Not Recieving Holy Communion During Easter Time - Mortal Sin?

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From the Code of Canon Law:
Can. 920 ß1 Once admitted to the blessed Eucharist, each of the faithful is obliged to receive holy communion at least once a year.
ß2 This precept must be fulfilled during paschal time, unless for a good reason it is fulfilled at another time during the year.
From EWTN:
WE give the name of Paschal Time to the period between Easter
Sunday and the Saturday following Whit Sunday.
Whit Sunday is the old name for Pentecost Sunday. So one has all the way from Easter to the Saturday following Pentecost to receive Holy Communion. He can still fulfill his obligation on any of those days, if he is unable to fulfill it on Easter Sunday.
 
what is the reason for not receiving? illness? prolonged residence in an area without a Catholic Church? if it is deliberate, willful disobedience with full knowledge and consent, yes it is a sin. For instance, a person refused to abandon a habitual sin and confess it, so he does not receive communion, so not receiving once a year is an added sin.
 
What if someone doesn’t recieve the Eucharist during Easter time because they have a mortal sin, will they be obliged *to confess *and recieve in this time?

Thanks and God bless
 
What if someone doesn’t recieve the Eucharist during Easter time because they have a mortal sin, will they be obliged *to confess *and recieve in this time?

Thanks and God bless
If you are in a state of Mortal sin you are always obliged to confess regardless of what the season is.
 
What if someone doesn’t recieve the Eucharist during Easter time because they have a mortal sin, will they be obliged *to confess *and recieve in this time?

Thanks and God bless
You have to confess prior to receiving if you have a mortal sin on your soul at any time. But I hope.you knew that already
 
“A. We are bound to receive Holy Communion, under pain of mortal sin, during the Easter time and when in danger of death.”

Danger of death? That can have a very broad definition, it seems. What if you’re diagnosed with heart disease, for example?
 
In former times, Baltimore Catechism times, the time for receiving ran from the first Sunday of Lent through Trinity Sunday. I think the inclusion of Lent was peculiar to the U.S. It gave extra time in consideration of the difficulty of getting to mass in many areas

Does any one know when/if that changed?
 
I must confess that opened my eyes a little too. I had always thought the Easter duty meant receiving sometime between Ash Wednesday through Trinity Sunday. How did I miss the changes?
 
What if someone doesn’t recieve the Eucharist during Easter time because they have a mortal sin, will they be obliged *to confess *and recieve in this time?

Thanks and God bless
we are obliged to confess our mortal sins once a year, and to receive communion during the Easter season. This is what we used to call “our Easter duty” and comes from the days when frequent communion was not the norm.

Yes if you consider yourself a Catholic you have to do both, Lent is a perfect time for contrition, confession and penance, and in fact, that is its purpose.

We are also obliged to address and amend those areas of life that represent habitual sin or “lifestyles” as they say now.

Yes the definition of “Easter Season” is very broad and includes Lent.
 
In former times, Baltimore Catechism times, the time for receiving ran from the first Sunday of Lent through Trinity Sunday. I think the inclusion of Lent was peculiar to the U.S. It gave extra time in consideration of the difficulty of getting to mass in many areas

Does any one know when/if that changed?
Here in Oz it’s always been and still is from Ash Wednesday through to Trinity Sunday.
 
2005 Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
“The five precepts of the Church: …
3. You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.”

(See Compendium vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html it is near the end, the 5th list from the end.)

I struggle to understand how people can think Lent is part of the Easter season. The Easter season is from the Easter Sunday to Pentecost, the year from Sunday 23 March 2008 to 11 May 2008.

From the Compendium: “395. When does one commit a mortal sin?
One commits a mortal sin when there are simultaneously present: grave matter, full knowledge, and deliberate consent. This sin destroys charity in us, deprives us of sanctifying grace, and, if unrepented, leads us to the eternal death of hell. It can be forgiven in the ordinary way by means of the sacraments of Baptism and of Penance or Reconciliation.”
 
“A. We are bound to receive Holy Communion, under pain of mortal sin, during the Easter time and when in danger of death.”

