Those in Mortal Sin Can't Go to Communion, Says Pope

Zenit.org ^ | 03-14-05 | Pope John Paul II

[Salvation]

Date: 2005-03-14

Those in Mortal Sin Can't Go to Communion, Says Pope

In a Message to Priests at Course on "Internal Forum"

VATICAN CITY, MARCH 14, 2005 (Zenit.org).- In keeping with Church teaching, John Paul II issued a reminder that no one who is aware of being in a state of mortal sin can go to Communion.

The Pope confirmed the traditional teaching of the magisterium in a message published by the Holy See on Saturday. The message was addressed to young priests who attended a course last week on the "internal forum" -- questions of conscience -- organized by the tribunal of the Apostolic Penitentiary.

The Holy Father dedicated his letter, signed March 8 in the Gemelli Polyclinic where he was hospitalized, to the relationship that exists between the Eucharist and confession.

"We live in a society that seems frequently to have lost the sense of God and of sin," writes John Paul II. "In this context, therefore, Christ's invitation to conversion is that much more urgent, which implies the conscious confession of one's sins and the relative request for forgiveness and salvation.

"In the exercise of his ministry, the priest knows that he acts 'in the person of Christ and under the action of the Holy Spirit,' and for this reason he must nourish [Christ's] sentiments in his inner being, increase within himself the charity of Jesus, teacher and shepherd, physician of souls and bodies, spiritual guide, just and merciful judge."

The Pope continues: "In the tradition of the Church, sacramental reconciliation has always been considered in profound relationship with the banquet of the sacrifice of the Eucharist, memorial of our redemption.

"Already in the first Christian communities the need was felt to prepare oneself, with a worthy conduct of life, to celebrate the breaking of the Eucharistic bread, which is 'Communion' with the body and blood of the Lord and 'communion' ('koinonia') with believers who form only one body, as they are nourished with the same body of Christ."

Because of this, the Pontiff recalls St. Paul's warning to the Corinthians when he said: "Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 11:27).

"In the rite of the Holy Mass," notes the Pope, "many elements underline this exigency of purification and conversion: from the initial penitential act to the prayers for forgiveness; from the gesture of peace to the prayers that the priests and faithful recite before Communion."

"Only someone who is sincerely conscious of not having committed a mortal sin can receive the Body of Christ," states the papal message, recalling the doctrine of the Council of Trent. "And this continues to be the teaching of the Church also today."

The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains the difference between mortal and venial sin in Nos. 1854 to 1864.

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[annalex]

The Catholic church is one, holy, catholic (=universal) and apostolic. By definition, any Catholic issue is of utmost relevance to everyone.

Non-Catholics who recognize the relevance of Vatican in their lives deserve a great praise, and we should welcome their questions.

[Logic n' Reason]

Check your premises...

First, not all catholics follow or listen to the pope.

Second; use the entire world population; not just "christians" in your count.

As I said, very very very few follow or listen to the pope.

[verity]

Good reference. It's been over 40 years since I had an undergraduate course in Dogmatic Theology.

In your opinion, what is the level of sin for a Catholic politician who neither opposes abortion nor defends it? [I ask because I don't know.]

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

Canon Law 915 would almost require him to withould communion. That being said, I doubt one could find twenty priests willing to do that without first gaining diocesan support.

[annalex]

it is not unconfessed sin in your life that will bring destruction at the communion table, but an unworthy or cavalier attitude towards the sacrament. Indeed, I think that if you approach the sacrament with the attitude that you, yourself are "worthy", then you are likely to take a cavalier attitude to the table.

Let us step back to the issue of mortal sin first. It is not the criminality of the sinful act that makes it mortal, but defiance of God. Mortal here refers to the deadening of the soul. The arch-sin that is mortal is denial of sin, as in Eve's denial of the sin of eating the fruit based on the reasoning that the fruit looked edible. So, a vile murderer who confesses and repents is free from mortal sin, and can receive the Eucharist, and someone, for example, who is aware of the Catholic teaching on contraception but contracepts without confession, may not, even though the latter transgression is small from the secular standpoint.

As you see, a mortal sin is indeed a cavalier attitude toward God. When someone thus burdened approaches the Communion rail, this becomes a cavalier attitude about the Eucharist. So, you are correct.

You imply another quandary: if a communicant is aware of absence of mortal sin (because, for example, he just completed confession and penance), is that an assumption of worthyness, in itself deeply sinful? The answer is that communion is only valid in the context of Mass, and the proclamation: "I am not worthy to receive" is made, as a necessary mart of the order of Mass.

[sinkspur]

Isn't this thread a Catholic issue?

Well, yes, but there are so many myths around "confession," that we, as Catholics, have to understand where other people are coming from.

When I was in grade school, I used to make up things to confess because we had to go to confession on the day before First Friday, so we could all receive the Eucharist as a school body. In third grade, I confessed adultery because I thought it meant I was disrespectful of adults. The priest just ignored it.

