Refusing Communion

[Mrs_Sally]

May a pastor who has authorized EMHC’s to take *Communion to the Sick *from the tabernacle on days other than Sunday to assisted-living or nusring homes, instruct the EMHC’s to distribute Communion only to residents and withhold Communion from all others including canonically qualified Catholics visitors who are present and request to receive Communion with their sick relative/friend during the visit?

These are also the instructions we have received. The family members/friends of the sick who are in a *nursing home or assisted living facility *are not the primary caregivers of the sick. They can and should attend Sunday Mass (and/or daily Mass).

I simply say that I am only authorized to offer communion to those on the prepared list of Catholic residents.

When taking communion to the sick in their homes, it is a bit different because it may not be possible for the caregiver to leave the sick person to get to Mass. When we are given an assignment to take communion to that house, we are told if we are also supposed to offer communion to the spouse/caregiver/other family as well.

There need to be instructions around these issues, if for no other reason, because otherwise the EMHC would not have sufficient consectrated hosts with them. We only take the number we need. That helps also in situations where an EMHC might have something else to do after their sick visits, but has to return to the Church to give back the extra hosts. Or wander about with extra hosts in their pocket!

 

[o_mlly]

These are also the instructions we have received. The family members/friends of the sick who are in a *nursing home or assisted living facility *are not the primary caregivers of the sick. They can and should attend Sunday Mass (and/or daily Mass). …

There need to be instructions around these issues, …

The Church has given instructions around this issue.

Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass (1976)

“The faithful should be encouraged to receive communion during the Eucharistic celebration itself. Priests, however, are not to refuse to give communion [emphasis mine] to the faithful who ask for it even outside Mass” (No. 14).

 

[maryjk]

The Church has given instructions around this issue.

Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass (1976)

“The faithful should be encouraged to receive communion during the Eucharistic celebration itself. Priests, however, are not to refuse to give communion [emphasis mine] to the faithful who ask for it even outside Mass” (No. 14).

I can’t imagine how I would have felt, if after spending 2 or 3 nights in a row at the hospital, the person bringing Communion to my father would have refused me because I “can and should attend Sunday Mass (and/or daily Mass)” Really, I have barely left the hospital to shower and now I am suppose to leave my dying father to go to Mass???

Dear Lord, thank you for the wonderful priests we have at our parish.

 

[WingsOfEagles]

I guess that you would have freaked out yesterday at the Mass that I attended. After a brief homily the priest went through “housekeeping” in regard to rules for communion and he was very clear about being a Catholic, in a state of grace, that observed the fast, that had the proper predisposition and that was ready to receive in a reverent manner. he was pretty detailed about the dos and don’ts of the different aspects (e.g. how to receive on the hand and how to receive on the tongue). The only thing that he glossed over was the details regarding mortal sin where he said to Google for it if unsure.

I’d say this is different. It is fine for the Priest to go over what all of the rules regarding receiving are. However, it is very different for someone to decide that they will not give Communion to someone who has come forward to receive. A priest might be able to do this if he knew for a fact that someone was in an invalid marriage, had a live-in bf/gf, was openly living a homosexual lifestyle, etc. However, most mortal sins are only known to the individual and the priest would also have no way of knowing if that person had been to confession with another priest and was now able to receive communion. I think the most tactful thing if a priest questioned whether a person should be receiving is to approach that individual at another time…not refuse them in the communion line (as this would be highly embarrassing for all individuals involved).

 

[Mrs_Sally]

I can’t imagine how I would have felt, if after spending 2 or 3 nights in a row at the hospital, the person bringing Communion to my father would have refused me because I “can and should attend Sunday Mass (and/or daily Mass)” Really, I have barely left the hospital to shower and now I am suppose to leave my dying father to go to Mass???

Dear Lord, thank you for the wonderful priests we have at our parish.

I am speaking of residents of assisted living facilities, not dying patients in the hospital. Obviously there is a difference. I would hope that your father was visited by a priest who could hear his confession or offer annointing of the sick.

