Mortal Sin and the Eucharist

[Jeremy1976]

If I have committed a mortal sin and am repentant of the act privately and intend to confess the sin on my next reconciliation am I allowed to receive communion, or do I should I wait until after I go to confession?

 

[Tantum_ergo]

If I have committed a mortal sin and am repentant of the act privately and intend to confess the sin on my next reconciliation am I allowed to receive communion, or do I should I wait until after I go to confession?

Jeremy you should wait until after confession to receive.

**You are not OBLIGATED to receive communion at every Mass, and if you are in mortal sin you should not receive, even if you have repented privately. The NORM for a Catholic is to confess mortal sins to a priest. **

So make a spiritual communion if you happen to be at Mass before your opportunity to confess. By “spiritual communion” I mean do not receive the Eucharist, but remain in your pew and silently offer a prayer to Christ of praise and thanksgiving, sorrow for your sin, a resolve to go to confession as soon as possible, and a desire when that is done to receive Him in the Eucharist.

**Then go to confession. **

And after you have been absolved, go to communion with a clean heart and soul and rejoice!

 

[Rascalking]

Go to confession first my friend. If you feel awkward sitting in the pew while everyone is going up to communion, maybe you could go to a different mass this weekend? (Just an idea)

 

[smichhertz]

If I have committed a mortal sin and am repentant of the act privately and intend to confess the sin on my next reconciliation am I allowed to receive communion, or do I should I wait until after I go to confession?

Hi Jeremy1976!

You must wait until after you have gone to confession. To knowingly receive in the state of mortal sin is a very serious offense against God. At first this seems harsh, but when properly understood, we realize the beauty in it.

If you wronged a friend in a very serious way, you’d first apologize before the friendship could resume. To try and act like everything is fine around the friend afterward is like slapping that friend in the face. First, you have to make amends, then the friendship can once again resume.

For that reason, we must first go to confession before we receive the Eucharist if we have committed a mortal sin.

[BIBLEDRB]Mark 5:34[/BIBLEDRB]

 

[ajpirc]

I once went to Confession and I told my parish priest that I had received the Eucharist in the state of mortal sin. He said that was fine and if I do it again, just tell God that I’m sorry BEFORE I receive the Eucharist. Shouldn’t ALL Catholics know that the only way to have mortal sins absolved (besides Baptism) is Confession?

How did this “repent and your sins will be forgiven” thing get into the Church?

Why doesn’t it work?

 

[Joe_Kelley]

There is a provision in canon law for one who must receive the Eucharist and cannot get to confession.

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.

For a valid mass the celebrant must receive the Eucharist [under both species]. It is obvious, I think, that this canon applies only to a celebrant who has an unconfessed mortal sin and no access to a confessor. No one else is obliged to receive the Eucharist at any specific mass.

However, given the smallest loophole, someone will try to fit an elephant through it. Some have tried to stretch this to say that one can claim the exemption to avoid embarrassment etc. Heeding St Paul’s warning, that one who eats or drinks unworthily eats or drinks judgement to himself, I would play it safe and not receive.

 

[Will_S]

I once went to Confession and I told my parish priest that I had received the Eucharist in the state of mortal sin. He said that was fine and if I do it again, just tell God that I’m sorry BEFORE I receive the Eucharist. Shouldn’t ALL Catholics know that the only way to have mortal sins absolved (besides Baptism) is Confession?

How did this “repent and your sins will be forgiven” thing get into the Church?

Why doesn’t it work?

Your parish priest made a big mistake. To receive Holy Communion while knowingly in a state of mortal sin is a grave sin of sacrilege. It’s so basic, it’s in the catechism for 6 year olds.

amazon.com/Saint-Joseph-First-Communion-Catechism/dp/0899422403

To answer your second question - repentance is what confession is all about. You repent, confess your sins, and are absolved. Perfect contrition can provide forgiveness of mortal sins outside of confession, but you can never know if you have perfect contrition such that your sins are forgiven. That’s why you must go to sacramental confession before receiving Holy Communion.