Should I not be receiving Communion?

[RGA123]

One of the sins that I find myself constantly confessing is owing time to my company that I got payed for. Going back about five years I took a week off when things were slow at work but it never was deducted from my vacation time. I didn’t say anything. I got another free week of vacation time when they switched our payroll system over to a new system and lost everyone’s sabbatical time. I got a week extra of sabbatical time even though I knew I had used it all up. Right now with the economy the way it is things are we are VERY slow. Not much to do except clean up and busy work that I wouldn’t be doing if we had orders. I’m also in between bosses so there is a lot of freedom there. I come in late, take long lunches, and leave early. When things are busy I do whatever it takes. It’s just when there’s not much to do that find it difficult to stick around. I keep confessing this in confession but I’m not making up any time or paying it back. It’s very difficult. Should I not be going to communion until I at least start paying this back?

 

[adrift]

One of the sins that I find myself constantly confessing is owing time to my company that I got payed for. Going back about five years I took a week off when things were slow at work but it never was deducted from my vacation time. I didn’t say anything. I got another free week of vacation time when they switched our payroll system over to a new system and lost everyone’s sabbatical time. I got a week extra of sabbatical time even though I knew I had used it all up. Right now with the economy the way it is things are we are VERY slow. Not much to do except clean up and busy work that I wouldn’t be doing if we had orders. I’m also in between bosses so there is a lot of freedom there. I come in late, take long lunches, and leave early. When things are busy I do whatever it takes. It’s just when there’s not much to do that find it difficult to stick around. I keep confessing this in confession but I’m not making up any time or paying it back. It’s very difficult. Should I not be going to communion until I at least start paying this back?

Talk to your confessor. No one here is in a position to advise you.

God Bless You

 

[LilyM]

One of the sins that I find myself constantly confessing is owing time to my company that I got payed for. Going back about five years I took a week off when things were slow at work but it never was deducted from my vacation time. I didn’t say anything. I got another free week of vacation time when they switched our payroll system over to a new system and lost everyone’s sabbatical time. I got a week extra of sabbatical time even though I knew I had used it all up. Right now with the economy the way it is things are we are VERY slow. Not much to do except clean up and busy work that I wouldn’t be doing if we had orders. I’m also in between bosses so there is a lot of freedom there. I come in late, take long lunches, and leave early. When things are busy I do whatever it takes. It’s just when there’s not much to do that find it difficult to stick around. I keep confessing this in confession but I’m not making up any time or paying it back. It’s very difficult. Should I not be going to communion until I at least start paying this back?

I agree that without knowing more about your situation it’s impossible to advise. For one thing, if it’s literally impossible for you to make up any of the time you took, that’s not your fault.

As for paying it back - what do you mean? Were you paid during this extra time off that you had? If so it should be a fairly simple process to figure out the money amount and pay that back, and then you’d be square.

If you weren’t paid for the time off then I don’t see how it matters either way. Most employees are paid to actually complete certain tasks, and not simply to spend x number of days or hours physically present at the office.

It would seem that you are one of that type of employee - hence your bosses and co-workers not (apparently) minding about long lunches and sticking around when there’s no work. Talk to them if you are worried about it being an issue, although I’m confident they would’ve told you already if it was.

Being in the situation that you’re in, like I said it’s about getting your assigned tasks done and not about hours you spend in the office. If you’ve done all that’s been asked of you, and your additional absence hasn’t impacted the company in terms of other people having to do any of your work, or work otherwise not getting done, then it isn’t a sin.

 

[ohioszo]

You might be in danger of losing your job. If that is the case, and you have a family to support, it could be very serious.

There are 2 things that I noticed: 1. Trying to find more business, good or bad? 2. Cleaning up files, good or bad?

One might add that it would be nice if you had family responsibilities that would consume those time offs. Maybe someone has assumed that you are unwell. Honesty is an important virtue.

One can’t sin against a company, only God, and other people. I certainly can understand why you haven’t brought it up, and, it may be that your company fails in not having a policy to follow. Have they been considerate of their employees? Do they have a place for employees to go to, like an exercise room for instance.

How you spend your free time, is important to God. Maybe you could do something for the church on those long lunches, like visiting the sick. Late in the morning because of Mass might be another thing that is possible, don’t you think?

The only other thing may be the level of stress that you are causing yourself, how it affects your health and your family.

 

[Highwayhound]

One of the sins that I find myself constantly confessing is owing time to my company that I got payed for. Going back about five years I took a week off when things were slow at work but it never was deducted from my vacation time. I didn’t say anything. I got another free week of vacation time when they switched our payroll system over to a new system and lost everyone’s sabbatical time. I got a week extra of sabbatical time even though I knew I had used it all up. Right now with the economy the way it is things are we are VERY slow. Not much to do except clean up and busy work that I wouldn’t be doing if we had orders. I’m also in between bosses so there is a lot of freedom there. I come in late, take long lunches, and leave early. When things are busy I do whatever it takes. It’s just when there’s not much to do that find it difficult to stick around. I keep confessing this in confession but I’m not making up any time or paying it back. It’s very difficult. Should I not be going to communion until I at least start paying this back?

Here is a link that might help:

catholic.org/prayers/confession.php

Photocopies of this were passed out to my students as we studied and prepared for confession last month.

Under examination of conscience, #7 and #9 seem to be the most relevant questions.

God bless