Would you take Eucharist from a priest who had sinned?

[exchemist]

Are there any priests who have not sinned?

None, I would hazard. But this seems to be about mortal sin specifically.

 

[QuestioningMind]

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?

It almost sounds like you are saying that if a person can get their church to forgive them that they should somehow receive a 'get out of jail free' card. Why should getting forgiven by your church make you above the law?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

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.
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.

The first part, my thoughts exactly.

I understand the nature of the stand-in, and I feel each person can interpret how the priests role is between them and god. For example, when I was catholic, I saw the priest more as absolving us back into the physical church and jesus absolving us back into the spiritual church. So, the physical priest to physical mass. Spiritual christ, to spiritual mass.

Many see priests as god but I talked with quite a few and they don't like the misrepresentation of them and god. I don't know about the older priest. Generations make a difference in how one sees the church.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

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.

Do you agree or disagree that a priest should be convicted before one takes communion even though the priest already paid his debt to the church and to god via confession?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

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?

I'm just asking, though, if a catholic would choose to receive communion if the priest has already confessed and made amends to the church and god.

Does his relationship and confession with god is not valid until he is convicted of said crime or are they separate in regards to serving communion?

Does one need to be convicted as part of the sacrament of confession and giving communion?

I'm not sure I follow. I didn't mention Roman Catholic. Are there other catholic churches that doesn't give the Eucharist as the blood and body of christ?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

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

Everyone sins.

My thoughts exactly. Do you kinda get their point insomuch to explain their reasoning behind their views?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

That would be enough since communion is a church function, not a civil function. Prisoners can receive communion upon confession, for example.

That's what I thought. I wasn't raised catholic and only been for four years. When I was discussing this in another chat, it surprised me that some catholics won't take communion until civil conviction even though he has already been convicted and forgiven by god through confession and church.

I'm not sure how one's civil duties and consequences relate to one's spiritual ones unless the priest did not confess before or after conviction.

How would a catholic know. If a priest that murdered and went to mass, wouldn't the catholic need a leap of faith to know priests confess before sins just as they would?

I mean, priests didn't forget their sense of duties just because they've sinned.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Are there any priests who have not sinned?

Not that I know of. There are many who old priests accountable more depending on the nature of the sin, though. They take communion from sinners all the time, but the nature of the sin invalidates the decision with whom they take communion.

Does that make sense?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

It almost sounds like you are saying that if a person can get their church to forgive them that they should somehow receive a 'get out of jail free' card. Why should getting forgiven by your church make you above the law?

No. If a priest commited a moral sin and asked for forgiveness by church and god (confession) but was not (yet) convicted of his crime, why would or should a catholic wait until the priest is convicted (owe his debt to society) before taking communion?

If not, would they receive communion if that priest came to mass?

Everyone catholic priest and layman know they have to confess before mass. Theologically wise, would you receive communion from a priest who hasn't been convicted of his crime?

We don't know if he went to confession before mass; so, I wonder if catholics have a leap of faith that he did (since he is still in the church) or would they not.

 

[Nakosis]

Do you agree or disagree that a priest should be convicted before one takes communion even though the priest already paid his debt to the church and to god via confession?

If it was kept secret, how would anyone know. When I took communion, I had no idea the "sin status" of the priest. Ignorance is bliss?

I don't know. If I didn't know, what difference would it make. If I did, I'd assume it'd already be public knowledge so after the fact and dealt with.

The only case for this would be where I didn't know so nothing to concern myself with. Not being religious now hard to invest any concern over.

 

[Goodman John]

Assuming I were a Catholic, I suppose it would be all well and good provided the priest in question had satisfied the Churchs' requirements for penance and a return to a state of grace.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

I have more problem with the concept of mortal sin, than taking the Eucharist from a priest who is a sinner. It is not possible for a Eucharist to be negated by anyone. It is always valid.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

If it was kept secret, how would anyone know. When I took communion, I had no idea the "sin status" of the priest. Ignorance is bliss?

I don't know. If I didn't know, what difference would it make. If I did, I'd assume it'd already be public knowledge so after the fact and dealt with.

The only case for this would be where I didn't know so nothing to concern myself with. Not being religious now hard to invest any concern over.

Yeah. It's interesting. The more I converse, the more bias I come across. This one surprised me though. I mean, people don't want their children around any priests and this world is a huge place to be generalizing all priests guilty. Hate the sin, so shun the sinner.

