Is it licit for a Bride and Groom to distribute Holy Communion to one another at their wedding Mass?

[WetCatechumen]

I recently attended a wedding. The priest communicated, and after he had communicated, he handed the the bride the vessel with the hosts, and she communicated her husband. She then handed him the vessel with the hosts, and he communicated his bride. Then the same thing happened with the chalice. Neither of them acted as extraordinary ministers of holy communion to anyone else.

I asked one of my friends, and without commenting on whether or not it was licit, he stated that he had seen this practice before at Catholic weddings.

All in all, there were maybe 150 guests at the wedding. I do not recall the celebrant distributing communion. There were around four extraordinary ministers of holy communion.

I found this practice distasteful, but knowing that parish priests have the authority to delegate extraordinary ministers of holy communion, I cannot see that he acted outside of canon law.

I was wondering if one of the apologists would please comment on this situation. Thank you very much.

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

No, there is nothing that permits the giving of communion to each other by the bride and groom. As Redemptionis Sacramentum states:

[94.] It is not licit for the faithful “to take . . . by themselves . . . and, still less, to hand . . . from one to another” the sacred host or the sacred chalice. Moreover, in this regard, the abuse is to be set aside whereby spouses administer Holy Communion to each other at a Nuptial Mass.