Protestants will allegedly share the Eucharist at a Mass scheduled for 29th February at the Protestant Cathedral St Peter in Geneva Switzerland. This

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A translation of this article will follow below, but owing to the word allowance per posting, the remainder of the text will follow sequentially.


Translation of article:

For the first time since the Reformation, Catholics will celebrate Mass in St. Peter’s Cathedral.

In August 1535, mass was abolished in Geneva after iconoclasts had devastated the Cathedral of Saint Peter by breaking the statues and lacerating the images that were not in conformity with the new reformed cult. Since then, no mass has taken place in the building, assigned to protestant worship. A long famine that will end on Saturday, February 29, 2020, with a Mass celebrated at 6: 30 pm by Pascal Desthieux, Episcopal Vicar for the canton of Geneva.
This new proposal from the Protestant parish of Saint-Pierre-Fusterie was born as a result of a “discussion with broken sticks” that followed an ecumenical ceremony. The idea then “matured” in the parish council, which voted in favour. "There was no opposition, which is significant. The idea has seduced us, because it corresponds to our desire to make the cathedral a meeting place for all the Christians of Geneva. A space that transcends confessional boundaries, " said Daniel Pyly, president of the parish council.

Already two precedents

While Roman Catholics have not celebrated alone in Saint Peter’s for nearly 500 years, they have, on the other hand, already taken part in ecumenical ceremonies. For their part, the Lutherans were allowed to celebrate the confirmations of their catechumens there on Pentecost Sunday, the Temple of the Magdalene where they traditionally officiated having had to close the time of asbestos removal. The English have also been singing Christmas songs at the cathedral for several years.
If Roman Catholics will be at home in Saint Peter’s on February 29, this will also be the case of protestants, who, like all Christians, will be welcome at this mass and welcomed to communion. "This is not exceptional in Geneva. This is already being done locally in many parishes during ecumenical celebrations where protestants and Catholics invite each other to Holy Communion and communion, " recalls Daniel Pillly.
 
Second part of translation:

Favourable and fertile climate

This invitation is also the result of very good relations, marked by confidence, established for several years with Pascal Desthieux. "It is a sign that the climate in Geneva is extremely favourable and fertile with the Roman Catholic Church. We have made some notable advances in terms of ecumenism, notably with the joint declaration, signed in 2017, which recognizes our respective ministries, " said Emmanuel Fuchs, president of the Protestant Church of Geneva and also pastor at Saint-Pierre. For both Daniel Lilly and Emmanuel Fuchs, although the differences between protestants and Catholics remain notable, what unites them is much more important. "It is a strong sign that we are giving by lending our Cathedral, A will to open up, to make church together, to carry the Gospel and to witness to our love of Christ. As Pope Francis said, ecumenism is made by walking. We are trying to walk together in the hope that when we have made enough progress, the obstacles that today seem insurmountable will no longer be so ", concludes Emmanuel Fuchs.
 
IanM said:
As Pope Francis said, ecumenism is made by walking. We are trying to walk together in the hope that when we have made enough progress, the obstacles that today seem insurmountable will no longer be so
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:spiral_calendar: February 29 sounds like a good date for a Leap of faith.
 
If they are indeed giving Protestants Catholic communion en masse, they are in clear violation of Canon Law and committing an act of sacrilege. It doesn’t matter how many people on the parish council agree on it, or if the priest or bishop thinks it’s OK. We either believe what we teach about the Eucharist, or we don’t. Period.
 
I’ve definitely seen Protestants being offered communion at a Catholic mass (my wedding was one such example).
 
Oh, I have no doubt it happens frequently, perhaps often as a misunderstanding, or with no knowledge of the priest. These incidents are nearly impossible to avoid. But if a member of the clergy offers communion to a Protestant with full knowledge (with the exceptions of emergency situations), that priest is wrong to do so. In a case like this where they are planning to give numerous Protestants communion in advance, they are clearly in the wrong.
 
This is a big issue in French-speaking Switzerland right now. With two communities of about equal numbers, huge numbers of mixed couples, and the presence of the leading ecumenical institutions, there is a long history of welcoming Protestants to the Eucharist. For a long time, nobody took exception with it. Now most bishops are promoting a return to Canon Law, which is slowly happening, but also, unfortunately, causing a lot of hurt and bitterness on both sides. We French-speaking Swiss Christians, Catholics and Protestants, need some prayers, and we also need to remember that truth goes hand in hand with charity.
 
Weserthy said:
If they are indeed giving Protestants Catholic communion en masse, they are in clear violation of Canon Law and committing an act of sacrilege.
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Weserthy said:
In a case like this where they are planning to give numerous Protestants communion in advance, they are clearly in the wrong.
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That would be a newbie mistake, wouldn’t it? Do we really have so little trust in our priests and bishops?

