May this person receive communion?

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Suppose it is a weekday, and someone who was in a state of mortal sin made an act of perfect contrition. Now, when the person is in a state of grace he would like to go to Mass and receive Communion, but no Confession is available. Although the person does not have access to Confession during this time, he sincerely plans to confess once given the opportunity. May this person take Communion during weekday Masses?
 
There are four conditions by which a person may be dispensed of the obligation to receive the sacrament of Penance before communion.
  1. grave reason to receive communion–i.e. the person is about to die.
  2. physical or moral impossibility to go to confession
  3. already in a state of grace due to perfect contrition
  4. resolution to go to confession as soon as possible.
So the answer to your question is yes, the person may, due to the last two conditions–however, if the person is at a Mass, there is obviously going to be a priest there. Therefore, there should be no reason why they shouldn’t be able to make a confession first.

For more, see:
catholic.com/library/Who_Can_Receive_Communion.asp

-ACEGC
 
The Catechism states:

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.” Anyone conscious of a grave sin must receive the sacrament of reconciliation before coming to communion.

There is perhaps confusion from this item in the Catechism:

1452 When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.

But the first passage calls for the the reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation prior to receiving the Eucharist, quite apart from the forgiveness of the mortal sin. So, I would say, no, they may not.

Blessings,

Gerry
 
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edward_george:
There are four conditions by which a person may be dispensed of the obligation to receive the sacrament of Penance before communion.
  1. grave reason to receive communion–i.e. the person is about to die.
  2. physical or moral impossibility to go to confession
  3. already in a state of grace due to perfect contrition
  4. resolution to go to confession as soon as possible.
So the answer to your question is yes, the person may, due to the last two conditions–however, if the person is at a Mass, there is obviously going to be a priest there. Therefore, there should be no reason why they shouldn’t be able to make a confession first.

For more, see:
catholic.com/library/Who_Can_Receive_Communion.asp

-ACEGC
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Could you please show me a source for those 4 situations you mentioned?
 
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edward_george:
There are four conditions by which a person may be dispensed of the obligation to receive the sacrament of Penance before communion.
  1. grave reason to receive communion–i.e. the person is about to die.
  2. physical or moral impossibility to go to confession
  3. already in a state of grace due to perfect contrition
  4. resolution to go to confession as soon as possible.
So the answer to your question is yes, the person may, due to the last two conditions–however, if the person is at a Mass, there is obviously going to be a priest there. Therefore, there should be no reason why they shouldn’t be able to make a confession first.

For more, see:
catholic.com/library/Who_Can_Receive_Communion.asp

-ACEGC
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Or subsequently afterwards. I think there is a misunderstanding that “soon as possible” doesn’t mean one must wait until the regularly scheduled confession. If you have ever volunteered in your parish office, I think you’d be surprised how many people come to receive an unscheduled confession. I assume it is for the purpose described in this thread.
 
Our scheduled confessions are on Saturday night before Mass, and I go to Sunday morning Mass. I confess monthly, and I simply go to Mass about a half hour early and make my confession. I don’t know about others from my parish because I don’t go to the scheduled one.

PMV, as for a source on my post, I cited the link to the article from which I got my information.

-ACEGC
 
An interesting thread; it prompted me to consult the Sacred Canons:

Can. 916 Anyone who is conscious of grave sin may not celebrate Mass or receive the Body of the Lord without previously having been to 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 resolve to go to confession as soon as possible.

It would appear that, in the circumstances of the original post, the answer would be “no”. There is no evidence of a “grave reason”. edward_george’s post certainly reflects faithfully the content of the Canon, but the circumstances postulated do not, on their face, fulfill the requirements it sets out. In particular, there appears to be no case that a sincere act of contrition is in any way a substitute for the need for sacramental confession, except in the grave circumstances or true impossibility of confessing.

This brings up an interesting point. It is certainly optimal to receive Holy Communion at Mass, but in the past few decades, it has become, as it were, an automatic expectation. When I made my first communion (shortly after the dinosaurs departed the earth), the Eucharistic fast was from midnight the night before, and it was absolute, except for water. If you were on medication, well, next time, maybe. But it was not a cause for tongues to wag, or for blushing, if, at communion time, someone remained in his or her seat. Speaking personally, the reception of the Body and Blood of Christ is such a serious matter that I would always tend to the side of caution. If in doubt, don’t, and do something, on a priority basis, to remove the doubt.

