Sacrilegious Reception of Communion?

[Ascalon]

I committed a mortal sin multiple times over a period of time. A battled it for a while, and was mostly succeeding… until recently. Specifically: between my last Confession and now.

During this time of uncleanliness I continued to receive Communion. I never realized what I was doing. Then, a week before a scheduled Confession I realized that I had been receiving Communion sacrilegiously. I still received Communion that week.

Why? Because I go to Mass with my parents. If I hadn’t received Communion, they would have questioned me…

Question #1: Was that reception of Communion a mortal sin?

Question #2: Today is Christmas Eve. In approximately 4.5 hours I will attend Midnight Mass with my parents. What do I do? Receive Communion or not? (Read the first paragraph again) If not, what do I tell my parents?

Please, I need quick. Thanks.

 

[slywakka250]

Ill be receiving sacreligously as well tonight. I used to skip communion, but my parents were really bothered by it, and my family is more important than following church teaching for me. I choose to seek Jesus, and when I receive I say Lord, I don’t mean to offend. I don’t play this mortal sin game. God is love. Count your blessings. Don’t be stressed out about this. Walk in peace.

 

[Buck_Crosswhite]

You’re both committing mortal sin and making an enemy of God.

 

[Ascalon]

Ill be receiving sacreligously as well tonight. I used to skip communion, but my parents were really bothered by it, and my family is more important than following church teaching for me. I choose to seek Jesus, and when I receive I say Lord, I don’t mean to offend. I don’t play this mortal sin game. God is love. Count your blessings. Don’t be stressed out about this. Walk in peace.

No offense but… well… I’m not sure if I should listen to you. This kind of contradicts a lot of stuff I’ve been taught…

Since your the only answer so far, I guess I will follow your guidance unless someone else steps in… God help me.

p.s. I’m doing this because my parents might say,“What did he do? What’s up with him? Who did he kill?” (The last one was a joke.) I don’t know if they will understand or not… they are good people, but they are not super knowledgeable about the faith.

 

[Ascalon]

You’re both committing mortal sin and making an enemy of God.

Great, now I have two contradicting answers.

So… it is a mortal sin? So that one week I knowingly went to Communion in a state of mortal sin… is a mortal sin? And doing the same now is also a mortal sin?

 

[bmullins]

If I were in doubt, any doubt at all that I was supposed to be doing it… I’d refrain.

Sacred Scripture says:

Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord. But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of the chalice. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord.

Think about it, drinking it unworthily, is guilty of murdering Jesus himself. If I had a doubt in my mind there is no way I would receive it. As to what I would tell my parents, you have three options:

1. the truth
2. “I don’t want to talk about it right now.”
3. lie, which I don’t suggest.

 

[slywakka250]

No offense but… well… I’m not sure if I should listen to you. This kind of contradicts a lot of stuff I’ve been taught…

Since your the only answer so far, I guess I will follow your guidance unless someone else steps in… God help me.

p.s. I’m doing this because my parents might say,“What did he do? What’s up with him? Who did he kill?” (The last one was a joke.) I don’t know if they will understand or not… they are good people, but they are not super knowledgeable about the faith.

I just understand your difficulty. It makes me sad to hear you going through this. But no, dont listen to me. I’m very off of church teaching, I admit.

 

[Buck_Crosswhite]

If anyone asks you why you didn’t receive communion you should tell them to mind their own business. No one is supposed to ask.

 

[brikar]

Instead of receiving communion, cross your arms for a blessing. I can’t imagine that your parents would notice this,

 

[Luvtosew]

Yes walk up behind them, at least you won’t be commiting another sin or making up an excuse.

 

[rom422]

If you are conscious of having committed a mortal sin since your last worthy confession, then don’t receive Holy Communion. You must go to confession first. Otherwise, you will just commit another mortal sin:sacrilege.

Here is what I propose you to do:

Go to Church early and see if there is a priest available who can hear your confession before mass starts. If that is too late, and you have no opportunity of going to confession, then simply make an act of perfect contrition. When communion time comes, stay in your pew and make an act of spiritual communion. Tell Christ that you really want to receive Him sacramentally, but since you are unable to do that at this time, then request Him to come to you at least spiritually.

People (including your family members) might wonder why you did not stand up and go to the Communion line. But they really shouldn’t judge, because there are many possible reasons why a person does not go to communion. For example, we are supposed to observe the Eucharistic fast one hour before communion. If you had taken a snack or even ate a chewing gum within one hour before communion, then you have violated the Eucharistic fast and should not go to communion. Also, if you had attended an earlier mass and already received communion there, then you may not receive communion again for a second mass on the same day. So, you see, there are other reasons besides being in a state of mortal sin why people do not go to the communion line. Now, if any one is nosey enough to ask, then you could always say, “I prefer to go to confession first.” Or, “I have a doubt in my mind and would like to go to confession first.” Or, if you had eaten just before going to church, just tell them the truth: “I ate before coming to church.”

Whatever happens, no matter how embarrassing it might feel to you, NEVER ever go to communion if you are conscious of a mortal sin in your soul.

 

[domandcarols]

Ill be receiving sacreligously as well tonight. I used to skip communion, but my parents were really bothered by it, and my family is more important than following church teaching for me. I choose to seek Jesus, and when I receive I say Lord, I don’t mean to offend. I don’t play this mortal sin game. God is love. Count your blessings. Don’t be stressed out about this. Walk in peace.

You don’t “play this mortal sin game”? Then you’re not Catholic. How dare you advice a Catholic to commit a mortal sin. Praying for your soul.

