Posted on 08/18/2004 6:45:01 AM PDT by NYer
ROME, AUG. 17, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University.
Q: I have been a Eucharistic minister to the sick for the past 10 years. I have done this in four different dioceses. I have permission from the local bishop to bring daily Communion to a gravely ill relative. This past Sunday, I met several Episcopalians and Lutherans who really wanted to participate in some type of a service too. My heart went out to them. In all our readings Jesus healed based on a person's faith, not their creed. I have not shared Communion, but my heart says this would be good for the faith of those who are suffering. May the Eucharist be shared among non-Catholic if there is faith in the Real Presence? Must I abide by Church law? -- S.C., Little Rock, Arkansas
A: John Paul II has spoken on the relationship between the Eucharist and ecumenism in his encyclical "Ecclesia de Eucharistia":
"The gift of Christ and his Spirit which we receive in Eucharistic communion superabundantly fulfills the yearning for fraternal unity deeply rooted in the human heart; at the same time it elevates the experience of fraternity already present in our common sharing at the same Eucharistic table to a degree which far surpasses that of the simple human experience of sharing a meal. Through her communion with the body of Christ the Church comes to be ever more profoundly 'in Christ in the nature of a sacrament, that is, a sign and instrument of intimate unity with God and of the unity of the whole human race.'
"The seeds of disunity, which daily experience shows to be so deeply rooted in humanity as a result of sin, are countered by the unifying power of the body of Christ. The Eucharist, precisely by building up the Church, creates human community" (No. 24).
Later, in No. 46 of the encyclical, the Pope reminds us of those rare cases, and under what conditions, non-Catholic Christians may be admitted to the sacraments of the Eucharist, reconciliation and anointing of the sick.
This administration is limited to "Christians who are not in full communion with the Catholic Church but who greatly desire to receive these sacraments, freely request them and manifest the faith which the Catholic Church professes with regard to these sacraments. Conversely, in specific cases and in particular circumstances, Catholics too can request these same sacraments from ministers of Churches in which these sacraments are valid."
It adds: "These conditions, from which no dispensation can be given, must be carefully respected, even though they deal with specific individual cases. That is because the denial of one or more truths of the faith regarding these sacraments and, among these, the truth regarding the need of the ministerial priesthood for their validity, renders the person asking improperly disposed to legitimately receiving them. And the opposite is also true: Catholics may not receive 'communion' in those communities which lack a valid sacrament of orders."
The Holy Father refers to several numbers of the Ecumenical Directory which specify these conditions in more detail, in its chapter on "Sharing Spiritual Activities and Resources."
The general principles involved in this sharing must reflect this double fact:
"1) The real communion in the life of the Spirit which already exists among Christians and is expressed in their prayer and liturgical worship;
"2) The incomplete character of this communion because of differences of faith and understanding which are incompatible with an unrestricted mutual sharing of spiritual endowments."
For these reasons the Church recognizes that "in certain circumstances, by way of exception, and under certain conditions, access to these sacraments may be permitted, or even commended, for Christians of other Churches and ecclesial Communities" (No. 130).
Apart from the case of danger of death, the episcopal conference and the local bishop may specify other grave circumstances in which a Protestant may receive these sacraments although always respecting the conditions outlined above in the Holy Father's encyclical: "that the person be unable to have recourse for the sacrament desired to a minister of his or her own Church or ecclesial Community, ask for the sacrament of his or her own initiative, [and] manifest Catholic faith in this sacrament and be properly disposed" (No. 131).
Therefore in general it is not possible for you to give Communion to Protestants. But if you find one who fulfills the above conditions, you should advise the local pastor so that the person may receive reconciliation and anointing of the sick.
This does not mean that you are completely despoiled of all possibilities of giving spiritual comfort while exercising one of the corporal works of mercy.
Apart from words of encouragement and consolation you could also use some of the spiritual treasury of readings, prayers and intercessions found in the ritual for the care of the sick. Thus you could pray for, and with, these souls in a time of need.
In all my life with the exception of one time, I have never heard a priest address the Holy Communion issue at any Marriage or Baptism or Funeral Mass. The one exception was a very orthodox and newly ordained priest in this diocese. So I am not surprised at all at what you say. Most Catholics I know do not agree with the Church's teaching on this issue at all. It's because of the 'left out' issue more than anything real understanding.
Certainly such a thing is quite rare, and I was only asked once for such a thing, but even so, no one was asking for communion for the dying infant; it was for the other members of the family. I had the sense that the motivation for the request was because of a desire of the family members to feel "as one" with the baby.
