“It is part of the nature of Protestantism not to have the full Catholic faith in the Eucharist" - "In a real emergency, the Protestant would first have to be led to the sacrament of penance"
Paderborn (kath.net) Paderborn's "Priests Circle Communio Veritatis" comments critically on the decision of the Archbishop of Paderborn, Hans-Josef Becker, to "familiarize himself intensively with the controversial DBK orientation guide and act responsibly in accordance with pastoral care." Becker had allowed that Protestant Christians in confessional marriages receive permission to receive the Catholic Eucharist under certain conditions, kath.net has reported.
kath.net documents the statement of the "Priests Circle Communio Veritatis" in full length:
The Priests Circle Communio Veritatis has intensively dealt with an affront by Archbishop Becker, who wants to make possible the reception of Communion for Protestant partners in a non-confessional marriages in so-called individual cases.
We note unanimously that this directive is unacceptable.
Our association explains the following:
1. Basically, "To receive Holy Communion, one must be fully integrated into the Catholic Church and be in the state of grace" (CCC 291).
2. In the encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia by St. John Paul II we read: "The rejection of one or more of the truths of the faith about these sacraments [...] means that the petitioner is not disposed for its rightful reception" (Ed. 46). It is part of the nature of Protestantism not to have the full Catholic faith in the Eucharist.
3. With regard to Canon 844 § 4 CIC, no diocesan bishop can declare the situation in a mixed-confessional marriage a serious emergency in order to facilitate inter-communion. (Cardinal Brandmüller, referring to the seriousness of the plight, said that "the canon relates to extreme situations such as war, persecution, deportation and natural disasters" (kath.net, 25.6.2018).
4. Canon 844 § 4 of the Catholic Canon Law provides for the reception of Communion by a non-Catholic Christian, among other things, the necessary condition that a dispenser of their own community can not be present.
5. The right disposition described in Number 1401 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church necessarily implies the absence of grave sin. From this it follows that the Protestant in a real emergency would first have to be led to the sacrament of penance.
6. Regarding eternal salvation, there are, in very rare exceptional cases, the possibility of allowing individual non-Catholic Christians to the sacrament of penance, the Anointing of the sick, and the Eucharist. This presupposes, however, that certain exceptional situations characterized by exact conditions (see above 2 to 5) - whereby all points must apply - are given. It is the duty of everyone to be faithful to them (see Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis, 56).
The Priestly Circle Communio Veritatis remains determined to serve Jesus Christ faithfully in all things and the continuing Magisterium of the Catholic Church for the salvation of souls.
Paderborn Cathedral - View of the impressive Romanesque westwork
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMDG