I was on a trip this past weekend and was not able to go to mass because there was not a Catholic church that I could find. I did find some Baptist churches about 50 miles from where I was visiting. When I went to mass this morning I did not receive communion because I did not go to church on Sunday and could not go to confession this morning. I was told by my priest that missing mass is a mortal sin and should not receive communion until I go to confession. What is the rules on this. Now I missed communion also. I feel really bad about this. Please help.
Missing Mass is a “grave sin.” Part of the Sunday (& Holy Day) obligation is to also abstain from such work or business that would inhibit the worship to be given to God,****the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, or the due relaxation of mind and body.
However, culpability for sin is linked to voluntariness, according to Catholic teaching (e.g. St. Thomas Aquinas). If what happened was not voluntary, then it did not meet all the conditions for a “mortal sin,” which are:
- Grave matter
- Full knowledge
- Perfect consent
As part of our examination of conscience, we all have to discern if there was voluntariness on our part in missing Mass. If so, it needs to be confessed. If not, it is not a mortal sin.
was not able to go to mass because there was not a Catholic church that I could find.
In my view, this doesn’t sound like it meets the “perfect consent” element of “mortal sin.” But that also depends upon why you placed yourself into a situation where you could not go to Mass on Sunday. Could it have been avoided? Was it a “grave reason?”
I was told by my priest that missing mass is a mortal sin and should not receive communion until I go to confession.
This is correct, if missing Mass was due to some voluntary neglect on your part or you had no other grave reason for missing Mass. However, unless all of the conditions of mortal sin are met, then it isn’t a mortal sin.
What is the rules on this. Now I missed communion also. I feel really bad about this. Please help.
You are not obliged to receive communion at every Mass. If you thought you committed a mortal sin, you did the right thing by not receiving communion.
However, remember what
St. Athanasius taught:
“***when someone falls from the Spirit through any wickedness—that grace indeed remains irrevocably with those ***who are willing to repent after such a fall.” (Discourses Against the Arians, 3, 24-25, ca. AD 358 )
With regard to Catholic teaching on missing Mass…
The
1983 Code of Canon Law states,
Can. 1247 On Sundays and other holydays of obligation, the faithful are obliged to assist at Mass. They are also to abstain from such work or business that would inhibit the worship to be given to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, or the due relaxation of mind and body.
Can. 1248 §1 The obligation of assisting at Mass is satisfied wherever Mass is celebrated in a catholic rite either on a holyday itself or on the evening of the previous day.
§2 If it is impossible to assist at a eucharistic celebration, either ***because no sacred minister is available ***or for some other grave reason, the faithful are strongly recommended to take part in a liturgy of the Word, if there be such in the parish church or some other sacred place, which is celebrated in accordance with the provisions laid down by the diocesan Bishop; or to spend an appropriate time in prayer, whether personally or as a family or, as occasion presents, in a group of families.
If you still believe that all conditions of mortal sin were met, then I recommend you go to confession.
