Globalnomad said:
Friends, I propose to refresh this discussion with a new provocative question(actually I think it's a perfectly straight one).
Some of us seem to be assuming that it is a matter of basic faith (dogma, unchangeable) that Communion cannot be given to non-Catholics. Our source is the Pauline warning not to take the body of the Lord unworthily, and the interpretation that the Church has "always" made of this. From there you deduce that even the Pope cannot make exceptions to this.
But when you think about it, the only immutable doctrine is that "it must be taken with the right understanding and disposition". How we define "right understanding and disposition" is actually a Church interpretation of doctrine: it can develop, just as our interpretation of monophysitism and of the internal dynamics of the Trinity (the Filioque clause) has been re-defined to overcome the old East-West theological disputes.
(Regarding the theology of the Real Presence, I don't know the details, but I know that theological discussions with the Evangelicals (the original German Lutheran Protestants) are so advanced, that we are very near the point of allowing intercommunion, to the same extent as with the Orthodox.)
Keeping this in mind, I would say that the Pope is certainly far ahead of us in understanding the theology and doctrine involved, and that he has every right to take the decision that he did. I would say that the extraordinary spirit of Taizé may well be defined as constituting "right understanding and disposition" for those who want to partake of the Eucharist at a unique event in that unique place.
Globe,
Heres the deal, one does not need to be a theologian or a pope to know that one can not approach the alter conscious of mortal sin and if one is conscious of mortal sin they can not commune until they have made a prior sacramental confession.
We know children are not allowed to receive unless they have been educated and they have made their first confession - sacramental confession that is and we know we can not receive communion when we are in RCIA because we have to be educated and instructed in the faith and we have to have made a prior sacramental confession before hand.
Why are all these rules chucked for non Catholics is the question at hand.
The teaching is this, if one takes communion conscious of mortal sin on their soul and they have not received prior sacramental confession then they eat and drink judgement onto themselves, why would this be different for a non catholic?
We know as a matter of faith that God forgives and erases the effects of sin lock, stock, and barrel when we have perfect contrition but we also know that none of us can ever know if we do unless we receive revelation from on high if we are truly perfectly contrite so that is why we confess to perfect what is imperfect and then with this grace we approach the holy of holies, our Lord in the Eucharist but for some reason this is not required of protestants?
I dont get it- we dont want to condemn them so why are we giving them a potential that could condemn them?
Frankly- it really wouldnt be their fault for receiving communion unworthy, it would be the fault of what ever pope/bishop/ priest who said it was okay for them, he will get the blame for this, not the non Catholics, so I dont get any of this, I really dont.
Are we just going to affirm the errors of Protestantism now and allow them to be in union with out ever pledging obedience to Rome?
Do you really think that's Catholic?