My pastor is an expert on the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and gives some of the most instructive and interesting homilies on it I've ever heard. He stresses "the view from 20,000 feet." Why am I doing the things I'm doing? What is motivating me (or not motivating me) to be dishonest, or selfish, or to constantly lie? He stresses that we have to get to the bottom of why we do what we do, and confess that, and be forgiven for that, rather than merely walk in and recite lists of sins, as if they were all unrelated.

He's a great confessor. Now, he does something some here would disagree with. At Penance services, he asks that we pick one thing, the big thing, to confess, and talk about why we think we do that. It makes the lines move quicker, but it also makes people think of what motivates them.

[sinkspur]

In your opinion, what is the level of sin for a Catholic politician who neither opposes abortion nor defends it? [I ask because I don't know.]

How does he vote? Or does he just abstain from voting on abortion-related issues? Your question is similar to one we had to consider in moral theology years ago: if one has a pistol, and sees someone else under mortal threat, is one obliged to defend the other person's life?

[annalex]

what is the level of sin for a Catholic politician who neither opposes abortion nor defends it?

You mean, who never had a chance to vote on a life issue? I think, there is no sin.

If he had a chance to vote on a life issue and did not vote pro-life, then this is a grave sin of omission, and if he voted pro-death, it is a grave sin of commission.

[annalex]

necessary mart -> necessary part

[Jack of all Trades]

Thanks, there's a lot more room in here than I had imagined.

[te lucis]

A few things to keep in mind regarding Confession:

1. You're behind a screen; total anonymity
2. You could always drive to a far off church where no one knows you
3. The priest may be a far worse sinner than you've ever been.
4. If he's worth his salt, the priest should be overjoyed to hear your confession.

[verity]

I do not remember if there is an appropriate response to that one because one must take a life to save a life. OTOH, one can apply the principle of double effect.

[verity]

"If he had a chance to vote on a life issue and did not vote pro-life, then this is a grave sin of omission, and if he voted pro-death, it is a grave sin of commission"

If this your personal opinion or can you refer me to an authoritative source?

[annalex]

I am confident in this, but don't have a source handy. Maybe someone can help?

[verity]

I think what I am trying to ascertain is whether both offenses are considered to be on the same level, i.e. mortal sin.

If the SCOTUS had to decide, we would have a split vote. ;-)

[annalex]

Here:

2. The Church teaches that abortion or euthanasia is a grave sin. The Encyclical Letter Evangelium vitae, with reference to judicial decisions or civil laws that authorise or promote abortion or euthanasia, states that there is a “grave and clear obligation to oppose them by conscientious objection. [...] In the case of an intrinsically unjust law, such as a law permitting abortion or euthanasia, it is therefore never licit to obey it, or to ‘take part in a propaganda campaign in favour of such a law or vote for it’” (no. 73). Christians have a “grave obligation of conscience not to cooperate formally in practices which, even if permitted by civil legislation, are contrary to God’s law. Indeed, from the moral standpoint, it is never licit to cooperate formally in evil. [...] This cooperation can never be justified either by invoking respect for the freedom of others or by appealing to the fact that civil law permits it or requires it” (no. 74).

[...]

5. Regarding the grave sin of abortion or euthanasia, when a person’s formal cooperation becomes manifest (understood, in the case of a Catholic politician, as his consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws), his Pastor should meet with him, instructing him about the Church’s teaching, informing him that he is not to present himself for Holy Communion until he brings to an end the objective situation of sin, and warning him that he will otherwise be denied the Eucharist.

(Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion. General Principles, by Joseph Ratzinger)

Do you also need a source for omission/commission distinction?

[anonymoussierra]

Thank you"Salvation"all please read

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14004b.htm

"Mortal sin is defined by St. Augustine (Contra Faustum, XXII, xxvii) as "Dictum vel factum vel concupitum contra legem æternam", i.e. something said, done or desired contrary to the eternal law"

[verity]

Thanks.

I can extrapolate from that which you provided.

[annalex]

Mortal sin is defined by St. Augustine (Contra Faustum, XXII, xxvii) as "Dictum vel factum vel concupitum contra legem æternam", i.e. something said, done or desired contrary to the eternal law, or a thought, word, or deed contrary to the eternal law.

[...]

While primarily a definition of sins of commission, sins of omission may be included in the definition because they presuppose some positive act (St. Thomas, I-II:71:5) and negation and affirmation are reduced to the same genus.

(New Advent. Sin. III Mortal Sin)

and

If, however, in the sin of omission, we consider also the causes, or occasions of the omission, then the sin of omission must of necessity include some act. For there is no sin of omission, unless we omit what we can do or not do: and that we turn aside so as not to do what we can do or not do, must needs be due to some cause or occasion, either united with the omission or preceding it.

[...]

Wherefore it is evident that then the sin of omission has indeed an act united with, or preceding the omission, but that this act is accidental to the sin of omission.

Now in judging about things, we must be guided by that which is proper to them, and not by that which is accidental: and consequently it is truer to say that a sin can be without any act; else the circumstantial acts and occasions would be essential to other actual sins.

(St. Thomas, I-II:71:5)

[xzins]

Excellent post, Tantu. Excellent explanation. Thanks.