Those in communion line MUST receive communion or cause scandal

[Light_Seeker]

What is your first thought if a person infront of you leaves the communion line and sits right back down?
Don’t try to sweet your response.

First thought, unsweetened, is Good For Them! See, I believe many may be improperly receiving Communion. Our confession lines are very short, but the communion line is very long. But then I know I cannot, and should not, judge others.
Pro Domina:

And who says that the canon does not apply?

You supplied Canon 916. Read it. Its famous, in lieu of pro-choice Catholic politicians receiving Communion. Before he became Pope, Cardinal Ratzinger wrote a memo to the US Bishops conference concerning this canon in lieu of Kerry receiving the Eucharist in 2004. Read the official response on Ratzinger’s memo from the USCCB.

Canon 916, Ratzinger’s memo, nor the USCCB response has anything to do with leaving the communion line. It has to do with administering the Eucharist to those that may not have the proper disposition.
Pro Domina:

Remember that the legislator is the only one who can interpret the law.

What??? Tell that to a judge.

jc-servant:

You might want to reflect on what you are doing in telling people that it is OK to receive the Eucharist while in a state of mortal sin.

Exactly. Pro Domina presviously mentioned he ‘assisted’ at Mass 9 times. I only hope it is not as an EHMC.

 

[Neil_Anthony]

You got into the line to recieve. If you leave, it is because there is a reason that has changed your mind. Others don’t know what is the reason, but they know it changed. That is enough to cause scandal. God and the faithful have the right not to be scadalized.
You entered that line without wrongful intentions. Your memory brought back an impediment. You can’t leave, so you must do an act of contrition and recieve.

By this logic, it would also be a sin to go to confession, since someone might SEE you GOING to CONFESSION and figure out that you SINNED.

This is absurd. :whacky:

 

[withwind]

It is very scandalous to say one must receive Communion in state of mortal sin if he is in the communion line.

 

[Simon_X]

Far greater sin to receive communion under Mortal sin then to step out of line…Who really cares or whose business is it why you stepped out of line? Makes no sense to me…

 

[mary_bobo]

If someone has already posted this, please forgive. But could one not cross their arms across their chest and receive a blessing as would one who was not yet a Catholic? Saves embarrassment all around and I doubt anyone would notice except perhaps the one right behind you.

 

[Margarite]

It is an embarrasment. Sure. But also a scandal.

What is your first thought if a person infront of you leaves the communion line and sits right back down?

Don’t try to sweet your response.

And who says that the canon does not apply?

Remember that the legislator is the only one who can interpret the law.

Well, as for me, the first and only thing that I think is that they just realized they ate something before mass, and out of respect for Our Lord and the Church, they do not continue.
What you are saying could lead others to grave sin.
This is a sin on your part.
Maybe your memory reminds you because your guardian angel is reminding you so that you don’t commit a sin.
If you think badly of the person sitting down, then it is your sin, not theirs. They are avoiding sin by sitting down, while you are committing sin by thinking evil of them.
Don’t try to pass your sins off on others. If you have a mind that thinks those things, well, then you have to work on that, don’t try to make your sin the sin of another.
The Church clearly says that if you are in mortal sin you may not receive. There is no exception for if you are already in line. NO! It is very clear and black and white!
Don’t go making gray what is black and white.
You may not be a liberal extremist, but there is such a thing as a trad extremist. So, don’t use that either.

All I can say is be careful because you are trying to cover up your sin of thinking bad of people by making it their sin, and at the same time you could be causing people to commit grave sin.

Merry Christmas all!

 

[wanner47]

Pro Domina, either provide PROOF from reliable sources that your assertions are found in Church teaching, or stop posting.

If you do not, you are bringing scandal upon yourself by publicly and deliberately **lying **about the teaching of the Catholic Church.

Deliberately lying with malicious intent is a sin, you know, so I wouldn’t be so quick to lecture others about alleged sins that you claim to see.

 

[SMHW]

Whatever happened to the suggestion the sisters gave to us as children back in the days when communion rails were the norm and no one even thought about receiving in the hand or going up for a blessing?

