you know better. We must be catholics in union with the church to go to communion. You don’t really have much control over who goes up to receive. Someday you may tell a protestant not to go up and they may do it anyway. That still would not be your sin.

 

[paulCT]

In order for this to be a moral sin according to Roman moral theology, it must meet these 3 criteria:

1. Its subject must be a grave (or serious) matter
2. It must be committed with full knowledge, both of the sin and of the gravity of the offense
3. It must be committed with deliberate and complete consent

As a lay person, I don’t think #2 and #3 were met because your friend didn’t have full knowledge on why non-Catholics shouldn’t receive Communion, and that their actions were committed with deliberate consent. I’m being optimistic in my point of view. But that is just my opinion. I’m sure others more knowledgeable may weigh in.

There is a very good article on Who Can Receive Communion that you may want to share with your friends.

 

[jrs88]

I meant to ask, is it mortal sin for me since I was responsible for them and they had no way of knowing this rule, but I sort of had an idea of it but didn’t fully realize how wrong it was.

 

[Chatter163]

IMHO, part of what contributes to the awkwardness of these moments is the fact that nearly everyone goes to communion. (We seem to have gone from one extreme to the other, from too few receiving a few decades ago to too many today, but that’s another story.) On the rare occasions when I have a non-Catholic, or even a non-practicing Catholic with me in the pew, I simply stay in the pew and do not receive myself. This seems to work better, and then later we can have a frank discussion about the ins-and-outs of reception and non-reception.)

 

[THurifer2]

It was only after that that I found out that my inkling that they shouldn’t have received was right and that this was a BAD thing. When it happened I thought it wasn’t right but I did not understand how wrong it was. I do now and I swear I will NEVER let this happen again. Is this a mortal sin? And please don’t laugh at this question, is it grounds for excommunication?

Ok now you know. They recieved and that is water under the bridge. I am glad you are seeking your faith. WIthout sounding to disrespectul I must admit that I find it alarming that a College age Catholic would not know this.

Please I urge you to get a copy of the Catechism and a bible and start learning your Catholic faith. Not knowing your faith can actually do damage each time someone asks you a question about it.

based on your questions you seem to be more than just a little interested in your faith and I find that GREAT:thumbsup: but by the same token your questions indicate to me that you are relatively uncatechised…learn your faith…it will not be long before you come across someone who will make you and the Church look foolish due to the reason you are not prepared to defend it.

 

[teadough]

IMHO, part of what contributes to the awkwardness of these moments is the fact that nearly everyone goes to communion. (We seem to have gone from one extreme to the other, from too few receiving a few decades ago to too many today, but that’s another story.) On the rare occasions when I have a non-Catholic, or even a non-practicing Catholic with me in the pew, I simply stay in the pew and do not receive myself. This seems to work better, and then later we can have a frank discussion about the ins-and-outs of reception and non-reception.)

 

[palmas85]

I am away at college and the only way for me to get to Mass many weekends is to get one of my Protestant friends to come with me. In October, I had my friend who is Baptist come with me since I had not been since the end of August and really wanted to go. I knew that people are not supposed to recieve the Eucharist unless they have made their first Communion, and I thought they were supposed to be Catholic in order to recieve, so I told him he shouldn’t go up and to just stay in his seat during communion. He started asking why, so I told him he couldn’t unless he’d had his first communion. He told me he’d had communion before, so I let him recieve it. About 2 weeks later another Baptist friend came and I let her recieve too. It was only after that that I found out that my inkling that they shouldn’t have received was right and that this was a BAD thing. When it happened I thought it wasn’t right but I did not understand how wrong it was. I do now and I swear I will NEVER let this happen again. Is this a mortal sin? And please don’t laugh at this question, is it grounds for excommunication?

You really can’t let anyone receive. It is not up to you. You gave them bad advice which came from your ignorance, thats all. You did not have the necessary intent to commit a mortal sin.

 

[ProVobis]

Chatter163, I agree. In the situation where you bring in such a guest, it would be most respectable if you don’t put your guest in an awkward position, that of having him/her stay in his/her seat while everyone, including you, receives. I think they call it common courtesy to stay with your guest. Otherwise you’re in effect saying to your guest, “See I can do it but you can’t.” Not good. Besides you can always receive later; I’m sure the priest will understand.