You don’t have to tell your parents anything. It’s between you and God. Do not receive communion, if they ask say you’re in mortal sin. Leave it at that. Go to confession as soon as possible. God bless you, praying hard for you.

 

[Ascalon]

Thanks for all the help guys.

I liked one person’s idea: cross my arms and receive a blessing instead. Is that ok? Please respond within a short amount of time… two hours until we leave for Mass.

 

[LilyM]

Thanks for all the help guys.

I liked one person’s idea: cross my arms and receive a blessing instead. Is that ok? Please respond within a short amount of time… two hours until we leave for Mass.

Sure. If you go behind your parents they won’t see it.

 

[rom422]

Thanks for all the help guys.

I liked one person’s idea: cross my arms and receive a blessing instead. Is that ok? Please respond within a short amount of time… two hours until we leave for Mass.

I don’t particularly like the idea of going in the communion line but not actually receiving communion. What for?

I have an idea. Why don’t you just eat some solid food shortly before going to Church. Then you would have a valid excuse, plus it is fun. Let your parents be mad at you for violating the Eucharistic fast; at least it helps you buy the time you need to go to confession and avoid committing the sin of sacrilege.

If your parents get mad, say: “Merry Christmas!”, then smile.

 

[bmullins]

I have an idea. Why don’t you just eat some solid food shortly before going to Church. Then you would have a valid excuse, plus it is fun. .

A lot of these suggestions are just compounding the problem. Omission can be a sin as well. I don’t suggest you lie to your parents. Nor do I suggest you violate the communion fast which just compounds the problem, adding more to it. Anytime we think we are in the wrong, going out of our way to hide it is just making it even more serious.

Be honest. Tell the truth. Set up an appointment for confession. Just being present is participating in the mass, even if you don’t take the Eucharist. So don’t violate the rules to violate the rules you know?

 

[Skeptic92]

I committed a mortal sin multiple times over a period of time. A battled it for a while, and was mostly succeeding… until recently. Specifically: between my last Confession and now.

During this time of uncleanliness I continued to receive Communion. I never realized what I was doing. Then, a week before a scheduled Confession I realized that I had been receiving Communion sacrilegiously. I still received Communion that week.

Why? Because I go to Mass with my parents. If I hadn’t received Communion, they would have questioned me…

Question #1: Was that reception of Communion a mortal sin?

Question #2: Today is Christmas Eve. In approximately 4.5 hours I will attend Midnight Mass with my parents. What do I do? Receive Communion or not? (Read the first paragraph again) If not, what do I tell my parents?

Please, I need quick. Thanks.

1. Can be, receiving Holy Communion in a state of mortal sin is grave matter, and obviously receiving Communion, requires the intent to receive Communion, it’s all down to your knowledge and consent, did the person that received communion know what they were doing was wrong? If so, did they carry on doing it, even though they had full knowledge about the gravity of what they were doing.

I can not call the sin mortal, as I am not God, nor am I you, whether you have committed a Mortal Sin, is between you (and your conscience) and God, only you and God can answer that question

1. If you have not been to confession recently (go before Mass, ask the Priest (with plenty of time) if he can hear you confession) then DO NOT RECEIVE, especially if you know you are not in a state of grace, tell your parents you are not worthy to receive your Lord and your God at this time, if they inquire further, politely tell them, that is between you and God.

Also, if you had attended an earlier mass and already received communion there, then you may not receive communion again for a second mass on the same day.

Untrue, the faithful can receive Communion twice in one day usually, however Christmas the faithful is allowed to receive at all 3 Masses of Christmas (Midnight, Dawn & Daytime) if they are worthy to receive the Sacrament, I didn’t know this until earlier, when I asked my Priest, he had to check the exact rules for Christmas when I asked him, but the laity can receive twice normally, but 3 times at Christmas.

 

[rom422]

A lot of these suggestions are just compounding the problem. Omission can be a sin as well. I don’t suggest you lie to your parents. Nor do I suggest you violate the communion fast which just compounds the problem, adding more to it. Anytime we think we are in the wrong, going out of our way to hide it is just making it even more serious.

I don’t think I got your point here. What sin of omission are you talking about?

Also, you do not violate the communion fast if you are not receiving communion. So, eating something shortly before mass is a valid excuse for not going to communion, since you have not observed the required Eucharistic fast. However, I am thinking of this only as a temporary exigency. Ascalon should still go to confession ASAP so he/she could go to communion again.

That said, I also agree that telling the truth is an option.

Peace, and Merry Christmas!

 

[rom422]

Untrue, the faithful can receive Communion twice in one day usually, however Christmas the faithful is allowed to receive at all 3 Masses of Christmas (Midnight, Dawn & Daytime) if they are worthy to receive the Sacrament, I didn’t know this until earlier, when I asked my Priest, he had to check the exact rules for Christmas when I asked him, but the laity can receive twice normally, but 3 times at Christmas.

Actually I am not aware that you can receive communion twice normally, except perhaps on Saturday where you receive communion in the morning, and then another one at the Vigil mass for Sunday. Are you sure of this?

 

[Skeptic92]

Actually I am not aware that you can receive communion twice normally, except perhaps on Saturday where you receive communion in the morning, and then another one at the Vigil mass for Sunday. Are you sure of this?

Code of Canon Law Canon 917:

Can. 917 A person who has already received the Most Holy Eucharist can receive it a second time on the same day only within the eucharistic celebration in which the person participates, without prejudice to the prescript of ⇒ can. 921, §2.

Yeah, I’m sure