SHOULD CATHOLICS IN A STATE OF PUBLIC MORTAL SIN RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION SO AS NOT TO FEEL EXCLUDED IN THE EUCHARISTIC ASSEMBLY?

Willem Jacobus Cardinal Eijk, Metropolitan Archbishop of Utrecht gives a very cogent argument, based on Catholic morality and Canon Law, about who may or may not receive Holy Communion. You can read a commentary on what His Eminence said in the Silere non possum article I copy and paste below.

But, I would like to make a suggestion. In the ancient Mass of the one Roman Rite, only priests can distribute Holy Communion. And the rubric for distributing Holy Communion indicates that as the priest gives Holy Communion to the communicant, he makes a small “Sign of the Cross” with the Host over the person receiving the Precious Host. 

In preparation for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion to be utilized, the Modern Mass rubric for the distribution of Holy Communion not only truncated the formula to be said by the “Minister” of Holy Communion to “The body of Christ” but also the removal of the rubric to make a small “Sign of the Cross” with the Precious Host over the communicant. Why remove the “Benediction” with the Precious Host? So that Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion can distribute Holy Communion as only priests and deacons can give a blessing in the formal way and a Benediction with the Precious Host. 

Now comes my point: Cardina Eijk likes that Catholics who may not receive Holy Communion may come forward to receive a blessing instead of Holy Communion, a kind of “Spiritual Communion” at the time of Holy Communion. Of course, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion cannot bless communicants with a hand gesture, but they can say “May God bless you.” 

But if only priests and deacons are allowed to distribute Holy Communion, the Benediction with the Host prior to the communicant receiving Holy Communion could be restored and those who come forward for only a blessing, could receive an individual “Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament”. HOW MUCH MORE INCLUSIVE WOULD THAT BE! AND NON CATHOLICS COULD RECEIVE THAT BENEDICTION TOO! HOW ECUMENICAL WOULD THAT BE!!!!!

From Silere non Possum:

Cardinal Eijk: “Divorced and remarried persons may receive Communion only if they live in chastity.”

Rome – “Civilly remarried divorced couples in a second union may receive Communion in church only if they do not engage in sexual relations.” With this clear and unambiguous statement, Cardinal Willem Jacobus Eijk,Metropolitan Archbishop of Utrecht, answered journalists’ questions during the presentation of his book El vínculo del amor. Matrimonio y ética sexual, held this afternoon at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum.

The prelate addressed with precision what he called “a difficulty often debated today”: the issue of divorced and remarried persons and their possibility of accessing the Eucharist. “In paragraph 84 of Familiaris Consortio by Saint John Paul II, it is said that in such cases one should live without sexual relations,” Eijk recalled.

“Why? Because a civil marriage is not a regular bond, it is not a valid marriage if the bond of the first sacramental marriage is still valid. That is the issue,” he explained, referring to the Magisterium of John Paul II and to the Catholic doctrine on the indissoluble sacramental bond.

The cardinal then highlighted the theological dimension of the topic, which cannot be reduced to a merely disciplinary or pastoral matter. “There are people who live in this situation but go to church and also want to receive the sacraments. This, of course, is difficult. Christ gives Himself totally to us in the sacrament of the Eucharist, and on our part, there must also be a total self-giving to Him. And if this is lacking in marriage, Communion cannot be received,” he stated, reaffirming the profound link between the Eucharist and the sacrament of marriage.

While reaffirming the need for sacramental coherence, the cardinal made it clear that the Church does not exclude those who find themselves in such situations.

“Of course, people living in such relationships are very welcome in the Church, absolutely. They can take part in our liturgies and also in our charitable activities. But they cannot receive Communion for the reason I have explained,” he declared, emphasizing that welcome does not mean an absolute right to receive a sacrament.

Eijk also described the pastoral practice adopted in his particular Church: “In the Netherlands, we do this: these people may also come to the priest during the Eucharistic celebration, but with their arms crossed over their chest, and they may receive a blessing. I must say that, in many cases, this works. It helps soothe the sense of exclusion; it seems to be a satisfying solution: we too can approach the priest, we can come forward during the Eucharist like the others, we don’t have to remain seated, but we can come and receive a blessing.”

The cardinal stressed that this practice is not new, but is rooted in the tradition of the Church: “We have always blessed sinners in the Church. This would be my solution,” concluded the Archbishop of Utrecht, revealing a balance between doctrinal rigor and pastoral sensitivity.

With this intervention, Cardinal Eijk reaffirmed a line of theological clarity which—while avoiding any form of sterile rigidity—seeks to remain faithful to the sacramental coherence indicated by the Popes and by the constant Magisterium of the Church.

d.G.T.
Silere non possum