Longley opposes Communion for non-Catholic spouses

The Archbishop of Birm­ingham says that the Synod on the Family should not change the rules to allow non-Catholic partners in mixed marriages routinely to receive Communion.

Archbishop Bernard Longley, co-chairman of the latest phase of Catholic-Anglican ecumenical dialogue, ARCIC III, argues in a statement that it would give a “right” to receive the sacrament to a category of Christians not in full communion with the Catholic Church.

The proposal set out in the synod’s working document, the Instrumentum laboris, is due to be considered by participants next week. If agreed it would make it possible for baptised non-Catholics who are married to Catholics to receive Communion if they share “the Church’s faith in the Eucharist” and if their own pastors are not available. The change would apply to Anglicans and other baptised Christians.

In his statement, Archbishop Longley states that the synod’s working document highlights the longing that many inter-Church couples experience to receive the Eucharist together.

He points to provision in the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales 1998 teaching document, One Bread One Body , that allows inter-Communion on “unique” occasions. These include Baptism, Confirmation, First Holy Communion, Ordination, and the Funeral Mass as well as Marriage.
However, Archbishop Longley continues: “Personally, I cannot foresee a proposal arising from the synod that would regard the sacramental unity of a couple in marriage as representing in itself a situation of ‘grave and pressing need’.

“Such a proposal would tend to establish a category of Christians not in full communion with the Catholic Church yet distinguished from other Christians by a ‘right’ to receive Holy Communion at a Roman Catholic Mass on any occasion.

“Nor can I imagine that the usual and recurring demands of a hectic family life could be regarded as constituting a long-term situation where a person would ‘be unable to have recourse for the sacrament desired to a minister of his or her own Church or ecclesial community’.”
See the archbishop’s statement at www.thetablet.co.uk