Non-Catholics receiving communion at Mass

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jpruitts1

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I worked as a team member at a Catholic Healing retreat which welcomes other denominations. The priest stated at the beginning of Mass that those who were not Catholic were welcome to receive Eucharist.:confused: Since we were a community during the retreat that is was within his power to allow non-Catholics to receive. I have not ever heard of this. Can some one tell me how this can be and where it is written? All I have ever seen during Advent and Lent is a ‘disclaimer’ to non-Catholics stating why they can’t receive but could receive a blessing by crossing their arms across their chest.
 
jpruitts1 said:
I worked as a team member at a Catholic Healing retreat which welcomes other denominations. The priest stated at the beginning of Mass that those who were not Catholic were welcome to receive Eucharist.:confused: Since we were a community during the retreat that is was within his power to allow non-Catholics to receive. I have not ever heard of this. Can some one tell me how this can be and where it is written? All I have ever seen during Advent and Lent is a ‘disclaimer’ to non-Catholics stating why they can’t receive but could receive a blessing by crossing their arms across their chest.
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“Since we were a community during the retreat that is was within his power to allow non-Catholics to receive.”

You won’t find it, because it is not permitted.
 
jpruitts1 said:
I worked as a team member at a Catholic Healing retreat which welcomes other denominations. The priest stated at the beginning of Mass that those who were not Catholic were welcome to receive Eucharist.:confused: Since we were a community during the retreat that is was within his power to allow non-Catholics to receive. I have not ever heard of this. Can some one tell me how this can be and where it is written? All I have ever seen during Advent and Lent is a ‘disclaimer’ to non-Catholics stating why they can’t receive but could receive a blessing by crossing their arms across their chest.
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I have encountered this from time to time, but I don’t know where it comes from.

My understanding of the law of the Church is that Protestants may approach to receive Holy Communion if they are in immediate danger of death, there is no clergyman of their own denomination to assist them, they are not in an obvious state of mortal sin (I have often wondered, would they be offered Sacramental Reconciliation, if it seemed as if they needed it?), and they believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

Unless all four of these circumstances are present, Protestants may not receive Holy Communion in the Catholic Church.

Unbaptized non-Catholics may not receive under any circumstances.
 
jpruitts1;:
that those who were not Catholic were welcome to receive Eucharist.
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Were non-Catholics present at that mass?

More importantly, did any non-Catholics receive the Eucharist?
was within his power to allow non-Catholics to receive.
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Under Canon Law, the odds are that it was not within his power to allow non-Catholics to receive the Eucharist.

There are a couple of circumstances that would permit a Priest to allow non-Catholics to receive the Eucharist, but those are done on a case by case basis, with the approval of the local Bishop (?ArchBishop?). Furthermore, the beneficiaries of the request would have been told privately, prior to the Mass.

There is one exemption, that wouldn’t require pre-approval from above. That exemption still requires a closed communion, and what you are suggesting sounds like an open communion. Furthermore, if that exemption were applicable, the Priest need not have, (and, arguably, should not have) made that specific announcement.

xan

jonathon
 
jmcrae;:
they are not in an obvious state of mortal sin (I have often wondered, would they be offered Sacramental Reconciliation
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Technically, that is offered, and required of all non-Catholics, prior to receiving the Eucharist, regardless of whether or not they appear to be in a state of moral sin.

As a practical matter, how it is offered, depends upon the circumstances.
  • A Priest giving Last Rites on the battlefield to somebody who has blood pouring out of them, is going to be more willing to treat “forgive me of my sins, Father”, as a full confession, than a Priest elsewhere would be;
  • In the cases I’m familiar with, where a non-Catholic received the Eucharist, with the approval from above, a modified form of the standard Confession of the individual’s denomination was used — the standard Protestant forms for Confession by and of an individual violate Canon Law: Priest confidentiality & anonymity .
xan

jonathon
 
Only Catholics and Orthodox (and a tiny handful of non-orthodox schismatic non-protestant groups, like the PNCC) may receive the Catholic Eucharist, per canon law.

And most of them are not going to.
 
jblake;:
In the cases I’m familiar with, where a non-Catholic received the Eucharist,
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I’d better point out that this was right after Vatican 2. Canon Law appears to have changed slightly.

xan

jonathon
 
Aramis said:
Only Catholics and Orthodox (and a tiny handful of non-orthodox schismatic non-protestant groups, like the PNCC) may receive the Catholic Eucharist, per canon law.
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And what are the penalties against non-Catholics for receiving communion?
 
ProVobis said:
Exactly. So why can’t any non-Catholic just walk in off the street and receive communion? Canon Law doesn’t apply to him/her.
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They should not, since it is offensive to Catholic sensibilities and our understanding of the sacramental system.

At weddings or funerals with many non-Catholics in attendance, for example, it is the priest’s responsibility to politely remind the non-Catholics that communion is reserved for Catholics free from mortal sin.

