Why We Cannot Share Communion

by Letters Editor · Published December 5, 2022 · Updated December 5, 2022

Jose Martinez/Cathopic

By Fr Francois Dufour SDB, Cape Town – The intercommunion debate keeps re-emerging as a source of grievance and as being in contradiction to our ecumenical hopes, as Raymond Perrier noted in his column, “How other faiths see us” (August 2022).

In my own family, with a Presbyterian sister-in-law, a nothing-in-particular brother-in-law, and a lapsed sister and her spouse, I experience the pain of the whole issue first-hand every time I go home to a family reunion during which I celebrate the Eucharist for my folks.

At the moment of Communion, we can really sense the reality of the separation. But that is also, paradoxically, where we can grow most aware of the significance of com-m-union and our longing to be one in the Lord.

Our “separated brethren” don’t seem to understand that the reason for not leniently inviting all and sundry to receive is not out of bigotry or our snobbish elitism, but precisely because it would then diminish that significance. Like sex in marriage, Eucharistic Communion is the ultimate act of bonding among believers. And it is not just a special moment of individual intimacy with Jesus, one on one, but a public act of faith that proclaims my commitment to and union with all others who are communicating.

So if I accept the invitation to receive Communion in another church where I am attending a Communion service, a wedding or whatever special occasion, then I am by this gesture stating that I am completely at one with all those also receiving in that church. But between our many Christian denominations — even though there are many convergences of faith — there are unfortunately still many areas of major disagreement. And so to receive Communion together, if we are not yet in-communion, is simply not being honest. Can we sweep all those differences under the carpet and pretend to be all one?

I believe we need to be careful not to reduce the Eucharist to a feel-good act, meaning little more than a spiritual hug, in the same way that sexual intercourse has been reduced from declaring in body language the same as what wedding vows declare, to meaning little more than, “Lie down, I think I love you, so let’s have a bit of fun together!”

In Eucharistic Communion, just as in becoming one flesh in marriage, there is one basic rule of thumb which can help us: The level of our intimacy should parallel the level of our commitment, and until our commitment is absolute, our intimacy cannot be complete!

That said, we need to make the kind of announcement restricting communion to “Catholics in good standing” very sensitively, preferably not just after the Agnus Dei, but as part of other notices earlier in the liturgy, with a brief explanation for the restriction. It is better if the announcement be made by someone other than the main celebrant, too.

For my part, I have never denied Communion to an individual who came forward to receive, even though I knew the person was not Catholic. Making an occasional exception does not change the much-needed rule to preserve the significance of the act of receiving Holy Communion as meaning that we truly are in communion.

Published in the October 2022 issue of The Southern Cross