Priest and a Deacon explain how you can receive special sacramental graces when Communion is unavailable

Life Site News spoke with two clergy, a priest and a deacon, about the importance of practicing perfect contrition and spiritual communion to obtain special sacramental graces. This practice is most important during times when the sacraments are unavailable. 

How you can remain in grace during difficult times.

Highlights

By Marshall Connolly (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
3/20/2020 (5 years ago)

Published in Living Faith

Keywords: Coronavirus, Communion, Sacraments, grace

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - During this time of self-isolation and other measures, Catholic Churches around the world have closed their doors. The purpose is to interrupt and slow the transmission of COVID-19, a virus which is sweeping the world. There is no natural immunity to this virus, and it is particularly deadly to the elderly and other vulnerable groups. To protect lives, many parishes have made the painful decision to close. It is difficult to obtain the sacraments. 

Two clergy, Father Paolo D'Angona and Deacon Nick Donnelly shared their knowledge with Life Site News regarding this topic. 

Father D'Angona said:

The critical situation that has arisen because of the coronavirus is becoming increasingly acute. In some places people are under quarantine or similar restrictions. In Austria, for example, there is already a general, very extensive ban on leaving the country. However, according to experts, all this is only the initial stage of a general development which will have extremely serious consequences - also for the possibility of receiving the Holy Sacraments, especially the Sacrament of Penance, Holy Confession.

In this situation it is more than useful to point to [perfect] contrition, also called fidelity of love. Through perfect contrition out of love for God, man can at any time reach the state of sanctifying grace. Since a person who does not die in the state of grace cannot go to heaven, perfect contrition is of the utmost importance. For all those who are not in the state of grace and do not have the possibility of acquiring the state of grace sacramentally, namely, according to the Church's teaching, perfect contrition is the only means of salvation. God alone knows how many people could be saved and have been saved only through perfect contrition.

Deacon Donnelly said:

In the act of perfect contrition, which is intrinsically related to the sacrament of Confession and in spiritual communion, which is ardently focused on the sacrament of the Eucharist we receive his saving grace. It is important that you develop now the habit of making acts of perfect contrition, throughout the day, and especially after an examination of conscience last thing at night. Then if you become critically ill or in danger of death without the assistance of a priest, you can readily make an act of perfect contrition sure in the knowledge that you have been forgiven your sins and that if you die you will do so in a state of grace. If you don't die then you can make a sacramental confession as soon as circumstances allow. 

There's more to learn from these clergymen. You can read more here. 

Please remember, if you cannot attend Mass Catholic Online has Daily Readings for you here.