We were told what to do if we got in line for communion, realized we shouldn’t receive, but did not think we could gracefully go back to our seat. When it was our turn we would just bow our heads and gently shake them “no”. That would indicate to the priest that we didn’t wish to receive.

Now I realize that many of today’s priests, deacons, and EMHCs are probably too young to have even heard such instructions from the sisters and might not know what was going on. But this is not so different from the instructions of how to receive a blessing. And though you wouldn’t know it from some of the stories posted here, but I think most EMHCs are familiar with the “I want a blessing” posture.

All this can be very discreet. It’s not like the whole parish needs to know who receives and who doesn’t.

 

[withwind]

Pro Domina, either provide PROOF from reliable sources that your assertions are found in Church teaching, or stop posting.

If you do not, you are bringing scandal upon yourself by publicly and deliberately **lying **about the teaching of the Catholic Church.

Deliberately lying with malicious intent is a sin, you know, so I wouldn’t be so quick to lecture others about alleged sins that you claim to see.

Good post - straight to the point.

 

[itsjustdave1988]

It is an embarrasment. Sure. But also a scandal.

What is your first thought if a person infront of you leaves the communion line and sits right back down?

My first thought is that he takes the disciplinary norms of the Church seriously, and I thank God for that. Either he didn’t fast, or he hasn’t received sacramental absolution, or he isn’t in full communion with the Catholic Church.

As I stated in the other thread, it is a teaching moment when one refrains from receiving communion. Far from scandalous, its pious obedience.

 

[itsjustdave1988]

With regard to entering the line without intending to receive Holy Communion there’s nothing prohibiting it.

According to Fr. Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University:

…the practice of inviting those unable to receive Communion to approach the altar to receive a blessing so as not to feel excluded… Certainly this blessing is not in the rubrics and there is no obligation to make such an invitation. However, neither is there any prohibition and the practice seems to have been tacitly accepted by many bishops who are aware of this nascent custom and have even participated in giving such blessings.

As far as I know, no bishop has issued specific directives on this issue, nor has the Holy See intervened although it is certainly aware of its existence.
source]

 

[Simon_X]

With regard to entering the line without intending to receive Holy Communion there’s nothing prohibiting it.

According to Fr. Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University:

This professor of liturgy at a pontifical university is not a lay person.

Nice!

 

[itsjustdave1988]

To be clear, I agree with Archbishop Chaput’s view on the inappropriateness of “blessings” given by Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. In fact, our pastor has directed that no blessings be given by EMHCs, but instead saying “May the Lord be in your heart” is appropriate.

According to Archbishop Chaput of Denver source]:

Both children and adults can make a spiritual communion. They may come forward with their arms crossed and bow before the Eucharist. Then the priest, deacon or extraordinary minister could say to them kindly, “Receive the Lord Jesus in your heart.” This is not a blessing, but an invitation to worship, so no gestures are made.
This spiritual communion would more authentically carry out the spirit of the liturgy. Being faithful to the truths of the sacramental celebration allows all of us, young and old, to enter more deeply into worship.

Nevertheless, in other dioceses, the norms differ. For instance, the bishops’ conference of England and Wales has published a fairly authoritative statement on this issue:

“Even though some in the assembly may not receive ‘sacramental’ Communion, all are united in some way by the Holy Spirit. The Traditional idea of spiritual communion is an important one to remember and re-affirm. The invitation often given at Mass to those who may not receive sacramental communion – for example, children before their first communion and adults who are not Catholics – to receive a ‘blessing’ at the moment of Communion emphasizes that a deep spiritual communion is possible even when we do not share together the Sacrament of the Body and blood of Christ” (the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, “Celebrating the Mass: A Pastoral Introduction,” (Catholic Truth Society, April 2005, In number 212, pg 95)."
source]

 

[Newbie2]

What is your first thought if a person infront of you leaves the communion line and sits right back down?

Don’t try to sweet your response.

.

I don’t concern myself with others when I’m walking up to communion. I don’t consider their personal relationship with the Almighty any of my business.

Methinks any concious effor to judge someone else’s motives, whether or not they decide to receive the Eucharist, is perhaps the sin here.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

I am curious, maybe Pro Domina can enlighten us as to what kind of scandal this would cause.

