Sacramental Graces

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Brain

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  1. is it corect that if one is in a state of mortal sin when they recive a sacrament (with the exception of sacraments that remit sin), the graces are “put on hold” until they recover the state of grace? but after that the graces remain with us forever (this is what my confirmation teacher told us years back)
  2. If a man is ordained in a state of sin, does he gain the sacrodonal powers anyway or must he regain the state of grace first? I am aware that when he preforms a sacrament it is by the act not the worthiness of the minister, but i am talking initially right after ordination. (i know this is highly unlikly, as in 9 years of prep the man just might have realized the value of regular confession)
 
Brain said:
1. is it corect that if one is in a state of mortal sin when they recive a sacrament (with the exception of sacraments that remit sin), the graces are “put on hold” until they recover the state of grace? but after that the graces remain with us forever (this is what my confirmation teacher told us years back)
  1. If a man is ordained in a state of sin, does he gain the sacrodonal powers anyway or must he regain the state of grace first? I am aware that when he preforms a sacrament it is by the act not the worthiness of the minister, but i am talking initially right after ordination. (i know this is highly unlikly, as in 9 years of prep the man just might have realized the value of regular confession)
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I’ll take a stab at this.
  1. If one recieves a sacrament in the state of grave sin, if it is Communion, not only are graces “suspended”, but the sinner has just expounded the sin greatly. To recieve the sacraments in a state of mortal sin is a mortal sin in and of itself. God has no problem with “double jeopardy”…our consciences and decisions are our own. However, by understanding the sin, making a firm purpose of amendment and following through with the sacrament of Confessions, the sins are wiped away and the previously witheld graces are “established”. The Lord is merciful…he holds us accountable, but he is merciful when we seek his mercy.
  2. If a priest is ordained while in the state of mortal sin, he is still a priest. He has committed a mortal sin and must confess both the grave sins causing his state at the time of ordination and also confess that he was not in a state of grace when ordained.
Now, whatever graces go with ordination are withheld but that is not to say that the man is not a priest.

I can give an example…I believe, in thinking back, that I was in a state of mortal sin upon my own Confirmation. I was still Confirmed and this cannot be undone. However, once I finally went to confession, the graces of Confirmation were then bestowed upon me so when I was “back”, I was really BACK and finally home.

It is the same with ordination. It’s the same if the priest is in a state of mortal sin himself but by virtue of his authority, he is still able to absolve others…the state of his own soul does not remit his God-given authority if he continues in his work in good faith.

I hope that helps. And if I said anything incorrectly or incompletely, forgive me…and someone please fill in the spaces that maybe I did not explain so well.

or got wrong…I’m wrong or mis-informed sometimes. 😛 :o
 
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