Noticed many people receive the Eucharist during a Funeral Mass who clearly were unworthy to receive

[robwar]

I noticed many family members (two who are non-catholics) and a number of other catholics who should not have received the Eucharist during a Funeral Mass last Saturday. How do I know this? I know family members and relatives who attend Mass maybe 2
/3 times a year. Another relative who is in an invalid marriage also received. A practicing homosexual also received. And with a packed church of at least 400 attendees, with many receiving Communion I can speculate that not a few of them were unworthy. Am I being judgemental? I hardly believe that most received the Sacrament of Reconciliation before receiving, since the Funeral Mass was early Saturday morning (Confessions are usually Saturday afternoons.)

The problem I believe is poor knowledge and non-catechized Catholics who do not understand the theology behind the Eucharist or its real meaning.

I feel that a simple announcement prior to Communion at Funerals (or other special occasions such as Easter or Christmas) should be made notifying the congregation that only practicing catholics in good standing should receive the Eucharist. Am i wrong here?

First of all, I am sorry about your loss. I think this is rather a common problem at things like weddings, funerals and even big masses such as Christmas and Easter. Seeing people go up to receive the body and blood of Christ who you know fairly certainly are not in good standing and proper dispose to do so is concerning. As some have mentioned some priests who also have concerns do make some kind of announcement at these types of masses but I think is it more rare than common. But when people do go to receive communion and they are not in proper state (mortal sin, not practicing etc) they end up only hurting themselves in the long run. They will have to answer to God about it. Plus the St. Paul comment in I Corinthians about receiving unworthily the body and blood of Christ can bring sickness and early death. Actually though, this is probably common even at a standard Sunday mass. I remember one homily one time by a priest that mentioned that he may have only 2-3 people come to confession before Saturday vigil mass that most all in attendance do come up to receive the Eucharist. He was trying to encourage people to come to confession first, examine themselves more closely and maybe not receive but come up for a blessing instead. (crossing arms in front). These types of homilies should be more common. Some of what you observed is due to lack of proper instruction. I am not an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist but from what I have been told is that they are instructed to never refuse the Eucharist to anyone even if you have personal knowledge about their life and practice. Probably the best thing might be to speak to the priest that did the mass about what you observed and ask about his view from what he sees. This is a complex problem. Another homily I heard once was from a priest telling about the time he refused communion to a young women because she went up but did not say or know what to say when receiving. His comment was that he wished more priests had the gut to do this. I think if more priests spoke about this from the pulpit, we would end up better educated about the proper disposition to receive the Eucharist.
I think this is the key. There is a balance between judgement of others and the desire to see the sanctity of the Eucharist respected and honored.

 

[Rich_C]

During communion just keep your head down and your eyes shut. It is not your responsibility to determine who should receive.

You can do a few things though. When arrangements are being made for the next family funeral, ask the priest to offer confession during the wake or just before Mass. Also ask him to make an announcement.

Always encourage your family - cheerfully and charitably - to return to the sacraments.

Pray for your family every day and offer some reparation for their sins. It is by prayer and fasting that we win over the devil.

This would be a really good way to deal with it. It’s hard to accept that we can’t prevent it, but we can pray for our priests and for conversions.

To those who call the OP judgmental: I disagree. God gave us reason, and we can judge other’s actions to be gravely sinful. It is not discerning the state of their soul to say that people who openly commit grave sin shouldn’t be receiving Holy Communion. It’s just calling a spade a spade.

If we’re not their superior or a competent authority then maybe all we can do is pray for those poor people but we don’t need to bury our heads in the sand, as if that were more “Christ-like.”

 

[Rich_C]

And OP, I’m sorry for your loss. May he rest in peace.

 

[HelenRose]

I noticed many family members (two who are non-catholics) and a number of other catholics who should not have received the Eucharist during a Funeral Mass last Saturday. How do I know this? I know family members and relatives who attend Mass maybe 2
/3 times a year. Another relative who is in an invalid marriage also received. A practicing homosexual also received. And with a packed church of at least 400 attendees, with many receiving Communion I can speculate that not a few of them were unworthy. Am I being judgemental? I hardly believe that most received the Sacrament of Reconciliation before receiving, since the Funeral Mass was early Saturday morning (Confessions are usually Saturday afternoons.)

The problem I believe is poor knowledge and non-catechized Catholics who do not understand the theology behind the Eucharist or its real meaning.

I feel that a simple announcement prior to Communion at Funerals (or other special occasions such as Easter or Christmas) should be made notifying the congregation that only practicing catholics in good standing should receive the Eucharist. Am i wrong here?

Our priest makes an announcement before Communion during a Funeral Mass. He does this with kindness and it is a very good idea.

It is troubling when we see someone accept the Precious Body and Blood of our Savior when we know that they probably shouldn’t. We worry about their souls and we are concerned that at times there may be a real disregard to the importance of this most wonderful of gifts.

