Friends Eating Just Before Mass

[blazeingstar]

I think the previous three hours would be preferable. What kind of fast is it if you can complete it by accident?

 

That's your opinion though, not church Law.  It is just as cafeteria of you to imply that others should choose to fast for longer, or that not being mindful of the fast somehow is inadequate in the eyes of the Church and God.

[Nihil Obstat]

That's your opinion though, not church Law. It is just as cafeteria of you to imply that others should choose to fast for longer, or that not being mindful of the fast somehow is inadequate in the eyes of the Church and God.

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[CatholicCid]

Does that bother any other intellectually curious person on this Phat site that continuing to willfully graze is a mortal sin which unless confessed sends one to hell for all eternity? 

 

 

I would be more concerned with the willful obstinance and refusal of such a person to accept such a simple and straightforward request of the Church, let alone the person's complete unrepetance for doing so. After all, all mortal sin, if willingly unconfessed, could lead to ruin (Mark 3:28-29).

 

That being said, we'd first have to look at the characteristics that make up a mortal sin and determine if violating this Canon is a mortal sin. First, is this a grave matter? Secondly, is the person committing the act with full knowledge? And, finally, are they doing so freely?

 

Using hypotheticals regarding grazing, we could go back and forth. Why is the person grazing? Are they merely hungry? Do they deny the real presence and, therefore, see no need to fast? As you can imagine, there would be many questions to ask.

 

All of this would, of course, be a question for the moral theologians and/or Canon Lawyers.

Edited February 14, 2014 by CatholicCid

[Deus te Amat]

When I went to WYD, I saw people eating during Mass. Stuff happens.

[CatholicCid]

When I went to WYD, I saw people eating during Mass. Stuff happens.

 

To be fair, during WYD, one could eat at the very beginning of Mass and still keep a several hour fast  :spike:

 

And, as you said, stuff happens. I honestly would guess that most people simply haven't heard of the need to fast before Mass or that they have simply misunderstood it.

[Basilisa Marie]

It's only a mortal sin if

 

1) You understand it's a sin.

2) You freely choose to do it anyway.

3) It's a "grave matter" - which is a technical term, not just fancy language. 

 

Doing something against canon law isn't automatically a grave matter. The only way I can see eating before mass being a mortal sin is if you go and get food right before mass, chow down (probably while coming in late), with the intention of breaking the fast. 

[Pliny]

I go to daily Mass which is short, so it's possible for me to eat within the hour before receiving Communion.

 

Usually the timing is just right but one day the priest skipped the homily and rushed though the Mass because of an appointment, so I was at about 45 to 50 minutes, so I reasoned to myself that possibly the hour fast is not meant to be rigid and to the minute, and received Communion.

 

I asked our pastor about it and what I should do if that would happen in the future, and he advised me not to be so nitpicky about the exact minutes and go and receive Communion.

Edited February 14, 2014 by Pliny

[Ice_nine]

I fast for 7 days before I receive communion. It's bumped up my mystic level from 5 to 7.6, but some say that's just my brain starting to shut down.

[Anastasia13]

Not everyone who has a reason to not fast wants to talk about it, especially if they do not have a close relationship, nor do they always want to go out of their way maintain a front of fasting.

[MarysLittleFlower]

I think it's good to fast for a bit more though, not just an hour before Communion :) I mean... it's for Our Lord right? If my friends were eating before Mass I'd probably just phrase it as a question?

[Lil Red]

I was raised Catholic (and not cafeteria Catholic) but I never was told about the reasoning of it. i just thought it was my parents. :|

[Basilisa Marie]

I think it has something to do with being "spiritually hungry for Christ." 

 

It USED to be that you had to fast from midnight until you attended mass. I bet early morning masses were more crowded. :) 

[Slappo]

That's your opinion though, not church Law.  It is just as cafeteria of you to imply that others should choose to fast for longer, or that not being mindful of the fast somehow is inadequate in the eyes of the Church and God.

That's not at all "cafeteria". That is saying, "The Church requires we at LEAST do this, but I'm thinking doing a little more would be better."

 

The Church requires bare minimums not best practices.

[Lil Red]

also, if a post of mine is deleted, it would be nice to at least have a heads-up :pinch:

[the171]

On the topic of WYD, a lot of people HAD to eat. At least at Madrid, there were a lot of people fainting because of the hot sun + dehydration + hunger. Christ understand if you literally HAVE to eat. This was just what I heard from a few friends who attended. I wasn't at Madrid or Rio.