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I was baptized, received my First Holy Communion, was
confirmed, and attended four years of Catholic grammar school
followed by four years of Catholic High School.
I consider myself a good Catholic and have followed the
essential Church teachings. I admit that
I may not follow all Church teachings to the letter e.g.
I do not attend Mass every week and we did practice birth
control. That said:
Can I receive Holy Communion?
Can I continue to attend Mass in good conscience?
Thanks,
Rob
{
Can I attend Mass and receive Communion if I am not always faithful to Church teachings? }
John
replied:
Hi Rob,
Thanks for your question.
When it comes to faith and morals, being Catholic
is a binary proposition; one either is or isn't.
You can't be 99% Catholic or 72% Catholic in these
areas. It's like being pregnant. You either are pregnant
or your not pregnant. You can't be 83.4% pregnant.
Catholicism is not like a cafeteria or a buffet. When
you dissent from a Church Teaching, you are protesting.
Hence, you've become a Protestant by definition;
even if you have not formally joined a Protestant
congregation.
You say you practice and hold to essential Church
Teaching. I have to ask:
According to whose standard?
It sounds like your own, but it doesn't work that
way. It's the Teaching authority of Church, meaning
the Bishops in union with Pope who discern what essentials
of the faith are binding on the faithful. (Matthew 16:13-19; Matthew 18:15-18)
This doesn't mean you have to understand every detail
of every point of doctrine nor does it mean you won't
struggle to understand and submit to each and every
doctrine.
It does mean you have to accept the authority of
the Church to teach Infallibly in matters of faith
and morals.
John
Mike
replied:
Hi, Rob —
In addition to my colleague's fine comment, I wanted
to directly answer your question.
You cannot receive Holy Communion, until you
are striving to believe and practice what the Church
believes and practices. When Catholics, as a parish
community of faith, receive the Eucharist, we are
expressing to:
the Church
the parish community, and
to those possibly visiting
our (Common Union)— Communion in Jesus and the one Church He founded on St. Peter.
You would also have to go to the
Sacrament of Confession first, and remember, the
priest can't give you absolution, unless you have
a firm purpose of amendment to stop the sins you
are committing.
If you are having a hard time with a certain sin, tell the Confessor that you are having a hard time making a firm purpose of amendment in certain areas and would like the grace to be able to make one. Go with his counsel.
You can and should attend Mass without going
to Communion. Just say a Spiritual Communion (below) and pray privately or with your family.
Spiritual Communion
O Lord Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.
I love you above all things, (with all my mind, with all my heart, and with all my soul).
I love you because you are infinitely good and worthy of all my love.
Since I cannot receive You now sacramentally, at least come spiritually into my heart.
I embrace myself entirely to You and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
Come Lord Jesus and glorify Yourself through my weak, broken body.
Amen.
If someone asks you why you didn't receive Communion, just tell them you were not properly disposed. The rest is none of their business.
Hope this helps,
Mike
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