Can you receive Holy Communion if you are in an 'irregular' marriage? One Cardinal seems to say - maybe

Does 'welcoming the sinner justify the person's behavior and renounce doctrine? Certainly not.'

Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, the president of the pontifical council charged with helping to interpret canon law, released a booklet titled, "The Eighth Chapter of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia" to attempt to clarify some serious and controversial issues surrounding Pope Francis' recent apostolic exhortation on marriage and family.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - When Pope Francis released the recent apostolic exhortation entitled, in Latin, "Amoris Laetitia," (The Joy of Love)  people at all levels of the Church were confused and demanded clarity.

Some went so far as to criticize some parts of the document, insisting that it could be interpreted as changing longstanding Catholic teaching concerning the indissolubility of marriage. Serious questions arose over the issue of reception of holy communion. All of this prompted the pontifical council to step in.

Cardinal Coccopalmerio's booklet was published in Italian by the Vatican publishing house and was released to journalists on February 14.

One of the most important sections of the letter concerned the reception of Holy Communion by Catholics in irregular marriage situations.

Within the booklet's pages, Cardinal Coccapalmerio wrote: "The Church could admit to the Penance and Eucharist the faithful who find themselves in illegitimate unions [who] want to change that situation, but can't act on their desire ... I believe that we can sustain, with sure and tranquil conscience, that the doctrine, in this case, is respected....

"To whom can the church absolutely not concede penance and the Eucharist (because) it would be a glaring contradiction? To one who, knowing he or she is in a state of serious sin and having the ability to change, has no sincere intention of carrying it out."

In other words, the Cardinal says the Church should not necessarily keep those who sincerely desire change in their lives, but are incapable of such change, from receiving Holy Communion.Rather, pastoral care should be applied by the priest involved, who knows the situation.

Quoting "Amoris Laetitia," he continues, stating: "Naturally, if someone flaunts an objective sin as if it were part of the Christian ideal, or wants to impose something other than what the church teaches ... such a person needs to listen once more to the Gospel messages and its call to conversion."

Specifically, the Cardinal seems to be saying, if someone is unable to leave their current situation without sinning further, but honestly desires change and forgiveness, that person may be able to receive Holy Communion.

Cardinal Coccopalmerio offered the following example to help people better understand his interpretation:

"If a woman is living with a man and his three children, after his first wife abandoned them all, the woman "has saved the man from a state of deep despair, probably from the temptation of suicide, has helped him raise children with a considerable sacrifice, and they have been together for a decade, even adding another child to the family.

"The woman of whom we speak is fully aware of being in an irregular situation. She would honestly like to change her life. But evidently, she can't. If in fact, if she left the union, the man would turn back to the previous situation, the children would be left without a mother."

By leaving the union, and not fulfilling her duties to innocent children, "It's then evident that this couldn't happen without 'new sin.'"

Therefore, the Cardinal seems to be saying that the woman could come forward receive Holy Communion, following a process of discernment with the priest who is giving the woman pastoral care and is best aware of her situation.

The Cardinal made clear that there is a situation in which the Church should not allow people in irregular marriages to accept the Eucharist: If the person attempts to receive Communion "knowing they are in grave sin and being able to change, [but] have no sincere intention" of doing so, the Church should not allow them to accept the Sacraments.

This interpretation seems, to many sincere Catholics, clergy and lay alike, to contradict the objective Moral teaching of the Church which says that those who are knowingly and objectively living in sin, regardless of intent, should not be allowed to receive Holy Communion. Others view this as a matter of interpretation. They support the Cardinal's interpretation of the words of Pope Francis in his recent apostolic exhortation.

This controversy is about much more than whether a particular Catholic, clergy or lay, is "traditional" or "liberal". Nor is it about compassion being shown to those in difficult life situations. Catholic teaching is clear that no one who is living in a state unrepentant mortal sin should come forward to receive Holy Communion. Rather, they should repent of such sin, and then do what is necessary to avoid such sin.

The real issue at stake is the indissolubility of the marriage bond and Catholic moral theology.
In the past, those Catholics in irregular marriage have been counseled to participate in the Liturgy but refrain from the reception of Holy Communion until the irregular marriage situation is resolved.

Or, if it is not able to be resolved, to live in a state of chastity within the current relationship and avoid mortal sin. The reception of Holy Communion is also a statement being by the Catholic coming forward, that they fully accept the teaching of the Church. That teaching includes the indissolubility of a valid marriage.

The disagreement over this interpretation of chapter eight of the recent apostolic exhortation has caused disagreement among certain Cardinals and is causing serious concern in the Catholic Church and the broader Christian community. 

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