It's been my experience that in such situations as death - and especially from those present who are not dying - almost anything might be requested. That's not to say that it should be granted; only that at such emotional times almost anything can "come up".
Speaking of mother-in-laws, whenever I find myself going to a RC mass, I find it amusing that my mother-in-law can't stand it if I take communion. She gives me that angry and proud, "I am not good enough" look, yet her sister, a nun, BEGS me to take communion. Go figure.
Just out of curiousity, if you are not a Catholic I presume you do not believe in the Catholic understanding of the Eucharist. Why do you receive Communion?
It really doesn't matter to me whether one of them or both is wrong, I just find it amusing.
The reasons I would take communion in an RC church are the same that I would in any other church. What someone else does or does not believe does not really affect my trust in the Lord. As it shouldn't. (Although I do notice that people have freaked out when I say "thank you" after receiving the wafer).
Dear Religion Moderator,
"That's not to say that it should be granted; only that at such emotional times almost anything can 'come up'."
Hmm... I'm sure you're right. I don't have much experience being nearby when folks are dying.
As my mother lay dying last year, we were concerned to make sure she received last rites from her priest, and when it was clear she had died, we read prayers for the dead at her body. I wouldn't know to do something else.
sitetest
'I know the ELCA only has communion every month or so... not sure about the Missouri synod group.'
Communion frequency is a congregational/tradition choice. Some have communion weekly others every other week and every fifthe Sunday in a month.
LCMS: the body and blood of Christ in with and under the bread and wine.
The refusal of the Eucharist to baptized Christians who have no wish to abandon the faith of their fathers and adopt Catholicism is one of the reasons I would never seriously consider conversion. It is an overt statement that non-Catholics are not sufficiently Christian to receive the sacrament, and I consider it to be an insult not only to me personally but also to my parents, and their parents. The very idea that I can only become sufficiently Christian by acknowledging error where my faith differs from Catholic teaching is something that I find fundamentally offensive, and I would never willingly join an organization that promulgates such a view.
The Church profoundly disagrees with your comments re: to whom the rules apply. Receipt of the Eucharist in violation of the rules is a mortal sin, according to the RCC. I've had the discussion many times, and I remain flabbergasted that a Church would tell me that I endanger my mortal soul by participation in a sacrament. But that is their position.
I would imagine that at the moment of death, any priest/minister would pray for the soul of the dying and not worry about legalisms.
I'm sure no one 'freak's out' when you say "thank you", but I am sure they are taken aback somewhat. I assume that you know you are supposed to say "Amen" and I wonder why you don't say it? It sounds disrespectful to me that you don't say it if you know you are supposed to say it. OTOH, maybe you are not a hypocrite and you cannot say "Amen" after the priest says "Body of Christ" knowing "Amen" means "So be it" or "Truly".
Just curious.
Well what would you expect Catholics to think they follow? And if I belive Catholicism is the Truth then it would follow that non-Catholic Christians do not have the full truth. Period. You have to admit that you must think the same thing about what you follow, else why do you follow it?
- even if they agree with 99.9% of the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.
If you agreed with 99.9% of what the Church teaches, you'd be a Catholic. I think you might be exagerating the numbers somewhat for effect? ;-)
Probably the most clear expression of my view is that espoused by 2nd century Christian writers - that the Eucharist involves both a spiritual and earthly reality. Within the spiritual reality, my answer to your question would be yes. Frankly, I would consider answering yes to that question with regard to earthly reality to be promoting the view that God is engaged in a deception - having one consume blood and flesh that has the taste, smell, texture and chemical composition of wine and bread.
That is a remarkably egocentric view, and one that perfectly illustrates the disdain regularly expressed by the RCC for the Protestant faiths.
No. Again, your Catholic egocentricity is showing. I believe the Bible is the Truth. I do not believe that the Fourth Lateran Council had any monopoly on the Truth. Nor did Martin Luther. Or John Wesley. Or the Southern Baptist Conference. Therefore, where Catholic teaching is Biblical teaching, I can concur that it is the Truth. Where it is a pronouncement of the view of a mere man, I am not required to concur. Whether that man is in your Church or mine.
I don't get you... do you believe that the consecrated Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Christ - or - the Body and Blood of Christ along with bread and wind?
Frankly, I take Him literally... This is My Body... I'm not really sure what else to say to you.
Could you cite which early Christian writers did not believe that the consecrated Eucharist is the Lord?
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