I believe that the best way to think about this is with an abundance of love for each person. Sometimes there is serious sin involved - for instance if a person deliberately partakes in defiance of the Church’s law. But, most of the time it is simple ignorance. Let God make the judgement as to their culpability of sin.

Pray that the the Holy Spirit will touch their souls that they can understand how precious this is. We can not know where the journey of another person’s soul is taking them - it is possible this is their final step before comprehending the love of Christ. Each soul of each sinner is precious to God. We will never be able to criticize a soul into the Church but it is possible that we may be able to love them into the Church.

Let each one of us learn how to love so much that our love may somehow show other souls the greater and infinitely more wonderful love of Christ.

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

I’m not being judgmental, just making observations and reporting about what I perceive is blasphemous. To put it as simply as possible, I know for a hundred percent certainty that certain relatives haven’t attended mass in months, even years yet waltze up to receive the Eucharist oblivious to church teaching on the matter. As a practicing catholic, I cringe to witness that. It’s a shame that some Catholics do not know that’s it’s a mortal sin to miss Mass nor to receive Communion not in a state of grace

Even when announcements are made…and there is plenty of teaching it still happens. I know for a fact that my father is in an invalid marriage…and that he knows it…and yet he still goes up to receive. I just pray for his reconciliation with God…

 

[ConstantineTG]

And OP, I’m sorry for your loss. May he rest in peace.

May his memory be eternal!

 

[1AugustSon7]

John 6:[37] All that the Father giveth to me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me, I will not cast out. [38] Because I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. [39] Now this is the will of the Father who sent me: that of all that he hath given me, I should lose nothing; but should raise it up again in the last day. [40] And this is the will of my Father that sent me: that every one who seeth the Son, and believeth in him, may have life everlasting, and I will raise him up in the last day.

Our Lord said this in the context of His great Eucharistic discourse (John chapter 6). We gather from it that ultimately it’s the individual’s responsibility to not receive communion when he or she is unworthy for whatever reason; of course, it’s the Church’s duty to make sure we know when we may or may not worthily receive communion.

There can be exceptions, however, at the Church’s discretion: e.g., in the case of notorious public sinners because they are causing scandal :

Matt. 18:[6] But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea. [7] Woe to the world because of scandals. For it must needs be that scandals come: but nevertheless woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh. [8] And if thy hand, or thy foot scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to go into life maimed or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire. [9] And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee having one eye to enter into life, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

I noticed many family members (two who are non-catholics) and a number of other catholics who should not have received the Eucharist during a Funeral Mass last Saturday. How do I know this? I know family members and relatives who attend Mass maybe 2
/3 times a year. Another relative who is in an invalid marriage also received. A practicing homosexual also received. And with a packed church of at least 400 attendees, with many receiving Communion I can speculate that not a few of them were unworthy. Am I being judgemental? I hardly believe that most received the Sacrament of Reconciliation before receiving, since the Funeral Mass was early Saturday morning (Confessions are usually Saturday afternoons.)

The problem I believe is poor knowledge and non-catechized Catholics who do not understand the theology behind the Eucharist or its real meaning.

I feel that a simple announcement prior to Communion at Funerals (or other special occasions such as Easter or Christmas) should be made notifying the congregation that only practicing catholics in good standing should receive the Eucharist. Am i wrong here?

 

[PJM]

=blaskoman;9895982]I noticed many family members (two who are non-catholics) and a number of other catholics who should not have received the Eucharist during a Funeral Mass last Saturday. How do I know this? I know family members and relatives who attend Mass maybe 2
/3 times a year. Another relative who is in an invalid marriage also received. A practicing homosexual also received. And with a packed church of at least 400 attendees, with many receiving Communion I can speculate that not a few of them were unworthy. Am I being judgemental? I hardly believe that most received the Sacrament of Reconciliation before receiving, since the Funeral Mass was early Saturday morning (Confessions are usually Saturday afternoons.)

The problem I believe is poor knowledge and non-catechized Catholics who do not understand the theology behind the Eucharist or its real meaning.

I feel that a simple announcement prior to Communion at Funerals (or other special occasions such as Easter or Christmas) should be made notifying the congregation that only practicing catholics in good standing should receive the Eucharist. Am i wrong here?

DID THE PRIEST explain before Mass or before Holy Communion; who could; and who may not receive?

IF NOT, then he ought to have done so to avoid the possibility of that issue.

Unlesss their was a pre-determined intent to Blasphame our Lord; no sin, other than possibly some level of cupible-ignorance would seem to exist.

Most Weddings and Funerals Do HAVE this practice.

 

[Monica4316]

While I agree with others that no one is truly worthy to receive Communion, it’s also the teaching of the Church that a person in a state of grace may receive, while a person who is not in a state of grace, must not receive.

