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Diocesan Policies
and Guidelines
Real
Yet Imperfect: Pastoral Guidelines for Sacramental Sharing
The Directory
for the Application of the Principles and Norms of Ecumenism
issued by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
in 1993 strongly recommends episcopal conferences or diocesan
bishops to establish local norms for the application of the general
norms given in the Directory (No. 130). Foreword
from Bishop Michael Malone
My dear Sisters and Brothers, As a relative newcomer to the Diocese
of Maitland-Newcastle, I have been struck by many encouraging
aspects of Church life. One of the more important influences on
me has been the emphasis given to ecumenical and interfaith relations.
It came as
no surprise then, that the Diocesan Ecumenical and Interfaith
Commission made it a priority to produce pastoral guidelines for
relationships with other Christians and other faiths.
The document
Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations within the Catholic Diocese
of Maitland-Newcastle draws upon a broad range of similar
documents and is based on Vatican II ecclesiology, recent decrees
and study reports. Real Yet Imperfect, its condensed version,
has been published for wider use.
Pastors and
people will find these guidelines most useful. Their application
in pastoral situations will be of assistance. Their interpretation
needs to balance wise counsel, best practise and pastoral sensitivity.
These guidelines
are an attempt to promote the unity for which Jesus Christ prayed,
and for which we also pray. The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle
is firmly committed to this process towards unity. May this document
be a sign of that commitment.
I remain,
Yours in
Jesus Christ,
Most
Reverend Michael Malone
Catholic Bishop of Maitland-Newcastle
March 2001
Acknowledgements
The generous assistance of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in New
Mexico, USA through their document Guidelines for Ecumenical
and Interreligious Affairs, 1996, is gratefully acknowledged.
The following
documents have also been invaluable:
Eucharistic Hospitality: Note from the Swiss Roman Catholic
Episcopal Conference, June, 1986. The text was published in
One in Christ, XXIII, No. 3, 1987, 280-283.
Eucharistic Sharing in Interchurch Marriages and Families:
Guidelines from the German Bishops, February 1997. The text
was published in Interchurch Families, Journal of the Association
of Interchurch Families, 6, No. 1, Jan. 1998, 10-13.
Directory on Ecumenism for Southern Africa, issued by the
Southern African Catholic Bishop's Conference, especially section
six, dealing with sharing sacramental celebrations, and section
seven, dealing with interchurch marriages.
Blessed and Broken: Pastoral Guidelines for Eucharistic Hospitality,
Archdiocese of Brisbane, 1993.
Guidelines for Eucharistic Sharing in the Catholic Church for
the Diocese of Rockhampton, 1999.
One Body Broken: Pastoral Guidelines for Eucharistic Hospitality,
Diocese of Broken Bay, 1999.
One Bread, One Body: A Teaching Document of the Eucharist,
Catholic Bishops of England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland, 1998.
Introduction
A strong desire to see the unity of all God's people is a concern
of many Christians today. The Second Vatican Council clearly committed
the Catholic Church to the ecumenical movement, and invited all
Catholics to cultivate a positive ecumenical attitude. Through
the approval of the Decree on Ecumenism, the Catholic Church
joined other Christian Churches in the movement for Christian
unity. Since then, both the pope and bishops of the world have
repeatedly indicated that the Catholic Church is irrevocably committed
to the unity of the Church and all Christians.
All those who are baptised and believe Jesus Christ is Lord and
Saviour are bound together by the Holy Spirit as the Body of Christ.
Catholics are encouraged to take every opportunity to pray with
Christians whose Churches, like our own, are members of the National
Council of Churches in Australia and the NSW Ecumenical Council.
Not only is it highly desirable that Catholics participate in
ecumenical services, they are encouraged from time to time to
attend liturgical services of other denominations, so as to pray
together, to show friendship and interest, and to understand how
other Christians express themselves in worship. At the same time,
other Christians should be made welcome at Catholic Masses.
Many Catholics desire to share some sacraments, especially the
Eucharist, with other Christians. While that remains a delicate
issue, they recognise that incorporation into Christ through Baptism
should find expression at a shared eucharistic table.
