| Question Title | Posted By | Question Date |
|---|---|---|
| Communion | Nettie | Tuesday, August 10, 2004 |
Question: My husband and I have been having a debate about communion in the Catholic Church. He says that if the priest is going to allow a non-Catholic person to receive communion because of an "extreme circumstance" he has to have permission from the bishop, but I say the priest can make that decision on his own providing that the extreme circumstances are truly valid. But both of us are unsure what kind of "extreme circumstances" would warrant such permission. We have had a case like this in our church and have been baffled by it. So I guess my question is: Can a priest grant this kind of permission at all and if so does he need special permission from the bishop? |
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| Question Answered by Mr. Jacob Slavek
Dear Nettie, No, the priest does not need special permission from the bishop. He may allow non-catholics to receive communion if ALL of the following conditions from the Canon Law are met: There is danger of death, their own minister is not available, they specifically ask for it rather than being offered, they show the appropriate respect for the sacrament and that they are properly disposed. (c.844) If there is some other grave necessity other than danger of death then it is possible for the priest to allow Communion WITH THE BISHOP'S permission, from the same canon. Let me know if I can clarify this further. Thank you, Mr. Slavek Footer Notes: (a) A Eucharistic Minister is clergy (Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion). Laity are Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and should never be called Eucharistic Ministers. (b) There is no such Mass called the Novus Ordo. The Current Mass is the Roman Missal of 2000, or the Oridinary Form of the Mass. The Tridentine Mass is the Roman Missal of 1962, or the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Please refrain from using the term, Novus Ordo. Thanks. (c) The titles of Acolyte and Lector belong exclusively to the Installed Offices of Acolyte and Lector, who are men (only) appointed by the Bishop. These roles performed by others are Altar Servers and Readers, respectively. |
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