Taking communion while in a state of sin

[Lost_Wanderer]

Okay, I haven’t been able to attend Confession much due to both outside and personal circumstances, have committed a few mortal sins, yet I still go to Mass and take communion. Just how much trouble am I in and just what do I have to do in Confession (far off that may be right now) to make up for it?

 

[baltobetsy]

You must confess all mortal sins since your last good confession, and that would include receiving Holy Communion unworthily. That’s it, unless you have also made a bad confession, which means concealing sins on purpose. If you have done that, you need to confess all your sins again, back to your last good confession, including the fact that you made a bad confession.

The priest will have some words of advice, a penance and absolution for you, as in any other confession. There’s nothing special to be done as there might be if you had done something that resulted in excommunication.

Pretty simple. Not scary enough to keep a person from doing it. If you don’t get it done before Christmas, please do not receive Holy Communion, as it just piles up mortal sins for you and offends God. Not what you want to do on Jesus’ birthday.

Betsy

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

You must confess all mortal sins since your last good confession, and that would include receiving Holy Communion unworthily. That’s it, unless you have also made a bad confession, which means concealing sins on purpose. If you have done that, you need to confess all your sins again, back to your last good confession, including the fact that you made a bad confession.

The priest will have some words of advice, a penance and absolution for you, as in any other confession. There’s nothing special to be done as there might be if you had done something that resulted in excommunication.

Pretty simple. Not scary enough to keep a person from doing it. If you don’t get it done before Christmas, please do not receive Holy Communion, as it just piles up mortal sins for you and offends God. Not what you want to do on Jesus’ birthday.

Betsy

Oh okay, so basically I just have another addition of stuff to confess. Oh well, guess it’s a good thing it’s only been one (albeit persistent) sin that’s been bugging me all the time. Thanks for the info. >_>;;

 

[06convert]

Commiting a sin with the presumption of forgiveness is also a sin. You can’t fall into this trap. The sinfulness snowballs.

 

[Kathrin]

Important is to intend not to do it again.

 

[Newbie2]

You must confess all mortal sins since your last good confession, and that would include receiving Holy Communion unworthily. That’s it, unless you have also made a bad confession, which means concealing sins on purpose. If you have done that, you need to confess all your sins again, back to your last good confession, including the fact that you made a bad confession.

The priest will have some words of advice, a penance and absolution for you, as in any other confession. There’s nothing special to be done as there might be if you had done something that resulted in excommunication.

Pretty simple. Not scary enough to keep a person from doing it. If you don’t get it done before Christmas, please do not receive Holy Communion, as it just piles up mortal sins for you and offends God. Not what you want to do on Jesus’ birthday.

Betsy

Dittos.

As always, Betsy, a great answer.

I’m your greatest fan.

 

[Rolltide]

Also, (and I don’t mean to be a stickler here, but the language matters) we “receive” Communion, we never “take” it, since it is a gift.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

Commiting a sin with the presumption of forgiveness is also a sin. You can’t fall into this trap. The sinfulness snowballs.

Aren’t you talking about imperfect contrition here? I looked it up and don’t see anything of what you’re describing.

 

[Magdalena09]

It doesn’t have to do with perfect of imperfect contrition, but for the record, even with imperfect contrition, you ought to be sorry for the sin and intend to not commit it again. An attitude of “oh well” might mean you don’t understand the seriousness of the sin nor realize the importance of God’s mercy to us when we confess and are repentant.

Presumption of forgiveness is a mortal sin in itself and VERY serious.

Some protestants think that confession is a get-out-of-jail-free card and that it means Catholics have no reason not to commit mortal sins because they can just go to confession and it’s all fine and dandy. This is NOT what the church teaches.

I think that’s what 06convert was talking about.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

It doesn’t have to do with perfect of imperfect contrition, but for the record, even with imperfect contrition, you ought to be sorry for the sin and intend to not commit it again. An attitude of “oh well” might mean you don’t understand the seriousness of the sin nor realize the importance of God’s mercy to us when we confess and are repentant.

Well if he’s assuming that I don’t hate myself for what I do then he’s dead wrong.

 

[Magdalena09]

Well if he’s assuming that I don’t hate myself for what I do then he’s dead wrong.

You said “do” instead of “did”… if you intend to never take communion in a state of mortal sin again (and I hope that is the case) then there is no need for you to worry about doing it again.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

You said “do” instead of “did”… if you intend to never take communion in a state of mortal sin again (and I hope that is the case) then there is no need for you to worry about doing it again.

Well forgive me if I’m one of those whose self-esteem is too low to lose even more face than he already has.

 

[Kathrin]

Presumption of forgiveness is a mortal sin in itself and VERY serious.

Is it a mortal sin even if it is for forgiveness of something venial?
Even of something very small?
Not of something you’re not sure is it a sin or not, right, if you’re scrupulous!?