Although the concrete forms of the unity desired for all Christians
are unclear, it is generally agreed that it must ultimately involve
the ability of Christians to celebrate the Eucharist together.
The more detailed document Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations
within the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle provides a comprehensive
treatment of the foundation and growth of ecumenism and interfaith
relations within the diocese.
Sharing
of Prayer and Sacraments
Prayer
is essential and vital to the ecumenical movement. Principles
to guide Church authorities, individuals, and ecumenical partners
in this important yet sensitive area are well established. The
general rule given by Canon Law and the Directory for Ecumenism
is that Catholic ministers may lawfully administer the Sacraments
of Penance, Eucharist and Anointing of the Sick only to Catholics.
However, under certain circumstances, by way of exception and
under certain conditions, other Christians may receive these sacraments
in the Catholic Church.
Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches there is
a very close relationship in matters of faith. When necessity
requires, or a genuine spiritual need exists, it is lawful for
a Catholic to receive holy communion in an Orthodox Church. Some
Orthodox Churches, however, restrict holy communion to their own
members. Although Catholic priests may lawfully administer holy
communion to members of Orthodox Churches, in Australia, these
Churches generally prefer that their members do not receive holy
communion at Catholic Masses.
Guidelines
for Sacramental Sharing
The
Eucharist lies at the heart of Christianity. Eucharist is both
the fount and apex, the summit and source of Christian life. Ours
is essentially a eucharistic Church. Catholic identity can be
seen most clearly when the parish gathers for the celebration
of the Eucharist. It is then that we show to one another, to other
Christians, and to society in general, that Catholics are united
in faith and worship and life. Without the Eucharist and the other
sacraments, we could not maintain our Catholic identity. For Catholics,
eucharistic sharing is inseparably linked to, and is the visible
expression of full Church membership.
The members of the local community are not only united to one
another in the Eucharist, they are also united to every other
Catholic eucharistic community. It is made clear in the words
of every Mass, that the local community through its bishop, is
united to the pope who is the centre of Catholic unity, and through
the pope, to every other Catholic eucharistic community.
At the same time, the Catholic Church teaches, that by Baptism,
members of other Churches and ecclesial communities are brought
into real, even if imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church.
Refraining from shared sacramental worship is the normal state
of affairs. However, circumstances can occur in which such a sharing
becomes not only permissible but advisable and justified. These
are danger of death, and any other grave need.
The conditions to be met are that the person admitted to such
sharing: must seek it of his/her own initiative; must be unable
to receive the sacrament from a minister in his/her own Church;
must manifest Catholic faith in the sacrament; and must be properly
disposed to the sacrament.
Being unable to receive the sacrament from one's own minister
need not be an inability that exists over a period of time, but
could arise out of the nature of the situation in which the person
finds himself/herself.
Baptismal Celebration: Christians of other denominations
who so wish are to be encouraged to participate as fully as possible.
At a Catholic Baptism, one sponsor must be a Catholic who has
been confirmed and has received the Eucharist. Catholics are to
be encouraged to participate, where invited, in baptismal celebrations
of other Christian denominations
Sacraments of Anointing of the Sick and Penance:
A serious request for such sacraments can be taken as evidence
of a pressing spiritual need and the sacrament may be administered,
provided that the conditions set out above are met.
Eucharistic Celebrations: There are significant
events in the lives of individual Christians and their families
when requests to receive holy communion at a Catholic Mass will
be made. Given the high frequency of marriage between Catholics
and other Christians in Australia, the extensive sacramental preparation
programs for children which require the participation of parents
(many of whom are not Catholic), and the increasingly favourable
ecumenical climate in our diocese, it is very likely that such
requests will be forthcoming on a variety of occasions. This will
be more so once our Church's openness to responding to the spiritual
needs of other Christians is better known.
The traditional pastoral practice in the Catholic Church is not
to refuse someone who comes to receive the Eucharist in good faith.
However, it may be advisable and even necessary to inform such
a person afterwards of the Catholic position.
An explicit prohibition on receiving the Eucharist should not
be given publicly on occasions when Christians of other denominations
may be attending. Neither should an explicit invitation be given
publicly to all on such occasions.
