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Would you take Eucharist from a priest who had sinned?

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
I'm talking on this other forum-like website. It's not really for discussion. It's interesting people's views on confession, priests, sin, and the church.

I was wondering.

Would you as a catholic take communion from a priest who committed a mortal sin?

The other site, catholics said they would need the priest to make a public confession after being convicted to pay his debts to society before they take communion.

If the priest repeatedly sinned, I can see why one wouldn't take communion.

If it were one grave sin, wouldn't confession and forgiveness from the Church be enough to take communion; or, does the catholic want him to be convicted and confess to society first?

Is the forgiveness of a grave sin only forgiven (thus free to give communion) when the Church and other priest forgive the guilty or does the sacrament of giving communion also depend on the conviction and response of society and his sin?
 

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
I'm talking on this other forum-like website. It's not really for discussion. It's interesting people's views on confession, priests, sin, and the church.

I was wondering.

Would you as a catholic take communion from a priest who committed a mortal sin?

The other site, catholics said they would need the priest to make a public confession after being convicted to pay his debts to society before they take communion.

If the priest repeatedly sinned, I can see why one wouldn't take communion.

If it were one grave sin, wouldn't confession and forgiveness from the Church be enough to take communion; or, does the catholic want him to be convicted and confess to society first?

Is the forgiveness of a grave sin only forgiven (thus free to give communion) when the Church and other priest forgive the guilty or does the sacrament of giving communion also depend on the conviction and response of society and his sin?
According to the Catholic Church, no person can receive the Eucharist if it is in a state of mortal sin:

1457 Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession.

Mortal sin - Wikipedia

You'd think this doubly true for a priest giving the Eucharist.
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
According to the Catholic Church, no person can receive the Eucharist if it is in a state of mortal sin:

1457 Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession.

Mortal sin - Wikipedia

You'd think this doubly true for a priest giving the Eucharist.

I mentioned that the priest would need to be forgiven by the church and another priest (confession). Does he need to be forgiven by society for it to be valid proof a catholic would take communion from him?

Why isn't confession and forgiveness of the church enough?

(Some say he has to pay his debts to society before they receive communion from him. Another said that even though he confessed to god, that doesn't mean he did to society)

Priorities off?
 

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
I mentioned that the priest would need to be forgiven by the church and another priest (confession). Does he need to be forgiven by society for it to be valid proof a catholic would take communion from him?

Why isn't confession and forgiveness of the church enough?

(Some say he has to pay his debts to society before they receive communion from him. Another said that even though he confessed to god, that doesn't mean he did to society)

Priorities off?

The usual formula is confession, prayer of contrition and penance.

Penance I'd think to be imposed by a higher order priest, not self determined. Whatever was decided as penance. Abstinence, additional duties, reciting the Bible. Whatever act of penance decided by the higher order priest/bishop. Done.
 
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Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
The usual formula is confession, prayer of contrition and penance.

Penance I'd think to be imposed by a higher order priest, not self determined. Whatever was decided as penance. Abstinence, additional duties, reciting the Bible. Whatever act of penance decided by the higher order priest/bishop. Done.

Yes. But what about societal confession?

Some catholics want priests to also confess his guilt to society as a proof that he mended his actions and debts to society.

They won't take communion until he is convicted and confessed his guilt to society not just the church.

I disagree with it, but other people don't. Why?
 

columbus

yawn <ignore> yawn
You don't get Communion from a priest. It comes from Jesus.
Tom

ETA ~the body and blood are The Body and Blood. It doesn't matter who hands it to you.~
 

PureX

Veteran Member
I'm talking on this other forum-like website. It's not really for discussion. It's interesting people's views on confession, priests, sin, and the church.

I was wondering.

Would you as a catholic take communion from a priest who committed a mortal sin?
All priests have sinned. I'm not sure what the degree of the sin would have to do with it. Or even if the priest had repented and confessed the sin or not. How would we even know?

I am no longer a Catholic, but if I were, I don't see how the state of the priest's soul would effect my taking the communion from him. I don't see how I would even determine such a thing. I would be trusting in position he holds, not in the man wearing the outfit.
The other site, catholics said they would need the priest to make a public confession after being convicted to pay his debts to society before they take communion.

If the priest repeatedly sinned, I can see why one wouldn't take communion.

