The Black Vault

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/ ... GA20120229

Johnson said that when she approached, the priest covered the communion chalice with his hand, "looked me in the eye and said 'I cannot give you communion because you live with a woman.'"

The priest told her "in the eyes of the church, that is a sin," she said. She and her family told the Archdiocese of Washington, which has issued an apology.

Catholic church teachings condemn homosexuality, and the church considers homosexual acts to be sinful. But the Archdiocese said in a statement that questions about a person's right to receive communion should be addressed privately and it was not policy to "publicly reprimand" worshipers.

That was at a funeral, incidentally.

Communion is a Sacrament, and Catholics know when they are, and are not allowed to recieve Communion. It is not the same as other churches where anyone in attendance, may recieve Communion. The priest told the attendees who was allowed to recieve Communion, and anyone Catholic knows what it means, being in a "state of Grace", or having to have your Confession herd first. I have no idea how the priest made this deduction, other than in the funeral arrangments with him, certain personal facts were made known to him, such as her being an active Lesbian living with another woman. She also made a eulogy, which I read about elsewhere, where the priest stepped away from the alter, so she may have revieled many details, that gave the priest no choice but to deny her Communion. I think there are some unsaid details to this story, that will reviel the Priest had some knowledge to have withheld Communion. Had any other Mortal sins been revieled somehow to the Priest, they also would not be considered not in a "State of Grace". To those who know nothing about the Catholic religion, and rules of Confession and Communion, they regard this as some homophobic or anti gay issue afront. Its about any kind of sin, that removes you from a State of Grace, requiring your Confession before recieving Communion again. Catholics know this. Homosexuality is considered one of those sins removing you from Grace. So is Adultry. So is being married outside the Catholic Church if you are Catholic. Catholics know this and should not be surprized about it.

Just strikes me that a human made the decision to try to block another human being from getting closer to God.

I think you know it is not that simple, as you stated being raised Catholic. If the priest knew nothing of her living as an active Lesbian, this would not have happened, but she would have known as a Catholic she needed to go to Confession before recieving Communion again. She as a Catholic knew she was not in a State of Grace, and would have had to do a Confession first. It she wants to be closer to God, she could have asked the priest to hear her Confession during the funeral arrangments, so she could have recieved Communion, and there would have been no issue. My guess is her eulogy, may have included something, that told the priest of her current lifestyle. Forinstance including some praise for her Mother for being supportive to her and her partnar living in a lesbian relationship. What esle could the priest do, it that is what happened. The story told, was the priest stepped away from the alter, while she gave the eulogy.

I spent several years (but not all my years) in the Catholic educational system because my parents thought it was the best available though the closest I ever got to converting to Catholicism was when I did RCIA (I think it was called) while preparing to wed a Catholic woman. I met with a person in the church a few times and we were counseled as far as getting married was concerned and they were teaching me Catholic stuff. So that's as far as I got in terms of learning Catholicism.

It looks like the woman should not have been surprised.
http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/comm ... itions.htm

Interesting, my background and training as a child, you learned about mortal and venial sins, and anything regarded as a Mortal sin required you to go to Confession before recieving Communion. Included would have been missing Mass, breaking the 10 commandments, which certainly adultry would be included. Even if this woman were not a lesbian, and told the priest she was living with a man out of wedlock, it would result in the same thing to the priest.

No this woman should not be surprized, if she is Catholic, and as a child recieved First Holy Communion, and Confirmation later, she knows the rules. She would also know that if the priest knowingly gave her Communion, not in a state of Grace, he would be in great violation of his vows as a Priest.

Rather than expect the priest to be relieved of his duties, she should renounce her Catholicism (if she's a Catholic).

at1with0 wrote:Just strikes me that a human made the decision to try to block another human being from getting closer to God.

Actually, the priest was right in this case. He wasn't keeping this woman from getting closer to God.


1Co 11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

1Co 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

The priest was keeping her from her own self caused damnation.

Thank you Halfabo, and how does one become worthy again? In the Roman Catholic church it means have your Confession herd, and having a pennance afterwords.

greeney2 wrote:Thank you Halfabo, and how does one become worthy again? In the Roman Catholic church it means have your Confession herd, and having a pennance afterwords.

You can't really become worthy. Partaking unworthily is to partake in an unworthy manner. That is mostly not thinking about what the Lord has done for you. But, partaking while you are refusing to repent of your sins, is also in an unworthy manner. To partake worthily is to focus completely on the Lord Jesus and what He has done for you. If you refuse to repent of your sins, then you are ignoring what Jesus has done.