Blessings,

Gerry
 
I know it is important to only receive Communion when in a state of grace. However, when everyone else is in the lineup in the aisle, not receiving for any reason…just eaten, feeling dizzy, …OR not being in a state of grace seems like having a big red blinkin’ neon sign on one’s head. I am speaking of a home parish;a different one probably wouldn’t be so bad.
 
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katy:
I know it is important to only receive Communion when in a state of grace. However, when everyone else is in the lineup in the aisle, not receiving for any reason…just eaten, feeling dizzy, …OR not being in a state of grace seems like having a big red blinkin’ neon sign on one’s head. I am speaking of a home parish;a different one probably wouldn’t be so bad.
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No excuse.

It is likely THEY do not have a real knowledge of what they are doing. We do. Therefore, we are MORE responsible for doing the right thing and abstaining, embaressing or not. (I myself have done this on several occasions. It is embaressing, but recieving the Lord in a state of mortal sin is a SACRALIGE. It is in no way worth offending Him so.)
 
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katy:
I, when everyone else is in the lineup in the aisle, not receiving for any reason…seems like having a big red blinkin’ neon sign on one’s head. I.
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nobody is paying any attention to you. in any case, everybody there probably should not be in the lineup, but that is not our concern either. We may not receive communion unless and until we are in a state of sanctifying grace. That is why we have the gift of the sacrament of penance and reconciliation. Christ commanded us if you approach the altar with your gift, and there recall that you have some grievance with your brother, go first and be reconciled with him.
 
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katy:
I know it is important to only receive Communion when in a state of grace. However, when everyone else is in the lineup in the aisle, not receiving for any reason…just eaten, feeling dizzy, …OR not being in a state of grace seems like having a big red blinkin’ neon sign on one’s head. I am speaking of a home parish;a different one probably wouldn’t be so bad.
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It is no one’s business if you abstain from taking Communion. And if someone does take note and develops a negative opinion of you, it is their problem, not yours. Unfortunately we as Americans are obsessed with outward appearances and reputations. Don’t concern yourself with what the “crowd” is doing. As Christians we are called to go against the grain often, to do the right thing even when it’s difficult. Really, forget what others say or think and do the right thing. Act like an adult and stop trying to make excuses for bad behavior.
 
I truly have no intention of making a sacreligious Communion, but I know that if I didn’t have some obvious reason, my family would be askance. I don’t intend to commit a mortal sin, or if I should, not make it to Confession either, esp. since my parish makes it soooo easy with times before each Mass. I suppose if it should happen, I could honestly say I didn’t feel well, because I certainly wouldn’t. Just trying to figure out a possibility so as not to wind up making things worse…😦
 
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katy:
I truly have no intention of making a sacreligious Communion, but I know that if I didn’t have some obvious reason, my family would be askance. I don’t intend to commit a mortal sin, or if I should, not make it to Confession either, esp. since my parish makes it soooo easy with times before each Mass. I suppose if it should happen, I could honestly say I didn’t feel well, because I certainly wouldn’t. Just trying to figure out a possibility so as not to wind up making things worse…😦
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Just say you didn’t wish to receive communion today. If they press the issue, just keep saying you didn’t want to. Unless they are crazy people, they will eventually drop the subject.
 
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PMV:
Suppose it is a weekday, and someone who was in a state of mortal sin made an act of perfect contrition. Now, when the person is in a state of grace he would like to go to Mass and receive Communion, but no Confession is available. Although the person does not have access to Confession during this time, he sincerely plans to confess once given the opportunity. May this person take Communion during weekday Masses?
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If that person will not have the opportunity to attend Mass and receive Holy Communion again for an unreasonable amount of time 30 to 60 days or longer. Otherwise he would be obligated to first go to Confession BEFORE receiving Holy Communion.
 
I honestly have no idea who does or who doesn’t go to receive Holy Communion, but I am quite sure our good Lord knows why you do or don’t and I am also quite sure that He appreciates those who don’t when they shouldn’t. As someone pointed out earlier, when in doubt, don’t. As someone else pointed out earlier, it is a Sacralige—and that is the worse mortal sin there is. If I had truly tried to go to confession prior to Mass, and for whatever reason wasn’t able to confess, I would still wait just because I know I could go after Mass. However, if I were in Afganistan and the Priest could only come once in a great while for Mass and I had not had the opportunity to go to confession first and knew that I had no idea when I would be able to make it to Mass again, then I might go ahead and make the sincere act of contrition and receive, while knowing that I MUST go to confession as soon as possible. Perhaps this is a question best answered by the Apologetics and Priest that you personally know, or the next time you go to confession, ask.
 
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