Can someone born out of wedlock take the Eucharist?

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My aunt has been going to Mass for over forty years and has never taken Communion because she was born out of wedlock 65 years ago.

She became Catholic (she was Lutheran) when she was 20 and went through the classes, etc.

Is this a parish thing or are all people born out of wedlock unable to partake in this Sacrament?

I feel so sorry for her and I don’t think Jesus would exclude people over something they themselves had no control over.

Thank you for any replies and sorry if I offended anyone with my question.

Respectfully,
Amy
 
momoffive said:
My aunt has been going to Mass for over forty years and has never taken Communion because she was born out of wedlock 65 years ago.

She became Catholic (she was Lutheran) when she was 20 and went through the classes, etc.

Is this a parish thing or are all people born out of wedlock unable to partake in this Sacrament?

I feel so sorry for her and I don’t think Jesus would exclude people over something they themselves had no control over.

Thank you for any replies and sorry if I offended anyone with my question.

Respectfully,
Amy
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Providing that your Aunt became a Catholic “correctly” by receiving the proper Sacraments then there is no reason for her not to go take the Eucharist. In fact she is in violation of one of the precepts of the Church…All Catholics must partake of the Eucharist at least once a year during the Easter season. No parish can make up their own rules regarding who can partake of the Eucharist…it is a right of all Catholics.
 
If there was any such law , there isn’t one now. All she has to do is go to confession and start recieving when she is in a state of grace. Have her make an appointment with a priest to discuss this if she doesn’t believe you .
 
In my entire life I have never heard of anyone that was denied Holy Communion because they were born out of wedlock. Tell her to talk it over with her Pastor, if everything else is in order I am sure she could receive.
 
momoffive said:
My aunt has been going to Mass for over forty years and has never taken Communion because she was born out of wedlock 65 years ago.

She became Catholic (she was Lutheran) when she was 20 and went through the classes, etc.

Is this a parish thing or are all people born out of wedlock unable to partake in this Sacrament?

I feel so sorry for her and I don’t think Jesus would exclude people over something they themselves had no control over.

Thank you for any replies and sorry if I offended anyone with my question.

Respectfully,
Amy
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Her valid Lutheran baptism made her purer than the children of kings! We are not under the Judaic covenant, where the sins of the fathers attaches to the seventh generation. We are new creations in Christ. Any sin remains strictly that of her parents. This is why the unborn must be protected - they are innocent life. The Lord forbids the shedding of innocent blood. A baby, regardless of parentage, has no sin other than original sin, which is erased through a valid baptism. If she is a Catholic in good standing (regular mass attendance, confession, etc.) she may certainly participate in the Eucharist. She MUST partake at the Easter mass, for example.

I think the more likely cause of this is that she has not received the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Out of wedlock birth may have become a reason, but not an excuse, for avoiding Christ. Why else would you not eat the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ? You might just carefully, lovingly and charitably take this up with her, since her salvation is at risk. She is sinning if she does not receive at least once a year at the Easter mass (in a state of grace, of course!).

Christ’s peace.
 
momoffive said:
My aunt has been going to Mass for over forty years and has never taken Communion because she was born out of wedlock 65 years ago.

She became Catholic (she was Lutheran) when she was 20 and went through the classes, etc.

Is this a parish thing or are all people born out of wedlock unable to partake in this Sacrament?

I feel so sorry for her and I don’t think Jesus would exclude people over something they themselves had no control over.

Thank you for any replies and sorry if I offended anyone with my question.

Respectfully,
Amy
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Thats one of the saddest things I’ve seen on CAF. 😦
 
momoffive said:
My aunt has been going to Mass for over forty years and has never taken Communion because she was born out of wedlock 65 years ago.

She became Catholic (she was Lutheran) when she was 20 and went through the classes, etc.

Is this a parish thing or are all people born out of wedlock unable to partake in this Sacrament?

I feel so sorry for her and I don’t think Jesus would exclude people over something they themselves had no control over.
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Amy it is time to let her know that so long as she personally is prepared, she may come forward for communion.

I too was born out of wedlock and I receive communion daily when possible. Every so often twice in one day!

Her parental-marital situation has no bearing - WHATSOEVER - on her ability to commune.

