What happens if a Catholic does not take communion for over a year?

[Abira]

Hi

I was wondering about what happens to a Catholic if they do not take communion in over a year? are they fallen away?

also…what if somebody sinned so often that they were always in a state of mortal sin every sunday and had sinned since their last confession…

I probably, very seriously, do some form of serious sin most days (though now I’m consciously trying I’m making good progress) and if any Catholic was like myself I’d probably need confession straight before mass lol…

how long can a Catholic go without communion? I know it’s one of the six precepts of the church that they go once a year… what if they do not attend every sunday, go to confession or receive communion in over a year?

are they just fallen away Catholics or do they kinda excommunicate themselves?

S

 

[jpjd]

If I understand correctly, that’s the same thing, and they are in need of reconciliation.

An excommunicated Catholic is NOT the same thing as a fallen away Catholic.

Excommunication is a penalty imposed by the Church for an extremely grave offense “being intended, not so much to punish the culprit, as to correct him and bring him back to the path of righteousness.” Excommunication is an exclusion from the Church.

“Falling away” from the Church is a phrase we use to describe the Catholic who of his own accord stops attending Mass, does not participate in the sacraments, and generally does not follow Catholic beliefs and practices.

As for communion, you’re required to go at least once a week if you are able.

No. We are required to attend Mass on Sundays as instructed by the 3rd Commandment (“Remember to keep holy the Lord’s day”) and also the first precept of the Church (“To go to Mass and refrain from servile work on Sundays and holy days”).

We are required to receive the Eucharist at least once per year as requird by the third precept of the Church ("To receive the Eucharist at least once a year, during the Easter Season – known as the “Easter duty”) .

BTW, in answer to the original poster’s questions, the person would be a fallen away Catholic, not excommunicated.

 

[YADA]

We are to participate at Mass every Sunday and on the Holy Days of Obligation…I do not think that participation is the same as [or equates to] receiving the Eucharist…So a person could participate in Mass each Sunday and not receive the Eucharist [for a variety of reasons…some of which might be very valid]

We are to go to Reconcilliation at least once a year [plus any time we are aware of grave sin] and we are to receive the Eucharist at least once a year…

The person who fails to take Communion at least once a year has seperated themselves from the life of the church…as they have failed in following the disciplines of the Church…

Objectively, it would seem that they have deprived themselves of the Graces that gift our lives from receiving that “Heavenly, True Food” which is Christ - Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity…

It is not for us to “judge” what happens…that is for God…

For us, we just have to be present, conscious of our own failings and a vice of hope and reconcilliation to others… as we hope thay are to and for us…

The Church, of course, must remain constant in its love and message to all people…awaiting their conversion of heart…ready to welcome them back to the Table of Chirst

At least those are my musings…

 

[Abira]

If I understand correctly, that’s the same thing, and they are in need of reconciliation.

As for communion, you’re required to go at least once a week if you are able.

sorry lol…I’m using the word communion in the church of england way lol

what i mean is: attend mass every sunday
take the eucharist body and blood at least once a year

i thought that fallen away catholic just meant a kind of naughty catholic… not as bad as excommunication.

S

 

[jpjd]

sorry lol…I’m using the word communion in the church of england way lol

what i mean is: attend mass every sunday
take the eucharist body and blood at least once a year

i thought that fallen away catholic just meant a kind of naughty catholic… not as bad as excommunication.

S

Abira,

Read my earlier post again. I edited since you read it, and it explains what you want to know.

 

[Abira]

An excommunicated Catholic is NOT the same thing as a fallen away Catholic.

Excommunication is a penalty imposed by the Church for an extremely grave offense “being intended, not so much to punish the culprit, as to correct him and bring him back to the path of righteousness.” Excommunication is an exclusion from the Church.

“Falling away” from the Church is a phrase we use to describe the Catholic who of his own accord stops attending Mass, does not participate in the sacraments, and generally does not follow Catholic beliefs and practices.

