Openly gay Catholic receiving communion?

[conorsdad]

I know of a person who attends my parish (and is also a coworker of mine) who is a lesbian and is in a relationship with a woman. I saw her receiving communion at Mass yesterday. Correct me if I’m wrong, but a homosexual should not be receiving communion. My wife did not go up to receive yesterday, only because she had missed Mass last week and did not yet get to confession. Yet I see a practicing homosexual receiving the body and blood of our Lord.

In my opinion, this should be reported to our parish priest, if not the bishop.

 

[melensdad]

Perhaps she went to confession the day before receiving communion? Perhaps she has a partner but is living non-sexually and is chaste? Or is at least chaste since the last confession?

There seem to be many more variables that could be considered and what you think you know you may not actually know.

 

[Scottgun]

I know of a person who attends my parish (and is also a coworker of mine) who is a lesbian and is in a relationship with a woman. I saw her receiving communion at Mass yesterday. Correct me if I’m wrong, but a homosexual should not be receiving communion. My wife did not go up to receive yesterday, only because she had missed Mass last week and did not yet get to confession. Yet I see a practicing homosexual receiving the body and blood of our Lord.

In my opinion, this should be reported to our parish priest, if not the bishop.

It’s a dicey proposition because of the possibility of rash judgement.

My wife did not go up to receive yesterday, only because she had missed Mass last week and did not yet get to confession.

Did she deliberately miss mass without serious mitigating circumstances? That is, was she in a state of mortal sin? Because if not, she would not need to refrain from communion.

 

[ComputerGeek25]

Ok, my knowledge in this area is limited, so standard disclaimers apply…

I’m not quite sure on the church’s stance on whether or not having a significant other of the same gender is sinful or not. (If someone else could post relavent documents that would be helpful). However, I could see dating someone of the same gender could be considered “a near occasion of sin.”

However, I do know that any “relations” (if you know what I mean) between people of the same gender are sinful, in much the same way said “relations” are sinful between two unmarried people of different genders are sinful. (I.e. “Relations” are only allowed for married people, and people of the same gender cannot be married)

The church also teaches that some people have this attraction, despite being disordered, it is a cross for them to bear. They are still held to the same requirements as people with out the attraction are. These people should still be treated with respect.

Lastly, I think it may be unfair to assume that she is having relations with her signifcant other.

 

[conorsdad]

Did she deliberately miss mass without serious mitigating circumstances? That is, was she in a state of mortal sin? Because if not, she would not need to refrain from communion.

She missed Mass without a really good excuse, I suppose. She was rushing around to get stuff ready for a cookout we were having for my son’s T-ball team last weekend, and I and my son went to church while she was doing that, on Saturday evening. She was going to go Sunday morning, and slept a little too late.

 

[conorsdad]

Lastly, I think it may be unfair to assume that she is having relations with her signifcant other.

Well, you’re right, I have no proof of actual relations between the two, as I don’t go snooping in her windows or anything. But, in the real world, I think its a safe bet that something is going on between them. And personally, I don’t care what these two do together, I was just upset that she had the nerve to go up and receive Communion. Personally, I think too many people just automatically go up and receive. it seems that more than 90% of the people ay any given Mass at our church go up to receive, and there is no way that that many people every week are without grave sin. I think people take the Eucharist too lightly.

 

[Scottgun]

Well, you’re right, I have no proof of actual relations between the two, as I don’t go snooping in her windows or anything. But, in the real world, I think its a safe bet that something is going on between them. And personally, I don’t care what these two do together, I was just upset that she had the nerve to go up and receive Communion. Personally, I think too many people just automatically go up and receive. it seems that more than 90% of the people ay any given Mass at our church go up to receive, and there is no way that that many people every week are without grave sin. I think people take the Eucharist too lightly.

You are right that many people receive cavalierly, and certainly some in mortal sin. Actually barring one from communion is a serious step, which requires in general manifest mortal sin. Like working at an abortion clinic and such.

 

[Mirdath]

Well, you’re right, I have no proof of actual relations between the two, as I don’t go snooping in her windows or anything. But, in the real world, I think its a safe bet that something is going on between them. And personally, I don’t care what these two do together, I was just upset that she had the nerve to go up and receive Communion. Personally, I think too many people just automatically go up and receive. it seems that more than 90% of the people ay any given Mass at our church go up to receive, and there is no way that that many people every week are without grave sin. I think people take the Eucharist too lightly.

I think this says it all. You don’t know, you’re just making a ‘safe bet’ – which, while potentially quite true, isn’t your place to make. And you make this bet for 90% of the people at your parish! Who put you in charge? If you’re right, these people are going to answer for it anyway. Mind your own business and don’t presume everybody else must be receiving sacrilegiously.

 

[1ke]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but a homosexual should not be receiving communion.

A person in a state of mortal sin should not receive communion.

You cannot tell if a person is in a state of mortal sin by looking at them, or even by knowing general things about them.

My wife did not go up to receive yesterday, only because she had missed Mass last week and did not yet get to confession. Yet I see a practicing homosexual receiving the body and blood of our Lord.

I am unsure why your wife’s mortal sin has any bearing on someone else’s situation.

