Do you feel that communion should not be given to those deemed unworthy by the Catholic church?

Question

I mean Judas was given communion by JC himself...so why can't someone who is divorced be given that same spiritual courtesy. For instance, my grandmother a devout Catholic had her husband leave her through no fault of her own (he left her for another woman), it broke her heart and she was left utterly alone to raise her children. The church was everything to her, and she was denied partaking in Communion and it made her cry everytime she was at Church. It would have meant so much to her, her self-esteem was so battered as it was, but now she was also unworthy to partake in the holy sacrament? That just seems cruel and mean to me....and I bet Jesus isn't very happy about this concept.

How do you feel about this?

No, she never remarried. The divorce literally left her demoralized for life...and I think it's because the church made her feel bad, because she was the most devout Catholic I have ever met, and now felt like a failure. I don't condone religious conviction this strong to the point of being damaging, it was just how she was.

Answer 1

I consider communion to be irrelevant, so it does not make any difference to me.

Answer 2

I have a problem with the idea of divorced Catholics being unable to take Communion. There are many people like your grandmother whose marriages end through no fault of their own, and yet they're denied the Sacraments.

Don't get me wrong -- I love the Catholic faith. But I think that people who desperately need the love of Christ and the support of the Sacraments are being denied that consolation unfairly.

Now politicians who claim to be Catholic and yet deny everything that the Church believes in their political lives are another matter. If you are being a scandal to the Church by your political ideology, I think withholding Communion and the Sacraments is perfectly legitimate until you repent.

Answer 3

It depends on the details of the situation, which I don't know. Was she married in the Catholic Church? If so, after her husband left her, did she enter into another relationship with someone else? If she did, that would be the only reason I can think of for being denied Communion, since the Church would have only recognized her first marriage and not her second, thereby denying her Communion because of the state of mortal sin from living with a man that was not her husband.

Again, though, I'm just airing out the only scenario that would explain it. You will find your answer by exploring the details of her situation.

Officially, if a person marries someone in the Church and then leaves them for someone else, that person cannot receive communion because they are living in a state of adultery.

Answer 4

Communion is an act of faith - of believing you are partaking in the body and blood of Jesus. It should not be done by those with mortal sins on their souls. Judas had not yet betrayed Jesus - he had only contemplated it.

What happend to your grandmother never should have happened. She did nothing wrong - her husband did. She should have never been denied communion - and those that did so should never have felt the right to judge her. Unfortunately - it was a different time, with different beliefs. Social beliefs - not necessarily religious. It was believe that a woman who had her husband leave her was a failure, she had done something wrong. My husband's mother was in the same boat - and stopped going to church. She is Christian and one of the most devout I know, but doesn't attend an actual church because of what happened to her.

Those that administer communion are not called to judge those who come forward to recieve it. No one knows what is your heart except God. Even if a priest knew your darkest sins, and then you went up for communion, he can not deny you.

A lot of people take this responsibility on themselves - but it is not in the Catholic faith. Only in the extreme case of excommunication would this be allowed - denying communion. Because that person has shown they have no regard for the religion, so they should not participate in it's most sacred rite.

Answer 5

I am a Catholic, raised a Catholic. I believe MOST of what Catholicism teaches, but there are some aspects I am not in agreement with. If I was your grandmother, and I knew I had not committed the sin, I would have kneeled in my pew and spoke my heart to God, asked for forgiveness for any sins I had committed (we all commit sins), and then gone right up there and received Communion. I have a hard time really believing in confession, so I choose to tell God in my own way I am sorry for my sins, and then receive Communion. I believe you can choose a religion, but not agree with its every concept. I enjoy the mass and the reading of the Bible passages in church, and it's nobody's business, in my opinion, if I receive Communion. I've always been taught that you can say you're sorry for all your sins right up until the lsat minute before you die, and proclaim your love for God, and you'll be saved. So I choose to think the same thing about receiving Communion!

Answer 6

Divorce does NOT prevent a person from receiving communion and participating fully in the sacramental life of the Church. The Church's view of divorce is that it does NOTHING - so how could that prevent anyone from receiving the sacraments? It is only divorce followed by re"marriage" that separates a person from the sacramental life of the Church, since that situation places a person in an ongoing state of mortal sin, in the form of public, unrepented adultery, and being in a state of mortal sin, whether adultery or any other serious matter, prevents any person from receiving communion.

Answer 7

Sacrament... This concept is from the Catholic church and NOT scripture. The word means, "that which makes us holy." NOTHING we DO can make us holy, ONLY being "IN CHRIST" is able to do that.

Holiness is about having a TRUE relationship with Christ, NOT taking communion or the other man-designated "sacraments." It is also not "just believing" as some claim:

Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do what my Father in heaven wants will enter.
James 2:19 You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that. And they tremble!

Answer 8

Perhaps in some cases. Truth is seldom black and white.

For the average person, 'The Church" cannot judge you to say that you should not have communion because you are merely a sinner; we are all sinners.

It is more relevant to know that "The Church" has said that some individuals, ie divorced people should not take Communion, but that is judging two people, where it may be the other person s fault.

One case in particular I have witnessed is where a knowing homosexual has become a priest then disobeyed "Rome' by promoting homosexual marriages and trying to falsely educate, corrupt people to believing that he is right.

It is one thing to be a hypocrite but to actively campaign politically as a false sheppard is inexcuseable....HE SHOULD KNOW BETTER!

Answer 9

I think she should take communion if she wants, with or without permission. As I recall they don't check your ID. What you say about your grandmother doesn't sound fair but the Catholic church isn't known for fairness.

I went to Catholic church school for three years as a kid and I was an altar boy and my experience is that Catholic priests are the coldest, most hostile reptiles I've ever known.

Answer 10

Receiving communion unworthily is defined in scripture as bringing God's condemnation down on the receiver, and whether a Catholic receives communion or not is one of the most personal, private, and critical decisions one can make.

I know of no priests and few bishops who would refuse communion to anyone, let alone a divorced woman.

Your grandmother may have had other reasons for not receiving communion that were known only to her and God, and she obviously chose to deal with them in her own way.

I suggest you worry about your own soul, and quit speculating about things you know little or nothing about.

This goes double for all the other posters who obviously know little or nothing about Catholicism, or the authentic Holy Eucharist, yet feel the need to pontificate on the matter.

Answer 11

You and your grandmother was mistaken about Catholic teaching about not being able to receive the Eucharist.

You are correct. According to your story, she did not sin and therefore was eligible to receive the Eucharist.

I doubt she was actually denied the Sacrament. Most people with this mistaken idea just assume they cannot receive and do not ask.

My aunt had the same idea. She was divorced then her ex-husband died, effectively making her a widow, but she still would not receive Communion. No matter how we discussed the matter with her, we could not change her mind.

With love and prayers in Christ.