Mass, Mortal Sin, and Perfect Contrition

[TIK]

Are you allowed to take communion if you have commit a mortal sin, have made an act of perfect contrition and landed back in the state of grace, but come time for mass haven’t yet made it to confession?

So to reiterate, the situation is that you ARE in the state of grace because of your act of perfect contrition, but you haven’t yet been to confession. In this situation is it appropriate to take communion?

I understand full well that part of perfect contrition is that you intend to confess your sins as soon as is reasonable. I also understand that perfect contrition is very subjective and it is hard to judge if you actually have it, and the sacrament of confession is a much more tangible way to ensure you are in the state of grace. Nevertheless, if you think you have perfect contrition, is it ok to take communion despite having not yet confessed your sins?

Hopefully all that was clear enough

I ask because sometimes I suspect that I’m in the state of grace thanks to some semi-intense contemplative prayer sessions where I confess directly to God out of love rather than fear, but I very very rarely go up to take communion because I also sin a lot and often haven’t had time to confess by the time mass rolls around. It’s very discouraging, I so much want to go up and take communion but instead I just have to get a blessing. (and I was reading a stickied thread here which indicates that the Vatican disapproves even of me doing this!)
There are other situations where I haven’t prayed for ages or been to confession and am totally dead in my sins, so I would definitely avoid taking communion in these cases because I’m pretty sure I don’t have perfect contrition. I’m not fooling myself here.

 

[Reuben_J]

In normal situation, you still have to go for Confession to be in a state of grace. It is good you feel contrite for your sin but that should be a part of the Sacrament of Reconciliation rather than by itself.

So no, you may not receive Communion before you go for Confession.

As for perfect contrition, I think you had said it yourself. Most of the times, there is no way of knowing with an absolute certainty if one has made a perfect act of contrition. Sometimes it is a feeling or you think you have made perfect contrition.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation would put it beyond doubt so that you would receive Communion worthily.

 

[PraiseChrist]

Are you allowed to take communion if you have commit a mortal sin, have made an act of perfect contrition and landed back in the state of grace, but come time for mass haven’t yet made it to confession?

So to reiterate, the situation is that you ARE in the state of grace because of your act of perfect contrition, but you haven’t yet been to confession. In this situation is it appropriate to take communion?

I understand full well that part of perfect contrition is that you intend to confess your sins as soon as is reasonable. I also understand that perfect contrition is very subjective and it is hard to judge if you actually have it, and the sacrament of confession is a much more tangible way to ensure you are in the state of grace. Nevertheless, if you think you have perfect contrition, is it ok to take communion despite having not yet confessed your sins?

Hopefully all that was clear enough

I ask because sometimes I suspect that I’m in the state of grace thanks to some semi-intense contemplative prayer sessions where I confess directly to God out of love rather than fear, but I very very rarely go up to take communion because I also sin a lot and often haven’t had time to confess by the time mass rolls around. It’s very discouraging, I so much want to go up and take communion but instead I just have to get a blessing. (and I was reading a stickied thread here which indicates that the Vatican disapproves even of me doing this!)
There are other situations where I haven’t prayed for ages or been to confession and am totally dead in my sins, so I would definitely avoid taking communion in these cases because I’m pretty sure I don’t have perfect contrition. I’m not fooling myself here.

Hello,

Catholic answers has an answer for this:
catholic.com/quickquestions/can-someone-who-has-committed-a-mortal-sin-receive-communion-if-he-makes-a-perfect-ac

Youre right about it not being good of receiving a blessing during Communion.
There is a blessing once the Mass ends, and one may be tempted to receive Communion if in line to receive a blessing, which would be very bad.
When I cannot receive Communion because of being unworthy, I stay in my pew.

 

[chasingcars]

No you can’t. If one has commited a mortal sin and wants to have it forgiven they need to receive sacramental absolution. Act of perfect contrition won’t land you back in the state of grace.

 

[thistle]

If you are in a state of mortal sin you may not receive Communion.

An act of perfect contrition (and I don’t know how anyone could be absolutely sure they made such an act) is conditional upon the intent to get to Confession as soon as possible. If anyone does make such an act then if they died before getting to Confession they would be forgiven and saved. However, even making such an act does not permit you to receive Communion. For that you must still go to Confession first.

 

[2PT3]

No. Despite perfect contrition, you may only partake of communion if there is a “grave reason” for doing so prior to going to confession. For example, immediate danger of death. The proper thing to do is to refrain from taking communion until you have gone to sacramental confession. Peace.

 

[twf]

No. Despite perfect contrition, you may only partake of communion if there is a “grave reason” for doing so prior to going to confession. For example, immediate danger of death. The proper thing to do is to refrain from taking communion until you have gone to sacramental confession. Peace.

Yes. Even if we believe that we have made a perfect act of contrition, we must still go to confession out of obedience to Holy Mother Church. Some people seem terrified of the prospect of refraining from receiving… It’s good to remember our obligation is to be at Mass… We are only obligated to receive once a year during the Easter season.

 

[OraLabora]

2PT3 wins the prize for properly completing the answer! 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.

(my emphasis)

Thus for grave reason one may receive communion after an act of perfect contrition, if sacramental confession is not available. That may include danger of death (illness, war, being on a sinking ship-where if a priest is available a general confession can be made and is permitted under the circumstances- or engaging in a perilous mission), or other situations left to prudential judgement.

So if for example you are a policeman in the US and you’re assigned at the last minute to riot duty, and you can just make the 9 am Mass before reporting for duty but confessions are already closed, you may be able to justify receiving communion after an act of perfect contrition.

 

[Bookcat]

Compendium Pope Benedict XVI

291. What is required to receive Holy Communion?

1385-1389
1415

To receive Holy Communion one must be fully incorporated into the Catholic Church and be in the state of grace, that is, not conscious of being in mortal sin. Anyone who is conscious of having committed a grave sin must first receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before going to Communion. Also important for those receiving Holy Communion are a spirit of recollection and prayer, observance of the fast prescribed by the Church, and an appropriate disposition of the body (gestures and dress) as a sign of respect for Christ.

(grave sin here = mortal sin)

and

305. When is a person obliged to confess mortal sins?

Each of the faithful who has reached the age of discretion is bound to confess his or her mortal sins at least once a year and always before receiving Holy Communion.

vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html

Catechism:

1385 To respond to this invitation we must prepare ourselves for so great and so holy a moment. St. Paul urges us to examine our conscience: "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself."218 Anyone conscious of a grave sin must receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion.

1457 According to the Church’s command, "after having attained the age of discretion, each of the faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year."56 Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession.57 Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time.58

scborromeo.org/ccc/p2s2c2a4.htm#VII

There can be exceptions but they are only exceptions - for grave reasons and no opportunity to confess etc.

Canon Law: Can. 916 A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to …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.

vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P39.HTM