Talk with a priest who can talk to her if needs be.
 
in working with converts for over 20 years this is the first time I have ever heard this one. Short answer is yes, a Catholic who is in a state of grace may receive communion and being born out of wedlock does not effect one’s own sanctity in the least. It is true that prior to revisions of canon law in the last century there were some canonical rules that had to do with “legitimacy” but they have long since disappeared, and in any case never disqualified anyone from the Eucharist. Legitimacy is a civil law issue, not a church issue, and most states if not all have removed it as a legal status as well.

I would very much wonder about someone who heard (or misheard) this years ago and never once thought to ask a priest about it in all this time. If she is 65 and became Catholic at age 20, there were not really “classes” at that time, much more likely individual instruction by a priest, which makes the story even more unlikely. As one who is already baptized, the only way she would have been received into the Catholic Church was through profession of faith, confirmation and first communion, so I am still not buying this whole story.
 
It is amazing how much misinformation is out there. My great aunt didn’t go to communion for years and years because her husband divorced her and she beleived that she could not receive. She went to mass every Sunday. I remember telling my grandmother that my aunt could go to communion and that she committed no sin, expecially since her husband divorce here. I don’t remember when, but I know she eventually started receiving. She never remarried.
 
puzzleannie said:
in working with converts for over 20 years this is the first time I have ever heard this one. Short answer is yes, a Catholic who is in a state of grace may receive communion and being born out of wedlock does not effect one’s own sanctity in the least. It is true that prior to revisions of canon law in the last century there were some canonical rules that had to do with “legitimacy” but they have long since disappeared, and in any case never disqualified anyone from the Eucharist. Legitimacy is a civil law issue, not a church issue, and most states if not all have removed it as a legal status as well.

I would very much wonder about someone who heard (or misheard) this years ago and never once thought to ask a priest about it in all this time. If she is 65 and became Catholic at age 20, there were not really “classes” at that time, much more likely individual instruction by a priest, which makes the story even more unlikely. As one who is already baptized, the only way she would have been received into the Catholic Church was through profession of faith, confirmation and first communion, so I am still not buying this whole story.
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I know this is a little sideline, but my mother did indeed attend classes almost exactly 45 years ago when she converted. They weren’t called RCIA, but there were classes, lasting about one year. She had a sponsor and everything.
 
puzzleannie said:
If she is 65 and became Catholic at age 20, there were not really “classes” at that time, much more likely individual instruction by a priest, which makes the story even more unlikely. As one who is already baptized, the only way she would have been received into the Catholic Church was through profession of faith, confirmation and first communion, so I am still not buying this whole story.
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Please forgive me for not having all my information correct. I do not wish to stir up trouble; I am sorry if I offended you in my ignorance. I am not Catholic and I am totally ignorant in what needs to be done before taking Eucharist. Why did I offend you so?

When I was 15 we were at Mass and my aunt told me that I couldn’t take Communion because I was Protestant and she couldn’t take it because she was born out of wedlock. When I asked my mom about it later she said it was true that I couldn’t take it because we were Protestant, yet she was suprised my aunt couldn’t take it because she converted to Catholism. I just assumed she took classes. I knew even then that one can’t say “I’m Catholic” and be Catholic. I had a childhood friend that converted to Catholism and she took classes so I assumed the same to be true of my aunt. I assumed wrongly! :o Also, my aunt married a Catholic and there were additional meetings with a priest. All this happened before I was born.

Regardless, I have learned so much in this post!! I will encourage my aunt to speak with a priest ASAP!

Thanks you for your replies!
Amy
 
cecilia97 said:
I know this is a little sideline, but my mother did indeed attend classes almost exactly 45 years ago when she converted. They weren’t called RCIA, but there were classes, lasting about one year. She had a sponsor and everything.
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Thank you Cecilia for sharing that!
 
There are a lot of misconceptions floating around out there. My mother who is Catholic married my Protestant dad 43 years ago and all these years she has been convinced my brother and I are not recognized by the Church because she was not married in the Church. We were baptized Protestant as babies So since we aren’t Catholic (yet) I can see that argument. But I think she is thinking more along the lines of the Church considers us out of wedlock.

I’ve been told by a few people that my mother’s fears of my brother and I not being recognized is silly, but I really don’t know. My mom also thinks there is no way to “fix” her marriage by having it recogonized by the church. Isn’t it called convalidation? Maybe I’m wrong on that too. She does know she can’t receive the Eucharist because she did not marry in the church. That is what we both believe to be true, correct?

