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Vatican Criticizes People Who Receive Communion While Living in Mortal Sin
BeliefNet.com ^ | 07/07/05

Posted on 07/07/2005 7:46:28 PM PDT by murphE

The Vatican singled out divorcees who remarry and Catholic politicians who support abortion on Thursday in criticizing those who continue to receive Holy Communion while in a state of mortal sin.

The lament came in a new document on the Eucharist that details abuses of the sacrament and the need for better instruction to ensure it remains sacred. The 85-page text is the working draft of a final document that will be developed during the global synod, or meeting, of bishops Oct. 2-23 in Rome. The paper covers a range of issues related to the Eucharist: It suggests, for example, that Latin be used during international gatherings so all priests involved can understand the proceedings, and it suggests that parishes consider using more Gregorian chants to prevent more "profane" types of music from being played during the liturgy.

It calls for priests not to be "showmen" who draw attention to themselves and says lay people can have an important but "minimal" presence in Masses. It says the tabernacle - which holds the bread and wine held by Catholics to be the body and blood of Christ - should have a prominent place in the church and not be shunted off to a corner.

Most significantly, though, the document laments the fact that fewer and fewer Catholics are going to Mass on Sundays - in some countries, only 5 percent of the faithful attend - and that fewer Catholics are going to confession.

As a result, many Catholics are living in a state of mortal sin when they receive Communion, it said. The Church defines sin as a free and deliberate violation of God's law; a mortal sin is one that involves a "grave violation of God's law" and "deliberate consent." Catholics can repent their sins by confessing them to a priest.

"The faithful frequently receive Holy Communion without even thinking that they might be in a state of mortal sin," the document said. "As a result, the receiving of Holy Communion by those who are divorced and civilly remarried is a common occurrence in various countries."

It noted that confession isn't always available to the faithful because of the acute shortage of priests in parts of the globe, but said the sacrament nevertheless was necessary. It cited statistics showing there was one priest for every 1,797 Catholics in 1978 compared to one priest for every 2,677 Catholics in 2003.

The document, "The Eucharist: source and summit of the life and mission of the church," was written starting in 2004 based on responses received by bishops from around the world reporting on their own experiences. It stresses that it is not a theological treatise on the Eucharist and in fact it restates church teaching on most key issues.

In one section, for example, the document criticized the faithful who support Catholic politicians who themselves back abortion and other policies contrary to church teaching.

"Some receive Communion while denying the teachings of the church or publicly supporting immoral choices in life, such as abortion, without thinking that they are committing an act of grave personal dishonesty and causing scandal," it said.

"Some Catholics do not understand why it might be a sin to support a political candidate who is openly in favor of abortion or other serious acts against life, justice and peace."

The issue was highlighted during the U.S. presidential election campaign after St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke said he would deny the Eucharist to Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, a Catholic who supports abortion rights.


TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Current Events; Moral Issues
KEYWORDS: catholic; communion; mortalsin; pope; vatican
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To: siunevada
Ok, I guess as an observer of these Catholic terms to sin I was hoping for some clarity. Its kinda interesting to see how others believe about this stuff.

Not sure what 2380 means.

Condemning people that get divorced or as this article states it equating those that get divorced with those that support abortion is not fair. Only one person in the marriage committed the act yet both are condemned. Is this statement simply missing some clarifying language or does it actually mean divorced people whether they committed adultery or not.
21 posted on 07/08/2005 11:20:26 AM PDT by wallcrawlr (http://www.bionicear.com)
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To: Pio

I know what you mean but did not Jesus even say there is one greatest commandment?

What do you believe about that possibility? (there some are "ranked higher" than others)


22 posted on 07/08/2005 11:24:37 AM PDT by wallcrawlr (http://www.bionicear.com)
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To: wallcrawlr

there some

should read

That some


23 posted on 07/08/2005 11:25:12 AM PDT by wallcrawlr (http://www.bionicear.com)
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To: wallcrawlr

Dear wallcrawlr,

For those validly, sacramentally married, the Church does not recognize divorce, as Her Lord did not recognize it.

Those that cause divorce generally sin. The party who is divorced unwillingly doesn't sin by being divorced. However, should the innocent party remarry (assuming no declaration of nullity of the sacramental nature of the marriage has been obtained), then the innocent party is an adulterer.


sitetest


24 posted on 07/08/2005 11:27:46 AM PDT by sitetest (If Roe is not overturned, no unborn child will ever be protected in law.)
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To: wallcrawlr

The issue is not divorce. There is no sin in having your spouse divorce you. The sin lies in remarrying another without having received an anullment. Without anullment, the marriage is still considered in effect by the Catholic Church. And anyone who marries another while they are still married, is guilty of adultery, whether they have walked on their first spouse, or their first spouse walked out on them.


25 posted on 07/08/2005 11:27:49 AM PDT by dangus
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To: sitetest; dangus
anullment. that helps link it together.
So when this statement is read:

The Vatican singled out divorcees who remarry and Catholic politicians who support abortion on Thursday in criticizing those who continue to receive Holy Communion while in a state of mortal sin.

I need to remember that they are simply talking about divorcees that remarry without seeking anullment. Ok.

I can see how that technicality now relates to the statement.

26 posted on 07/08/2005 11:45:14 AM PDT by wallcrawlr (http://www.bionicear.com)
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To: wallcrawlr

Dear wallcrawlr,

One who obtains a declaration of nullity of a previous marriage is usually free to marry in the eyes of the Church, and thus incurs no sin for doing so.

However, I wouldn't precisely call it a "technicality." For Catholics, that almost trivializes it.


sitetest


27 posted on 07/08/2005 11:49:09 AM PDT by sitetest (If Roe is not overturned, no unborn child will ever be protected in law.)
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To: Salvation

St. Paul asserts, in I Cor. 11, that there are consequences to abusing communion. "For this cause many are sick among you, and some sleep (are dead)." Faithful pastors warn their flock about the dangers of taking liberties with God. (BTW -- I'm protestant).


28 posted on 07/08/2005 11:49:22 AM PDT by TomSmedley (Calvinist, optimist, home schooling dad, exuberant husband, technical writer)
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To: murphE
It will be interesting to see this document. If the report is an accurate reflection of what it will contain, then 'Amen' to this document. It's instructive and reassuring to have issues about appropriate practices at mass summarized and reaffirmed. True, the day may come when we don't need documents like this because the message is being delivered from the pulpit, but that day is not here yet.
29 posted on 07/08/2005 2:03:00 PM PDT by InterestedQuestioner
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To: sitetest

ok, that last one was kinda protestant sarcasm.


30 posted on 07/08/2005 5:03:42 PM PDT by wallcrawlr (http://www.bionicear.com)
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Comment #31 Removed by Moderator

To: wallcrawlr
You are arguing that one commandment contradicts others. That is a false premise.

You are also arguing that pointing out the illicit nature of divorce and remarriage is a lack of love. This is a false charge and calumny against me. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Your argumentation is diabolical.

32 posted on 07/15/2005 7:11:16 AM PDT by Pio (Vatican II, thy name is Modernism, Madness and Death.)
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To: Pio

Dude, youre a little late to the party. The issue has been hashed out. Check the thread.

Commandments do not contradict. The Lord is not a confusing God.

Ease down the tone a bit...its Friday after all.


33 posted on 07/15/2005 7:33:19 AM PDT by wallcrawlr (http://www.bionicear.com)
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