[Catholic Caucus] Holy Communion for Cohabitors?

Church Militant ^ | August 6, 2020 | William Mahoney

[ebb tide]

[Catholic Caucus] Holy Communion for Cohabitors?

FRESNO, Calif. (ChurchMilitant.com) - Despite requests from a Knights of Columbus Council, a pastor in California is not retracting his offer of the Holy Eucharist to "couples that are not usually able to receive Communion" according to Church teaching.

Fr. John Fluetsch

In a letter copied to the bishop, Knights of Columbus Council 2384 asked Fr. John Fluetsch to publish a formal retraction for posting a scandalous entry in the June 21 parish bulletin of St. Patrick's in Merced, California — an entry in which the pastor offered Holy Communion to the "civilly divorced and civilly remarried" and "couples living together." 

"On behalf of our parish, we, the Knights of Columbus," reads the request in the letter to Fr. Fluetsch, "respectfully request a formal written retraction of this announcement to be published in the bulletin and a formal verbal retraction at all masses at St. Patrick's and all parishes of the Mariposa-Merced vicariate where this scandal may be implemented."

The original June 21 bulletin entry in question reads, "Fr. John wishes to inform couples of the parish that during this COVID-19 pandemic, rules and regulations have been relaxed concerning marriage," reads the June 21 bulletin entry. "Any couples preparing for marriage, civilly divorced and now civilly remarried couples, couples living together, couples that are not usually able to receive Communion — are now permitted to receive Communion at St. Patrick's."

According to the entry, the justification for the unorthodox offering of Holy Communion "is that Canon Law and liturgical laws are being reinterpreted due to the pandemic," which allegedly "allows people who are not usually allowed to get married in the Church or receive Communion, to be welcomed at the altar."

Any couples preparing for marriage, civilly divorced and now civilly remarried couples, couples living together, couples that are not usually able to receive Communion — are now permitted to receive Communion at St. Patrick's.Tweet

But the Knights of Columbus letter to Fr. Fluetsch explains that his action "is a blatant profanation of the Eucharist," adding that "there are certain things that one can perhaps use canon law to justify, but when it's as deliberate as saying couples living together can receive Communion, you are essentially justifying (and implicitly condoning) mortal sin and unworthy (sacrilegious) reception of the Sacrament."

"This wrong must be corrected to protect the faithful of the Diocese of Fresno and defend the sacred integrity of the Eucharist," adds the letter.

On July 5, the Sunday bulletin included an entry titled "Revision to Fr. John's article about Communion two weeks ago," but the revision mentions nothing about Holy Communion or the June 21 entry. 

 

Directly Involving the Bishop

After discovering the July 5 bulletin revision, which was neither an authentic revision nor a retraction, the Knights of Columbus Council then wrote directly to Bp. Joseph Brennan of the Fresno diocese:

As our letter (included) to Fr. John requesting a public retraction and correction of this dissent has not been acknowledged, and a public revision (page 4, included) was published without citing or correcting this grave matter, we, the Knights of Columbus, Council 2384, on behalf of the faithful of St. Patrick's and the entire Mariposa-Merced vicariate, appeal directly to you and implore your prompt intervention to:

• Defend Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament

• Preserve and protect the teaching of the Church in the hearts and minds of your flock

• Publicly correct this wrong

On July 12, the Sunday bulletin reprinted the July 5 entry titled "Revision to Fr. John's article about Communion two weeks ago," but without adding any additional explanation or retraction. It is unclear if Fr. Fluetsch confirms Church teaching on worthy reception of Holy Communion or if the pastor is distributing the Eucharist to couples in various irregular unions.

Neither the bishop nor Fr. Fluetsch had responded to the Knights of Columbus as of press time.

[ebb tide]

...an entry in which the pastor offered Holy Communion to the "civilly divorced and civilly remarried" and "couples living together."

Let us give thanks to Pope Francis, the Ever Merciful, for his Amoris Latitiae which releases us from God's black and white Commandments!

[ebb tide]

Ping

[ebb tide]

Ping

[dp0622]

What hours and how many hours does a girl need to be at your house for it to be considered co habitating?

Want to make sure i’m within the limit

[ebb tide]

Don’t worry; no limits. According to the Francis, God is All Merciful. Forget Justice, forget Repentance, forget Hell.

[dblshot]

Girl? who said it has to be girl these days?

[amihow]

If you are a three minute man, thats all it takes to cohabit.

[Gay State Conservative]

When one is clearly,plainly and obviously engaging in sinful acts it’s easy to believe that he/she would be denied Communion.

[ebb tide]

Ping

[ebb tide]

When one is clearly,plainly and obviously engaging in sinful acts it’s easy to believe that he/she would be denied Communion.

But nothing's "black and white"; right, Marchmain?

[Marchmain]

Yes, “rules and regulations” can be broken for good reason, but I don’t believe that’s the case here. There are not “rules and regulations” as if marriage is a man-made contract. It’s a sacrament and the sanctity of marriage is defined by God in the Commandments and by Jesus in the establishment of the Sacrament. I think this is an insult to people who are married or living virtuous lives, and a source of sin for those shacking up.

[ebb tide]

It’s a sacrament and the sanctity of marriage is defined by God in the Commandments and by Jesus in the establishment of the Sacrament.

Try telling that to the Francis, who sees nothing in "black and white".

[Marchmain]

Ebb, your opinion - did Amoris Laetetia open the door to this type of degradation of the sacrament of matrimony?

[ebb tide]

You need not worry about my simple opinion of AL, Marchmain. I'm a just a lay Catholic, not a pope. Rather, let me give you the opinion of the Bishops of Argentina, Francis' subsequent approval of said opinion and that opinion being enshrined in ACTA APOSTOLICAE SEDIS.

Buenos Aires bishops’ guidelines on Amoris Laetitia: full text

Pope praises Argentinian bishops' correct interpretation of Amoris Laetitia

Pope's letter to Argentine bishops on 'Amoris Laetitia' part of official record

Pope’s letter to Argentine bishops is magisterial teaching, Cardinal Parolin says

[ebb tide]

As you have said, Marchmain, we can’t see things in “black and white” only.

Not even the Sixth or Ninth Commandments.

[ebb tide]

6) In other, more complex cases, and when a declaration of nullity has not been obtained, the above mentioned option may not, in fact, be feasible. Nonetheless, a path of discernment is still possible.

There you go, Marchmain: that magic word "disernment".

Nothing's "black and white", is there?

[piusv]

I happen to believe the degradation began when the number of annulments granted reached tens of thousands in the US alone when in 1968 (just post Vatican II), there were only 338.