Your wife rightly refrained from receiving. Perhaps this person you know should have refrained, but perhaps not. We cannot know their interior state or what has transpired between them, their priest, and God.

In my opinion, this should be reported to our parish priest, if not the bishop.

Why don’t you report your wife while you’re at it.

What exactly are you going to report? Your suspicious nature and your lack of charity?

 

[conorsdad]

I think this says it all. You don’t know, you’re just making a ‘safe bet’ – which, while potentially quite true, isn’t your place to make. And you make this bet for 90% of the people at your parish! Who put you in charge? If you’re right, these people are going to answer for it anyway. Mind your own business and don’t presume everybody else must be receiving sacrilegiously.

This coming from you, an “agnostic.”

 

[conorsdad]

What exactly are you going to report? Your suspicious nature and your lack of charity?

What would I report? Exactly what I said…that a homosexual is receiving Communion.

 

[Michael_Francis]

Moved to Moral Theology
Michael Francis

 

[puzzleannie]

I know of a person who attends my parish (and is also a coworker of mine) who is a lesbian and is in a relationship with a woman. I saw her receiving communion at Mass yesterday. Correct me if I’m wrong, but a homosexual should not be receiving communion. .

the general rule is that when we observe anyone receiveing communion we are obliged in Christian charity to assume that even though they are, like us, fellow sinners, they have recently confessed and been absolved of any transgressions, and are therefore worthy to receive. Under no circumstance whatever should a lay person be making a judgement about the spiritual condition of any other person (including their own spouse or child). If this is indeed a situation that requires pastoral care, it is up to the pastor, not any lay persons, family members or fellow parishioners to deal with it.

 

[BigFeet]

the general rule is that when we observe anyone receiveing communion we are obliged in Christian charity to assume that even though they are, like us, fellow sinners, they have recently confessed and been absolved of any transgressions, and are therefore worthy to receive. Under no circumstance whatever should a lay person be making a judgement about the spiritual condition of any other person (including their own spouse or child). If this is indeed a situation that requires pastoral care, it is up to the pastor, not any lay persons, family members or fellow parishioners to deal with it.

Can you please provide the documentation for this “general rule”? If somebody is profaning the body and blood of our Lord, it needs to be brought to the attention of the priest. There’s no way a priest can provide “pastoral care” without being alerted that it is needed. Much like the way sins cannot be forgiven in confession unless they are said to the priest.

Are you telling me that if a married man is living with a woman who is not his wife, we are to assume that he’s not sinning, and therefore free to receive Holy Communion? That’s rediculous! A priest would be morally obligated to advise the man to move out. “Go, and sin no more.”

If we knowingly allow somebody to profane the body and blood of Jesus, we are just as guilty as they are.

 

[1ke]

What would I report? Exactly what I said…that a homosexual is receiving Communion.

Homosexual *persons *are not barred from receiving Commuion.

Only those persons-- homosexual or not-- who are in a state of mortal sin are to refrain from receiving Communion.

Since it has already been pointed out to you that **you **cannot know who is or is not in a state of mortal sin-- and Catholics are not to engage in the sin of **rash judgment **or presume to know the state of another’s soul-- then there is nothing to report.

 

[puzzleannie]

Can you please provide the documentation for this “general rule”? If somebody is profaning the body and blood of our Lord, it needs to be brought to the attention of the priest. There’s no way a priest can provide “pastoral care” without being alerted that it is needed. Much like the way sins cannot be forgiven in confession unless they are said to the priest.
.

and you think I as a parishioner should appoint myself to this task? on what authority would I be slandering someone in this way?

 

[BigFeet]

…then there is nothing to report.

Then let that decision be made by the priest. Again, we must defend our Lord in the Eucharist. Perhaps this woman needs intervention. If we all just sit back and deny that there may by something wrong, we are definitely not being very charitable.

If it quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck. Kindly alert her priest, and let him decide.

 

[puzzleannie]

If I am going to act as self-appointed communion police in my parish I will also have to start tracking the businessmen hiring illegal immigrants, the married men carrying on public affairs with other women or visiting “gentleman’s clubs”, the teens doing dope and running with gangs, the gossiping women who are doing real public damage to reputations, and a host of other sins. No thanks, it takes all my time and energy to keep track of my own sins.

 

[ComputerGeek25]

Then let that decision be made by the priest. Again, we must defend our Lord in the Eucharist. Perhaps this woman needs intervention. If we all just sit back and deny that there may by something wrong, we are definitely not being very charitable.

If it quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck. Kindly alert her priest, and let him decide.

So, since I’m a guy, and I have a girlfriend, you’d assume we are having relations outside of marraige?

Again, how do we know that these two people are having relations of any type? And if they did, how do we know that they haven’t gone to confession, when needed? Just being attracted to someone of the same gender is not sinful, it depend on the actions taken.

 

[BigFeet]

and you think I as a parishioner should appoint myself to this task? on what authority would I be slandering someone in this way?

This man is not just a “parishioner”, he is also a co-worker who apparently has some knowledge of the situation. Alerting a priest to what has been observed is not “slander”. Give the priest all of the information, and let him decide. Reporting this is not only true Christian charity, it’s a corporal work of mercy. Matthew 18:15-17