An EMHC making rounds in a facility where the residents are either simply elderly or recovering from surgery/illness is in a very differenct situation that a chaplain in a hospital with an actively dying patient. I do hope you can see the difference.

 

[maryjk]

I am speaking of residents of assisted living facilities, not dying patients in the hospital. Obviously there is a difference. I would hope that your father was visited by a priest who could hear his confession or offer annointing of the sick.

An EMHC making rounds in a facility where the residents are either simply elderly or recovering from surgery/illness is in a very differenct situation that a chaplain in a hospital with an actively dying patient. I do hope you can see the difference.

Except my father was suppose to be in an assisted living facility. They couldn’t move him, so he stayed at the hospital.

And yes, the priest was there 3 days in a row. The EMHC also came by. Offered everyone Communion. Not just my father.

My point is, YOU, don’t know if the family can leave the patient to make it to Mass. (You being the general EMHC) The EMHC has no knowledge of the health of the people they are visiting. (And if you do know their health status, I would question why?) So they can’t make the determination that the family can and should leave to attend Mass.

 

[LilyM]

I can’t imagine how I would have felt, if after spending 2 or 3 nights in a row at the hospital, the person bringing Communion to my father would have refused me because I “can and should attend Sunday Mass (and/or daily Mass)” Really, I have barely left the hospital to shower and now I am suppose to leave my dying father to go to Mass???

Dear Lord, thank you for the wonderful priests we have at our parish.

Amen. I don’t know if a priest can properly judge whether someone who presents themselves for communion outside of Mass really has the ability to get to Mass, unless he happens to be privy to their schedules for the whole weekend

 

[LilyM]

I am speaking of residents of assisted living facilities, not dying patients in the hospital. Obviously there is a difference. I would hope that your father was visited by a priest who could hear his confession or offer annointing of the sick.

An EMHC making rounds in a facility where the residents are either simply elderly or recovering from surgery/illness is in a very differenct situation that a chaplain in a hospital with an actively dying patient. I do hope you can see the difference.

What relevant difference? People who are perfectly healthy usually don’t live in such facilities, and accordingly residents may sometimes require the care of relatives in addition to what staff can provide. People simply by reason of age can be frail and need care without being ill - for example to have errands done for then that they cannot manage for themselves. Rather like caring for a child - serious illness is not the only factor.

 

[WingsOfEagles]

What relevant difference? People who are perfectly healthy usually don’t live in such facilities, and accordingly residents may sometimes require the care of relatives in addition to what staff can provide. People simply by reason of age can be frail and need care without being ill - for example to have errands done for then that they cannot manage for themselves. Rather like caring for a child - serious illness is not the only factor.

I believe most Catholic Priests would feel that just needing to run errands for someone who is in a facility is not a reason to miss Mass. It’s only an hour out of your day and often there are 2 or 3 options of times to go at one parish alone.

 

[LilyM]

I believe most Catholic Priests would feel that just needing to run errands for someone who is in a facility is not a reason to miss Mass. It’s only an hour out of your day and often there are 2 or 3 options of times to go at one parish alone.

Of course, leave your poor relative who urgently needs food or medication bought and brought to them, or their banking done for them or a tradesman organised for them to repair their broken aircondifioning or what have you to suffer or starve while you go to Mass - Jesus would be so proud!

He said ‘when I was sick or in prison (ie in need of company, not just physical help - prisoners are not usually ill but often desperately lonely) you visited me’, not 'you thought of visiting me then said ‘nah, I’ll blow it off for another time’.

 

[WingsOfEagles]

Of course, leave your poor relative who urgently needs food or medication bought and brought to them, or their banking done for them or a tradesman organised for them to repair their broken aircondifioning or what have you to suffer or starve while you go to Mass - Jesus would be so proud!

He said ‘when I was sick or in prison (ie in need of company, not just physical help - prisoners are not usually ill but often desperately lonely) you visited me’, not 'you thought of visiting me then said ‘nah, I’ll blow it off for another time’.

Someone in a nursing home/assisted living has staff around. It is easy to get chores such as food, medication, banking done around a 1 hour Mass obligation. The banks aren’t even open on late Saturday/Sunday. Food/medication can easily be bought/brought over on Saturday if the relative will be out by Sunday morning. Someone on their deathbed is a different matter, but a relative in a facility doesn’t get you out of the Mass obligation.

