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Gene_Church
Guest
What does a priest do about saying Mass if he has a mortal sin on his soul, and does not have the opportunity to go to confession prior to saying Mass (example, rural area)?
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mosher
Guest
Gene Church:
Same thing we can do in such a case of necessity. He has to try to make a perfect act of contrition with the resolve to go to confession when he is able.
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Gene_Church
Guest
May seem like a strange question, but it has bothered me for some time and I have been unable to find anything to address that. Your answer supports my belief on the issue.
Gene
Gene
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kleary
Guest
If no confessor is available I am sure that he would do what is required in the Church’s requirement for reception of Holy Communion… which is to repent of the sin and say an Act of Contrition truly meaning it before saying Holy Mass. Then at the earliest convenience he would have to go to another priest or bishop and confess.
I am not a priest… I am just applying what I know. Maybe a priest or an apologist could reply here.
Ken
I am not a priest… I am just applying what I know. Maybe a priest or an apologist could reply here.
Ken
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kleary
Guest
That does not excuse you or anyone else to go to holy communion when conscious of mortal sin just because there is no confession available on Sunday.
It is not required to receive Holy Communion at every Mass and it is not a right of the lay people to receive at every Mass. However you MUST receive Holy Communion at least once a year.
Ken
It is not required to receive Holy Communion at every Mass and it is not a right of the lay people to receive at every Mass. However you MUST receive Holy Communion at least once a year.
Ken
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mosher
Guest
This is not correct. One is free to make a perfect act of contrition if it is not possible to get to confession through no fault of your own. Yet one must still confess their sins when this is done at the first moment possible. This pertains most particularly to the question at hand because it deals with a priest who must receive at every mass that he celebrates.
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Gene_Church
Guest
Ken,
I understand what you are saying. But that begs the question. If the priest is aware of mortal sin, and is unable to receive absolution, how does he say Mass (and receive the Body of Christ) without committing another mortal sin?
Gene
I understand what you are saying. But that begs the question. If the priest is aware of mortal sin, and is unable to receive absolution, how does he say Mass (and receive the Body of Christ) without committing another mortal sin?
Gene
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mosher
Guest
Gene Church:
Answered above in my second post.
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PioMagnus
Guest
It’s tough to have perfect contrition (absolutely NO attachment to ANY sin). So it is fairly likely that he would be committing another sin.
It’s a tough bind.
I asked a priest this exact question, and he gave the answer someone above gave (perfect contrition, etc), but said, “Just don’t get into a state of mortal sin, it makes life much easier”
It’s a tough bind.
I asked a priest this exact question, and he gave the answer someone above gave (perfect contrition, etc), but said, “Just don’t get into a state of mortal sin, it makes life much easier”
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thistle
Guest
Where is this documented? If someone is in a state of grace they have the right to receive the Eucharist every time they participate in a Mass. They cannot be refused.
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Church_Militant
Guest
Intent to confess is there Gene. I had a priest counsel me that in that situation, it was not sacrilege. He knew what he was talking about.
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LilyM
Guest
If they are in a state of grace, sure - which for laypeople and priest alike means no unconfessed mortal sin on your soul - apart from emergency situations.
For a priest, having to celebrate Mass (which necessitates reception of communion) and having no opportunity to confess to another priest prior IS an emergency.
For a layperson, the mere fact that they will not be able to receive at a given Mass is NOT an emergency. Prior to Vatican 2 there was many a Mass said where the priest was the only person who received. And there were many - lay and religious alike - who would receive a handful of times a year.
I’d like to know where it’s stated that the distribution of communion to the laity is an essential part of Mass - as far as I’m aware it’s still not, and as a practical matter it is conceivable that there may be no laypeople who are in fact in a state of grace at some Masses.
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Seatuck
Guest
I’m concerned about the trend in this conversation. It would seem that most would not refrain from recieving at Sunday Mass ever. Is this the case? Do you not realize how difficult it is to achieve perfect contrition? I think it is pretty bold to assume that I have perfect contrition over anything.
Can we examine the citation that suggest Catholics may just say an act of perfect contrition and receive under less than extreme circumstances? It was my understanding that there had to be a very serious reason for being unable to seek out confession. Like living in China where it is dangerous to practice one’s faith.Not like living in the US where for the most part it is fairly easy to obtain the Sacrament.
Can we examine the citation that suggest Catholics may just say an act of perfect contrition and receive under less than extreme circumstances? It was my understanding that there had to be a very serious reason for being unable to seek out confession. Like living in China where it is dangerous to practice one’s faith.Not like living in the US where for the most part it is fairly easy to obtain the Sacrament.
