I was able to complete the 9 Simbang Gabi Masses at the Violago Chapel in Q.C. for the year 2009 and always been interested in the different insights various SVD priests would give in their homilies since the Violago chapel is within the spiritual care of the Shrine of the Divine Word. In one of the Masses, Fr.TM SVD was celebrant and I was the commentator. In his homili he started to encourgae people to receive Holy Communion and the only barrier to receiving is when one commits a mortal sin in which confession should be done first. Nothing wrong until he said that people seldom commit mortal sins since the 3 condition given by him are the following 1) Full Knowledge, 2) Full Consent and 3)HATRED OF GOD! I remember in basic catechism that the 3rd condition is Grave of Grievous Offense. Thus he further said that even if one committed pre-marital sex, one should not be hindered in receiving Holy Communion since he just need to do an act of contrition required for venial sins. He suggested that PMS is not mortal since it was done not in hatred of God. I almost walked out of the Mass since he just promoted PMS and encouraged people to do so! Later I consulted another elderly SVD priest friend on mine and he concluded that it was heresy. It is like saying that a murderer can never be guilty of mortal sin since he killed someone he hates but not God. I know that the mere fact that committing a sin with full knowledge and full consent is already an act of defiance against God thus could be equated with hating Him since it goes against His will especially with grave consquences. The eldetly priest told me that he will report the incident to their provincial since he has mislead a lot of the faithful. God save us from priests who do not know their basic Catholic Faith!
