Can divorced catholics receive the Eucharist?

[jmcrae]

I have been reading many threads along these same ones because I am in a similar circumstance. Although I think I am not so lucky as the OP is…

However I do have a question:
It seems that some posters imply that a priest is not necessarily a pastor. I might be reading into the language, but I’ve gotten this impression several times.
Is there a difference!

Yes, there is a huge difference.

Not just any priest can give this kind of personal direction. You are under the authority of one priest - this priest is your pastor (“shepherd”). This is the one person on earth who has the authority to tell, for example, someone who is divorced and remarried without a declaration of nullity, what their options are regarding their spiritual life in the Church. While there are certainly general rules that apply to everyone, only your own pastor can make what are called “pastoral exceptions” based on the personal situation of that individual person. For example, he is the only person on earth who can give permission to someone to receive Holy Communion in a situation where generally that would be forbidden, or where there is doubt about the situation.

Your pastor is the priest who is the main administrator (not an associate, and not just any priest who happens to reside in the rectory) of the parish in which you reside.

If you have a spiritual director who is a priest, he can also give you this kind of direction, but generally speaking, for most people, it is their pastor who makes these decisions in tricky situations.

 

[Deltadeliquent]

Thanks guys.
I’ll make an appointment ASAP.