www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Can I take the communion and confess later?

Can I, being in state of sin, take the communion and confess to a priest later?

I think most Catholics would tell you that it is not a good idea. Same with us Orthodox. If you are conscious of sin in your life you should not approach the chalice. Remember there are some fairly strongly worded scriptural admonitions against eating and drinking the Holy Mysteries unworthily.

St Paul says that when you do so you eat and drink damnation to yourself. That is very strong!
Stephanos I

Strangely, I have heard some priests say in the confessional that you should not give up communion. They say it strengthens you in dealing with the respective sin. I don't get into arguments in the confessional, but do disagree with this. However, it is true that in the early Church many confessible sins of today were forgiven by the eucharist, not confession. However, that was before the scholastics ruined the Church.

I am of the opinion that in certain circumstances, such as a wedding where you are part of the wedding party and you are unable (not unwilling) to make a confession before the service, you could make an act of "perfect contrition" (sorrow that is the fruit of love, not fear...a true baptism of tears) with a firm resolution to confess as soon as it is possible and then approach the chalice.

The keys are that

a. you are truly repentant, and
b. are willing, but unable, to confess and receive canonical absolution, and
c. the circumstances are such that, if you were to abstain from receiving, it would be something that would offend charity or good order.

I tend to agree that in certain extraordinary circumstances, this approach is appropriate to prepare for a worthy reception of the Mysteries. But it should certainly represent the exception, not the rule.

Just my two cents...

Gordo

Slava Isusu Khrestu

This is a question which only one's confessor or spiritual advisor could answer and not from various members' opinion on a forum!


A spiritual confessor/Father knows his son/daughter. Sin is sin but culpability is another question. Does an alcoholic sin when he is drinking.....yes but is he entirely culpable? Here, again one's confessor/director ( if one is truly so fortunate or willing to seek help )can make the decision. Could the confessor state "You may go to communion and not give up for the confessor knows in what delicate state the slip/drink may have brought the individual but it is incumbent upon you to come a seek help from me and we shall resolve it in confession/reconciliation. AND..it works.

Z Bohom
I, a sinner, and I don't say this lightly!!!!
ask for your prayers. If you use your
imagination you will know exactly of what and how, I speak.

Nycholaij

Garajotsi,

I agree with you to a point. Presumably in cases like this, your confessor is not available. I do not see an issue with discussing what one should do in these situations. But I think it wise to ask one's spiritual father the best approach as a matter of principle, since it is difficult to imagine PLANNING for such a necessity! (That is called presumption!)

In ICXC,

Gordo

Slava Isusu Khrestu

Exactly!

One's spiritual Father would have had an intimate knowledge of his spiritual child and in discussion would have planned for such situations. This part of what spiritual growth means. It is not a one time thing. It is an on-going experience with one's director even for a lifetime.

It is supposed that one does not go out looking to fall into trouble or sin but the situation can arise and one may fall. In other words one may ask or ones spiritual Father or may say "If this happens this is what you do....."

Z Bohom
Nycholaij

Slava Isusu Khrestu

This topic is a serious topic. I would very much like to hear what clergy have to add concerning this... Father Anthony and Father Keleher if possible.


Z Bohom
Nycholaij

Gordo:


Why is it so important for the members of the wedding party to receive the Eucharist? IMHO, the members of the wedding party are usually more focused on the show they are involved in and the partying that is to come than in Who they are approaching in the Eucharist.

If it were up to me, I think I would discourage the reception of the Eucharist at weddings for that very reason. As Father Stephanos states, St. Paul is very strong about this. This is NOT part of the show or part of the "going through the motions" that so many wedding shows are.

In Christ,

BOB

Philippe: Catholics and Orthodox Christians don't "take" communion. They "receive" it. Not only is this a difference in semantics, but it underlines the whole different approach that we have from Protestants who "take" communion.

To "take" something implies that one has a "right" to something. To "receive" implies that one is given a gift. The Eucharist that we receive is the Gift of Christ Himself. Those who "take" don't hold the same Eucharistic theology about what they are doing as we.

In Christ,

BOB

my undersatnding is that here are very few exceptions for receiving communion in a state of sin without confession first, according to Latin Rite Canon law, if that interests anybody. I know this is a place to discuss the East. I think about the only exception I can think of is that you are about to die and try to have perfect contrition, which means being sorry because your sin offends God and not because of your fear or desire to personally be absolved. Really, though sometimes it is fdifficult to get to confession as easy as I would like to, there is not reason I could not get it done if there were wedding coming up. A priest according to canon law has to hear any reasonable request to hear a confession. So even on the day of the wedding you could probably get it done./ It is hard to believe that unless there was a grave reason that you would be unable to go to confession first in most cases. Let me know if anyone wants the specific law referring to this. actually i found something really quick. Again this is for us Westerners, not sure how to fit it in to the East. I agree that it helps to have a Spiritual Father to help one understand where one is or is not, and that we lack all we need to know in judging our sin, but I think whenever there is a definite reasonable doubt beyond fear or scrupulosity that we should try to play it safe and go to confession first, and simply not receive at a wedding or otherwise.

The 1983 Code of Canon Law indicates that the same requirement applies today. "A person who is conscious of a grave sin is not to . . . receive the body of the Lord without prior sacramental confession unless a grave reason is present and there is no opportunity of confessing; in this case the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible" (CIC 916).

The requirement for sacramental confession can be dispensed if four conditions are fulfilled: (1) there must be a grave reason to receive Communion (for example, danger of death), (2) it must be physically or morally impossible to go to confession first, (3) the person must already be in a state of grace through perfect contrition, and (4) he must resolve to go to confession as soon as possible.

Of course let me clarify what I meant!
Grave sin and of course sin committed with full consent of the will.
Stephanos I

Good point Bob!
Stephanos I
This has often been my sentiments about receiving and not taking communion. I am always horrified when someone approaches the divine mysteries and grabs at the host.

Father Stephanos:

Father bless.

As an Extraordinary Minister--and the one delegated to train all our new EMs--we've had to deal with this "grab the Host" situation. What I do--and train others to do--is initiate a little dialogue with the person, telling him/her that I must either place the Host in the person's hand or mouth. I've even gone so far as to tell someone to put their hands down while looking them straight in the eye. I don't give a hoot what people think when I'm charged with protecting Our Lord. So the best thing someone could do is say I can't do this ministry anymore. They chased me down to do it and I told them I had dozens of reservations but they persisted anyway. So what you see is what you get--I know Who I am charged to give and how I am to protect Him.

I've also had to deal with people who obviously don't even know what to do--they walk out with the Host in their hands and we've had to chase them down and retrieve Him. I've had a woman spit the Host out because she didn't like the taste.

This relaxed attitude about the Eucharist is not without its problems.

Asking for your blessing and your holy prayers.

BOB