Danger of death? That can have a very broad definition, it seems. What if you’re diagnosed with heart disease, for example?
“danger of death” in this circumstance is in reference to viaticum and the last rites. If a priest visits you at your deathbed, you can’t turn him away.
 
what is the reason for not receiving? illness? prolonged residence in an area without a Catholic Church? if it is deliberate, willful disobedience with full knowledge and consent, yes it is a sin. For instance, a person refused to abandon a habitual sin and confess it, so he does not receive communion, so not receiving once a year is an added sin.
Of course if someone is in an area without a Catholic Church, then it wouldn’t be a mortal sin if the person didn’t have an opportunity to complete their Easter duty.

But the rule also reflects the not so distant past, where most Catholics at mass didn’t receive communion each week, but often only a few times per year. This was due to a more stringent requirements re: fasting, a more acute sense of mortal sin and other factors. Before the reign of Pius X, it is my understanding that Catholics usually had to get advance permission from the priest before they could receive communion.This rule provides a minimum which Catholics are to abide by.
 
““danger of death” in this circumstance is in reference to viaticum and the last rites. If a priest visits you at your deathbed, you can’t turn him away.”

No way I’d turn him away. I’d want him to hear my confession as well.
 
Could someone please clarify, do we just have to recieve communion once a year, or do we have to recieve during easter time?
 
Here seems to be a valid source:

According to the New Catholic Dictionary, Easter Duty means:

“The obligation of members of the Catholic Church to approach the Sacrament of Penance, if in a state of sin, once a year, and also of receiving the Holy Eucharist, as a mark of fidelity to membership, and under penalty of exclusion from it and all rights as a Catholic. The prescribed time for fulfilling the Easter duty extends: from the first Sunday of Lent to Trinity Sunday, in the United States; from Ash Wednesday to Low Sunday, in England; from Ash Wednesday to the octave of Saint Peter and Saint Paul (6 July), in Ireland; from the first Sunday of Lent to the octave of the Ascension, in Scotland, or in some places to Low Sunday. One may follow the direction of his priest judging it proper for him to abstain for some time, but the precept binds even after the time has expired and is not fulfilled by an unworthy communion. It is recommended that the Paschal communion be received in one’s own rite and in one’s parish church and if received elsewhere one’s pastor should be informed of the fact.”

catholic-forum.com/saints/ncd02910.htm
 
Here is what the official documents have. I find them confusing on this point.

Code of Canon Law, canon 920: “§1. All the faithful, after they have been initiated into the Most Holy Eucharist, are bound by the obligation of receiving Communion at least once a year.
§2 This precept must be fulfilled during the Easter season unless it is fulfilled for a just cause at some other time during the year.”

Catechism of the Catholic Church: “1389 The Church obliges the faithful to take part in the Divine Liturgy on Sundays and feast days and, prepared by the sacrament of Reconciliation, to receive the Eucharist at least once a year, if possible during the Easter season.[footnote 224: Cf. … CIC, can. 920.]”

Catechism of the Catholic Church: “2042 … The third precept (“You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season”) guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord’s Body and Bloodd in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and centre of the Christian Liturgy. [footnote 84: Cf. CIC, can. 920; CCEO, cann. 708; 881 §3]. …”.

Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “431. What purpose do the precepts of the Church have? … The five precepts of the Church are meant to guarantee for the faithful the indispensable minimum in the spirit of prayer, the sacramental life, moral commitment and growth in love of God and neighbor.
432. What are the precepts of the Church? … They are: … 3) to receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season;”

Compendium:
“**290. When must one receive Holy Communion? **
1389
The Church recommends that the faithful, if they have the required dispositions, receive Holy Communion whenever they participate at Holy Mass. However, the Church obliges them to receive Holy Communion at least once a year during the Easter season.”
 
““danger of death” in this circumstance is in reference to viaticum and the last rites. If a priest visits you at your deathbed, you can’t turn him away.”

No way I’d turn him away. I’d want him to hear my confession as well.
I once heard, from another priest, of a priest we both knew who was turned away by a dying man. The priest just sat down and looked at him. He finally asked why the priest was watching him. The priest replied, " I have often heard people tell others to go to hell. However, I never had the chance to actually watch someone go before."

The dying man promptly requested that his Confession be heard. 👍
 
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