Can a priest refuse communion to someone?

[sedonaman]

Did the priest tell you why you were to refuse communion to these people?

Yes, he said it was the sign of the devil. I extrapolated [perhaps naively] that it wasn’t proper to give the Body and Blood to the devil.

I say this because a pentagram may mean many things to many people, it isn’t only a sign of devil worship. I’ve heard of devil worshippers attempting to get the host for use in their perverse rituals but I doubt this is commonplace. Merely wearinng a pentagram on a T-shirt seems to me like a dumb reason to deny someone communion. What if they’re wearing a yin-yang symbol, or an ankh earring, would they be denied? I think the priest would have a hard time justifying his actions to the bishop.

If was as innocent as you insist, people should have some common sense.

 

[Newbie2]

Did anyone follow-up in that year’s time?

Sometimes problems are (incorrectly) handled by ignoring them and hoping they’ll go away…witness the sexual abuse situation…

Anyway, sounds like a squeaky wheel approach is needed.

 

[Karmartia]

Yes, he said it was the sign of the devil. I extrapolated [perhaps naively] that it wasn’t proper to give the Body and Blood to the devil.

If was as innocent as you insist, people should have some common sense.

I think you are right, people should have more common sense, but they should have more faith, hope, and charity too…who am I to judge. It’s likely some are trying to being rude but most are probably innocent of any disrespect to the Eucharist due to ignorance, IMO. I think this would be an excellent opportunity for the shepherd to guide his flock out of danger by instructing them before hand on the proper attire and attitude for recieving. Then they would have an opportunity to comply. A preemptory refusal just seems extreme to me.

 

[remjsmom76]

Yes they can. I have seen it done and our priest in our church community says that if you support any form of abortion you SHOULD NOT TAKE THE COMMUNION. Meaning if you even suggested to ANYONE that it would be ok if they had an abortion to even contributing to a candadate that supports abortion…you shouldnt take the communion. He has also said that if he knows that you support it then he will just give you a sign of the cross on your forehead and then you should be on your merry way back to your seat.

So yes, a priest CAN and SHOULD not give communion to a public official who is catholic and publicly announces his/her support for the murder of innocent children.

 

[John_Pascendi]

Why not! putting it another way …is there ANY reason ,any Sin, ANY OUTRAGE,committed by a person standing in line to receive,known by the priest,to not give the sacred host to him or her?.A slight shaking of the head and a murmured reason is enough…no big scene…but of course it had better be done or else the Sacred Host is reduced to just a symbol.which is what protestants believe it is anyhow.A politician who assumes the role of ‘Catholic’ and yet publicly supports the other side is hardly a representative of what Jesus called His people!The church ushers should first be given a list of the locals not allowed and proceed from there. Our church becomes a laughing stock when there appears to be no standards what so ever in receiving the body and blood of Jesus Christ…and without the RCC this earth is doomed …enjoy the earth warming…while shoveling out from under yet another snow storm…Pas

 

[paperwight]

Why not! putting it another way …is there ANY reason ,any Sin, ANY OUTRAGE,committed by a person standing in line to receive,known by the priest,to not give the sacred host to him or her?. The church ushers should first be given a list of the locals not allowed and proceed from there. /QUOTE]

I appreciate your concern lest the Blessed Sacarment is treated disrespectfully, but consider these points.

The priest cannot know for certain if those people he objects to haven’t been to confession immediately before Mass.

How can any ushers police a whole church, let alone recognise these sinners?

Not to mention the fact that not every church has ushers.

And what if these sinners refuse to come out of the communion line? Are they to be manhandled out of the church?

You are putting a frightening amount of power into the hands of the priest and a small group of untrained laity.

 

[lutherlic]

Why not! putting it another way …is there ANY reason ,any Sin, ANY OUTRAGE,committed by a person standing in line to receive,known by the priest,to not give the sacred host to him or her?.A slight shaking of the head and a murmured reason is enough…no big scene…but of course it had better be done or else the Sacred Host is reduced to just a symbol.which is what protestants believe it is anyhow.A politician who assumes the role of ‘Catholic’ and yet publicly supports the other side is hardly a representative of what Jesus called His people!The church ushers should first be given a list of the locals not allowed and proceed from there. Our church becomes a laughing stock when there appears to be no standards what so ever in receiving the body and blood of Jesus Christ…and without the RCC this earth is doomed …enjoy the earth warming…while shoveling out from under yet another snow storm…Pas

Yes there is - if the priest’s knowledge of the sin is from confession then under no circumstance may he act on that knowledge.

 

[Newbie2]

John Pascendi;6303291:

Why not! putting it another way …is there ANY reason ,any Sin, ANY OUTRAGE,committed by a person standing in line to receive,known by the priest,to not give the sacred host to him or her?. The church ushers should first be given a list of the locals not allowed and proceed from there. /QUOTE]

I appreciate your concern lest the Blessed Sacarment is treated disrespectfully, but consider these points.

The priest cannot know for certain if those people he objects to haven’t been to confession immediately before Mass.

How can any ushers police a whole church, let alone recognise these sinners?

Not to mention the fact that not every church has ushers.

And what if these sinners refuse to come out of the communion line? Are they to be manhandled out of the church?

You are putting a frightening amount of power into the hands of the priest and a small group of untrained laity.

Yep, I’d agree.

Yes there is - if the priest’s knowledge of the sin is from confession then under no circumstance may he act on that knowledge.

Yeah, but if the sin is confessed and absolution is given, then it’s no longer a sin. I think what situation PW had in mind is perhaps either when a parish has more than one priest (lucky them!) and the confessor isn’t the same priest as giving communion, as they would have no knowledge as to what was confessed, or perhaps someone has gone to confession at another parish becoming to mass at their own parish.

 

[curlycool89]

The priest cannot know for certain if those people he objects to haven’t been to confession immediately before Mass.

That is very true. That’s why the bar should be set quite high. Communion should only be denied when the person is very publicly and unrepentantly sinning, and only after the bishop has first talked to the person privately about it.