Given the definition of Scandal that the Church uses which is found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

[2284](javascriptpenWindow(‘cr/2284.htm’) Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor’s tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense.

Now please give us what kind of scandal is caused and how it fits this definition, namely how does it cause others to sin.

 

[Matrix_Refugee]

A couple of cases where I had to leave the Communion line due to physical necessities:

The first: I got up, merged into the Communion line, then out of the blue, my bladder decided it was time to empty itself, so rather than urinate all over myself in front of everyone (I have weak pelvic floor muscles, so when I gotta go, I gotta GO), I ducked out of the line and scurried for the ladies’ room, then came back, and joined the back of the Communion line.

The second: One time was attending an early Mass at a convent chapel, thus, I hadn’t had my breakfast, which was a Bad Idea, as I’m borderline hypoglycemic. Usually I can get away with it but this time, my blood sugar had somehow gotten perilously low and I fainted. The good Sisters got their infirmarian to examine and revive me and she gave me some orange juice to get my blood sugar up again.

Based on my experience, if I see someone step out of the Communion line, my first thought is “medical necessity” and I think nothing more of it.

Besides, seeing someone stepping out of the Communion line and immediately thinking they must be a horrible, evil sinner, is a judgmental thing to do. “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.”

 

[Simon_X]

Let’s assume we’re in the Communion line, hopefully we’re either singing or in silent prayer as we make our way up the aisle. All of sudden, the person in front of us turns around and and quietly steps out and returns back to his pew.

What do you think? Maybe he feels ill and is going back to sit down so he can make it through the rest of Mass without getting sick. Maybe he realized he had toast and coffee just before he went to church and he’s cutting into the fast. Maybe he realizes that he should make a good confession before receiving. Maybe he had a fight with his wife and doesn’t feel he is worthy to receive until he gets that squared away.

In other words, who knows and who should really care…Not our business…

Peace…

 

[Light_Seeker]

A couple of cases where I had to leave the Communion line …

Oh my goodness, what a *scandal *! You should have peed your pants. Or be carried up on a gurney.

I too, stepped out of communion line. At the Chrism Mass last year. I was ill, should not have been there - but didn’t want to miss it. Waiting in line I felt very dizzy, started sweating with a fever. I stepped out of the communion line, left the Church, & crawled into bed. Where I belonged.

 

[DixitDominus]

In response to the OP, if it would cause one grave inconvenience, then one can do something which would cause scandal. I think that committing a sacrilege is even graver than a grave inconvenience.

 

[Verbum_Caro]

Dave brought up a Fr. McNamara, but here is something from Fr. McNamara that might work in **Pro Domina’s **favor:

(NOTE: I am not making a statement either way on the merit or lack of merit of Pro Domina’s argument or anyone else’s counter argument in this thread – I’m just providing another source from Fr. McNamara)

Canon 916 of the Code of Canon Law states: “A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to( . . .)receive the body of the Lord without previous sacramental confession unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess;(. . .)”

    Note that the code requires a grave reason in order to avail of this          exception. 
    
    One such grave reason is based on the principle of the good of souls. If          a priest is required to celebrate Mass (. . .) 
    (. . .)

** A second grave reason stems from the danger of infamy by publicly revealing the state of one’s soul. **

    This can occur in the case of a priest in isolated circumstances when          there is no one else to perform the usual celebrations. There is no need          for him to do anything that might lead people to suspect his lack of a          state of grace.

(. . .)

** While the possibilities of a layperson** or a religious in a state of mortal sin being placed in a similar dilemma as the priest are far rarer,** the same basic principles would apply should they occur. **

    Furthermore, while it is nobody else's business why somebody does not          approach Communion, pastors should do all that they can to avoid          creating public pressures that might induce a person in a state of          mortal sin          — or otherwise unable to receive Communion         —          to receive out of an objective fear of infamy or even out of human          respect. 
    
    For example, when parish ushers move down the aisles during Communion to          assure an orderly procession, **it becomes very difficult for someone,          especially if well known to the other parishioners and who for some          hidden reason cannot receive Communion, not to go forward with the          others because staying in the pew is often the equivalent of making a          public self-denunciation. **
    
    In such cases, a less organized procession at Communion allows such          people to pass unnoticed.

VC