Taking Communion in Detroit QUESTION from Rev. Mr. Larry Lottier September 12, 1999
Can a priest or an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist give communion to a known non-Catholics. Or put another way, can they refuse to give Communion to a person, whom they know to be non-Catholic? The papers here recently told of VP Gore visiting a church in Detroit for a pro labor political speech. To quote the paper, Mr. Gore traveled to Sacred Heart Church where he took communion and delivered a short message to the parishoners. The CCC speaks of the Ordinary giving permission to receive the sacraments under grave necessity but that surely wasn't the case in Detroit. I would appreciate your thoughts. In Christ, Deacon Larry ANSWER by Mr. John Miskell on September 12, 1999
Dear Deacon Larry, Thank you for sharing this information with us. I'm saddened to hear it and it reminds me of the time President Clinton received Communion in South Africa. The Priest, Deacon, or Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist should not have given Vice President Al Gore Holy Communion, but it sure as heck takes a lot of moxy to stand there in public and refuse him. What amazes me is Gore's sheer audacity. He certainly must know better than to approach the Catholic Church for Communion. This is a public demonstration of his insensitivity to the Catholic faith. These men do as they wish and to hell with anyone else. I hope the Catholic voters remember it. In Christ, John Miskell Back to Index Page