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

[maryjk]

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.

That study has been debunked so many times, it isn’t funny.

98% of Catholics at one time during their life used contraception.

I did.

That doesn’t mean that 98% of Catholics are CURRENTLY using contraception.

I’m not, and haven’t been for years.

 

[PaulinVA]

That study has been debunked so many times, it isn’t funny.

98% of Catholics at one time during their life used contraception.

That doesn’t mean that 98% of Catholics are CURRENTLY using contraception.

Mary, yes the 98% statistic was manipulated to show a high amount. However, no source, Catholic or secular, has shown a higher rate of NFP use than 2%.

So, you can add to the 2% NFP about 10 or 15% who are using no method (trying to achieve pregnancy or being “providential”) and those that are abstaining long term, but you aren’t going to get much past 20 or 25% who are using Church-approved methods or no method. Subtract from that people who have used birth control or were sterilized and are not repentant, and you still have a big chunk of Catholics not following the teaching on sexuality.

 

[hilde_the_dog]

I have seen, in addition to the Priest making an announcement, a written annoucement included or handed out with the program, sorry for the lack of the proper term.

Look some of this goes back to the poor catechisis. The other day I started a thread on the lack of teaching specific sins, especially related to sex, during homilies. That is the only time most people will get any instruction. This issue of improper reception of Communion falls into the same category. we need to teach the basics, and receiving in an unworthy manner is a serious situation. However, if they don’t know its a mortal sin its not a mortal sin for them. One could argue about culpable ignorance…

When oh when can the church teach about sin. God is love and merciful, but that not the end of the story.

A couple of years ago we had a priest visit our parish for an in parish retreat. He gave the homily at the masses before the retreat. It focused on Hell and judgement and sin. One of my sixth grade CCD kids told me, that homily scared him because he had never heard a homily like that before.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

There are a whole lot of Catholics who

1. Don’t believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist

and/or

1. Don’t believe there’s any such thing as mortal sin except maybe murder or extreme theft.

They think of the Eucharist as just “something we do,” maybe a symbol, but not the Holy Body and Blood of Jesus. Or, they think that nothing they do qualifies as a mortal sin.

Pray for them, and for the integrity of our Church!!! They are lukewarm Catholics and they dilute the beauty that is our Faith!!

 

[iloveangels]

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 they announce that the only people who should be receiving are baptized Catholics in a state of grace?

 

[iloveangels]

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

This is true. The statistics for Catholics with respect to birth control are almost identical to non-Catholics. The same thing holds true for abortions too. Also similar is the percentage engaging in euthanasia of the old, aka pulling the plug on granny.

 

[Julia_Mae]

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?

If it’s a matter of who is worthy to receive, none of us are going up, including the priest. I once heard a Bishop say about this issue: “Can’t hurt 'em; probably help 'em.” But I believe there is something in the Missalette about this, so, maybe that could be read or reprinted in a program. I personally don’t care.

 

[iloveangels]

If it’s a matter of who is worthy to receive, none of us are going up, including the priest. …

No, no. That’s the Calvinist take on worthiness.

The Church teaches that if you’re a baptized Catholic and you are in a state of grace, which means that all your mortal sins have been absolved in Confession, you may receive Holy Communion.

I believe that most missals have this written in the small print just inside the cover, but people probably don’t find that because they’re not looking for it. We need to take this seriously, pointing out the text or announcing the text before masses.

If we really believe what we say we believe, then political correctness doesn’t cut it anymore.

 

[Georgia]

My suggestion is closing your eyes in prayer when people are going to receive at a Mass that will have substantial participation by people who are not often there. It’s just better to keep those thoughts away.

 

[october_baby]

as a former protestant, I can say that the theogy of the Eucharist is what separates Catholics
from other faiths. It is up to each person to know the rules about receiving the
Eucharist. St. Paul warned us about taking the Eucharist unworthily.As a matter of fact,
some bishops have said that faithful should go to confession at least once a month.Also
St. Paul also warned that we should not be casual about taking the Eucharist. I mean,
if we believe the Eucharist is the ** actual body and blood** of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Should’t we be more seriuos about the Eucharist? If i’m not misteaken, the Eucharist is a sacrament. So IMHO, we should apporach the Eucharist as we would our lord and savior.

 

[iloveangels]

as a former protestant, I can say that the theogy of the Eucharist is what separates Catholics
from other faiths. It is up to each person to know the rules about receiving the
Eucharist. St. Paul warned us about taking the Eucharist unworthily.As a matter of fact,
some bishops have said that faithful should go to confession at least once a month.Also
St. Paul also warned that we should not be casual about taking the Eucharist. I mean,
if we believe the Eucharist is the ** actual body and blood** of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Should’t we be more seriuos about the Eucharist? If i’m not misteaken, the Eucharist is a sacrament. So IMHO, we should apporach the Eucharist as we would our lord and savior.

Easy to say. Many people don’t think about it with anything like that kind of education, earnestness and conscientiousness, October Baby.

I personally know non-Catholics who’ve told me they got in line and received just to see what it was like. That’s much more common during funerals, weddings and the like. “Participating” is generally seen by many people as taking part in the event whatever it is, wedding, funeral, baptism, whatever.

But, you know, most of these people haven’t really had any catechesis and a lot of them just don’t know any better. It won’t stop until we let them know what’s acceptable and what’s not. That’s why an announcement before mass is needed.

 

[maklavan]

Saint James asked," Who are you to judge others?" We do not have a window into people’s souls to discern who is in mortal sin. In our days, there are possibly millions of Catholics who are unaw are of the basic criteria for motal sin: grave matter, full consent and full knowledge. Therefore they might not have been in mortal sin,subjectively,when attending the funeral.The church itself has always taught that Catholics are only obliged to go to Reconciliation annually,and that where grave sins are acknowledged.

