M
marymary1975
Guest
I had a conversation a few days ago with a church friend that left me a little confused over when catholics are allowed to have the Holy Communion and I would like someone to clarify this issue for me.
As a little background, I grew up abroad. In my country practicing catholics are an overwhelming majority in the country. Since I came to the United States I noted that priests and churches in my country are a little more stricter, i.e. many churches won’t allow you to go into the church if you are not properly dressed but I thought that mostly that was the extent of it. Now, since I came here I, also, noticed that during mass every single person present in the church goes to communion. I didn’t think too much of it but it called my attention because priests in my country have very strict rules with regard to Communion: we are thought that you can’t have Communion if you have eaten within two hours before Communion, you can’t have it if you skip mass, you can’t have it if you haven’t confessed yourself in over a month, you can’t have it if you haven’t confessed certain sins, etc. Also, which was the part that called my attention in the churches in the United States, in my country you can’t have it if you are not properly dressed but I just thought on the dressing matter that may be just because they give a little more leeway here with the dressing.
A couple of weeks ago, I didn’t go to Communion because I skipped the previous Sunday mass. When we got out my friend pointed out at me that why I was the only person in the church that didn’t go to Communion to which I responded that you can’t have Communion if you have skipped mass. She said that I was wrong and that you have to have it regardless of anything. I was pretty shocked and explained to her what I just have said and she insisted that I am wrong. According to her, you always have to go to Communion regardless if have confessed yourself or not, explaining why everybody at the church in the United States goes to Communion (in Latin America, many people would not go to Communion because we are hevily thought that if you do it and you are not free from sins it is a mortal sin, so people are very careful not to go to Communion down there if they are not sure).
Ever since I’ve spoken to a few people. People raised in Latin America have a similar concept to mine while most Americans have the view that you have to go to Holy Communion every Sunday, no matter what you are wearing, if you confessed yourself or not, or despite if you skipped mass. Now I am completely confussed in the subject. Am I wrong? Am I in sin if I don’t go to Communion every Sunday? Help! If anybody is knowleadgeable on this issue I need clarification.
Mary
As a little background, I grew up abroad. In my country practicing catholics are an overwhelming majority in the country. Since I came to the United States I noted that priests and churches in my country are a little more stricter, i.e. many churches won’t allow you to go into the church if you are not properly dressed but I thought that mostly that was the extent of it. Now, since I came here I, also, noticed that during mass every single person present in the church goes to communion. I didn’t think too much of it but it called my attention because priests in my country have very strict rules with regard to Communion: we are thought that you can’t have Communion if you have eaten within two hours before Communion, you can’t have it if you skip mass, you can’t have it if you haven’t confessed yourself in over a month, you can’t have it if you haven’t confessed certain sins, etc. Also, which was the part that called my attention in the churches in the United States, in my country you can’t have it if you are not properly dressed but I just thought on the dressing matter that may be just because they give a little more leeway here with the dressing.
A couple of weeks ago, I didn’t go to Communion because I skipped the previous Sunday mass. When we got out my friend pointed out at me that why I was the only person in the church that didn’t go to Communion to which I responded that you can’t have Communion if you have skipped mass. She said that I was wrong and that you have to have it regardless of anything. I was pretty shocked and explained to her what I just have said and she insisted that I am wrong. According to her, you always have to go to Communion regardless if have confessed yourself or not, explaining why everybody at the church in the United States goes to Communion (in Latin America, many people would not go to Communion because we are hevily thought that if you do it and you are not free from sins it is a mortal sin, so people are very careful not to go to Communion down there if they are not sure).
Ever since I’ve spoken to a few people. People raised in Latin America have a similar concept to mine while most Americans have the view that you have to go to Holy Communion every Sunday, no matter what you are wearing, if you confessed yourself or not, or despite if you skipped mass. Now I am completely confussed in the subject. Am I wrong? Am I in sin if I don’t go to Communion every Sunday? Help! If anybody is knowleadgeable on this issue I need clarification.
Mary
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