non-Catholics and communion on the Camino

[Christopher Weimer]

Speaking as a sometime student and teacher of Counter-Reformation Catholic doctrine, I have to say that this is a somewhat tricky question, because it really does boil down to the spirit in which one receives the Eucharist.

Canon Law 844 allows for non-Catholic baptized Christians to receive Catholic communion under certain fixed circumstances.  The Vatican's 1993 Directory for the Application of the Principles and Norms of Ecumenism gives the following conditions for a Catholic priest to licitly give communion to a non-Catholic baptized Christian (there are somewhat special circumstances with regard to members of the Orthodox and Eastern churches, by the way).  A non-Catholic baptized Christian may receive the eucharist, provided that (s)he:

1. be unable to have recourse to a minister of his or her own Church or ecclesial communion for the sacrament desired;

2. ask for the sacrament of his/her own initiative;

3. manifest Catholic faith in the sacrament;

4. be properly disposed.

Obviously, it's #3 that raises the most serious question, since Canon Law does explicitly require that anyone receiving the Eucharist believe in transubstantiation as defined by Catholic doctrine.

 From at least one point of view, then, there are no ambiguities to the question: either a person meets the conditions or s/he does not.  On the other hand, even many Catholics do not strictly follow Canon Law with regard to communion.  Studies show that many liberal or non-traditional Catholics, for instance, do not actually believe in the Real Presence but take communion anyhow; likewise, many take communion without abiding by Church regulations on confession/reconciliation, etc.  This range of beliefs among practicing members of the Church makes #3 more problematic for some.

Of course, no priest on the Camino or anywhere else is going to request verification of one's Catholic status before administering the sacrament at mass.  But should a person take communion according to their own understanding of the sacrament rather than according to the doctrine and Canon Law of the church administering it?  That's a seriously complex ethical question, and no amount of listserve discussion is going to resolve it!

Chris Weimer

Christopher Weimer, Ph.D
Oklahoma State University