Simon Cox Blog: Give Protestants a Taste of Catholic Communion, German Bishops Tell Vatican

Wednesday 2 May 2018

Give Protestants a Taste of Catholic Communion, German Bishops Tell Vatican

Proposal to let non-Catholic spouses share the Eucharist goes before Rome’s theological watchdog on Thursday.

For all the progress made toward bringing evangelicals and Catholics together, the notion of a shared Communion table between the two traditions—each with their own theological and ecclesiastical understanding of the Lord’s Supper—has pretty much always been off the table.

Yet, a recent proposal by German bishops aims to allow the Catholic Church to offer the sacrament to certain Protestants—those who are married to practicing Catholics and desire to participate in Communion together.

Though the Vatican initially rejected the notion last month, officials will meet in Rome Thursday to, as its press office said, “deal with the theme of the eventual access to the Eucharist for non-Catholic spouses in mixed marriages,” according to a Catholic News Service report.

Three-quarters of German bishops approved the measure earlier this year. But those critical of the move questioned whether the national conference had the authority to expand who was eligible to receive communion, a sacrament generally reserved for members of the church in good standing and only offered to non-Catholics “in grave and pressing need.”

The German proposal aims to accommodate Catholics in mixed marriages and requires spouses to “affirm the Catholic Eucharist” in order to participate. The bishops cited cases where “the spiritual hunger to receive Communion together … is so strong that it could threat the marriage and the faith.”

Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, president of the German Protestant Church (EKD), said the news from Catholic leaders was “an important step in our ecumenical past,” particularly as leaders of both bodies push for unity following last year’s 500th ...