Receiving Absolution for Unrelated Sins, while Barred from Eucharist

[BTypical]

I am currently barred from receiving the Eucharist due to my marital situation (civilly remarried but still waiting on the annulment), and have been advised that this means I’m also barred from receiving absolution. That makes sense with respect to issues related to my marriage, but can someone explain to me why I’m also barred from receiving absolution for sins unrelated to my marriage?

As an example, confessing/requesting absolution for a sin related to something that happened at my job. I’m well aware that said absolution, if received, would not re-admit me to the Eucharist. But it would seem that the Church would want me to at least get that sort of thing settled while I’m working to resolve the other one.

TIA for your insights.

 

[IdaCatholic]

Because you can’t have partial absolution. You can’t be absolved of some sins but not others. You either are absolved of your sins and in a state of grace or you are not. I cannot be absolved of adultery and not absolved of murder.

 

[TheLittleLady]

Sit down and speak to your pastor. Ask about living together as brother and sister.

 

[BTypical]

Sit down and speak to your pastor. Ask about living together as brother and sister.

Not a possibility, and not related to my question. But thanks.

Because you can’t have partial absolution. You can’t be absolved of some sins but not others. You either are absolved of your sins and in a state of grace or you are not.

So the Church takes an all-or-nothing approach? That’s rather counterproductive, don’t you think? Because it basically means I can go out and do whatever I want right now since I’ll wipe it all away once the annulment comes through and I can confess/receive absolution for violating Church teaching on marriage. I’m sure that’s not what the Church would want…

 

[Fauken]

So the Church takes an all-or-nothing approach? That’s rather counterproductive, don’t you think?

Not really, considering that confession is the ordinary way to remove mortal sin from the soul and revive it from what is basically spiritual death. There is no half-dead half-alive state. Either the soul is still in mortal sin or it isn’t.

Because it basically means I can go out and do whatever I want right now since I’ll wipe it all away once the annulment comes through and I can confess/receive absolution for violating Church teaching on marriage. I’m sure that’s not what the Church would want…

It would only be to your detriment. Presumption is a mortal sin which you’d have to confess to receive absolution.

 

[BTypical]

It would only be to your detriment. Presumption is a mortal sin which you’d have to confess to receive absolution.

I personally don’t intend to. I’m thinking about others in my situation. The absurdity and difficulty of the annulment process already drives a lot of people away from the Church. It seems to me that banning them from absolution for ANYTHING, while they wait, would only drive more away.

 

[Elf01]

Quite honestly, as someone who’s going through the ban right now, it really does feel like my Baptism means nothing – no Eucharist, no absolution even when it’s unrelated, no participation in anything other than the Liturgy of the Word (which is open to everyone), etc., etc., etc.

Bluntly you’re putting your spouse before Jesus. Stop committing mortal sins and then you can be absolved.

 

[TheLittleLady]

Perhaps Rose Sweet’s ministry would have some things that help:

http://www.catholicsdivorce.com/Parish-Groups

 

[Tota_Tua1]

No, you cannot go out and commit sin that way - is a presumption of God’s forgiveness and mercy, sin piling onto sin…

 

[BTypical]

Bluntly you’re putting your spouse before Jesus. Stop committing mortal sins and then you can be absolved.

What does this judgmental statement have to do with my original question? Why is the Church refusing absolution for ALL sins because I happen to be guilty of one?

 

[IdaCatholic]

No. The purpose of reconciliation is to bring yourself in right relationship with God. To restore one to a state of grace. To do that you cant be in a state of sin. I cant punch you in the face and kick you in the shin and then reconcile with you for one and not the other. I know it is frustrating but you should really cut the Church some slack. She is incredibly merciful. People are messy. And the church knows this and serves this. But you cant go outside of the Church and make a mess and then complain when it takes a little time and effort to clean it up.

 

[BTypical]

But you cant go outside of the Church and make a mess and then complain when it takes a little time and effort to clean it up

Two to three years is not “a little time.” But I digress. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Horton]

If you are like most Catholics you are not out running around committing mortal sin after mortal sin. It’s actually difficult for many people to commit mortal sin. We receive absolution for our venial sins at every Mass.

The Church isn’t refusing you anything. You made some choices that caused your current state. You are working on rectifying the situation. God knows you and what you are doing, trust Him.

 

[Elf01]

What does this judgmental statement have to do with my original question?

I was pointing out some home truths that may be hard for you to hear, but I think you need to.

Jesus made it clear that he should come first. As long as you are not willing to put him first, you can’t be absolved.

 

[Anne1964]

In order for a priest to grant absolution you must have a firm purpose of amendment, meaning a clear intention to avoid sin. This is an integral part of confession.

