October 8, 2023, 12:00 PM

If only those priests and bishops proven to be in a state of grace can validly celebrate the Sacraments, the faithful are left in doubt about all the Sacraments they receive. What assurance can we have in the Sacraments if their valid celebration depends on the holiness of the clergy? As we have sadly seen, too many of our clergy are not always living holy lives. To avoid doubt and sudden scheduling difficulties the Church provides direct guidance. It is certainly wrong for a priest who knows he is in a state of mortal sin to unnecessarily delay receiving the Sacrament of Penance. The Code of Canon Law (916) says that a priest “who is conscious of grave sin is not to celebrate Mass or receive the Body of the Lord without previous sacramental confession unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess.” Among the grave reasons is the need of the faithful to receive the Sacraments at the appointed times and not be unnecessarily deprived of them. The Church also says it is a laudable practice that priests receive the Sacrament of Penance once a week and seek always to celebrate the Sacraments in a state of grace. If it is necessary for a priest to celebrate the Sacraments before he can confess, he should make an act of perfect contrition. This presupposes he will go to confession as soon as is reasonably possible. The Church does not offer this leeway for the benefit of the priest. She offers it for the benefit of all the faithful, so we are never deprived of the grace God gives us through the Sacraments. Now you know!