If it were one grave sin, wouldn't confession and forgiveness from the Church be enough to take communion; or, does the catholic want him to be convicted and confess to society first?

Is the forgiveness of a grave sin only forgiven (thus free to give communion) when the Church and other priest forgive the guilty or does the sacrament of giving communion also depend on the conviction and response of society and his sin?
These are all reason why I am not a Catholic, anymore. The bottom line is that no fellow human should be given the position or the authority of standing between myself and my God. Catholicism is based on this idea of the church as the "stand-in" between the people and God. I cannot abide this, as I believe it is both perverse, and dangerous.
 

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
Yes. But what about societal confession?

Some catholics want priests to also confess his guilt to society as a proof that he mended his actions and debts to society.

They won't take communion until he is convicted and confessed his guilt to society not just the church.

I disagree with it, but other people don't. Why?

Confessional secrecy has long been the norm.
Perhaps the recent focus on priest pedophilia. Serious public criminal offenses. Maybe they want to know the priest paid their debt to society in these cases.
 

Polymath257

Think & Care
Staff member
Premium Member
I'm not Christian, so take what I say from that perspective.

This was an issue in the early Christian church. The Donatists insisted that communion from a priest who had sinned (in this case repudiated the church because of persecutions), was not valid. They were condemned as heretical.

Donatism - Wikipedia
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
I'm talking on this other forum-like website. It's not really for discussion. It's interesting people's views on confession, priests, sin, and the church.

I was wondering.

Would you as a catholic take communion from a priest who committed a mortal sin?

The other site, catholics said they would need the priest to make a public confession after being convicted to pay his debts to society before they take communion.

If the priest repeatedly sinned, I can see why one wouldn't take communion.

If it were one grave sin, wouldn't confession and forgiveness from the Church be enough to take communion; or, does the catholic want him to be convicted and confess to society first?

Is the forgiveness of a grave sin only forgiven (thus free to give communion) when the Church and other priest forgive the guilty or does the sacrament of giving communion also depend on the conviction and response of society and his sin?
Sin is not passed on through osmosis thus not through the host, so the question is really a non-sequitur. Priests sometimes sin, and no priest would deny that. If a priest commits a felony, and it is established as such, then he should be removed-- at least until he pays his debt back to society.

BTW, why are you asking this in regards to being a Catholic whereas communion is offered in almost all Christian churches?
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
According to the Catholic Church, no person can receive the Eucharist if it is in a state of mortal sin:

1457 Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession.

Mortal sin - Wikipedia

You'd think this doubly true for a priest giving the Eucharist.
Correct, so thanks for posting the above.
 

Cooky

Veteran Member
Yes. But what about societal confession?

Some catholics want priests to also confess his guilt to society as a proof that he mended his actions and debts to society.

They won't take communion until he is convicted and confessed his guilt to society not just the church.

I disagree with it, but other people don't. Why?

These people who demand extra-canonical rules for priests are actually not being very good Catholics IMO, and are hurting the Church.

Everyone sins.
 

Cooky

Veteran Member
I'm not Christian, so take what I say from that perspective.

This was an issue in the early Christian church. The Donatists insisted that communion from a priest who had sinned (in this case repudiated the church because of persecutions), was not valid. They were condemned as heretical.

Donatism - Wikipedia

It is heresy, because no such rule exists in the Canon.
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
The bottom line is that no fellow human should be given the position or the authority of standing between myself and my God.
This was a power that Jesus gave to the apostles, namely the "binding and loosening" of sins.

BTW, pretty much all Christian churches have provisions for confession to a minister. When one sins, it all so often affects others, so the minister may be able to discuss these matters and offer some help.
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
I'm talking on this other forum-like website. It's not really for discussion. It's interesting people's views on confession, priests, sin, and the church.

I was wondering.

Would you as a catholic take communion from a priest who committed a mortal sin?

The other site, catholics said they would need the priest to make a public confession after being convicted to pay his debts to society before they take communion.

If the priest repeatedly sinned, I can see why one wouldn't take communion.

If it were one grave sin, wouldn't confession and forgiveness from the Church be enough to take communion; or, does the catholic want him to be convicted and confess to society first?

Is the forgiveness of a grave sin only forgiven (thus free to give communion) when the Church and other priest forgive the guilty or does the sacrament of giving communion also depend on the conviction and response of society and his sin?
I would have no problem whatever.
 
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