I feel so bad that she has been thinking these things after all these years. This has actually kept her away from attending church for so many years. And since she hasn’t really attended mass regularly since before Vatican II she is scared to death to start attending because she thinks the church will look down on her for being away for so long. And she has no idea what is going on during mass. When she attended regularly it was in Latin.

I’d like her to start attending mass with my family, but I need to convince her all her fears are silly. Is she misinformed or is she right?
 
How about baptism for children born out of wedlock? Is there a rule on when they can be baptized if the parents wish them to be Catholic?
 
seekerz said:
How about baptism for children born out of wedlock? Is there a rule on when they can be baptized if the parents wish them to be Catholic?
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As long as the canonical requirements for baptism are met yes they can be baptized. At least one parent must agree and the priest must have a well founded hope the child will be raised and educated Catholic and we are good to go.
Can. 868 §1 For an infant to be baptized lawfully it is required:
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1° that the parents, or at least one of them, or the person who lawfully holds their place, give their consent;

2° that there be a wellfounded hope that the child will be brought up in the catholic religion. If such hope is truly lacking, the baptism is, in accordance with the provisions of particular law, to be deferred and the parents advised of the reason for this.

§2 An infant of catholic parents, indeed even of non-Catholic parents, may in danger of death be baptized even if the parents are opposed to it.

They should be baptized the same as any other child within the first few weeks of life.
 
CalifMomma said:
There are a lot of misconceptions floating around out there. My mother who is Catholic married my Protestant dad 43 years ago and all these years she has been convinced my brother and I are not recognized by the Church because she was not married in the Church. We were baptized Protestant as babies So since we aren’t Catholic (yet) I can see that argument. But I think she is thinking more along the lines of the Church considers us out of wedlock.

I’ve been told by a few people that my mother’s fears of my brother and I not being recognized is silly, but I really don’t know. My mom also thinks there is no way to “fix” her marriage by having it recogonized by the church. Isn’t it called convalidation? Maybe I’m wrong on that too. She does know she can’t receive the Eucharist because she did not marry in the church. That is what we both believe to be true, correct?

I feel so bad that she has been thinking these things after all these years. This has actually kept her away from attending church for so many years. And since she hasn’t really attended mass regularly since before Vatican II she is scared to death to start attending because she thinks the church will look down on her for being away for so long. And she has no idea what is going on during mass. When she attended regularly it was in Latin.

I’d like her to start attending mass with my family, but I need to convince her all her fears are silly. Is she misinformed or is she right?
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In the US, and I believe most of the world, legitimacy of children is a civil/legal issue. The Church doesn’t really get into that. And even if a Catholic was considered “illegitimate” for some reason, it doesn’t effect their status in the Church. There’s no Church “recognition” for people with a legitimate stamp on their foreheads. 😉

If your baptism used the Trinitarian formula, the Catholic Church considers you baptized.

Your mother should go to a priest at a nearby parish and ask about the status of her marriage to get the right information. There are lots of variables and convalidation may or may not be necessary. But it surely doesn’t sound like a hopeless case and she’s surely not shunned or anything!

As for being away a long time…people come back to the Church every day and no one laughs or thinks badly of them. We rejoice! You’ll see a quote mentioned on these forums about “the Church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints”. Jesus came to call sinners, right?

There may even be parishes offering Masses in Latin near you, to help your Mom feel more at home.
 
If it were true that someone born out of wedlock couldn’t receive communion, more than a few here would be in that category.

Kathy
 
Seatuck said:
If there was any such law , there isn’t one now.
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I am absolutely confident that the Catholic Church has never taught such an abominable thing. I suspect that this has to do with this dear lady’s sense of shame and unworthiness, or perhaps with the attitudes of people in her community. [Edited by Moderator].

Edwin
 
The only sin we inherit is the sin of Adam and Eve. We do not, nor has it ever been taught that we inherit the sins of our biological parents. If, from post # 1, she has been validly received into the Church, there is nothing stopping her from receiving the Eucharist. My advice, - Talk to a priest, and if properly received into the Church, there is nothing preventing her, after a good confession, from reception of the sacraments, especially the Eucharist.
Deacon Ed B
 
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