Catholic Communion

[Gothampc]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:41pm

It appears Rudy Guiliani took communion even though he wasn't supposed to.

Cardinal Egan says: "I deeply regret that Mr. Giuliani received the Eucharist during the Papal visit here in New York, and I will be seeking a meeting with him to insist that he abide by our understanding," he said in a statement.

So what happens in the Catholic faith when someone takes Communion when they shouldn't? And who decides who gets to take Communion? (For example Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry and those two gay guys dressed as nuns took it).


Link

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:51pm

I thought - and it's been a while since I was immersed in Catholic doctrine so I could be off base - that if you had any sins you hadn't confessed that you weren't supposed to receieve the Eucharist.

And apparantly, if you think abortion is okay you can't take it, either.

[DG]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:53pm

I think the issue with Rudy is his status as a divorcee. he shouldn't receive communion unless his previous marriage has been annulled.

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:55pm

You are correct Phyllis. You have to have been to confession and received absolution to receive communion. His divorces alone make communion null and void for him.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:55pm

You should not take communion unless you've been to confession.

[CJR]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:55pm

Okay I adore Egan. I do. He confirmed me and he was my favorite Bishop (not so much a fan of Lori).... Anyway.

If Rudy is Catholic (which I am assuming he is) Egan can't say that he can't take communion because he supports abortion.

Me, I am a strong believer in a woman's right to choose and yet I am VERY active in my church (including singing in the choir and co-leading the youth choir) and I receive communion every Sunday. Nobody tells me I can't.

Technically, you are not to receive communion if you haven't been to mass in a while and as a result, have not been to confession. I dont believe in confession either, but that's neither here nor there. In any event, that is, as far as I know, the only stipulation to not receiving communion in the Catholic doctrine. (and to that end, how will anyone know if you've missed mass anyway?)

Updated On: 4/28/08 at 02:55 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:56pm

I don't think just a divorce does it. I think you'd have to remarry. You can divorce all you want; you just can't have another Catholic wedding until you pay for receive an annullment.

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:56pm

You are not supposed to take communion if you have any mortal sins you haven't confessed. The priests wouldn't be able to keep up with the confessions if it was for any sin... Hell they wouldn't be able to keep up if people confessed all their mortal sins!

"To receive Communion worthily, you must be in a state of grace, have made a good confession since your last mortal sin, believe in transubstantiation, observe the Eucharistic fast, and, finally, not be under an ecclesiastical censure such as excommunication."

http://www.catholic.com/library/Who_Can_Receive_Communion.asp

Updated On: 4/28/08 at 02:56 PM

[CJR]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:58pm

Not for nothing, my Godmother divorced over 20 years ago, married my Uncle (who is Jewish) 14 years ago (was married by our priest) and didn't receive the annulment on her first marriage until I think 5 years after she and my Uncle were married.

And in that time she continued to actively sing in the choir and receive communion every week with no issue. Granted she couldn't be married IN our church because my Uncle is Jewish, but that's another story.

Updated On: 4/28/08 at 02:58 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:59pm

Which just goes to show that all of this stuff is arbitrary and ridiculous.

[DG]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:59pm

Phyllis - LOL!

I think you're right. My step-father was told he couldn't receive communion since he married a divorcee - but then was told he could after she had the first marriage annulled and they were married in the church.

We won't go into how the status of the children involved kept changing all through this nonsense!

[madbrian]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 3:01pm

I believe it is the divorce and the remarriage. The Catholic Church does not recognize divorce, so any subsequent marriage can only be civil, and the church doesn't acknowledge that. So, he is living 'in sin', and since he is doing so in an unrepentent state, he shouldn't be receiving communion. The same rules can be applied to many Catholics who receive communion all the time, but since their lives aren't public, there isn't the same attention as the celebs.

For the record, I am not a practicing Catholic, so I don't endorse any of the above, just doing my best to recall what I was taught in my youth.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 3:13pm

i don't take communion if i haven't been to confession. i think, however, rudy's ban has to do with his years working the combover. pope prada saw some pics and banned him.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 3:23pm

I never begrudge a person getting a free meal whenever he or she can. I say, "Good for you, Rudy" and I hope you got something to wash it down with. Just make sure to leave a tip in the tip jar on the way out.

[TheHumanTorch]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 3:25pm

from my understanding it is bad theology to withhold the eucharist for any reason but failing to confess, just because for Catholics, its like a priest holding Jesus hostage...

[george95]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 3:25pm

Are we really still pushing the story that the Pope had Prada shoes?

His red shoes are a very old part of Papal vestments, and they've never been made by Prada. The media picked up on that when he became Pope 3 years ago and some people still haven't gotten the word : ) They're made a cobbler in Northern Italy--no connection to Prada.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89732516


And as for Catholics and communion...yeah everybody's right who has said that you can't be in a state of mortal sin and go to communion. You just have to go to confession for the mortal since and youre good to go.

HOWEVER, since some of you are wondering how your relatives or Rudy were able to still go to communion, its not going to be denied to somebody who goes up to the communion rail. The priest/eucharistic minister will not ask you any questions....you'll just go up there and it'll be between you and the Church.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 3:28pm

So it is rather like the Church's version of "don't ask, don't tell"?

[george95]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 3:30pm

no because you are supposed to ask. You're supposed to know all you can about communion and the faith in general (duh??)

Its just that public figures can't be treated differently than any other catholic.

[CJR]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 3:39pm

Oh I wasn't questioning it. Just stating examples

[george95]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 3:44pm

I said that in response to the "Dont ask/dont tell" query. Of course, you are encourage to ask ask ask about matters of faith in the catholic church, especially when it comes to communion. : )

[DG]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 3:45pm

"Of course, you are encourage to ask ask ask about matters of faith in the catholic church"

Wow, things must have really changed since I ran screaming from the Church.

[george95]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 3:46pm

No, things probably haven't changed, you probably just had a bad experience. Even though you are supposed to ask, that doesnt guarantee that any person in the church that you ask will be kind and nice.

[D2]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 3:48pm

"But Sister, if God is truly merciful and forgiving, why is there such a thing as hell?"

Answer: SLAP!

[george95]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 3:49pm

Thanks for proving my point.

[DG]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 3:51pm

"Even though you are supposed to ask, that doesnt guarantee that any person in the church that you ask will be kind and nice."

That may be true, but the phrase 'recovering Catholic' has become a cliche' for a reason.