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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
re: Participation in Mass	Jane	Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Question: Hello: I know all too well I am in a very serious and precarious position. It is more likely than not that my soul is destine to hell. It is not hell I am scared of, rather the sorrow and grievious pain I have inflicted up God, for which I will pay I accept God's judgement for he alone has the right to judge. Some of your assumptions are very incorrect. I care a great deal about the church, and all that comes with it. I fully believe in God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I have not refused to speak to a priest, in fact I have, he was not helpful. I also have attempted confession several times, but "I" have failed. If there where a priest I could trust I would attempt confession again, but priests are very few and far between. We have access to one, that was disasterous. I know we are required to only receive once a year. I struggled a great deal about receiving. I inquired about this I was told in no uncertain terms, that due to the situation it was better to receive, not doing so would cause more scandal than receiving. Leave it in God's hands, he knows everything. Yes, this is from a priest. I completely understand my obligations, however, I was never told or taught that participation in mass was ever an obligation, ever, only attending mass was. In the very literal sense I do partcipate. I stand, sit, listen. I make the sign of the cross contribute to the church. I just don't receit the prayers, sing. I beleive in transtrubulation. My obligation is for my small children. I want them to fully love the church, their God, holding all with great reverance, which they do. In short if I don't attend, they don't attend. Thus I do. Denying their souls God would be a far worse sin. A Priest may be required to allow me to receive, but he is also required to inform me to stop it, which he hasn't, rather he has encouraged me to continue to receive. No attempt has been made to help me reconcile my situation, even when I asked.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Jane: If you are so sorrowed over the pain you have inflicted upon God then do something about it -- go to Confession. You seem hell-bent to go to hell. That is asinine. But, if that is what you want, you may just get your wish. And don't tell me that you want to go to heaven. If that were true then you would be doing what you need to do to get there. I have rarely observed such Pride. Your actions speak for you. You are grieving the Holy Spirit with your HUGE pride and by your refusal to go to Confession to be reconciled to God and His Church. Each day you delay this, you inflict more pain upon our Lord. And you ARE refusing. The only way you can "fail" at confession is to deliberately refuse to confess your sins, or to not be contrite and repentant with firm purpose of amendment. That can be remedied in a nanosecond -- just confess all your sins, humble yourself to contrition and repentance and purpose to amend your ways. There is no excuse unless you are mentally ill, and in that event, your sins will be forgiven anyway when the priest absolves you. If, for some reason, you do not wish to confess to your local parish priest, then go to another city. If you do not have transportation, find a friend, you have no friends, I will buy you a bus ticket. There is NO excuse to not go to confession. There is NO SUCH THING as causing more scandal by not receiving, than it is to refrain when not in a State of Grace. That is utter bull. Who do you think you are? I don't care if you are a world famous Catholic with paparazzi all around you and you not receiving will be on Entertainment Tonight. We are talking about your soul. Your eternal soul is more important than any concern of neighbors about whether or not you receive. Whatever priest told you to receive anyway, despite you not being in a State of Grace is WRONG. Was this the priest you do not trust? If so, then why listen to his advice on this but not trust him for confession? Was this another priest? then why didn't you receive confession with him? You are playing games with your soul. If it is so important for you to "keep up appearances" that you would receive in sin, then GO TO CONFESSION so you can receive properly. Your obligation to your children is also to be in a State of Grace. You owe that to them because they deserve to see their mother in heaven and they deserve to have the spiritual leadership and influence of their mother now. You cannot provide the proper spiritual leadership and influence when you remain in a State of Sin. Whether or not the Priest has told you to stop receiving communion is UTTERLY BESIDE THE POINT. You are to stop anyway. The Church says so, and the official teaching of the Church, Canon Law, the Pope, and the Magisterium all out-rank your local priest and his opinions. You are making excuses to not go to confession. You are making excuses to continue to receive the Eucharist unworthily. You have been informed, twice now, and you will be held accountable before God as a result. You can either continue in your excuses to remain in a State of Sin, and thereby risk your soul to hell, and be a bad mother who doesn't care for her children by not caring for herself, OR you can get yourself to confession, return to a State of Grace, return to friendship with God, and be the mother that God meant you to be. There is NO situation or circumstance that prevents you from seeking Confession and Reconciliation but yourself. Stop making excuses and telling yourself how you can't do it. That is a delusion. Go to confession -- NOW. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary P.S. I suspect you will want to respond to this post. I am sorry, but that will not be allowed. This is not a discussion forum, it is a Q&A forum and your questions have been answered. 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

re: Participation in Mass

Jane

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Question:

Hello:

I know all too well I am in a very serious and precarious position. It is more likely than not that my soul is destine to hell. It is not hell I am scared of, rather the sorrow and grievious pain I have inflicted up God, for which I will pay I accept God's judgement for he alone has the right to judge.

Some of your assumptions are very incorrect.

I care a great deal about the church, and all that comes with it. I fully believe in God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

I have not refused to speak to a priest, in fact I have, he was not helpful. I also have attempted confession several times, but "I" have failed. If there where a priest I could trust I would attempt confession again, but priests are very few and far between. We have access to one, that was disasterous.

I know we are required to only receive once a year. I struggled a great deal about receiving. I inquired about this I was told in no uncertain terms, that due to the situation it was better to receive, not doing so would cause more scandal than receiving. Leave it in God's hands, he knows everything. Yes, this is from a priest.

I completely understand my obligations, however, I was never told or taught that participation in mass was ever an obligation, ever, only attending mass was.

In the very literal sense I do partcipate. I stand, sit, listen. I make the sign of the cross contribute to the church. I just don't receit the prayers, sing. I beleive in transtrubulation.

My obligation is for my small children. I want them to fully love the church, their God, holding all with great reverance, which they do. In short if I don't attend, they don't attend. Thus I do. Denying their souls God would be a far worse sin.

A Priest may be required to allow me to receive, but he is also required to inform me to stop it, which he hasn't, rather he has encouraged me to continue to receive. No attempt has been made to help me reconcile my situation, even when I asked.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Jane:

If you are so sorrowed over the pain you have inflicted upon God then do something about it -- go to Confession. You seem hell-bent to go to hell. That is asinine. But, if that is what you want, you may just get your wish. And don't tell me that you want to go to heaven. If that were true then you would be doing what you need to do to get there. I have rarely observed such Pride. Your actions speak for you.

You are grieving the Holy Spirit with your HUGE pride and by your refusal to go to Confession to be reconciled to God and His Church. Each day you delay this, you inflict more pain upon our Lord. And you ARE refusing.

The only way you can "fail" at confession is to deliberately refuse to confess your sins, or to not be contrite and repentant with firm purpose of amendment. That can be remedied in a nanosecond -- just confess all your sins, humble yourself to contrition and repentance and purpose to amend your ways. There is no excuse unless you are mentally ill, and in that event, your sins will be forgiven anyway when the priest absolves you. If, for some reason, you do not wish to confess to your local parish priest, then go to another city. If you do not have transportation, find a friend, you have no friends, I will buy you a bus ticket. There is NO excuse to not go to confession.

There is NO SUCH THING as causing more scandal by not receiving, than it is to refrain when not in a State of Grace. That is utter bull. Who do you think you are? I don't care if you are a world famous Catholic with paparazzi all around you and you not receiving will be on Entertainment Tonight. We are talking about your soul.

Your eternal soul is more important than any concern of neighbors about whether or not you receive.

Whatever priest told you to receive anyway, despite you not being in a State of Grace is WRONG. Was this the priest you do not trust? If so, then why listen to his advice on this but not trust him for confession? Was this another priest? then why didn't you receive confession with him?

You are playing games with your soul.

If it is so important for you to "keep up appearances" that you would receive in sin, then GO TO CONFESSION so you can receive properly.

Your obligation to your children is also to be in a State of Grace. You owe that to them because they deserve to see their mother in heaven and they deserve to have the spiritual leadership and influence of their mother now. You cannot provide the proper spiritual leadership and influence when you remain in a State of Sin.

Whether or not the Priest has told you to stop receiving communion is UTTERLY BESIDE THE POINT. You are to stop anyway. The Church says so, and the official teaching of the Church, Canon Law, the Pope, and the Magisterium all out-rank your local priest and his opinions.

You are making excuses to not go to confession. You are making excuses to continue to receive the Eucharist unworthily.

You have been informed, twice now, and you will be held accountable before God as a result. You can either continue in your excuses to remain in a State of Sin, and thereby risk your soul to hell, and be a bad mother who doesn't care for her children by not caring for herself, OR you can get yourself to confession, return to a State of Grace, return to friendship with God, and be the mother that God meant you to be.

There is NO situation or circumstance that prevents you from seeking Confession and Reconciliation but yourself.

Stop making excuses and telling yourself how you can't do it. That is a delusion. Go to confession -- NOW.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

P.S. I suspect you will want to respond to this post. I am sorry, but that will not be allowed. This is not a discussion forum, it is a Q&A forum and your questions have been answered.

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