Should I stop going to Mass?

[Jonah]

i get more aggrivated when i see people who dont take the eucharist. why would you come to mass and not recieve communion, is there a point?

I don’t know if this is allowed but I copied this from another board. I thought it was a good question.

I am one of those that do no receive communion. I use to wonder why people didn’t receive, but I think some are very personal and legit reasons.

Correct me if I’m wrong but in that little Rosary Book, when Mary appeared to St Domonic; did she say that one should not go to Mass if under mortal sin?

Should I stop going to Mass?

 

[thistle]

Jonah:

I don’t know if this is allowed but I copied this from another board. I thought it was a good question.

I am one of those that do no receive communion. I use to wonder why people didn’t receive, but I think some are very personal and legit reasons.

Correct me if I’m wrong but in that little Rosary Book, when Mary appeared to St Domonic; did she say that one should not go to Mass if under mortal sin?

Should I stop going to Mass?

You cannot receive Communion while in a state of mortal sin but not only can you still go to Mass but you are obliged to attend Sunday Mass even if not taking Communion. Deliberately not attending Sunday Mass is in irslef a mortal sin.
Why don’t you go to confession then you will also be able to receive.

 

[Jonah]

I’m not going to stop going to Mass. I also understand the the Eucharist is the purpose of Mass.

I have read that one should not attend Mass when in mortal sin. I think it was in that Rosary book.

I should go to confession…I should.

 

[thistle]

Jonah:

I’m not going to stop going to Mass. I also understand the the Eucharist is the purpose of Mass.

I have read that one should not attend Mass when in mortal sin. I think it was in that Rosary book.

I should go to confession…I should.

You must have misread that because its not correct.
Even in a state of mortal sin you must still go to Mass. Of course you should go to Confession as soon as possible so that you can also take Communion.

 

[Jonah]

It has been years since it read that little book. I could have misread it. It did make an impact on me that’s why I remember it. Of course at the time I WAS receiving communion.

However, my line of thinking was this, if someone is in mortal sin and then doesn’t go to mass commits another mortal sin. If they were to die … well you get the picture… we are taught that mortal sin is a deadly sin… so what difference does it make how many mortal sins you add on when ONE will send you to hell?..

 

[thistle]

Jonah:

It has been years since it read that little book. I could have misread it. It did make an impact on me that’s why I remember it. Of course at the time I WAS receiving communion.

However, my line of thinking was this, if someone is in mortal sin and then doesn’t go to mass commits another mortal sin. If they were to die … well you get the picture… we are taught that mortal sin is a deadly sin… so what difference does it make how many mortal sins you add on when ONE will send you to hell?..

That’s a copout using one mortal sin to justify committing others. Where is the sense in that? Instead you should be getting rid of the sin you have rather than compounding it.

 

[puzzleannie]

If someone has lung cancer caused by smoking and is mortally ill, how much damage will each additional cigarette do? If a diabetic has a massive sugar spike from drinking one soda, and is perilously near danger, how much damage will each additional soda do?

Each additional mortal sin drives us further away from God, and reinforces our original free will choice to disobey God, and makes it even harder to respond to promptings of the Holy Spirit to return to a state of grace. Anyone who has been trapped in a habitual mortal sin, such as living in adultery or using artificial contraception, knows this is true. they have learned over time to excuse their sin to the extent they no longer admit it is wrong, and seldom if ever think of confessing and stopping the behavior.

regardless of where you read it, or heard it, it is not a sin to attend Mass in a state of mortal sin, although it is a sin to receive holy communion until you confess and receive absolution. You are by your own statement receiving the prompt to go to confession, so call your priest as soon as his office opens and make an appointment, or go to the church in your area that has daily confessions.

 

[Jonah]

I agree that one should not add sin upon sin. I believe that one should not abuse the sacraments.

Mortal sin does separate from God, but it only takes one mortal sin to do that. It only takes one mortal sin to go to hell.

I haven’t stopped going to Mass nor do I find myself eager to commint additional mortal sins.

 

[ElizabethAnne]

Jonah:

I agree that one should not add sin upon sin. I believe that one should not abuse the sacraments.

Mortal sin does separate from God, but it only takes one mortal sin to do that. It only takes one mortal sin to go to hell.

I haven’t stopped going to Mass nor do I find myself eager to commint additional mortal sins.

But more sins separate one further from God, making it harder to hear Him and draw near to Him again.

I don’t understand what you are trying to say. Are you going to Mass, not receiving communion but not confessing a mortal sin? In this case I would urge you to go to confession as soon as possible and receive God’s forgiveness.

God bless you.

 

[Jabronie]

thistle:

That’s a copout using one mortal sin to justify committing others. Where is the sense in that? Instead you should be getting rid of the sin you have rather than compounding it.

I wouldn’t call it out copout. I’d call it a tempation. I once said in confession that it seems I have no trouble going a week or two without committing any of my usual sins, but as soon as I fall, the rest of the sins just seem to fall into place.

The priest told me that that is one of the ways Satan works; through that little voice in your head saying, “Well, you’ve already committed one sin. You’ve got nothing to lose by committing another.”

 

[tjmiller]

Receiving Holy Communion is not the only reason to go to Mass. It is not even the primary reason to go to Mass. While I waited to be formally received into the Church as a protestant convert, I attended daily Mass for nearly 9 months , but was unable to receive Communion.

Remember that until recently (in “Church time”), daily Communion was not permitted - but plenty of devout Catholics went to daily Mass anyway. The purpose of attending Mass is to be present at Christ’s Sacrifice on the Cross made present on the altar, and to offer him, through the priest’s oblation, in propitiation to the Father. The purpose is to offer God our contrition, petitions, worship, praise, and thanks, together with Christ’s Mystical Body the Church. :bowdown:

From a selfish perspective, a reason to participate is also that one receives grace through all of the actions of the Mass (just not as fully and efficaciusly as one would with Communion). :getholy: One receives grace through the prayers of the priest and the people, one receives grace and truth through listening to the proclamation and explanation of God’s word among His people. :bible1: Etc., etc.

Remember above all that, because of the priest’s sacrificial offering of Christ’s true, real and substantial presence in the Blessed Sacrament, each Mass is an act of **supreme and infinite value ** - even if one does not receive Communion.

 

[BryPGuy89]

Jonah:

I don’t know if this is allowed but I copied this from another board. I thought it was a good question.

I am one of those that do no receive communion. I use to wonder why people didn’t receive, but I think some are very personal and legit reasons.

Correct me if I’m wrong but in that little Rosary Book, when Mary appeared to St Domonic; did she say that one should not go to Mass if under mortal sin?

Should I stop going to Mass?

I see no reason to turn from mass. The eucharist is important, but if you feel that you are not prepared or what be the reason you are better not to take part than to take part wrongly. You should enter the house of God and be in presence of the Holy Spirit even if you can’t take part in the communion.

 

[GeorgiaCatholic]

tjmiller:

Remember that until recently (in “Church time”), daily Communion was not permitted - but plenty of devout Catholics went to daily Mass anyway.

I have never heard of a time when receiving Communion daily was not permitted. Can you site some history on this?

 

[Strider]

Jabronie:

I wouldn’t call it out copout. I’d call it a tempation. I once said in confession that it seems I have no trouble going a week or two without committing any of my usual sins, but as soon as I fall, the rest of the sins just seem to fall into place.

The priest told me that that is one of the ways Satan works; through that little voice in your head saying, “Well, you’ve already committed one sin. You’ve got nothing to lose by committing another.”

An excellent reason to go to weeekly Confession. The graces one receives from the sacraments give us strength to resist sin, especially Confession.
Why are you walking around with a mortal sin on your soul? Grab the priest before Mass and confess. There’s nothing you’ve done that he hasn’t heard a thousand times.

 

[Jonah]

Receiving Holy Communion is not the only reason to go to Mass. It is not even the primary reason to go to Mass.

WOW… well is this just an opinion? Because I was raised to believe that the Eucharist was the the sole purpose of the Mass.

 

[tjmiller]

The Eucharist is the* raison detre * of the Mass. But “Holy Communion” and “the Eucharist” are neither synonymous nor coterminous.

 

[LatinCat]

Jonah:

It has been years since it read that little book. I could have misread it. It did make an impact on me that’s why I remember it. Of course at the time I WAS receiving communion.

However, my line of thinking was this, if someone is in mortal sin and then doesn’t go to mass commits another mortal sin. If they were to die … well you get the picture… we are taught that mortal sin is a deadly sin… so what difference does it make how many mortal sins you add on when ONE will send you to hell?..

Mass is a time of grace. When one goes to mass they may recieve the gift of first grace wich is the grace necessary for repentance and confession. For the sake of possibly recieving this grace, a person in mortal sin should go to mass.

 

[dulcissima]

The grace of the Holy Spirit does not permit delay. When God is asking His creatures for anything, He asks gently, leaving them entirely free. But the longer we delay in responding to His gentle request the less we hear His voice, and the longer His voice goes unheeded the more His justice is asserted.

• Louis de Montfort

 

[YinYangMom]

Jonah:

I agree that one should not add sin upon sin. I believe that one should not abuse the sacraments.

Mortal sin does separate from God, but it only takes one mortal sin to do that. It only takes one mortal sin to go to hell.

I haven’t stopped going to Mass nor do I find myself eager to commint additional mortal sins.

Going to mass is not a sacrament in and of itself.
But not going to mass would be a sin as you’ve already noted.

Think how wonderful it is that Jesus came for sinners. He invites us daily to join Him and is happy when we show up. He’d be happier still, if we’d come and participate in the Eucharist, but He knows our hearts and understands what is holding us back. But think about it - by our attending, showing up, desiring Him in our hearts while there, He is in a better position to send us the grace and mercy we need to finally take care of our issues so that we can fully participate next time.

Stay away from mass and you really give in to despair and Satan - talk about further distancing oneself from God…mortal sin does that all by itself, but to physically remove yourself from His presence, well we might as well nail our coffins from the inside.

No, Jonah, you’re doing the right thing…defy Satan any way you can. So you aren’t ready yet to confess because you aren’t strong enough to change your behaviors - God is patient…just keep coming to Him…don’t let anyone or anything stop you from that.

 

[Fergal]

Don’t forget that during the Holy Mass we are nourished in Word and in Sacrament.

If in a state of mortal sin then we have cut ourselves away from receiving the sacramental presence of Jesus.

To be present at Holy Mass without receiving our Lord is still beneficial to the soul.