[Grem] !!! What's wrong with the German bishops' statement on intercommunion?
Emoke Greschik
greschem at gmail.com
2018. Feb. 25., V, 14:33:14 CET
What’s wrong with the German bishops’ statement on intercommunion
by *Ed Condon <http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/author/edward-condon/>*
posted Friday, 23 Feb 2018
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2018/02/23/whats-wrong-with-the-german-bishops-statement-on-intercommunion/
Prelates and other clergymen attend Mass at the annual meeting of Germany's
bishops in Cologne. (CNS)
*Canon law does not envisage* *the ongoing reception of* *Communion** by**
someone who remains* *Protestant*
*To the shock and dismay* *of many Catholics*, t*he German Bishops’
Conference has voted by an “overwhelming” margin
<http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2018/02/23/german-bishops-guidelines-allow-communion-for-protestant-spouses-in-certain-circumstances/>
to
produce a “guide” on the reception of* *Communion** by* *the Protestant
spouses of* *Catholics*. The news is indeed concerning – but let’s be
clear: *we are not dealing with any kind of canonically or doctrinally
authoritative document.* Even once it has been written – at the moment, no
such guide exists –* the German bishops* have conceded that, as a
conference, they *do not have* *the ability to legislate* *on this matter*
and that it would be for bishops to apply this forthcoming guide to their
individual dioceses.
Nevertheless,* this is – to say the least – a rash step for such a powerful
bishops’ conference to take.* *The bishops have agreed that following a
“serious examination of conscience” guided by a priest or another pastoral
guide, a Protestant spouse who “affirms the faith of the Catholic Church”
and wishes to end “serious spiritual distress” and a “longing to satisfy a
hunger for the Eucharist” should be able to receive Communion.*
*These guidelines would seem to go well beyond **canon law, which puts very
definite limits on who can receive Communion and when. “Danger of death” or
comparable “grave necessity” is what the Code of Canon Law speak about for*
*Protestants*. Clearly this is only envisaged as a one-off occasion. *The
German bishops’ intentions appear to go well beyond and provide for some
kind of stable arrangement – receiving Communion week after week – which is
completely outside what the Church provides for.*
A key requirement of canon law, which the German bishops have included in
their own deliberations, is that a Protestant “manifest the Catholic faith
in respect to these sacraments” (c. 844 §4). But *to really believe in the
Eucharist doesn’t just mean believing in the Real Presence; it means one
has to believe in what comes with it, including the reality of the
sacramental priesthood, and the validity and efficacy of the rest of the
sacraments, and the authority of the Church over them. *The social teaching
of the Church is often described as a “seamless garment”, and this is even
more true of the sacraments.
Now,* if **a Protestant spouse* *believes in the claims of the Catholic
Church, and does so continuously, receiving Communion week after week, they
would effectively be professing themselves to be Catholic, and should be
properly received into the Church accordingly.** The German bishops’ plan –
however much they deny it – sounds very much like a template for
pseudo-conversions:* these Protestant spouses would essentially be
Catholics in belief but not in name.* In Germany, the bishops claim the
power to deny Catholics the sacraments, even a Christian burial, if they
don’t pay their Church tax; but they are apparently happy to hand out the
sacraments to Protestants for free.*
Of course, until the text of the guidelines is published, it is hard to
guess how flawed their reasoning really is. Even then, *such a document **would
have not legal force *–* though it could prove a serious inducement to
error*. What we can say is that it appears *the German Bishops’ Conference
is preparing to play fast and loose with the source and summit of Christian
life.* T*hey risk treating the Eucharist as a mere expression of unity
between Catholics and Protestants –* and* so committing the serious error
of placing our communion with each other ahead of communion with God and
the Church.*
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