The OP is supposing that many there were not in a state of grace for various reasons. This could or could not be, I guess we can’t really know… I mean it depends if they have indeed gone to Confession. Maybe it’s best to not assume anything since we dont’ know for sure.

What I’d say is that… I totally understand the concern. It must be painful to watch if someone receives Communion if there is reason to think they might not be in a state of grace. I think maybe the only thing we can do is simply pray and focus on ourselves receiving Communion, cause we really can’t do anything about this situation… the priest could make an announcement… but we can’t really do anything except pray. If you know someone well, maybe you can tell them before/after about the Church teaching, but without condemning them, maybe they just don’t know? But this has to be done really charitably and kindly. I’m not really sure what else could be done.

I think it’s best to focus on ourselves receiving - sometimes it’s best to just close your eyes and pray through the whole Mass, not looking at others - because that way we’re not tempted to uncharitable thoughts. For example, in any given parish there might be people receiving unworthily, or there might be people dressed really immodestly, etc - that could be a real distraction and even become a temptation! It’s best to just pray and not look around you. If you saw someone you know might not be in a state of grace and they are receiving, try to hope that they went to Confession (so don’t assume…), but if you are really concerned, just pray for them. Don’t judge them, but I’m not saying that this is not important either: clearly it’s a very serious issue. And maybe many people just don’t know the Church’s teaching.

Often the best approach though is to just pray and not look around yourself at all

 

[MJE]

I don’t think the OP was being judgmental. I typically keep my head down when I return to my pew but you see people from the time you stand up til you receive.
Pray for these “clueless” people remembering we have all offended God.
And we have all been the beneficiary of someone else’s prayers.

 

[ProVobis]

Moreover, the funeral mass was for my father- may he rest in peace!

Sorry for your loss.

 

[Celticnovice]

I totally agree that an announcement should be made beforehand. Perhaps some of these people didn’t even realize (the non-Catholics) that they weren’t supposed to receive. During a time of grief, people’s minds may not be thinking clearly in the first place.

Second, allow their worthiness to receive the Eucharist to be judged by God and not by you.

This.

I’m sorry for your loss and may your Father’s memory be eternal!

 

[marthagreys]

Speaking of confession, have you gone yet for being judgemental, causing scandal, and pretending to know the souls of 400 people when you should have been focusing on mass? Also, how much time have you spent praying for these people? Remember, the Bible says for each one to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling - not for you to work out their salvation for them.Maybe a rosary for all of them that you don’t feel were worthy?

 

[Cat]

Speaking of confession, have you gone yet for being judgemental, causing scandal, and pretending to know the souls of 400 people when you should have been focusing on mass? Also, how much time have you spent praying for these people? Remember, the Bible says for each one to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling - not for you to work out their salvation for them.Maybe a rosary for all of them that you don’t feel were worthy?

Ouch! This is a good reminder for me, too! Thanks for speaking up.

 

[PaulinVA]

Speaking of confession, have you gone yet for being judgmental, causing scandal, and pretending to know the souls of 400 people when you should have been focusing on mass? Also, how much time have you spent praying for these people? Remember, the Bible says for each one to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling - not for you to work out their salvation for them.Maybe a rosary for all of them that you don’t feel were worthy?

Yes, I have confessed being judgmental, but that is beside the point. Polls show that the people beside us at Mass, when asked by a third party polling organization, admit to* unrepentant* (heretical) behaviors/beliefs that make them unworthy of receiving Holy Communion.

Well, these people have real implications for the Church. To gloss over this terrible problem means that it is not being addressed.

 

[april32010]

Well, since we know that most Catholics of a certain age that go to Church regularly are using artificial birth control or are sterilized, a funeral Mass really isn’t the big deal, is it?

The problem is that many Catholics simply don’t believe, and are cultural Catholics at best.

no. we don’t know that.

 

[PaulinVA]

no. we don’t know that.

Yes, we do. A recent Gallup Poll shows that 82% of Catholics think that artificial birth control is “morally acceptable”.

 

[april32010]

Yes, we do. A recent Gallup Poll shows that 82% of Catholics think that artificial birth control is “morally acceptable”.

did they poll every Catholic, and where ? San Francisco,lower east side New York. how many did they poll? the guttmacher poll showing the same results has shown to be flawed ,why not this one?

 

[PaulinVA]

did they poll every Catholic,and where ? San Francisco,lower east side New York. how many did they poll? the guttmacher poll showing the same results has shown to be flawed ,why not this one?

You are grasping at straws. We know that only 2% of Catholic couples use NFP - what do you think the others are doing? Or do you think the 2% is grossly underreported?

It’s a bitter pill to swallow to realize that, in this area, Catholics do not follow Church teaching.

 

[ProVobis]

During the mass, don’t you say “Lord, I*** am not worthy that you should enter under my roof***, but only say the words and my soul shall be healed” as well?

This is a beautiful statement of faith.

However, it doesn’t forgive your sins.