 

[iloveangels]

Saint James asked," Who are you to judge others?" We do not have a window into people’s souls to discern who is in mortal sin.

The Church has very clear teachings on this. The fact that we are sloppy doesn’t mitigate that fact. Although I have to remark that it may re-allocate the blame to us for being so incredibly sloppy about this.

In our days, there are possibly millions of Catholics who are unaw are of the basic criteria for motal sin: grave matter, full consent and full knowledge. Therefore they might not have been in mortal sin,subjectively,when attending the funeral.The church itself has always taught that Catholics are only obliged to go to Reconciliation annually,and that where grave sins are acknowledged.

It’s not only Catholics, it’s non-Catholics who show up at Christmas, Easter, Weddings and Funerals by the droves. Yes, they’re ignorant. They need to be informed of what they’re walking into when they get into the Communion line. They’re not only receiving the Body and Blood of Christ, they’re declaring in public their fealty to the Catholic Church. A lot of them, I’m pretty sure, don’t know that.

 

[Julia_Mae]

No, no. That’s the Calvinist take on worthiness…

“Lord, I am not worthy…” That’s the “Catholic take.” We say it at every Mass.

No human is worth a sideglance from God, much less His Son in the flesh. That’s as Catholic as it gets.

 

[iloveangels]

“Lord, I am not worthy…” That’s the “Catholic take.” We say it at every Mass.

No human is worth a sideglance from God, much less His Son in the flesh. That’s as Catholic as it gets.

No, that’s the Calvinist take on this if you’re serious about this theologically, and sentimentality if you’re not.

Trust me, if you are a baptized Catholic and you’re in a state of grace, you’re supposed to get into the Holy Communion line, just like you’re supposed to say your prayers and partake of the other Sacraments at the right times.

 

[peace2u2]

as a former protestant, I can say that the theogy of the Eucharist is what separates Catholics
from other faiths. It is up to each person to know the rules about receiving the
Eucharist. St. Paul warned us about taking the Eucharist unworthily.As a matter of fact,
some bishops have said that faithful should go to confession at least once a month.Also
St. Paul also warned that we should not be casual about taking the Eucharist. I mean,
if we believe the Eucharist is the ** actual body and blood** of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Should’t we be more seriuos about the Eucharist? If i’m not misteaken, the Eucharist is a sacrament. So IMHO, we should apporach the Eucharist as we would our lord and savior.

Yes, there are also many Catholics who don’t look upon the Eucharist as the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus.

With that said, today is the feast day of Saint Margaret Mary Alocoque. Jesus revealed Himself to her 3 times and said these words to her as he held out His heart to her:

“Behold this Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming itself, in order to testify its love. In return, I receive from the greater part only ingratitude, by their irreverence and sacrileges, and by the coldness and contempt they have for me in this sacrament of love… I come into the heart I have given you in order that through your fervor you may atone for the offenses which I have received from lukewarm and slothful hearts that dishonor me in the Blessed Sacrament”

She was choosen by Jesus to to show the world the love of God symbolized by the heart of Jesus. The Sacred Heart of Jesus Devotion is a beautiful prayer that perhaps we could all pray that the Holy Spirit lead those who lack reverence to the Blessed Sacrament to conversion:

O most holy heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore you, I love you, and with lively sorrow for my sins I offer you this poor heart of mine. Make me humble, patient, pure and wholly obedient to your will. Grant, Good Jesus, that I may live in you and for you. Protect me in the midst of danger. Comfort me in my afflictions. Give me health of body, assistance in my temporal needs, your blessing on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death. Amen.

The 12 Promises Our Lord Jesus Christ revealed to Saint Margaret Mary in favor of souls devoted to His Sacred Heart:

1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.
2. I will give peace in their families.
3. I will console them in all their troubles.
4. I will be their refuge in life and especially in death.
5. I will abundantly bless all their undertakings.
6. Sinners shall find in my Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Tepid souls shall become fervent.
8. Fervent souls shall rise speedily to great perfection.
9. I will bless those places wherein the image of
   My Sacred Heart shall be exposed and venerated.
10. I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.
11. Persons who propagate this devotion shall
    have their names eternally written in my Heart.
12. In the excess of the mercy of my Heart, I promise you that my all powerful love will grant to all those who will receive Communion on the First Fridays, for nine consecutive months, the grace of final repentance: they will not die in my displeasure, nor without receiving the sacraments; and my Heart will be their secure refuge in that last hour.

Peace

 

[TheRealJuliane]

“Lord, I am not worthy…” That’s the “Catholic take.” We say it at every Mass.

No human is worth a sideglance from God, much less His Son in the flesh. That’s as Catholic as it gets.

But that was an expression of humility from the Centurion, not a declaration that he wasn’t worthy of Jesus’ mercy on his servant. A subtle but important difference.

By that time in the Mass we have also done a General Confession and Absolution so we should be as ready as we can be.

 

[Stephentlig]

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?

Might I recommend St.John of the Cross - Dark night of the soul? Good book I think you would like, a bit deep but very good book.

 

[odile53]

I’d pray for them to be enlightened and informed about the Eucharist, and at a less emotionally charged time, if I could manage to do so in a pleasant, friendly, and helpful way, share with the non-Catholics what the Eucharist really means, and encourage the less devout Catholics to increase their devotion to the Church. And during communion, I’d try to keep my own attention focused on Jesus Himself, really present right there.

 

[acarlson]

I agree that maybe it *could *be good to mention the norms for receiving Communion.

But really, this shouldn’t be an issue for you; as you asked, I would say that, yes, you’re being unnecessarily judgmental. If you personally know the people, I would talk to them in private when emotions have calmed a bit. Otherwise, just pray for them and for yourself.