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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
State of Grace	Jay	Saturday, April 7, 2012
Question: Hello, Bro. Ignatius, thank you for the last reply to my email, as I continue on my 'sanation' journey and for your prayers. However, the following query is from a Catholic friend of mine who has a disabled husband and wishes me to write to you. She does not own or use a computer. This is her query as she dicatates it to me. "My husband was an officer in the 5th SF two terms in Vietnam. Because of post traumatic stress he had a massive stroke in April 1999. The Priest was called to the Hospital, he received Annointing of the Sick and received Communion. After that, he could no longer speak, and was totally paralyzed; in the year 2000 he had a second Major stroke, could no longer move any part of his body and had a feeding tube and trachea in. However, during our nightly prayers, he could recite in total, the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, and act of Contrition. As of 2004, all verbal communication stopped. Even though he could not eat or swallow, he did receive Communion at our home until 2007. He had difficulty swallowing the small communion wafer in a spoon of water, so he was no longer able to receive. My question Bro.Ignatius is: Is he still in a State of Grace; since he cannot move any parts of his body or communicate in any way. Also, Brother, since I have been caring for him at home for the last 13yrs, and had no nursing help on weekends, and was unable to attend Mass on Sunday, would God understand or am I not in a State of Grace myself? I would be very grateful if you would communicate your answer to me, your friend in Christ. Barbara. Thank you Brother Ignatius, you may communicate your answer to my friend via my email and I will relay it to her. Blessings, Josephine.
Question Answered by Dear Barbara: I am sorry to hear about your husband. As a fellow Vietnam Veteran, please express my thoughts and prayers for him. In order to commit a grave sin one must have the capacity to commit the sin. Those sins which require physical action he cannot do. There are thought sins, however, such as hatred, feelings of revenge, depair, lust, anger, etc. You can tell him that should he believe he has commited any such sin, he can say in his mind a Perfect Act of Contrition and that will restore him to a State of Grave even without going to Confession. Then, to follow that, if he is able to communicate in any way, even by eye blinks, that he needs confession, contact a priest. He can still participate in the Sacrament even if he cannot verbalize anything. A Perfect Act of Contrition is being sorry for sin because one loves God (instead of being sorry because of fear of hell). Here is an example of a Perfect Act of Contrition: My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against You, whom I should love above all. I firmly intend, with Your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Amen. As for receiving communion, there is no sin in not ever receiving communion if he is not able to swallow the Eucharist under the species of bread. If he can swallow at all, however, he can receive the Eucharist under the species of wine. Both species, the bread and the wine, contain the fullness of the body and blood of our Lord. Thus, in receiving under only one species, we are receiving the wholeness of Christ in his Real Presence. Even a small drop of the Eucharistic wine on his lips is a valid reception. If there is no way for him to receive, God understands. God will sustain him spiritually. As for yourself, if you are not able to attend Mass on a regular basis because you must care for your husband, there is no sin. In that case, you should arrange to have the Eucharist brought to you at your home. This also gives the priest the opportunity to visit your husband. We will be praying for you and your husband. Do not fear, God understands the situation. He loves your husband and you. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

State of Grace

Jay

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Question:

Hello, Bro. Ignatius, thank you for the last reply to my email, as I continue on my 'sanation' journey and for your prayers.

However, the following query is from a Catholic friend of mine who has a disabled husband and wishes me to write to you.

She does not own or use a computer.

This is her query as she dicatates it to me.

"My husband was an officer in the 5th SF two terms in Vietnam. Because of post traumatic stress he had a massive stroke in April 1999. The Priest was called to the Hospital, he received Annointing of the Sick and received Communion.

After that, he could no longer speak, and was totally paralyzed; in the year 2000 he had a second Major stroke, could no longer move any part of his body and had a feeding tube and trachea in. However, during our nightly prayers, he could recite in total, the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, and act of Contrition. As of 2004, all verbal communication stopped. Even though he could not eat or swallow, he did receive Communion at our home until 2007. He had difficulty swallowing the small communion wafer in a spoon of water, so he was no longer able to receive.

My question Bro.Ignatius is: Is he still in a State of Grace; since he cannot move any parts of his body or communicate in any way. Also, Brother, since I have been caring for him at home for the last 13yrs, and had no nursing help on weekends, and was unable to attend Mass on Sunday, would God understand or am I not in a State of Grace myself? I would be very grateful if you would communicate your answer to me, your friend in Christ.
Barbara.

Thank you Brother Ignatius, you may communicate your answer to my friend via my email and I will relay it to her.

Blessings, Josephine.

Question Answered by

Dear Barbara:

I am sorry to hear about your husband. As a fellow Vietnam Veteran, please express my thoughts and prayers for him.

In order to commit a grave sin one must have the capacity to commit the sin. Those sins which require physical action he cannot do. There are thought sins, however, such as hatred, feelings of revenge, depair, lust, anger, etc.

You can tell him that should he believe he has commited any such sin, he can say in his mind a Perfect Act of Contrition and that will restore him to a State of Grave even without going to Confession. Then, to follow that, if he is able to communicate in any way, even by eye blinks, that he needs confession, contact a priest. He can still participate in the Sacrament even if he cannot verbalize anything.

A Perfect Act of Contrition is being sorry for sin because one loves God (instead of being sorry because of fear of hell). Here is an example of a Perfect Act of Contrition:

My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against You, whom I should love above all. I firmly intend, with Your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Amen.

As for receiving communion, there is no sin in not ever receiving communion if he is not able to swallow the Eucharist under the species of bread. If he can swallow at all, however, he can receive the Eucharist under the species of wine. Both species, the bread and the wine, contain the fullness of the body and blood of our Lord. Thus, in receiving under only one species, we are receiving the wholeness of Christ in his Real Presence. Even a small drop of the Eucharistic wine on his lips is a valid reception.

If there is no way for him to receive, God understands. God will sustain him spiritually.

As for yourself, if you are not able to attend Mass on a regular basis because you must care for your husband, there is no sin. In that case, you should arrange to have the Eucharist brought to you at your home. This also gives the priest the opportunity to visit your husband.

We will be praying for you and your husband. Do not fear, God understands the situation. He loves your husband and you.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum