When can a non-catholic receive the Eucharist?

[ChadS]

Chad,

the reason this cannot be is because the Eucharist is a Sacrament of Initiation, and so the first communion of a convert is proper to be within his/her reception into the Church (ie, for LMH, Confirmation).

LMH,

If I remember correctly, there is a provision in Canon Law that those Protestants and Orthodox who believe in the Real Presence as the Catholic Church teaches may recieve the Eucharist in a Catholic Church if there is no other Church or community of their own that they can go to. Otherwise, the same restrictions apply.

Yes, you are absolutely correct on that point. I was only envisioning a situation where the person may be extremely sick and possibly in danger of death. In that case if the person was living as a Catholic and worshipping as a Catholic, yet not fully confirmed I believe they would be able to receive the sacraments.

ChadS

 

[5Loaves]

So if I were ever endanger of dying before going through RCIA although I have every intention of going through it in the future, i could receive the Sacraments of the Church, even Confirmation?

Regardless of any RCIA etc., in danger of death a priest can administer the sacraments licitly to a non-Catholic if… Canon 844 §1. Catholic ministers administer the sacraments licitly to Catholic members of the Christian faithful alone, who likewise receive them licitly from Catholic ministers alone, without prejudice to the prescripts of §§2, 3, and 4 of this canon, and ⇒ can. 861, §2.
§4. ***If the danger of death is present *or if, in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or conference of bishops, some other grave necessity urges it, Catholic ministers administer these same sacraments licitly also to other Christians not having full communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and who seek such on their own accord, provided that they manifest Catholic faith in respect to these sacraments and are properly disposed.

If a Catholic priest weren’t available and an Orthodox priest were you could request the sacraments from him and he might offer them. The Catholic Church accepts those sacraments from a valid Orthodox priest to be valid. However in that case there might be other issues were you to recover and not die.

 

[jmcrae]

Yes, you are absolutely correct on that point. I was only envisioning a situation where the person may be extremely sick and possibly in danger of death. In that case if the person was living as a Catholic and worshipping as a Catholic, yet not fully confirmed I believe they would be able to receive the sacraments.

ChadS

This is correct, yes - the Church considers them Catholic for the purposes of parish registration and these kinds of situations, from the time that they receive the Rite of Acceptance or Rite of Welcome, which occurs fairly early on in the RCIA process.