Mass does more harm than good?

[MtnDwellar]

From Pope Francis’ homily last Thursday:

When we are corrupt “we do not give the Bread of Life to eat,” the Pope explained in this Jan. 16 daily Mass, but “many times, we…offer a poisoned meal!”

catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-scandals-poison-and-deny-the-bread-of-life/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+catholicnewsagency%2Fdailynews+%28CNA+Daily+News%29&utm_term=daily+news

Can we infer from the Pope’s statement that Mass and Communion offered by a corrupt priest are worse (poisonous) than no Mass/Communion at all?

 

[Rolltide]

Can we infer from the Pope’s statement that Mass and Communion offered by a corrupt priest are worse (poisonous) than no Mass/Communion at all?

No, because that would be the heresy of Donatism, which is basically that the validity of sacraments is dependent upon the priest not being in a state of sin.

 

[Vico]

From Pope Francis’ homily last Thursday:

catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-scandals-poison-and-deny-the-bread-of-life/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+catholicnewsagency%2Fdailynews+%28CNA+Daily+News%29&utm_term=daily+news

Can we infer from the Pope’s statement that Mass and Communion offered by a corrupt priest are worse (poisonous) than no Mass/Communion at all?

What he said was not about Mass, it was about scandal:The problem, the Pope continued, is that “the word of God was rare in those scandals. In those men, in those women, the word of God was rare. They did not have a bond with God. They had a position in the Church, a position of power as well as comfort” but not “the word of God”. The Pontiff added: “It is pointless to say “ but I wear a medal, I wear a cross: yes, like those who carried the ark without a living relationship with God and with the word of God!”. Then, recalling Jesus’ words regarding scandals, the Pope repeated that scandals bring about “the decay of the people of God, to the point of weakness and the corruption of priests”

Pope Francis concluded his homily with two thoughts: the word of God and the people of God. Regarding the first, he suggested an examination of conscience: “Is the word of God alive in our hearts? Does it change our lives, or is it like the ark that comes and goes” but “doesn’t enter our hearts?”. Regarding the people of God, he paused to reflect on the harm that scandals cause them: “Poor people … poor people!”, he said. “We do not give them the bread of life to eat! We do not give them the truth! So many times, we give them poisoned food!”.

news.va/en/news/an-examination-of-conscience

 

[1ke]

Can we infer from the Pope’s statement that Mass and Communion offered by a corrupt priest are worse (poisonous) than no Mass/Communion at all?

Um, no.

Firstly that is a heresy, settled millenia ago.

Secondly, he is not talking about the Mass. Don’t try to make the Pope’s statement into what it is not.

 

[ProVobis]

Can we infer from the Pope’s statement that Mass and Communion offered by a corrupt priest are worse (poisonous) than no Mass/Communion at all?

I would say it’s worse for him. However, we are still obligated to attend Mass, even if the priest is in the state of sin. There is some canon law concerning this, but I’m not a canon lawyer to comment further.

 

[MtnDwellar]

What he said was not about Mass, it was about scandal:The problem, the Pope continued, is that “the word of God was rare in those scandals. In those men, in those women, the word of God was rare. They did not have a bond with God. They had a position in the Church, a position of power as well as comfort” but not “the word of God”. The Pontiff added: “It is pointless to say “ but I wear a medal, I wear a cross: yes, like those who carried the ark without a living relationship with God and with the word of God!”. Then, recalling Jesus’ words regarding scandals, the Pope repeated that scandals bring about “the decay of the people of God, to the point of weakness and the corruption of priests”

Pope Francis concluded his homily with two thoughts: the word of God and the people of God. Regarding the first, he suggested an examination of conscience: “Is the word of God alive in our hearts? Does it change our lives, or is it like the ark that comes and goes” but “doesn’t enter our hearts?”. Regarding the people of God, he paused to reflect on the harm that scandals cause them: “Poor people … poor people!”, he said. “We do not give them the bread of life to eat! We do not give them the truth! So many times, we give them poisoned food!”.

news.va/en/news/an-examination-of-conscience

Thanks. It makes more sense when I can read the words that were replaced by “…” in the article I read.

When I hear “Bread of LIfe”, I automatically think Eucharist. If he meant Eucharist then surely he was referring to the Mass. Also, Jesus is the Truth and also the Way and the Light. He is the Word made Flesh. The last paragraph can be totally about Christ and Eucharist.

A valid consecration has four requirements. One of the requirements is the intention of the priest. We can never know anyone’s actual intentions. Is a corrupt priest one who does not have the intention of the Church during Mass?

 

[MtnDwellar]

I would say it’s worse for him. However, we are still obligated to attend Mass, even if the priest is in the state of sin. There is some canon law concerning this, but I’m not a canon lawyer to comment further.

Our obligation may be more then just attending Mass. It may be to find a Mass that is celebrated by a faithful priest using the true liturgy. It may also be to educate ourselves so we know right from wrong. It may be to make the priests and bishops aware that we have an expectation and a right to receive the fullest grace available from a Holy Mass.

 

[GangGreen]

It’s simple that he’s talking about the people who exteriorly act like a Catholic, but interiorly do not. People who don’t have a prayer life and don’t live as God commands. In the same way we can extend this to the part about Communion in that many of these people go and receive the Bread of Life and they do so without having a real relationship with God. So in this way, it’s about the person receiving Communion and the state of their souls. Let us not forget that receiving Communion in a state of mortal sin is one of the greatest sacrileges (a poison if you will). When you are in a corrupt state the priest offers you not the Bread of Life, but poison because of the sin that you are committing.

 

[Celtic_Maiden]

From Pope Francis’ homily last Thursday:

catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-scandals-poison-and-deny-the-bread-of-life/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+catholicnewsagency%2Fdailynews+%28CNA+Daily+News%29&utm_term=daily+news

Can we infer from the Pope’s statement that Mass and Communion offered by a corrupt priest are worse (poisonous) than no Mass/Communion at all?

Let us not forget that receiving Communion in a state of mortal sin is one of the greatest sacrileges (a poison if you will). When you are in a corrupt state the priest offers you not the Bread of Life, but poison because of the sin that you are committing

Please invest and read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, or Catholicism for Dummies, it does not matter what the State of Grace the priest is in, but rather yours does.

Look not at the splinter in your brother’s eye, but rather the plank in your own.

 

[MtnDwellar]

Let us not forget that receiving Communion in a state of mortal sin is one of the greatest sacrileges (a poison if you will). When you are in a corrupt state the priest offers you not the Bread of Life, but poison because of the sin that you are committing

Please invest and read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, or Catholicism for Dummies, it does not matter what the State of Grace the priest is in, but rather yours does.

Look not at the splinter in your brother’s eye, but rather the plank in your own.

Thanks for the wonderful suggestions! I am sure they were made from a spirit of love and not one of condescension or egoism.

I think Pope Francis was talking about priests as the people of God who give the bread of life to eat. Laity are the ones who receive it, not give it - no? So, he would be referring to corrupt priests.