Mortal Sin and Mass Participation

  • Thread starter Thread starter Red_James
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
R

Red_James

Guest
I’m aware that when one has a mortal sin on their soul, they cannot receive Communion during Mass until they go to confession, unless that is not possible and that person makes a perfect act of contrition.
Anyways my question is, if some lay person has a specific job ministry during the Mass, such as being an assigned lector, or an altar server, or a collector, can they still perform that job/ministry?
What about EHMCs, since that is a special ministry which revolves around the Eucharist? I feel if one cannot receive Communion, they should not be able to give it to others. Are there specific rules for this subject matter?
 
I think it all depends on the parish. I hear there are some that now prohibit certain ministries if one is in an irregular state of marriage.
 
Red_James said:
I’m aware that when one has a mortal sin on their soul, they cannot receive Communion during Mass until they go to confession, unless that is not possible and that person makes a perfect act of contrition.
Anyways my question is, if some lay person has a specific job ministry during the Mass, such as being an assigned lector, or an altar server, or a collector, can they still perform that job/ministry?
What about EHMCs, since that is a special ministry which revolves around the Eucharist? I feel if one cannot receive Communion, they should not be able to give it to others. Are there specific rules for this subject matter?
Click to expand...
I don’t think there are rules. If one is in secret mortal sin, then one is not obligated to abstain from service; in fact, it may be a less than charitable thing to do as the rest of the team may have to scramble to find a new reader, EMHC, etc.; and you are not obligated to out yourself as being in a state of sin.

The sacrilege is the reception of Holy Communion when in mortal sin, not in distributing it. Of course, it’s not an ideal thing, but one is not obliged to abstain from any ministry on account of that. Of course, the idea of handling our Lord with filthy hands, well. But no, this does not incur any additional sin.

The issue arises though with MANIFEST grave sin, such as irregular marriage situations (a.k.a. objective adultery); that’s another story and this falls to the authority of the pastor.
 
It may be acceptable to serve as a lector or hospitality minister/collector without receiving communion. But you should really avoid being an EMHC, if for no other reason than it is going to make quite a show if you refuse communion and then take it to distribute to others - and if you don’t forgo communion you are committing sacrilege.

Personally if I was scheduled to be an EMHC and was in mortal sin I would if at all possible try to grab Father before mass and let him know that a quick confession is absolutely necessary! If I knew that wasn’t a possibility then I would make my excuses and not be an EMHC that day.

And then I would try really really hard to not let it happen again…
 
I agree with Deditus Domina regarding distributing Eucharist. And asking the priest for a quick confession would be mandatory or if that was not possible you would have to see if someone could fill in for you.

I used to think the ministry of EMHC/homebound would be helpful to our parish, but I now see that it has helped me to strive even harder to stay out of the state of Mortal sin! (Trying to lead by example) The same goes for attending daily mass; I want to be worthy of receiving Holy Communion, but are we really ever???
 
This is somewhat the same of the person who mortally sinned doesn’t want to stay back in the pews for fear the others will know they mortally sinned so they go up and recieve anyway… This is fear of man. This is wrong.

If you are an EM… and you have mortal sin… be respectful, DON’T get up there and do your job for fear of not being responsible for your job in the church or fear of what people might think of you if you call off and have someone else stand in for you.

Its not HONEST if you don’t consider its not right for you touching and handing out the Blessed Sacrament while in the state of mortal sin.

Its more responsible and respectable to get a replacement for you. Some people will judge, but those who judge rightly will be those who will be thankful you were respectful to God, The Faith, and the congregation (not to mention his own self for not receiving and not being an EM until after he’s confessed and remedied the situation).
 
porthos11 said:
I don’t think there are rules. If one is in secret mortal sin, then one is not obligated to abstain from service; in fact, it may be a less than charitable thing to do as the rest of the team may have to scramble to find a new reader, EMHC, etc.; and you are not obligated to out yourself as being in a state of sin.

The sacrilege is the reception of Holy Communion when in mortal sin, not in distributing it. Of course, it’s not an ideal thing, but one is not obliged to abstain from any ministry on account of that. Of course, the idea of handling our Lord with filthy hands, well. But no, this does not incur any additional sin.

The issue arises though with MANIFEST grave sin, such as irregular marriage situations (a.k.a. objective adultery); that’s another story and this falls to the authority of the pastor.
Click to expand...
porthos, I really question your assessment here. It does not fit with Church rubrics or rules throughout history. It absolutely does matter when it comes to purity. There used to be a rule that only the priest is allowed to touch his chalice.

from wiki en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalice

“In any case, in both the East and the West, once a chalice has been blessed, it may only be touched by an ordained member of the higher clergy (bishop, priest or deacon)”

There are many other rules like that pertaining to keeping all things used on the altar and with distributing pure and clean and respectful. For instance, when I washed altar linens the water from the wash had to be poured back into the ground and not into a pipe that goes to a sewer. If we have rules like this just for those instruments that are around and near and pertain to the Sacrament, then by all means it has to also pertain to those hands that distribute the Sacrament as well.
 
No, they should not be serving as EMHC if in a state of Mortal sin.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top