The priest Father Marcel Guarnizo denied her Holy Communion on the grounds that she is "living with a woman and in the eyes of the Church that is a sin." The priest is 100% correct on this matter. The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is the Body Blood Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. It is not symbolic but truly Christ Himself under the form of Bread and Wine. No Catholic can receive this Sacrament or any Sacrament while living under Mortal Sin. A Mortal Sin needs 3 criteria to be Mortal:
- Serious Matter
- Premeditation to commit the Sin with knowledge that it is immoral
- Full Consent of the Will
One who goes for Holy Communion while in a State of Mortal Sin receives Christ's Body Blood Soul and Divinity, but does not receive His grace. He/she commits the Sin of Sacrilege.
A Lesbian living with another woman is a serious matter. This lady knew this and still dared to receive the Blessed Sacrament. Now she is attempting to politicize this Holy Sacrament meant to bring about Unity with God and one another in holiness.
One must be in the state of Grace to receive the Blessed Sacrament worthily. I do not know the exact details of how the priest admonished this lady, but I do not think he did anything he should not have done. She apparently introduced her "lover" to the priest prior to the Mass and he told her she could not receive Holy Communion. Despite this warning, she approached during Holy Communion.
Canon law 915 specifically states that anyone who publicly continues causing scandal cannot be admitted to Holy Communion. Can. 915 states: "Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion."
Source:
http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_c2#/video/us/2012/03/01/nr-lesbian-denied-communion.cnn
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/lesbian-woman-denied-communion-mothers-funeral-002433838--abc-news.html;_ylt=AsTRL0F9zox7cYGZ22vB7erNt.d_;_ylu=X3oDMTRzZmtkdjJ0BGNjb2RlA2N0LmMEbWl0A0FydGljbGUgTW9zdCBQb3B1bGFyBHBrZwNmNzQzMjZiNy0wNDQ2LTM2OTAtOTRmYS1iYTkzZTI0Y2UwMDUEcG9zAzIEc2VjA01lZGlhQkxpc3RNaXhlZE1vc3RQb3B1bGFyQ0EEdmVyAzVlZTEzMDExLTYzYTctMTFlMS1iZWZhLTM4ZjhhMTQ4NTg0MQ--;_ylg=X3oDMTNodHYyYmlqBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDZTg2ZjAwOTYtMDZjNy0zZjRlLWE5ZWYtOWNkYTYyNjgzNzUwBHBzdGNhdANwb2xpdGljc3xkZXN0aW5hdGlvbjIwMTIEcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdlBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/gaithersburg-priest-defends-decision-to-deny-lesbian-communion/2012/03/14/gIQAJ5NwCS_story.html
http://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/otn.cfm?id=898
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=13676&repos=4&subrepos=2&searchid=850862
http://www.catholicvote.org/discuss/index.php?p=27899
http://www.pewsitter.com/view_news_id_86857.php
Actually, a relative of mine (not a priest) had a very similar experience last Sunday at Mass. He saw two people he knew sitting at Mass. He knew they were living in sin. They're heterosexuals and both unmarried.
ReplyDeleteHe passed them a little note before Eucharist saying that they were not permitted by Holy Mother Church to licitly receive the *B*O*D*Y* *** of *C*H*R*I*S*T* if they were aware of any mortal sin on their parts.
He asked the priest about it after Mass. The priest gave a somewhat non-committed answer.