It’s not fair or realistic to expect non-Catholics to understand Catholic practices or Canon Law. That’s the priest’s job.
 
ProVobis said:
And what are the penalties against non-Catholics for receiving communion?
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27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. 12 28 A person should examine himself, 13 and so eat the bread and drink the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment 14 on himself.

Of course they may be protected by invisible ignorance .
 
Lepanto;:
Canon Law only applies to Catholics.
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That depends.

It applies to all Catholics, regardless of where they are domiciled;

It applies to non-Catholics:
  • In areas where The Holy See has Secular Authority;
  • In areas where The Holy See has Sovereign Authority;
  • In areas where The Holy See can claim Jurisprudence;
  • In areas where Canon Law as the authority of the state behind it;
The more interesting issue is whether or not the punishment, as decreed by Canon Law, is appropriate.

xan

jonathon
 
Seatuck said:
Of course they may be protected by invisible ignorance .
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I think perhaps you meant “invincible” (unteachable) ignorance.

Only God can know for sure if they are invincibly ignorant. But if they can function as adults in their day to day lives, it seems doubtful that they are completely unteachable.
 
jmcrae said:
I think perhaps you meant “invincible” (unteachable) ignorance.

Only God can know for sure if they are invincibly ignorant. But if they can function as adults in their day to day lives, it seems doubtful that they are completely unteachable.
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Yes, I did mean invincible. I’ve never heard that described as unteachable. Only lacking in the teaching and understanding they had up until that point.
 
Seatuck said:
Yes, I did mean invincible. I’ve never heard that described as unteachable. Only lacking in the teaching and understanding they had up until that point.
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If they have the ability to be taught (that is, they are mentally competent, and if at the same time there are teachers available to them) then their ignorance is not considered by the Church to be “invincible”.

Therefore, if they are ultimately saved without first becoming Catholic, it will not be on the basis of invincible ignorance, but for some other reason.

Keep in mind, refusal to learn the Catholic Faith is a component of the deadly sin of Pride, and neglecting to learn it is a component of the deadly sin of Sloth. So, lack of learning due either to refusal or to neglect can never be considered “invincible ignorance.”
 
Ummmmm…I don’t think the priest at this particular retreat had **any power **to dispense anyone from the norms for Communion. The fact that it was a retreat eliminates the possiblity of invincible ignorance and I don’t think the congregation gathered for Mass at the retreat were in imminent danger of death! He was clearly out of order to allow this sacrilegious reception of the Eucharist by non-catholic Christians.

I could also surmise that since the priest involved allowed this and even encouraged non-catholics to receive, he has his own set of beliefs and quite possibly no longer believes in the Real Presence, for if he did, he wouldn’t allow such a thing!

This is outrageous. I would report the whole thing to the local Ordinary or the Chancery. It may be a regular practice for this person to offer “open communion” while giving retreats. It is most definutely worth finding out more and reporting what is found to those who could take actions if necessary.

It is part of our calling as Catholics to protect the Sacred Species from defilement and mistreatment and this means at weddings, funerals and other gatherings where those not capable of receiving the Eucharist are as well as in our regular Masses. Good thing I wasn’t on that retreat for I would have taken him on right there! (Sorry I have a rather impetuous nature when it comes to certain things.:rolleyes: )

Peace,

Gail
 
Hello,

I’m absolutely new at this. I hope this is where I’m supposed to ask a question pertaining to this thread. If not, sorry. Our priest routinely offers Communion to non-Catholic residents of a seniors’ residence. He says there’s a dispensation for the aged. I’ve looked and can’t find one. Does anyone know about this? Could this be because the aged are “in danger of death”?
This causes a problem for the lay ministers who subsequently come to bring Communion to these people. They expect us to administer Holy Communion to them too, and we don’t feel that we have the authority.

Thanks for any insights you might have.

jlmom
 
jlmom said:
Hello,

I’m absolutely new at this. I hope this is where I’m supposed to ask a question pertaining to this thread. If not, sorry. Our priest routinely offers Communion to non-Catholic residents of a seniors’ residence. He says there’s a dispensation for the aged. I’ve looked and can’t find one. Does anyone know about this?
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No. In a spirit of inquiry, ask him to show it to you.
Could this be because the aged are “in danger of death”?
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This only applies if they also believe what the Church teaches about the Eucharist, and they have no clergy of their own to come and visit with them.

Not knowing your community, I have no way of knowing whether the other two conditions are fulfilled, but in any case, you are right that you have no authority to give them anything - even if all three conditions are fulfilled, only the priest or Bishop can give them Holy Communion.

If this is a regular practice, one wonders why these people have not been brought into the fulness of the faith by means of Profession of Faith, First Confession, and Confirmation, so that you don’t have to worry about it? If they are extremely ill, they would not be required to attend RCIA - if they expressed the desire, it would be easy enough to arrange it. :confused:
 
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