Isolated priest in mortal sin

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imo

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What happens if a priest that serves an isolated parish alone finds himself in mortal sin before the scheduled mass? Will he be obliged to cancel it even if it is on a Sunday? How could he justify it to the parishioners? Or will he just celebrate the mass normally even in mortal sin since he can’t confess himself? Can he celebrate the mass and do not eat the consecrated bread and wine?
 
No. He will not cancel it. Yes, he will celebrate the Mass normally. No he may NOT ‘not consume the bread and wine’; he MUST consume them, even though in personal mortal sin.

He may of course try for an act of perfect contrition with the full intention of formal confession as soon as possible, and must make every effort to go to confession, even if he has to ‘call his superiors’ and ask them to send somebody, for example.

But the Mass itself does not depend on the sinlessness of the priest. The Mass will be just as valid even if the priest is in mortal sin.

Again, the priest must strive to avoid mortal sin and if guilty, should strive for perfect contrition, resolve not to sin again, and determination for sacramental confession ASAP.
 
From the Code of Canon Law;

Can. 916 A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to celebrate Mass or receive the body of the Lord without previous sacramental confession unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess; in this case the person is to remember the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition which includes the resolution of confessing as soon as possible.

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P39.HTM
 
That makes sense. The rest of the congregation should not be penalized by the sacraments being rendered invalid simply because the priest is in a state of mortal sin. That is HIS sin, not theirs.
 
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