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LilyM
Guest
Exactly my understanding.
Contrary to what even some priests may tell you, it’s NOT good enough to rock up to your regular Saturday confession session, have the priest run out of time or whatever, and then figure that you can receive anyway because you intended to go :nope:
In such a case you don’t have a pressing need to receive prior to the next scheduled confession. Danger of death constitutes a pressing need (although it’d be unusual for you to be able to receive communion in such a case and not also receive confession). If you only saw a priest once in a couple of months - as I imagine may be the case with Chinese Catholics, you may have a case as well.
But not just because you will have to wait another week or two to confess!
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Seatuck
Guest
Read this about the Act of Perfect Contrition.
It is not so easy to make it.
catholicfirst.com/thefaith/prayers/perfectactcontrition.cfm
It is not so easy to make it.
catholicfirst.com/thefaith/prayers/perfectactcontrition.cfm
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BlyssfulDreamer
Guest
forums.catholic-questions.org/forumdisplay.php?f=4
I was curious about the same thing and asked an Apologist.
:heart:Blyss
I was curious about the same thing and asked an Apologist.
:heart:Blyss
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Andreas_Hofer
Guest
Just for the sake of thoroughness regarding the priest:
Can. 916 A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to celebrate Mass or receive the body of the Lord without previous sacramental confession unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess; in this case the person is to remember the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition which includes the resolution of confessing as soon as possible.
vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P39.HTM
Can. 916 A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to celebrate Mass or receive the body of the Lord without previous sacramental confession unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess; in this case the person is to remember the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition which includes the resolution of confessing as soon as possible.
vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P39.HTM
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gvogt4
Guest
I’m not sure this canon is speaking of a priest. I will do some research, but before this conversation came up, I thought that the priest, acting in the person of Christ while celebrating Mass is doing just that.
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gvogt4
Guest
1550 This presence of Christ in the minister is not to be understood as if the latter were preserved from all human weaknesses, the spirit of domination, error, even sin. The power of the Holy Spirit does not guarantee all acts of ministers in the same way. While this guarantee extends to the sacraments, so that even the minister’s sin cannot impede the fruit of grace, in many other acts the minister leaves human traces that are not always signs of fidelity to the Gospel and consequently can harm the apostolic fruitfulness of the Church.
I know this doesn’t resolve the question fully, but it does take into account the possibility of the priest celebrating Mass while in a state of sin.
The GIRM simply states
The priest prepares himself by a prayer, said quietly, that he may fruitfully receive Christ’s Body and Blood. The faithful do the same, praying silently.
The priest next shows the faithful the Eucharistic Bread, holding it above the paten or above the chalice, and invites them to the banquet of Christ. Along with the faithful, he then makes an act of humility using the prescribed words taken from the Gospels.
I’m not stating this as if I really know the answer, just throwing it out there until we have a real definitive answer.
I know this doesn’t resolve the question fully, but it does take into account the possibility of the priest celebrating Mass while in a state of sin.
The GIRM simply states
The priest prepares himself by a prayer, said quietly, that he may fruitfully receive Christ’s Body and Blood. The faithful do the same, praying silently.
The priest next shows the faithful the Eucharistic Bread, holding it above the paten or above the chalice, and invites them to the banquet of Christ. Along with the faithful, he then makes an act of humility using the prescribed words taken from the Gospels.
- It is most desirable that the faithful, just as the priest himself is** bound to do,** receive the Lord’s Body from hosts consecrated at the same Mass and that, in the instances when it is permitted, they partake of the chalice (cf. below, no. 283), so that even by means of the signs Communion will stand out more clearly as a participation in the sacrifice actually being celebrated.73
I’m not stating this as if I really know the answer, just throwing it out there until we have a real definitive answer.
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LilyM
Guest
Obviously the ‘celebrate Mass’ bit can only refer to a priest - lay people don’t ‘celebrate’ Mass, they assist at or attend it.
The kicker is the ‘grave reason’ bit. It IS necessary for a priest to receive communion at every Mass they celebrate because without the priest communicating the Mass, I’m almost certain, isn’t valid, as per the GIRM.
That has implications for everyone who attends - it means no-one will have met their Sunday obligation to attend a valid Mass.
But if a lay person doesn’t recieve on a given Sunday because they’ve not confessed it doesn’t affect others at all. And the only effect on the person themselves would be that they’ve eliminated any potential for committing further grave sin by ensuring that they haven’t received Our Lord unworthily.
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