Luterans Shouldn't Have Received Holy Communion at Vatican, Says Catholic Spokesman

  • Thread starter Thread starter mdgspencer
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

mdgspencer

Guest
Several days ago, a report went out in the media that a Lutheran delegation received holy communion from a priest in the Vatican’s St. Peter’s basilica. The Lutheran bishop who received communion ought not to have been offered it and should have refused, says a spokesman for Finland’s diocese of Helsinki. He says the priest may not have known the identity of the Lutherans. Attempts to create communion “on one’s own authority,” this spokesman said, hindered “the true efforts of the churches to draw together.”
see www.christiantoday.com/article/lutherans.shouldnt.have.received.holy.communion.at.vatican.says.catholic.spokesman/77890.htm
 
Several days ago, a report went out in the media that a Lutheran delegation received holy communion from a priest in the Vatican’s St. Peter’s basilica. The Lutheran bishop who received communion ought not to have been offered it and should have refused, says a spokesman for Finland’s diocese of Helsinki. He says the priest may not have known the identity of the Lutherans. Attempts to create communion “on one’s own authority,” this spokesman said, hindered “the true efforts of the churches to draw together.”
see www.christiantoday.com/article/lutherans.shouldnt.have.received.holy.communion.at.vatican.says.catholic.spokesman/77890.htm
well that clears the waters with respect to if the priest knew they were non-catholics. So they are culpable. As an aside, I wonder how Church teaching could be altered in such a way as to permit people who openly protest the Catholic Church to receive without there being a rupture in the continuous tradition of the Church. As Cardinal St. John Newmann taught, changes can’t contradict core teachings.
 
I wonder how Church teaching could be altered in such a way as to permit people who openly protest the Catholic Church to receive without there being a rupture in the continuous tradition of the Church.
Giving Communion to Lutherans is currently contrary to canon law, except under unusual circumstances. It is Possible that giving Communion to Lutherans is Also opposed to Divine law. I’m not really sure. If we assume that giving Communion to Lutherans is contrary to divine law, then that means it is also contrary to Church teaching. If canon law was ignored on this point, that does not seem like it would be a change in Church teaching; every time someone sins they violate canon law, and their sins don’t change Church teaching. If canon law was changed so that it was directly contrary to divine law, that would be interesting. I think it has actually happened before, so in my opinion that would not constitute a change in Church teaching either. Only if the Magisterium contradicted itself in two statements that meet the conditions for infallibility – only then would there be a change in Church teaching. And, of course, that is impossible, because God protects His Church.
Cardinal St. John Newmann taught [that] changes can’t contradict core teachings.
He didn’t say that core teachings cannot be Ignored. Various priests often ignore Church teachings and do something contrary. Even popes have ignored Church teaching – every pope does so every time he sins. Sinning does not change Church teaching, and telling other people to sin does not change Church teaching. The only thing that could do that would be a contradiction between two statements that both meet the conditions for infallibility.
 
Sidetrack: when Jesus administered Holy Communion to the Disciples were they Jewish? I suppose they were ordained Bishops when he “called” them to follow him.
 
Sidetrack: when Jesus administered Holy Communion to the Disciples were they Jewish? I suppose they were ordained Bishops when he “called” them to follow him.
I think they were ordained when He told them to offer the Mass in memory of Him.
 
Sidetrack: … I suppose they were ordained Bishops when he “called” them to follow him.
I think they were ordained when He told them to offer the Mass in memory of Him.
*1752 949 Can. 2. If anyone says that by these words: “Do this for a commemoration of me” Luke 22:19;1 Cor. 11:24], Christ did not make the apostles priests, or did not ordain that they and other priests might offer His own body and blood: let him be anathema. *

Sources of Catholic Dogma by Denzinger
Mike
 
I think they were ordained when He told them to offer the Mass in memory of Him.
This is what the Church says, although its odd that they were made priests of a Church that was founded at Pentecost (which was nearly two months away).
 
Wouldn’t the Lutheran bishop have been wearing some sort of uniform or official clothing that would have shown he was Lutheran?

Do priests confirm with each person they give communion to that they are state-of-grace Catholics before doing so?

.
Of course they knew who they were! It was done as a sign of Christian unity.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top