No. We are required to attend Mass on Sundays as instructed by the 3rd Commandment (“Remember to keep holy the Lord’s day”) and also the first precept of the Church (“To go to Mass and refrain from servile work on Sundays and holy days”).

We are required to receive the Eucharist at least once per year as requird by the third precept of the Church ("To receive the Eucharist at least once a year, during the Easter Season – known as the “Easter duty”) .

BTW, in answer to the original poster’s questions, the person would be a fallen away Catholic, not excommunicated.

thanks for that clrification

is it possible for a catholic to excommunicate themselves automatically without the penalty being imposed explicitly by the church?

fallen away sounds much nicer lol

Take care, S

 

[Abira]

If I understand correctly, that’s the same thing, and they are in need of reconciliation.

As for communion, you’re required to go at least once a week if you are able.

hey tsuzuki it’s you again lol are you following me … it’s nice to see you in another thread lol… my m’s are worn from my keyboard from typing mormon so many times lol lol

Take care, S

 

[jpjd]

thanks for that clrification

is it possible for a catholic to excommunicate themselves automatically without the penalty being imposed explicitly by the church?

fallen away sounds much nicer lol

Take care, S

Excommunication is automatic, occuring automatically when the person commits the extremely grave offense. So, yes, Catholics “excommunicate themselves”. (The offenses that incur excommunication are listed at newadvent.org in the Catholic Encyclopedia under “excommunication”. A more understandable summary of that list is given in Wikipedia.)

Excommunication can also occur when the Church has declared that someone is excommunicated.

Keep in mind that excommunication does NOT mean the person is no longer Catholic (because a person becomes Catholic by way of his baptism or if a convert by way of Confirmation, and those sacraments are indelible. You can’t “undo” them.) Excommunication just means that the person can not participate in liturgies, sacraments, etc of the Church, until absolved by a priest or bishop.

 

[Abira]

Keep in mind that excommunication does NOT mean the person is no longer Catholic (because a person becomes Catholic by way of his baptism or if a convert by way of Confirmation, and those sacraments are indelible. You can’t “undo” them.) Excommunication just means that the person can not participate in liturgies, sacraments, etc of the Church, until absolved by a priest or bishop.

ahhhhhh… there was an audible click into place there… I didn’t know that, this is maybe why I’ve been getting mixed up as I read different threads etc…

so the sacrament of confirmation/baprism… they only happen once? so they can’t ever be taken away… like holy orders? so it’s only the eucharist and confession that can be done more than once (and annointing of the sick maybe…I dunno about that one)

that makes sense… so excommunication is meant as a temporary state… like the sin bin in a sports match… I thought it was more permanent cos the words kinda formiddable lol

Thanks, S

 

[LilyM]

ahhhhhh… there was an audible click into place there… I didn’t know that, this is maybe why I’ve been getting mixed up as I read different threads etc…

so the sacrament of confirmation/baprism… they only happen once? so they can’t ever be taken away… like holy orders? so it’s only the eucharist and confession that can be done more than once (and annointing of the sick maybe…I dunno about that one)

that makes sense… so excommunication is meant as a temporary state… like the sin bin in a sports match… I thought it was more permanent cos the words kinda formiddable lol

Thanks, S

Yes, anointing of the sick can be done more than once. And confirmation and baptism are each done only once.

Bear in mind that in those cases where someone incurs automatic excommunication the excommunication is normally ALSO automatically lifted when they confess the sin to their priest.

It used to be that in some cases you had to make your confession to the Bishop in order for this to happen, but most Bishops have given their priests the authority to automatically lift the excommunications themselves.

 

[Teflon93]

thanks for that clrification

is it possible for a catholic to excommunicate themselves automatically without the penalty being imposed explicitly by the church?

fallen away sounds much nicer lol

Take care, S

Yes. There are actions which result in excommunication by their very commission under canon law. Procuring an abortion or striking clergy are examples.