I personally would take communion. The only time I wouldn't if I were catholic were if he said to the congregation he did not confess (and won't). However, if he is still giving mass, I would assume he did confess, mad his amends with the church, and do his deeds.

 

[Cooky]

My thoughts exactly. Do you kinda get their point insomuch to explain their reasoning behind their views?

They're most likely overcompensating for the abuse scandals, IMO. Bending over backwards to make their non-Catholic peers proud of them.

 

[Samantha Rinne]

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?

Bottom line of why I'm Protestant.

Mortal Sin and Protestants

As someone whose parents were Catholic (paternal) and Protestant (maternal), I can say with certainty that Protestants don’t believe in Purgatory or mortal and venial sins. Sin is sin. There’s no such thing as mortal or venial. And when you die, you go straight to Heaven or to Hell. There is no such thing as Purgatory (ie: “place of second chances or do overs”), no need to confess to a priest (he’s just a man and Protestants confess their sins to God directly) and we Catholics are in for a rude awakening, they say…

I don't believe the last bit, I believe in Prevenient Grace as a Methodist, and I'm not sure what I believe about Hell. But I do believe Catholics are constantly earn or buy their way in, which sets the stage for a sort of Hell on Earth of constant perfectionism.

Bottom line, "All have sinned, all have fallen short." A priest pretending to be perfect and leading you to do the same is steering you wrong. I would more trust a guy who God converted in prison for murder to do my sacrament than someone who has "never done anything wrong." Would you trust someone who never had gotten drunk to serve you alcohol? They don't know what being drunk feels like. Likewise, someone who never sinned will not be able to forgive sins.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

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?

Masturbation can be a mortal sin in Catholicism so it merely being a mortal sin isn't saying much.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Masturbation can be a mortal sin in Catholicism so it merely being a mortal sin isn't saying much.

If a priest masturbated and it was against the law somewhere, would you take communion given that he confessed to the church and to god or would a public confession of conviction needed before you're comfortable with taking communion? Or is his debts to the church and god enough to receive communion?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Bottom line of why I'm Protestant.

Mortal Sin and Protestants



I don't believe the last bit, I believe in Prevenient Grace as a Methodist, and I'm not sure what I believe about Hell. But I do believe Catholics are constantly earn or buy their way in, which sets the stage for a sort of Hell on Earth of constant perfectionism.

Bottom line, "All have sinned, all have fallen short." A priest pretending to be perfect and leading you to do the same is steering you wrong. I would more trust a guy who God converted in prison for murder to do my sacrament than someone who has "never done anything wrong." Would you trust someone who never had gotten drunk to serve you alcohol? They don't know what being drunk feels like. Likewise, someone who never sinned will not be able to forgive sins.

I can see that. That last part was an interesting analogy. Since I'm the one that's drinking, it shouldn't make a difference what experience the person giving me the drink has. The responsibility and consequence of getting drunk is all on me rather than the one giving me the jug. I put too much faith in the person giving me the drink (perfect, not perfect, what did he do, should he do) rather than on my behavior and intent.

I guess every parish is different. All the priests I spoke with never said they were perfect. One did feel remorse that people looked at him worse because of the other priest allegations. It really depends on the priests.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

If a priest masturbated and it was against the law somewhere, would you take communion given that he confessed to the church and to god or would a public confession of conviction needed before you're comfortable with taking communion? Or is his debts to the church and god enough to receive communion?

I wouldn't care.

 

[Samantha Rinne]

I can see that. That last part was an interesting analogy. Since I'm the one that's drinking, it shouldn't make a difference what experience the person giving me the drink has. The responsibility and consequence of getting drunk is all on me rather than the one giving me the jug. I put too much faith in the person giving me the drink (perfect, not perfect, what did he do, should he do) rather than on my behavior and intent.

I guess every parish is different. All the priests I spoke with never said they were perfect. One did feel remorse that people looked at him worse because of the other priest allegations. It really depends on the priests.

Yes, I assume you'd feel this way... but it matters that he knows at least enough to cut you off before you drink yourself to death. A priest that (thinks he is) without sin is a danger, for "If you say you are without sin, you deceive yourself."

Alot of churches say Jesus was without sin. I don't think this is right, nor the point. He ate with sinners, healed on the Sabbath, and when the priests told his mom to talk sense into him nothing happened. According to the Law, Jesus was a sinner. According to the Law. But Jesus overcame sin by proving what it really was.