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

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!!!!!

Continued below.