Posted on 01/22/2003 7:21:25 AM PST by Loyalist
GG stirs protest by taking communion
Officials say Anglican should not take part in Roman church's central ritual
Bob Harvey
The Ottawa Citizen
Wednesday, January 22, 2003
CREDIT: Art Babych
Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson receives communion from Archbishop Marcel Gervais during the memorial for Yousuf Karsh, Sept. 19, 2002.
Catholic Church officials say Canada's Anglican Governor General, Adrienne Clarkson, should not be taking communion in Roman Catholic parishes.
With a few narrow exceptions, the church's practice is to refuse communion to non-Roman Catholics, yet the Governor General's spokesman, Stewart Wheeler, said she "does take communion in Roman Catholic services. She attends mass fairly regularly in Quebec City at the basilica."
Ottawa's Archbishop Marcel Gervais also gave Madame Clarkson communion in September, when she came forward for communion at a memorial service for photographer Yousuf Karsh in Notre Dame Cathedral.
Gabrielle Tassé, a spokeswoman for the Ottawa archdiocese, said the archbishop decided not to "make a scene about it and refuse communion."
But she said he told her this week: "The governor general should not have come forward. It is not a policy in the church to give communion to people of other faiths."
Rev. Bill Kokesch, a spokesman for the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, said: "The rule in general is that there is no inter-communion between Catholics and other religions. But what often happens is that when someone might be embarrassed by being turned away, it is not done, just for civility."
Art Babych, an Ottawa-based writer for the Catholic Register and other Catholic publications across Canada, photographed Madame Clarkson taking communion from Archbishop Gervais, and said he was stunned by the lack of response in the Canadian church. None of the Catholic publications even published the photo.
"It is time some of these issues were raised," he said.
"There are Catholics who sit at the back of the church (and cannot take communion), when the governor general comes through," he said. The church does not permit Catholics considered to be in "a state of grave sin" to participate in the eucharist.
Mr. Wheeler said that shortly after becoming governor general, Madame Clarkson visited her residence at the Citadel in Quebec City and spoke to senior members of the archdiocese there because she knew she would be attending funerals and other public services in Roman Catholic churches.
"She spoke to members of the clergy, and expressed her wish to take communion, and was told it was fine.
"She is a religious person, she takes the act seriously, and she knew it would come up," said Mr. Wheeler.
The Catholic church's code of canon law says priests may lawfully administer the sacrament only to Roman Catholics, except in extreme situations where the non-Catholic is in danger of death, or has a "grave and pressing need" and demonstrates a shared belief in the Catholic doctrine of the real presence of Christ in the wine and the host of communion.
In 1998, former U.S. president Bill Clinton, a Southern Baptist, participated in the eucharist in a Catholic church in South Africa, and was criticized by American Catholics and media outlets like the New York Post. Vatican officials, as well as South African and American bishops, also publicly rebuked Rev. Mohlomi Makabane, the priest who served him.
In Canada, however, there has been little public reaction to Madame Clarkson's regular participation in communion at Catholic parishes.
Msgr. Jean Pelletier, chancellor of the Quebec archdiocese, said he had no discussions with Madame Clarkson, and does not know which Catholic officials she did talk to in Quebec.
Msgr. Pelletier said, however, "It is a personal choice. It is difficult to go into consciences. Personally, not only do I not judge her, but I understand her."
© Copyright 2003 The Ottawa Citizen
In the first place, she is the Queen's vice-regal representative in Canada, and not a private person acting in a purely personal capacity.
She should know better than to publicly offend the largest religious group in Canada during the course of her public duties.
What is there left to understand, Monseigneur?
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So the Archibishop would rather allow sacrilege rather than "make a scene." My, what courage the man has.
Civility.
When a man is ordained into the Orthodox priesthood, the consecrated Body is placed in his hand before he communes. And he is admonished that he shall give account at the Judgement of how he has distributed the Body and Blood during his ministry.
A preist who takes care does, indeed, turn folks away. I have seen this.
And it seems to me that people like the GG or even Clinton would not make a scene, if politely refused communion and were made to understand why they were refused." I'm sorry Mr. President, I am only allowed to give communion to practicing Catholics. I'm terribly sorry you weren't informed of this before you came up here. I will give you a blessing however." Are these politicians going to stand there and argue? I don't think so.
This is the same kind of courage displayed by American Bishops who chose to knowingly move the perverted from parish to parish to prey on the innocent, rather than defrock the demons clothed as priests.
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