Communicant members of other Christian traditions who manifest
Catholic belief in the Eucharist, and who wish to receive the
Eucharist, may do so on certain occasions by way of exception,
and provided the conditions set out above are met. Occasions for
making a request to the Catholic minister may include celebrations
of Baptism, Confirmation, First Communion, Nuptial Masses, Ordinations,
Ministry to the Sick and Dying, Funeral Masses and other approved
celebrations.
A grave spiritual need can well arise for a Christian from another
denomination or ecclesial community when attending a celebration
for a special feast or event. Such a spiritual need can be seen
as expressing the real if imperfect communion that already exists
between that Christian and the Catholic Church.
The guidelines outlined above must not lead to a situation where
the divisions between Christians are no longer taken seriously.
Should Catholics seek to receive the sacraments from pastors in
other denominations, they may ask for these sacraments only from
a minister in whose Church these sacraments are valid or from
one who is known to be validly ordained according to the Catholic
teaching on Ordination.
Interchurch
Marriages
Marriage:
In preparing Christian couples for Marriage, the problems which
arise when persons from different Christian traditions marry should
not be minimised. At the same time, this opportunity for catechesis
and ecumenical formation should not be lost. Pastoral ministry
may need careful adaptation. The religious conviction and commitment
to their denominational Church is different for each individual
person. Normally, such marriages are celebrated without the Eucharist
because of the problems arising for eucharistic sharing. The bishop
may give permission should the non-Catholic spouse wish to receive
the Eucharist at a marriage celebrated with Mass. At such times,
the general rules for eucharistic sharing apply. Clergy should
make the fullest possible use of the opportunities afforded by
ecumenical celebrations at interchurch marriages.
Baptism: When the issue of Baptism for children
of interchurch families is raised, the traditional practice of
only one minister performing the act of Baptism (i.e. the pouring
with water while proclaiming the baptismal formula) is to be retained.
This is because the Catholic Church acknowledges the validity
of Baptism by clergy of some other denominations. According to
Catholic liturgical and theological tradition, Baptism is celebrated
by one celebrant.
However, wherever appropriate, a minister of another Christian
denomination should be invited to participate in the other parts
of the baptismal liturgy, e.g. by reading a lesson, offering a
prayer or reflection, giving a blessing, etc.
Eucharist: The situation for eucharistic sharing
between spouses in mixed marriages (interchurch families) has
been specially noted in the Directory for Ecumenism (#145-151).
Those who attend Mass together in a Catholic Church, present a
unique case in that their baptismal unity has been further sealed
by the Sacrament of Marriage. Conscious of the pain of the present
division within the body of Christ, both may experience a real
need to express their unity by receiving the Eucharist whenever
they attend Mass together.
If this occurs infrequently, both may receive the Eucharist provided
that it is the spontaneous desire of the non-Catholic spouse to
do so, and provided that the non-Catholic spouse professes Catholic
faith in the sacrament and is properly disposed. This need may
arise on the occasions listed above, and other special occasions
known to the family.
If this occurs frequently, the non-Catholic spouse may request
permission to receive the Eucharist every time s/he attends Mass
with his/her spouse, but joint pastoral care by the clergy of
both denominations should be offered to help the person understand
the significance of such requests.
Cases where the only Church the non-Catholic partner attends is
the Catholic Church should be referred to the bishop through the
parish priest.
Funerals: Deceased members of interchurch families
may be buried with Catholic rites, especially in the case of a
deceased spouse. Deceased Catholics may in turn be buried using
the rites of another Christian denomination should there be a
justifying reason to do so.
These recommendations are to assist in the pastoral care and spiritual
well being of interchurch spouses and their families. Joint pastoral
care by clergy of both denominations may be helpful.
Conclusion
The
movement for Christian unity is part of God's will for our time.
It is God's gift to be received. Unity can come only as a result
of fervent prayer and openness to the Spirit speaking to Christians
of every Church and tradition.
This document
was released in 2001.
Please note: Ecumenical
and Interfaith Relations within the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle
provides a comprehensive treatment of the foundation and growth
of ecumenism and interfaith relations within the diocese. Real
Yet Imperfect is a condensed version of this document.
If you would like a copy
of Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations within the Catholic
Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle please
email
us.
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