Kathrin

 

[Susan_Calvin]

My understanding of the sin of presumption is that its to do with mortal sins only, not venial sins… though I could be wrong, I’m a really new Catholic…

But one example I think of is, say the regular confession time is Saturday afternoon. On Friday night, I feel tempted to get drunk (a serious sin). I decide to get wasted even though I know its wrong, because I can go to confession the very next day. Not only am I committing the sin of being drunk with full knowledge of it being wrong, but I’m also committing the sin of presumption because I’m *presuming *that God will forgive me for getting drunk.

 

[Kathrin]

So presumption in this sense is doing things one would not do if there was no confession?

While really, of course, we should not do things we know are wrong…

 

[Kathrin]

So presumption in this sense is doing things one would not do if there was no confession?

While really, of course, we should not do things we know are wrong…

What about for example so-called “white lies” though? (They’re not mortal sins, right?) Do you think it is common that people tell a white lie thinking it’s only venial anyway and they’ll just confess it again… would that not be called presumption?

Sorry if this is off topic. I find it an interesting question.

 

[Susan_Calvin]

So presumption in this sense is doing things one would not do if there was no confession?

While really, of course, we should not do things we know are wrong…

What about for example so-called “white lies” though? (They’re not mortal sins, right?) Do you think it is common that people tell a white lie thinking it’s only venial anyway and they’ll just confess it again… would that not be called presumption?

Sorry if this is off topic. I find it an interesting question.

I just used confession as an example, but to me presumption means (more generally) that I commit a sin thinking to myself its OK to do so because God is going to forgive me anyhow. Its kind of like I’m thinking I’m “entitled” to be forgiven, when really I am not. Forgiveness is a gift and I have to be thankful and grateful for that gift rather than expecting it, if that makes any sense. At least, that is my understanding.

Thinking about it more, I guess presuming God’s forgiveness for a white lie would be a sin too… at least for me it would be. Though I don’t think it would be as serious a sin as say, presuming forgiveness for masturbation, getting drunk, etc… because those are more grave sins to begin with. It would depend on the person and their conscience though. It IS an interesting topic!

Back to the original topic though, I did this myself recently… went to Holy Communion in mortal sin. I felt awful afterwards. But I just went to the priest and told him what I had done, and I was forgiven. I don’t plan on doing it again though of course.

 

[LilyM]

Well forgive me if I’m one of those whose self-esteem is too low to lose even more face than he already has.

Well start from today to build up your self-esteem again. Resolve to at least ACT as if you were someone who had self-esteem, and think about how such a person would behave in each situation you encounter. Dr Phil’s philosophy of ‘fake it till you make it’

One way is to firmly resolve, with God’s help, to avoid mortal sin from this moment on. Remember He desires your salvation more than you could ever possibly do, and He is powerful enough to bring it about! So no more receiving communion until your next confession.

You don’t have to answer this, but I’d be curious to know why you have received while in a state of mortal sin.

Another question - were you aware before you started this thread that receiving communion while in a state of mortal sin was in itself a mortal sin? A lot could depend on your answer to that question, and from the way you started this thread it sounds like you might have been unclear.

 

[Annie39]

Well forgive me if I’m one of those whose self-esteem is too low to lose even more face than he already has.

Lost Wanderer, please consider that you may have a chemical imbalance that causes depression. Please seek medical help to at least check it out.

Annie

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

Well start from today to build up your self-esteem again. Resolve to at least ACT as if you were someone who had self-esteem, and think about how such a person would behave in each situation you encounter. Dr Phil’s philosophy of ‘fake it till you make it’

Sorry but pretending just makes me more cantankerous and loathing (both to myself and other people).

One way is to firmly resolve, with God’s help, to avoid mortal sin from this moment on. Remember He desires your salvation more than you could ever possibly do, and He is powerful enough to bring it about! So no more receiving communion until your next confession.

You don’t have to answer this, but I’d be curious to know why you have received while in a state of mortal sin.

Yeah well, that’s where I have a huge problem. Personal circumstances make going to confession a near impossibility right now. Family issues, financial uneasiness, college homework yada yada yada…Furthermore, as I said before, I’m not one to desire grave embarrassment.

Another question - were you aware before you started this thread that receiving communion while in a state of mortal sin was in itself a mortal sin? A lot could depend on your answer to that question, and from the way you started this thread it sounds like you might have been unclear.

Well I was unclear until I actually looked it up. Then again, that doesn’t really help much that I know now and have more reason to wanna mentally smash my head in the wall.

I can’t say I found anything explicit on this “sin of presumption” though. The general idea when I read this in the Catechism was that you just have to realize that you’ve screwed real bad, it’s no laughing matter, and that you really need to make a sincere effort to repent and change.

Sadly though, the current state of my life right now makes it impossible for me to follow your advice along with others (though I appreciate them). Honestly though, I am not proud of this. I wish I could fix it but right now, my life’s too messy for me to do anything about it.

What I don’t get though is why are few people really aware of this? You’d think that this was such a big deal, you’d see more people lining up at the confessional every Sunday at least. :\

Lost Wanderer, please consider that you may have a chemical imbalance that causes depression. Please seek medical help to at least check it out.

I don’t have that. I just don’t happen to like myself very much to the point that any more reason to do so might make me suicidal.