*](It can help if you can give Father a heads-up as he leaves the confessional)
*]Attend the Mass
*]If you are in a state of mortal sin, do not receive communion
*]After Mass, ask Father to hear your confession and administer the Eucharist to you
Priests of my acquaintance generally seem willing to do this, if they have no other obligation on their time.
tee
Well, yes, I have heard of that, or similar – To my knowledge, there is no such thing as *temporary *absolution. And ordinarily, I do not believe the conditions are present to grant *general *absolution:Thanks, so you’ve never heard that father can give a temporary absolution for everyone that is left waiting and then they can attend Mass AND receive Holy Communion. Someone told me this and it didn’t sound right but wasn’t sure. Nothing was said about whether it was for only venial sin. Just that he can give temporary absolution…but after Mass everyone must see him for confession. Perhaps the person was referring to only venial sins. Thanks again
Can. 960 Individual and integral confession and absolution constitute the only ordinary means by which a member of the faithful conscious of grave sin is reconciled with God and the Church. Only physical or moral impossibility excuses from confession of this type; in such a case reconciliation can be obtained by other means.
teeCan. 961 §1. Absolution cannot be imparted in a general manner to many penitents at once without previous individual confession unless:
1/ danger of death is imminent and there is insufficient time for the priest or priests to hear the confessions of the individual penitents;
2/ there is grave necessity, that is, when in view of the number of penitents, there are not enough confessors available to hear the confessions of individuals properly within a suitable period of time in such a way that the penitents are forced to be deprived for a long while of sacramental grace or holy communion through no fault of their own. Sufficient necessity is not considered to exist when confessors cannot be present due only to the large number of penitents such as can occur on some great feast or pilgrimage.
§2. It belongs to the diocesan bishop to judge whether the conditions required according to the norm of §1, n. 2 are present. He can determine the cases of such necessity, attentive to the criteria agreed upon with the other members of the conference of bishops.
He should tell them to come back after Mass.Before mass we have confessions on Weds and Sat…when the priest cannot get to everyone and he is the only priest and must start Mass…what does he do with the penitents that are left waiting? I’ve never been in this situation and was wondering.
Those who are “standing in line” awaiting Confession before Mass most certainly have the intention and desire to confess. They are therefore not “ineligible” to receive Communion since the delay for Confession is not of their own making.Before mass we have confessions on Weds and Sat…when the priest cannot get to everyone and he is the only priest and must start Mass…what does he do with the penitents that are left waiting? I’ve never been in this situation and was wondering.