I think I’m a pretty good Catholic, but I can scarcely imagine that I could know or practice the faith better than a priest or bishop.

By way of analogy, when I get on an airliner in a winter storm, I don’t worry about the pilot’s training and diligence. I don’t warn the other passengers, “If they don’t de-ice the wings, we’re in trouble.” I leave the flying to the people up front.
 
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Yes, very largely except from a few regionalisms (for example, growing up in France, I called a mop “une serpillère”, but here it’s “une panosse”).
 
I would think more Italianisms would seep through since the two languages are so similar anyway but I guess that happens in France too.
 
Beryllos said:
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Weserthy:
If they are indeed giving Protestants Catholic communion en masse, they are in clear violation of Canon Law and committing an act of sacrilege.
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Weserthy said:
In a case like this where they are planning to give numerous Protestants communion in advance, they are clearly in the wrong.
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That would be a newbie mistake, wouldn’t it? Do we really have so little trust in our priests and bishops?

I think I’m a pretty good Catholic, but I can scarcely imagine that I could know or practice the faith better than a priest or bishop.

By way of analogy, when I get on an airliner in a winter storm, I don’t worry about the pilot’s training and diligence. I don’t warn the other passengers, “If they don’t de-ice the wings, we’re in trouble.” I leave the flying to the people up front.
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No. I don’t accept this argument that since the “priest or bishop allowed it, it must be OK.” Wrong is wrong, regardless of the level of one’s authority. That kind of thinking is what allowed the sexual abuse crisis in the Church to get out of hand.

If there is a legitimate reason to give a group of Protestants communion in a huge group such as this, that is in accordance with Canon Law, then I would like to hear it. Blind appeals to authority are not going to convince me. This is wrong, and I will not hesitate to call out such an action regardless of how popular it is.
 
Yeah I’ve never heard of any means where this is allowed in Canon Law other than in an emergency. I’ve heard before how this is an issue in parts of Europe where Catholics and protestants have been heavily intermixed for centuries. It increasingly happens in the USA too with interfaith families.
 
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The “people flying up front” believe (or pretend to believe) that a person needs to be in a state of grace to receive Holy Communion and that is why Confession matters as a sacrament. Obviously Non Catholics will not have had the benefit of the sacrament of Confession yet in this case would be allowed Holy Communion. Such an act is an attack on the very sacrament of Confession (before any consideration as to possible sacrilege in giving Holy Communion to schismatics is even considered)
 
Like Beryllos, I will not judge what past bishops chose to do. I will simply say that the last generation grew up in a vibrant ecumenical context. This is simply what happens when two communities are so tight knit and intertwined that exceptions multiply and eventually become the rule.

The reason things are changing right now is mostly a massive immigration from Latin Catholic countries (Spain, Portugal, Italy) who know nothing about Protestantism, keep mostly to themselves and have no interest in ecumenism.

I am not saying that this is good or bad, it is simply the way things are here, and it would probably not have changed hadn’t our demographics changed also, which hasn’t made the relationship between the communities easier.
 
IanM said:
. Obviously Non Catholics will not have had the benefit of the sacrament of Confession yet in this case would be allowed Holy Communion.
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Yes, this is the main reason why the bishops are trying to stop the practice, but unfortunately, it is also the one which is least understood by Protestant communities who do not have any criteria for admitting people to communion. Many of those I know cannot wrap their minds around it, no matter how I try to explain.
 
IanM said:
“We have made some notable advances in terms of ecumenism, notably with the joint declaration, signed in 2017, which recognizes our respective ministries, " said Emmanuel Fuchs, president of the Protestant Church of Geneva and also pastor at Saint-Pierre.
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This seems to me like the most important point but I cannot find anything else about it.

Condemnations based on Canon Law that I have seen here are nor accurate imo. Bishops conferences were asked to establish guidelines by the Directory for Ecumenism, and if they did not, individual bishops were to create guidelines and make decisions about who is admitted. Guidelines vary considerably. Because bishops were given this authority, an argument based on Canon Law is weak. A theological argument against it might be stronger, but it is hard to argue with a bishop.

The diocesan website has the invitation Pastor Fuchs sent to the bishop of Geneva.
 
Dovekin said:
Because bishops were given this authority, an argument based on Canon Law is weak. A theological argument against it might be stronger, but it is hard to argue with a bishop.
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It’s not hard to argue with a bishop: it’s inappropriate and impossible.

There’s no need though. The Church has a hierarchy and bishops are likewise part of that hierarchy and these things have started to be recognized and corrected. I guess it took some migration to help that happen but it is happening.
 
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