 

[Teflon93]

Hi

I was wondering about what happens to a Catholic if they do not take communion in over a year? are they fallen away?

also…what if somebody sinned so often that they were always in a state of mortal sin every sunday and had sinned since their last confession…

I probably, very seriously, do some form of serious sin most days (though now I’m consciously trying I’m making good progress) and if any Catholic was like myself I’d probably need confession straight before mass lol…

how long can a Catholic go without communion? I know it’s one of the six precepts of the church that they go once a year… what if they do not attend every sunday, go to confession or receive communion in over a year?

are they just fallen away Catholics or do they kinda excommunicate themselves?

S

Being a Catholic means one has received valid sacraments. If one has been Baptized and/or Confirmed Catholic, you are Catholic. Excommunication is the mechanism by which you are recognized to be Catholic no longer.

Catholics who do not obey the Church are still Catholics. Catholics who do not repent of mortal sin are still Catholics. If they do these things and continue to receive the Eucharist, they simply compound their mortal sins. If they die without repentance of their mortal sins, they imperil their souls. That is their free will to do.

 

[thistle]

If I understand correctly, that’s the same thing, and they are in need of reconciliation.

As for communion, you’re required to go at least once a week if you are able.

As you are a Mormon you don’t understand the Catholic faith and you are wrong in your understanding of what is being discussed here!

 

[jpjd]

Excommunication is the mechanism by which you are recognized to be Catholic no longer.

Wrong. As I said in my earlier post:

“Keep in mind that excommunication does NOT mean the person is no longer Catholic (because a person becomes Catholic by way of his baptism or if a convert by way of Confirmation, and those sacraments are indelible. You can’t “undo” them.) Excommunication just means that the person can not participate in liturgies, sacraments, etc of the Church, until absolved by a priest or bishop.”

 

[Abira]

Being a Catholic means one has received valid sacraments. If one has been Baptized and/or Confirmed Catholic, you are Catholic. Excommunication is the mechanism by which you are recognized to be Catholic no longer.

Keep in mind that excommunication does NOT mean the person is no longer Catholic (because a person becomes Catholic by way of his baptism or if a convert by way of Confirmation, and those sacraments are indelible. You can’t “undo” them.) Excommunication just means that the person can not participate in liturgies, sacraments, etc of the Church, until absolved by a priest or bishop.

I had it clear in my mind for a moment and then it left me lol… I’m sure that you two cannot be in conflict on this issue and it’s probably the wording… but am I missing something… one is saying that excommunication is to be no longer catholic… the other is saying that excommunication just denies a Catholic the sacraments until they seek reconcilliation?

S

 

[Abira]

Wrong. As I said in my earlier post:

“Keep in mind that excommunication does NOT mean the person is no longer Catholic (because a person becomes Catholic by way of his baptism or if a convert by way of Confirmation, and those sacraments are indelible. You can’t “undo” them.) Excommunication just means that the person can not participate in liturgies, sacraments, etc of the Church, until absolved by a priest or bishop.”

phew… I thought I was imagining a difference there lol

I suppose though that if a catholic does not attend mass or receive communion once a year they deny themselves the sacraments…iregardless of anything else.

S

 

[jpjd]

phew… I thought I was imagining a difference there lol

I suppose though that if a catholic does not attend mass or receive communion once a year they deny themselves the sacraments…iregardless of anything else.

S

The difference is, fallen away Catholics “deny” themselves by their own choice. They just aren’t interested in the faith anymore. The problem isn’t that they committed a grave offense – they aren’t under a penalty. They just choose not to participate.

Excommunicated Catholics are “denied” by the Church because the excommunicated person committed a very grave offense.

 

[Abira]

The difference is, fallen away Catholics “deny” themselves by their own choice. They just aren’t interested in the faith anymore. The problem isn’t that they committed a grave offense – they aren’t under a penalty. They just choose not to participate.

Excommunicated Catholics are “denied” by the Church because the excommunicated person committed a very grave offense.

got it