What would you do? Accidentally attending a Mass.... ;)

[LilyM]

:getholy:

:getholy:Isn’t it now allowed to receive communion if you intend to immediately, or at least on the first occasion available, avail yourself to the graces of reconciliation?

Only if you have ‘grave reason’ to receive without confessing, as Canon 916 says. Priests need to receive at every Mass they celebrate, and many celebrate in isolated parishes without other priests being readily available to confess to, so the Canon is mainly for their benefit.

Danger of death might be one such reason for someone who is not a priest (if, for example, you are seriously ill in hospital with another layperson who can bring you communion but no priest available to hear your confession beforehand).

The mere fact that you want to receive but need to confess is not grave reason to receive without confession.

 

[Sarabande]

I don’t think you did anything wrong, but I would have stayed. My husband and I were married at a city cathedral and it wasn’t unusual to have homeless people, tourists and other people enter the church to pray or to just see the inside of it. When we were married, there were a few people at the back of the cathedral watching our wedding, including some homeless men. We even had a pic of us processing out and a homeless man shaking my husband’s hand, congratulating us. It was actually very touching to have people we didn’t even know wishing us well.