Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Amoris Confusion and Canon 915


The Supreme Pontiff has no authority to change that law which requires the minister of holy communion to refuse communion to those who might approach while in obstinate, manifest, grave sin, because that law is not mere lex humana but lex divina. Viz., a change in the policing nature of the administering of Holy Communion would make the priest, at least, a direct material cooperator in the sacrilege of those who approach in obstinate, manifest, grave sin, contrary to 1 Cor. 6:15 and the constant Tradition of the Church of the need for sincere conversion to approach the sacraments, thus the minister himself would be committing a mortal sin in sacrilegiously administering a sacrament.

Can. 915 Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion.

The Holy Father does have authority to change law regarding excommunication, as we saw in his recent declaration that all priests can absolve the sin of abortion, Misericordia et Misera, 12, which in effect annuls Canon 1398. But that was an entirely different matter because it only affects the law of excommunication (lex humana) and does not in any way otherwise change the Divine dispensation of the discipline of the sacraments.

The Pope does not have the authority to eliminate the canonical requirement that the minister of holy communion refuse to administer holy communion to those obstinately in grave, manifest sin, because it would involve the priest in that sacrilegious act (direct material cooperation), which no one can rightly do.

Cf. There are two texts which come to mind which show the serious obligation of the believer to oppose sacrilege in all its forms, in praise of the righteous zeal of Phineas. 1 Maccabees 2:25, Numbers 25:8.
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