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From: sdyer@bbnccv.UUCP (Steve Dyer)
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: WChurches saying they are the ONE TRUE CHURCH
Message-ID: <331@bbnccv.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 11-Feb-85 00:06:39 EST
Article-I.D.: bbnccv.331
Posted: Mon Feb 11 00:06:39 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 13-Feb-85 02:54:58 EST
References: <319@gargoyle.UChicago.UUCP> <469@ptsfa.UUCP> <562@topaz.ARPA> <8203@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman, Cambridge, MA
Lines: 36
Keywords: intercommunion

> While I do not know the official church policy on open Communion, the
> last three catholic funerals (well, Masses of Christian Burial) that I
> have attended  (one in Maryland and two in Massechussettes) the priest
> has always stated that qualified communicants of other religions are
> welcome to participate in communion if the desire.  Now I could understand
> one parish being renegage, but this was three different churches in
> three different dioceses.

The officially stated policy is that a non-Catholic may receive Communion 
if the following conditions are met (quoted from "Catholicism", by
Fr. Richard P. McBrien, Winston Press, 1981, who is himself quoting
a Vatican directive):
       "1.) Admission to the Eucharist is confined to particular cases
	    of those Christians who have a faith in the sacrament in
	    conformity with the Catholic Church.
	2.) Such Christians must experience a serious spiritual need
	    for the eucharistic sustenancce.
	3.) They must be unable for a prolonged period to have recourse
	    to a minister of their own community.
	4.) They must ask for the sacrament of their own accord.
	5.) They must have proper dispositions and lead lives worthy
	    of a Christian.
Even if these conditions are met, it will be a pastoral responsibility
to see that the admission of these other Christians to communion does not
endanger or disturb the faith of Catholics.  These 'rules' do not apply
to Orthodox Christians."

I think Ron's experience (and my own) reflects the strange state of
American Catholicism, where "rules" are one thing, but practice is
often quite another.  Frankly, I appreciate the kind of situational
flexibility we see here, given the glacial intransigence of years
of tradition.
-- 
/Steve Dyer
{decvax,linus,ima,ihnp4}!bbncca!sdyer
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