Because you remarried without a declaration of nullity for your first marriage and you refuse to abstain from marital relations you are in a perpetual state of mortal sin.

No priest can give you absolution while you live in this state.

I was in a similar position when I returned to the Church and I had to wait until my marriage situation was corrected before I could go to confession and receive Communion.

Don’t blame the Church for a situation you created.

 

[LilyM]

I am currently barred from receiving the Eucharist due to my marital situation (civilly remarried but still waiting on the annulment), and have been advised that this means I’m also barred from receiving absolution. That makes sense with respect to issues related to my marriage, but can someone explain to me why I’m also barred from receiving absolution for sins unrelated to my marriage?

As an example, confessing/requesting absolution for a sin related to something that happened at my job. I’m well aware that said absolution, if received, would not re-admit me to the Eucharist. But it would seem that the Church would want me to at least get that sort of thing settled while I’m working to resolve the other one.

TIA for your insights.

Repentance and hence absolution is actually an al-or-nothing deal.

Someone who truly loves God is not really going to want, let alone intend, to keep on sinning in any way, great or small.

Someone who is sorry and has what we call a ‘firm.purpose of amendment’, but only for some of their sins, and not others, is not in a state of truly wanting to love.God with their whole.heart, mind, soul.and strength, which is what Our Lord says is the greatest commandment.

 

[mythbuster1]

If you wish to be reconciled to Christ and the Church, resolve to live as brother and sister until such time as you may lawfully marry, and then make a full Confession.

 

[Edmundus1581]

The question reflects a common and easy-to-make misunderstanding of the absolution granted at confession, namely that it is for the sins confessed.

This is why we get so many questions here about the situation of when a penitent hasn’t confessed all sins - are the omitted sins forgiven? (The answer is, in general, yes, unless he or she deliberately withheld a mortal sin).

The misunderstanding is also quite understandable, given the well known formula for confession - we confess our sins, and then the priest absolves them.

I thought this for many years myself, even after being received into the Church as an adult and participating regularly in the sacraments!

What is less well known is that the absolution isn’t of the confessed sins, but of the penitent. “I absolve you”. Even if his or her confession were objectively way off the mark, eg. years of a mortal sin not confessed, so long as he or she were sincere, they are still absolved. (But still obliged to confess said sins, when they come to mind later)

So, that’s the explanation (to the best of my limited ability) for why you can’t have a partial sacramental absolution. It’s in the nature of the sacrament. So while this can be a detriment, the flip side is that when we are absolved we know that we are truly absolved of everything.

Sit down and speak to your pastor. Ask about living together as brother and sister.

Or, just sit down and talk to your pastor. He may be able to offer some advice and consolation. But, a word of caution - different priests are more and less “by the book”. One may say “Either you’re Catholic or not”, while another may say “I’ll listen to the sins you want to confess”.

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This may be helpful

When Can a Non-Catholic Go to Confession?

Q: A close friend of mine was baptized in an evangelical church, but he plans to become a Catholic. But he has not yet been officially received into the Catholic Church because his evangelical fam…

canonlawmadeeasy.com

Applying it to this question: Some priests will receive a non-Catholic in confession, but you must be upfront about your situation (as I’m sure you would be), and sacramental absolution is not an option.

 

[Vico]

TheLittleLady:

Sit down and speak to your pastor. Ask about living together as brother and sister.

Not a possibility, and not related to my question. But thanks.

Because you can’t have partial absolution. You can’t be absolved of some sins but not others. You either are absolved of your sins and in a state of grace or you are not.

So the Church takes an all-or-nothing approach? That’s rather counterproductive, don’t you think? Because it basically means I can go out and do whatever I want right now since I’ll wipe it all away once the annulment comes through and I can confess/receive absolution for violating Church teaching on marriage. I’m sure that’s not what the Church would want…

You can gain no merit without the state of grace. Temporal punishments accumulate from all sins mortal or venial and penance is needed (or time in purgatory) to remove it. Sorrow for our sins should be interior, supernatural, universal, and sovereign. Universal: one can never have sanctifying grace and mortal sin in the soul at the same time.

Suppose that the contrition is perfect, then there must be the intention to avoid the near and voluntary occasion of sin. One sin is giving scandal (bad example) which can be given by one receiving Communion when people know about one not being married yet still living together as husband and wife.

Catechism

2000 Sanctifying grace is an habitual gift, a stable and supernatural disposition that perfects the soul itself to enable it to live with God, to act by his love. Habitual grace , the permanent disposition to live and act in keeping with God’s call, is distinguished from actual graces which refer to God’s interventions, whether at the beginning of conversion or in the course of the work of sanctification.

 

[Elf01]

In addition to all that has been said one unrepented mortal sin means hell if you die, so what’s the point of confessing when there is a sin you cannot confess?