 

[o_mlly]

I believe most Catholic Priests would feel that just needing to run errands for someone who is in a facility is not a reason to miss Mass. It’s only an hour out of your day and often there are 2 or 3 options of times to go at one parish alone.

I think the prudential judgment whether one can or cannot subsequently attend a Mass is irrelevant. If one can, then one may receive Communion a second time in the same day.

“Can. 917 A person who has already received the Most Holy Eucharist can receive it a second time on the same day only within the eucharistic celebration in which the person participates, without prejudice to the prescript of ⇒ can. 921, §2.”

 

[Cristiano]

I’d say this is different. It is fine for the Priest to go over what all of the rules regarding receiving are. However, it is very different for someone to decide that they will not give Communion to someone who has come forward to receive. A priest might be able to do this if he knew for a fact that someone was in an invalid marriage, had a live-in bf/gf, was openly living a homosexual lifestyle, etc. However, most mortal sins are only known to the individual and the priest would also have no way of knowing if that person had been to confession with another priest and was now able to receive communion. I think the most tactful thing if a priest questioned whether a person should be receiving is to approach that individual at another time…not refuse them in the communion line (as this would be highly embarrassing for all individuals involved).

If you read and the exchange of posts you will see that I was addressing the issue of not wanting instruction from an EMHC and not about the refusal of giving communion. I that that the EMHC sometime has the obligation to give instruction, and that is not limited to the EMHC but anyone that has a concern should do it in a charitable manner.
It is not for the EMHC to refuse communion to anyone unless he/she has received very specific and detailed instructions from the priest, if people do not like it then they have to talk to the priest.

 

[zab]

*However, an EMHC is strictly an assistant to the pastor and must follow his rules. While you may not do anything you know is wrong, you cannot do that for which you are [not] authorized. **

I think this is right on with my correction added * - I think this is what Joe intended to say.

 

[maryjk]

Someone in a nursing home/assisted living has staff around. It is easy to get chores such as food, medication, banking done around a 1 hour Mass obligation. The banks aren’t even open on late Saturday/Sunday. Food/medication can easily be bought/brought over on Saturday if the relative will be out by Sunday morning. Someone on their deathbed is a different matter, but a relative in a facility doesn’t get you out of the Mass obligation.

My point is, that simply because someone is in a nursing home/assisted living doesn’t mean that they aren’t dying or even that they are doing well.

Hospice goes pretty much everywhere. When my father went from simply being in the hospital to being with Hospice (end of life care), an outsider wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference. There were **no **visible changes. AND Hospice wanted to move him from the hospital to a nursing home/ assisted living facility but he was too fragile to move. If that had happened, it would have looked, from the outside, that he was getting better and going from the hospital to assisted living. When, in fact, he died within 24 hours of being with Hospice.

 

[mgoforth]

Of course, leave your poor relative who urgently needs food or medication bought and brought to them, or their banking done for them or a tradesman organised for them to repair their broken aircondifioning or what have you to suffer or starve while you go to Mass - Jesus would be so proud!

He said ‘when I was sick or in prison (ie in need of company, not just physical help - prisoners are not usually ill but often desperately lonely) you visited me’, not 'you thought of visiting me then said ‘nah, I’ll blow it off for another time’.

LilyM, in all charity, I think you’re blowing this out of all proportion, and I fail to see how making comments like “Jesus would be so proud” is helpful to the discussion. Mass is one hour (or less sometimes), and no one is going to starve within one hour, unless they’ve already been severely neglected. There are 168 hours in the week, which leaves 167 hours for picking up medications, doing banking, fixing air conditioners and all the rest. If that person is suffering, then why not unite their suffering to yours, and take both to Mass to offer to our Lord in participation with His suffering?

Do you really think going to Mass is the same as saying “nah, I’ll blow it off for another time”? Do you really think Jesus would feel that way? Aren’t we called to put “God first, others second, ourselves last”?