Unusual incident at Mass, has anybody else experienced this?

[catholictiger]

I found this article and I wanted to point out this point

catholic.com/blog/michelle-arnold/i-confess

If the priest tries to justly hurry you along (e.g., “I don’t need to know all this”; “Could we please wind this up?”), keep in mind that there might be people waiting outside who may need confession even more urgently than you do. My friend also told me that she once was in a confession line that was inching along. It broke her heart to witness one young man, whose appearance gave her reason to think he may have desperately needed confession, give up and walk out in frustration.

a priest doesn’t want to start the Mass late, it is very important as well and the source and summit of our faith. If you only confess in kind and number, and list mortal sins first than venial (which don’t have to be confessed, devoutly receiving the Eucharist forgives venial sins) and than finish your confession, he will give you a penance you say your act of contrition he gives absolution and you are finished, you have received the fullness of the grace from that sacrament even though you didn’t go into great detail. (Note the priest may ask for more detail, you may confess something in general and he ask for more detail, someone may come in an confess I had sex with somebody, he may ask you are you married, how many times, etc)

 

[catholictiger]

one last thing.

sometimes a priest can ask the penitent to “hurry up” he won’t cut the penitent off but he will say I don’t need to know this. If it was unavoidable to start Mass late I understand, but he should do his best to start Mass on time, it is the source and summit of our faith, and if it starts late people won’t want to come back. Especially if it is a weekend mass. Also you are cutting off the possibility of someone else going to confession, and you never know that may have been his once chance to confess before his final judgment. These are all hypothetical, but for penitents if you go before mass remember there are others who need the grace of confession just as much as you do. NEVER assume that you need the grace more than others because I’m so horrible, first that is prideful and self destructive. AGAIN if you go to confusion before mass try to make it as short as possible without neglecting to say all of your sins in number and kind.

If there is something serious going on in your life that causes you to spend 10+ minuets in confession schedule a meeting with a priest.

 

[ProVobis]

I haven’t seen it happen, but I think the correct thing for the priest to do is to say, mass is at 9am go to mass you can receive the Eucharist as long as you come directly after Mass.

There is no rule that says the priest can’t administer communion to them after he hears their confessions after Mass, I don’t believe. It’s not the ideal method but I’ve seen that done.

 

[catholictiger]

There is no rule that says the priest can’t administer communion to them after he hears their confessions after Mass, I don’t believe. It’s not the ideal method but I’ve seen that done.

I’m kinda interested in what cannon law says about this, I’ll look tomorrow I’m staying up to late .

I THINK that if you say an act of contrition before receiving the Eucharist, with the full intention to get to confession as soon as possible, you can receive Jesus even though you may be in mortal sin.

I could be wrong on this though.

 

[ProVobis]

I’m kinda interested in what cannon law says about this, I’ll look tomorrow I’m staying up to late .

I don’t have it in front of me but I believe Canon Law allows it, but only if it’s necessary. So the question is when is communion necessary?

 

[twf]

I’m kinda interested in what cannon law says about this, I’ll look tomorrow I’m staying up to late .

I THINK that if you say an act of contrition before receiving the Eucharist, with the full intention to get to confession as soon as possible, you can receive Jesus even though you may be in mortal sin.

I could be wrong on this though.

Receiving Our Lord in holy communion while in a state of mortal sin, even if one has made an act of contrition and firmly intends to go to confession as soon as possible, is NOT permitted except for a grave cause. We are not required to receive communion at mass every single Sunday…only once per year during the Easter season. I have, due to my own sinfulness, had to abstain from receiving on many Sundays over the years. It is painful, but it is a loss that I bring upon myself.

Can. 916 A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to celebrate Mass or to receive the Body of the Lord without prior sacramental confession unless a grave reason is present and there is no opportunity of confessing; in this case the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible.

Is “I really want to receive and Father got called away” a grave reason? I think not.

 

[Joan_M]

I have read all the posts in this thread, and one thing stands out to me: The announcement that was made about the delay in starting Mass was just wrong. At no time should the person making the announcement say that the priest was hearing someone’s confession. Just imagine it - that announcement was made, and some time later the penitent walks into the church (he had probably been with the priest in the sacristy, or some other place, since the OP stated that the person was not in the confessional or otherwise in the church) and everyone is staring at him wondering what on earth he had to confess that could have taken so long.

The announcement should just have been that Father was running late and Mass would start shortly. None of our business what Father was doing.

 

[catholictiger]

Receiving Our Lord in holy communion while in a state of mortal sin, even if one has made an act of contrition and firmly intends to go to confession as soon as possible, is NOT permitted except for a grave cause. We are not required to receive communion at mass every single Sunday…only once per year during the Easter season. I have, due to my own sinfulness, had to abstain from receiving on many Sundays over the years. It is painful, but it is a loss that I bring upon myself.

Is “I really want to receive and Father got called away” a grave reason? I think not.

good point

I think you are correct.

 

[Pat_Albertson]

He’s a good priest. If someone needs the Sacrament before Mass, then Fr is right to take the time. Receiving Communion in a state of mortal sin is a mortal sin in itself, so best he heard the confession before Mass in order to allow the person to receive Communion.

I’m making assumptions of course, but even so, considering what Christ endured for us, a few minutes of our time doesn’t seem too much of a burden

God Bless

Father is doing the right thing here. :angel1: