Venial Sins and Communion

[TrueLight]

I have a friend whom I saw at mass today.

She is on fire for God and the Catholic faith. She knows a lot about her faith and the TLM.

So I noticed she didn’t take communion today. I noticed that on several times I attended mass with her, she didn’t receive communion. She had told me the other times that she hadn’t had a chance to confess.

So today, we were discussing the TLM and in as sensitive a way as I could, I asked her if she had missed confession. She told me she went on Tuesday but didn’t get to go yesterday, Saturday. So I pressed on only because she has taught me a lot so I wanted to understand.

I asked her is it because of mortal sins and she said no – venial.

She does not receive communion if she doesn’t get a chance to confess her venial sins. Remember, she had just confessed Tuesday but I guess she felt she had accumulated too many venial sins.

I am a little confused. Is the commission of venial sins reason enough not to take communion?

She said she had seen in a little handout years ago that you shouldn’t receive communion with venial sins on your soul.

Is that correct?

 

[Corki]

No, that’s not correct. The Confetior at Mass absolves venial sins as does the reception of Communion itself.

That being said, it isn’t required that anyone receive Communion even if able to do so, except once a year. Perhaps she just feels better about Communion if it is closer to Confession.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Well, if she feels unworthy she doesn’t have to receive Communion. In fact, the Church only mandates that we receive once a year, and that one time should be during the Easter Season. So anyone who doesn’t want to receive for whatever reason doesn’t have to. If one person feels that they shouldn’t receive for a venial sin, so be it. That is not what the Church teaches but they can surely not receive if they do not want to.

 

[TrueLight]

Okay, I understand she doesn’t have to receive if she doesn’t want to.

So if someone commits 10 venial sins during the week, the Confiteor and Eucharist clean the slate?

 

[PerfectTiming]

Okay, I understand she doesn’t have to receive if she doesn’t want to.

So if someone commits 10 venial sins during the week, the Confiteor and Eucharist cleans the slate?

Assuming repentance, yes.

 

[puzzleannie]

I havl.

She does not receive communion if she doesn’t get a chance to confess her venial sins. Remember, she had just confessed Tuesday but I guess she felt she had accumulated too many venial sins.

I am a little confused. Is the commission of venial sins reason enough not to take communion?

She said she had seen in a little handout years ago that you shouldn’t receive communion with venial sins on your soul.

Is that correct?

she is following her own conscience, It is not and never has been Church teaching, and in fact, to disbelieve that participation in the Eucharist remits venial sin is to deny in part Catholic teaching on the Eucharist. Be very gentle with her, people with tender consciences like this can be hurt badly when they are corrected, as witnessed by her willingness to believe “a pamphlet” over solid Church teaching. Suggest gently that she might want to ask a priest about that the next time, as you also read from another orthodox Catholic source, that it simply is not true, and respecting her as highly as you do, you are looking to her for her thoughts.

 

[Monica4316]

I have a friend whom I saw at mass today.

She is on fire for God and the Catholic faith. She knows a lot about her faith and the TLM.

So I noticed she didn’t take communion today. I noticed that on several times I attended mass with her, she didn’t receive communion. She had told me the other times that she hadn’t had a chance to confess.

So today, we were discussing the TLM and in as sensitive a way as I could, I asked her if she had missed confession. She told me she went on Tuesday but didn’t get to go yesterday, Saturday. So I pressed on only because she has taught me a lot so I wanted to understand.

I asked her is it because of mortal sins and she said no – venial.

She does not receive communion if she doesn’t get a chance to confess her venial sins. Remember, she had just confessed Tuesday but I guess she felt she had accumulated too many venial sins.

I am a little confused. Is the commission of venial sins reason enough not to take communion?

She said she had seen in a little handout years ago that you shouldn’t receive communion with venial sins on your soul.

Is that correct?

My spiritual director who is an FSSP priest and very knowledgeable/traditional told me that we can receive Communion with venial sin, - only mortal sin prevents us from doing so. It’s good to still confess venial sins, of course, but - all the priests I’ve spoken to about this told me it’s alright to receive the Eucharist with venial sin.

There are other ways to take away venial sins besides Confession… (of course, it’s still a good idea to confess them, unless if the person is struggling with scrupulosity and has been advised to only confess mortal sins for a time)… examples are: Confiteor at Mass, holy water, receiving Communion, etc.

 

[Monica4316]

Okay, I understand she doesn’t have to receive if she doesn’t want to.

So if someone commits 10 venial sins during the week, the Confiteor and Eucharist clean the slate?

that is what I was taught.

it should be added that receiving Communion after confessing venial sin, - is sometimes better because the soul is more able to respond to grace in the Sacrament… but - assuming the person is repentant, and confident the sins are only venial; not a deliberate act against God’s law - they would be washed away

 

[Monica4316]

In addition to the teaching of the Church, Jesus told St Faustina:

My daughter, do not omit Holy Communion unless you know well that your fall was serious; apart from this, no doubt must stop you from uniting yourself with Me in the mystery of My love. Your minor faults will disappear in My love like a piece of straw thrown into a great furnace. Know that you grieve Me much when you fail to receive Me in Holy Communion.

so unless the fall is serious - mortal sin - go to Communion minor faults (venial sins) shouldn’t stop us.

(in another place, Jesus tells her that deliberate sin, even if small, already blocks Him from the soul… I am not sure if He means that we need to confess those, or if simple repentance fixes the situation, but - venial sins are typically mistakes, not totally deliberate, because we don’t think about their gravity as much as before mortal sin, since they have less gravity. Just my opinion though!!).

 

[TrueLight]

she is following her own conscience, It is not and never has been Church teaching, and in fact, to disbelieve that participation in the Eucharist remits venial sin is to deny in part Catholic teaching on the Eucharist. Be very gentle with her, people with tender consciences like this can be hurt badly when they are corrected, as witnessed by her willingness to believe “a pamphlet” over solid Church teaching. Suggest gently that she might want to ask a priest about that the next time, as you also read from another orthodox Catholic source, that it simply is not true, and respecting her as highly as you do, you are looking to her for her thoughts.

Okay. Thanks.

Whenever we see each other, we discuss Catholicism so I will see if I can broach the topic another time.

that is what I was taught.

it should be added that receiving Communion after confessing venial sin, - is sometimes better because the soul is more able to respond to grace in the Sacrament… but - assuming the person is repentant, and confident the sins are only venial; not a deliberate act against God’s law - they would be washed away

I think for me taking communion with venial sins would really drive home the point of (Domine, non sum dignus - Lord I’m not worthy). Not to say I would purposely not confess venial sins so I can feel unworthy…

 

[halleone]

My spiritual director who is an FSSP priest and very knowledgeable/traditional told me that we can receive Communion with venial sin, - only mortal sin prevents us from doing so. It’s good to still confess venial sins, of course, but - all the priests I’ve spoken to about this told me it’s alright to receive the Eucharist with venial sin.

There are other ways to take away venial sins besides Confession… (of course, it’s still a good idea to confess them, unless if the person is struggling with scrupulosity and has been advised to only confess mortal sins for a time)… examples are: Confiteor at Mass, holy water, receiving Communion, etc.

Holy water, too?? I didn’t know that, but I’m glad I filled up my little bottle this morning. Thanks!