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Priest And Mortal Sins?


Philippe

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Same as the rest of us, but I think that you are asking whether or not he can say mass validly.

A donatist would say no, but donatists are heritics, so do not listen to them.

They can still say mass, give sacraments ect.

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I will look it up in Canon Law, but I think I remember seeing that they can say mass before they go to confession, for they are acting in the person of Christ.

It is Christ that preforms the sacrament.

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HomeTeamFamily

try posting this in the Q and A section.....youd prolly get a better answer......not to belittle your knowledge theoketos

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it would be a grave mortal sin for them to celebrate mass in a state of sin, but the fault would be on that of the priest, not anyone attending the mass, and the eucharist would still be valid

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From the Catechism

[quote]
1584
Since it is ultimately Christ who acts and effects salvation through the ordained minister, the unworthiness of the latter does not prevent Christ from acting. St. Augustine states this forcefully:


As for the proud minister, he is to be ranked with the devil. Christ's gift is not thereby profaned: what flows through him keeps its purity, and what passes through him remains clear and reaches the fertile earth. . . . The spiritual power of the sacrament is indeed comparable to light: those to be enlightened receive it in its purity, and if it should pass through defiled beings, it is not itself defiled.77
[/quote]

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The Priest is acting in the person of Christ[personae Christus]. Thus, the efficacious nature of the work [in Latin exopere operanto], is more important then the working of the worker [exopere operantis], because the holiness of the sacrifice of the mass in this particular example, is independent to that of the priest.

But

From Code of Canon Law

Can. 276 §1 Clerics have a special obligation to seek holiness in their lives, because they are consecrated to God by a new title through the reception of orders, and are stewards of the mysteries of God in the service of His people

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JP2Iloveyou

I believe a priest is allowed to offer Mass in a state of mortal sin if and only if he makes a perfect Act of Contrition AND he is absolutely unable to go to Confession. First of all, he has an obligation to his people to provide them with the sacraments. Secondly, the Church does not require extreme humiliation on the part of sinners. He would not be required to get up in front of his congregation for example and confess his sin to them to explain why no Mass was being celebrated that day.

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Fiat_Voluntas_Tua

The Sacrament would still be valid...Exopere Operato (I think that is how you spell it) The Sacrament does not rely on the piety of the Priest.

Pax et Agape per Maria, Andy

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Birgitta Noel

....And in addition to the explanation of Canon Law and In Persona Christi, the priest is [u]never[/u] to deprive the people of the sacraments!

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If a priest has committed a mortal sin, and say, Mass is in an hour...and there is no way to get to a priest to hear his confession, and it is a sin for him to say Mass in this condition (albeit valid)...

Is it better for the priest to not say Mass? Or can he say an act of contrition with the intent of confessing as soon as possible and thus receive the Eucharist (with saying Mass not being an additional sin)?

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I would say it is better for the priest TO celebrate mass, i think it would be a greater travesty to deny the people the Mass and the Eucharist...he should make a PERFECT act of contrition and intend to go to confession ASAP...just my thoughts...i pray for priest who are hundreds of miles from other priests, that is sad, especially fopr a sacramental view AND for basic support

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I would really like to know where any official church teachin on this is.

I mean if a priest has his faculities removed, it would not be good to give the sacraments.

If the priest has become an aposate or a heretic and been excomunicated then to say a mass would again be a sin.

Both of these I can find in Canon Law or Church Fathers, but I am at a lost as to where the rest comes from.

Could you all, espcially Dojo Grant and Willguy, cite your sources? Please and Thank you!

I mean I sure that it may be out there but I need to know.

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