Refusing the Eucharist at a Sick Call

[bobmac33]

I have a friend who was refused the Eucharist at a sick call at the hospital, after she had her first child. The Nun who was making the sick call asked her if she was registered at a Catholic Church, when she stated that she was not registered, the Nun stated that she could not give her Communion, but could pray with her. Since this episode my friend has not attended a Catholic Church.

Is there a guideline for non-Priests who make sick calls at hospitals?

I found that Canon 916 states the following:
“Anyone who is conscious of grave sin may not celebrate Mass or receive the Body of the Lord without previously having been to sacramental confession, unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess; in this case the person is to remember the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, which includes the resolve to go to confession as soon as possible”.

My friend was not asked wether she was conscience of a mortal sin. However based on my reading of the above Canon, she could have received anyway, since the sacrament of Confession was not readily available.

Thanks and God Bless,

Bob

 

[Marie]

bobmac33:

I have a friend who was refused the Eucharist at a sick call at the hospital, after she had her first child. The Nun who was making the sick call asked her if she was registered at a Catholic Church, when she stated that she was not registered, the Nun stated that she could not give her Communion, but could pray with her. Since this episode my friend has not attended a Catholic Church.

Bob

The Nun should not have asked her such a question as if she was in mortal sin. That would be a real no, no.

She may have said “Have you been to confession in the last year?” If your friend said “NO”, then the Nun could not give her the Eucharist. It’s not being judgmental, it is part of the faith and one must confess at least once per year.

The Nun would have been correct in praying only. Although, we are always instructed to offer to have a priest come and He can hear their confession and give them the Eucharist, so actually the sacrament of penance would have been available, just not from the Nun. We always have a priest who can come for such needs as I am sure they do also.

It is hard telling how your friend may have answered or the Nun’s response which gave your friend the impression she was being slighted. We never, ever are to say to anyone they are in sin, but we also cannot give communion to those who have not kept their required yearly confession duty either. It’s not assuming one is guilty of Mortal Sin. It is knowing the person needs to have their confession heard to be eligible to receive the Eucharist.

Many Diocese also now require people to be registered at a parish to receive any ministering in Hospital. That has to do with all the new Government regulations on Right to Privacy. That also could be the case why Sister could not give her the Eucharist.Hospital Ministry is difficult at it’s best. Now it is even more difficult because of regulations imposed by the government.

 

[The_Dead_Bishop]

Nuns giving Holy Communion??? What manner of evil is this? Are there no Priests,… no Deacons?

 

[prodromos]

The Dead Bishop:

Nuns giving Holy Communion??? What manner of evil is this? Are there no Priests,… no Deacons?

Far fewer than there have benn in the past, whereas the number of Catholics has increased. It makes it very tough on the few priests there are.

John.

 

[system]

bobmac33:

The Nun who was making the sick call asked her if she was registered at a Catholic Church, when she stated that she was not registered, the Nun stated that she could not give her Communion, but could pray with her.

If I’m reading this correctly, the nun used “registration” as the criteria for whether or not to give Communion. I don’t understand that at all. Those of you that serve in this ministry - is that a “rule”?

 

[Marie]

tcj:

If I’m reading this correctly, the nun used “registration” as the criteria for whether or not to give Communion. I don’t understand that at all. Those of you that serve in this ministry - is that a “rule”?

Not a hard and fast rule which would preclude reception of the Eucharist. But it is a beginning question we use to help us determine if we should give the Eucharist. Sad state of afairs now days but not everyone who says they are Catholic really are. We have to make the best judgement calls we can to protect the Eucharist from profanation.

If someone is not a practicing Catholic, they won’t usually even know the name of their priest nor the name of a parish.Hot button number one.Of course if they are new to the area and have not found which parish they will attend regularly, but have attended they will say so usually. They obviously can receive.

There are a boatload of fallen away Catholic’s who want to receive even though they have not attended the Catholic Church in years. Lot’s of reasons come out of them, but the bottom line is we cannot give Eucharist to just anyone.

 

[Marauder]

First off, in our parish a nun is in charge of the Ministry of the Sick, she is the one that keeps track of the scheduling, etc.

The way it works in our parish for visits to the hospital.
The week is split up similar to this in our parish:

1. One day a priest from our parish
2. One day a priest from a neighboring parish
3. One day a nun
4. Two days a week a Deacon
5. One day either a priest, deacon, or EMHC goes
6. One day a week an EMHC (usually Sunday)

This is for the scheduled visits only, if a person needs a priest for any reason they can call the parish.

You would be suprised how many fallen away Catholics are brought back because they have people other then just priests to talk to. Some people feel real intimidated by priests in the hospital and will open up to a Deacon, Nun, or EMHC first and then go to confession with a priest.

As far a being able to receive, at our parish when a person enters the hospital a card is made out for any Catholics. The first person that visits this person after they are admitted is supposed to try to determine if the person is able to validly receive Communion. There is no hard formula for determining this because you can’t really come out and say “Are you a valid Catholic, that isn’t in a state of sin?” Usually one of the first questions people may ask if it is a Community hospital is, “What church do you go to?” Depending on the answer, different questions can be asked, “Like how long has it been since you been” stuff like that. After a few questions you can usually get a good feel and based on that either just pray with them, suggest they see a priest first, or give them communion.

The person may have heard the question wrong, or the Nun may have phrased it wrong, or just may in their mind thing that a Catholic is required to be registered at a parish. Who knows what exactly happened except the person and the Nun.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

You posted this question on the other board too. That is where I answered it.

 

[Deacon_Ed]

Marie,

You wrote:

She may have said “Have you been to confession in the last year?” If your friend said “NO”, then the Nun could not give her the Eucharist. It’s not being judgmental, it is part of the faith and one must confess at least once per year.

Actually, the requirement of the Church is that you confess at least once a year if you are in serious sin. Let’s not add something the Church herself does not require. Such a question would have been out of place for a nun or a deacon to ask. The communicant is welcome to present for communion and that individual is the one who knows the state of his or her soul. When such a person presents for communion he or she has a right to communion (unless legally impaired) and the minister of communion (bishop, priest, deacon or lay person) must give them communion.

Deacon Ed

 

[tee_eff_em]

Marauder:

First off, in our parish a nun is in charge of the Ministry of the Sick, she is the one that keeps track of the scheduling, etc.

The way it works in our parish for visits to the hospital.
The week is split up similar to this in our parish:

1. One day a priest from our parish
2. One day a priest from a neighboring parish
3. One day a nun
4. Two days a week a Deacon
5. One day either a priest, deacon, or EMHC goes
6. One day a week an EMHC (usually Sunday)

Are you implying that a nun is an *ordinary * minister of Holy Communion…!?

 

[Marie]

Deacon Ed:

Marie,

You wrote:Actually, the requirement of the Church is that you confess at least once a year if you are in serious sin. Let’s not add something the Church herself does not require. Such a question would have been out of place for a nun or a deacon to ask. The communicant is welcome to present for communion and that individual is the one who knows the state of his or her soul. When such a person presents for communion he or she has a right to communion (unless legally impaired) and the minister of communion (bishop, priest, deacon or lay person) must give them communion.

Deacon Ed

Thanks for clarifying my post. ARGH! I know that but I muddled it. I rarely find a patient who has confessed or cares to in the above circumstances. Usually, they have gone years without coming to church, etc. By the time you get through the chit chat, they will usualy confirm they don’t think confession is important, nor the mass. There is a difference. Even then I am not allowed to judge, just suggest I can get a priest ASAP! That is my job! I can get a priest who has authority to judge and confirm their right to recieve, even if I cannot give them the Eucharist.

So, give we volunteers a break. I am not judging. I am doing the best I can. I am grateful to have spent time with all of them. So far, no one has been disatisfied nor complains if I judge it is time to call in a priest or Deacon, because our team works closely with the clergy. The Clergy make the call. Not me.

I told ya! It get’s real messy! Those of us under the gun, know we have to mediate. We do the best we can.As a plain old sinner, I don’t judge anyone. As someone who cares mightily, I call a priest when in doubt. So rest assured I and others are not playing God for heaven sakes. I am very grateful to God for the many times those people were able to have a priest come when the situation was critical. I especially am grateful for a couple of my calls which resulted in a person receiveing last rights and then dying unexpectedly when the priest would not ordinarily have come.

Wherever did you get that idea from my post.

 

[Marauder]

tee_eff_em:

Are you implying that a nun is an *ordinary * minister of Holy Communion…!?

Uugh no, just someone that is a little different from a “normal” EMHC. Don’t read into posts something that isn’t there

 

[Panis_Angelicas]

While it may have been wrong for the nun to refuse to give your friend Holy Communion, the fact that your friend has ceased attending Mass ever since is far worse.

A nun distributing the Precious Blood once refused my son, during Mass. She pulled back the chalice from him and scolded him: “No, you’re too young.” Did he or I leave the Church over it? Certainly not. Two wrongs don’t make a right.

Has your friend even bothered to have her child baptized?

Sounds to me as though the nun may have had cause to question whether your friend was truly Catholic. (Perhaps your friend expressed her desire to receive in a manner that revealed to the nun that she was non-practicing.)