Catholic priest suspended in Germany after heading communion service at Lutheran church

AP Wire .. direct feed | July 17, 2003 | GEIR MOULSON

[NYer]

BERLIN (AP) _ A Roman Catholic priest based in Germany was suspended Thursday for leading a high-profile open communion service at a Lutheran church in May in defiance of a papal admonition. The bishop of Trier barred Gotthold Hasenhuettl, a professor emeritus of theology at the University of Saarbruecken in western Germany, from celebrating the Eucharist and withdrew his church teaching permit.

On May 29, around 2,000 people crowded into Berlin's Gethsemane Church as Hasenhuettl distributed communion wafers among the worshippers _ Roman Catholics and Lutherans alike. He celebrated a Roman Catholic Eucharist, but the service was advertised as an ``open communion.'' ``I have come to the conclusion that, for the sake of the church's credibility, I cannot accept a priest practicing an open communion that was specifically forbidden in this form by the pope in his latest encyclical,'' Bishop Reinhard Marx said in a statement. ``I still hope that Hasenhuettl will relent and make it clear that he recognizes and follows church rules.''

Pope John Paul II in April issued a reminder that services in Protestant churches cannot substitute for Sunday Mass. In an encyclical, he branded ``unthinkable'' the practice of substituting obligatory Sunday Mass with celebrations of prayer with other Christians or participation in their liturgical services. Catholics, ``while respecting the religious convictions of these separated brethren, must refrain from receiving the communion distributed in their celebrations,'' he said.

Roman Catholics maintain that they receive the blood and body of Christ in communion, but many other Christians view communion as a symbolic re-creation of the Last Supper. Marx's diocese cited an opinion from an expert on church law that, while Hasenhuettl had offered communion to all who came ``without differentiation,'' the rules specify that non-Catholics can receive it ``only in individual cases under certain conditions.''

Hasenhuettl on Thursday urged Marx to reconsider his suspension, describing it in a letter as ``an unjust restriction of the execution of my office as a priest.'' He added that he would take his case to the Vatican if Marx refuses. Last month, another Roman Catholic priest was suspended for receiving communion at a Lutheran service held days later at the same church.

AP-ES-07-17-03 1040EDT

[xzins]

Then what is the decision? What is a "brethren?"

[ninenot]

Now the stragegy of moving WhatsHisCardinalHeretic to the dicastery in charge of relations with other churches plays out.

With the heretic removed, cancer surgery commences in Germany.

[ninenot]

The proclamation of the Gospel, and the homily, is reserved ONLY to those who are ordained (priests, Bishops, and Deacons.)

At least you understood the gravity of the situation--meaning that you are likely more Catholic than the priest/celebrant of the Mass.

[ninenot]

You be "brethren," Desdemona be "sistern."

As Catholics we are asked to treat beliefs of others (Christian and non-) with respect. This respect, however, does not include minimizing/obfuscating differences. There are many items on which we can agree--and on those over which we disagree, it's best to simply smile and have a beer, at which time we can violently argue over whether the Cardinals should have won the 1957 Series.

[Desdemona]

....it's best to simply smile and have a beer, at which time we can violently argue over whether the Cardinals should have won the 1957 Series.

As opposed to whether or not they were actually in it. (1967 won, 1987 lost thanks to the metrodome)

[drstevej]

***meaning that you are likely more Catholic than the priest/celebrant of the Mass.***

I think it is fair to say I had more concern not to trample on his church's traditions and convictions than he did.

Honestly, it was very uncomfortable for me not knowing the proceedures and having been given no instructions. I'm sure I looked entirely out of place. [We low-church evangelicals don't use the "hand signals" and other liturgical movements, so I omitted them rather than do a backwards genuflecture by mistake.]

But the family was very appreciative of my participation at a tragic time for them. And that was my primary concern.

[Better get a "hand signals" coach for Pope Piel, he'll need it]

[ninenot]

We shall assign Sinky as your personal Master of Ceremonies, thus helping you out AND keeping him in view so he causes no trouble with his "optional celibacy" stuff.

[drstevej]

Papal EmCee is probably a better title than Stunt Liturgist.