Cohabiting couples barred from receiving Communion - bishops
Cohabiting couples should not receive Holy Communion, the bishops said in a statement yesterday.
The bishops said the Church does not impose this sanction as a punishment, but because "the way of life" of such people violated the sacrament of marriage.
The Church would continue to offer such couples spiritual help and encouraged them to go to Mass, Archbishop Paul Cremona and Gozo Bishop Mario Grech said.
"However, the Catholic Church insists that couples who live together without being married should not receive Holy Communion," they said.
The statement was released in the wake of comments made by Fr George Dalli who said he was prepared to administer the sacra-ment of the Holy Communion to cohabiting couples.
The bishops said the behaviour of cohabiting couples went against the teachings of the Church, which preached that those who received the Eucharist had to be one in unity with Christ and the Church. The Church set up by Christ had to be a faithful witness of such teaching through its members, the bishops said.
They added that some people were paying a high price to remain in communion with the Church despite having suffered marriage breakdown, and they had stayed away from a relationship with another person outside marriage.
Therefore, separated people who were not in a relationship with someone else could still receive Holy Communion.
The bishops said they were urging couples who were cohabiting to look at the teachings of the Church, renew their confidence in God's mercy, and seek conversion.
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maria chircop
May 25th 2010, 16:28
The church is pushing me and other young people away from the church! The church has to adapt to modern minds! I totally disagree with this...if they cannot receive communion why go to church in the first place?
Steve Pace
May 25th 2010, 08:28
@ Joe Zammit - "Yes, our bishops know exactly what they are saying. They are just echoing Christ words to receive Holy Eucharist worthily, i.e., not in mortal sin. Cohabitants are living in grave sin because they are using sex outside marriage "
Your interpretation of what the bishops statement said is totally out of context . Whilst you are stating that the only wrong thing in cohabiation is sex the bishops are insisting that the actual being together is wrong. ( Not that i agree )
Your haste to waive the wand of woe onto us sinners is not giving you the desired results. It only exposes your desperation to condemm and judge other people .
If only all those who take holy communion are 100% at peace with their neighbour, family and God .. But we know this is not the case since none of us are 100% pure.
If you are then i dare you to be the one to cast the first stone Mr. Zammit !
Come down from the pedestal you have put your self on .. It reminds many of the pharisees way of interpreting God's law
Roderick Micallef
May 25th 2010, 08:13
I really like it when the church comes up with such statement, it simply confirms what a ridiculous institution the church is. We preach A with the left hand but we do exactly the opposite with the other hand, but why worry? Let's face it, no one needs to go in a church or needs to receive holy communion to be spiritual.
It might be important as a symbolic traditional gesture and that is why it is important for a lot of Maltese because we are a religious nation and not a spiritual nation which is very different.
If there are people that are suffering a marriage breakdown but they stay away from a relationship with another person outside marriage simply to adhere to the church club regulations then it's up to them, the church can even start giving medals of achievement if they want to but it's no mere justification of ANYTHING!
I ask all young couples NOT to get married in church (after all who wants to get involved in such a club?) and all co-habiting couples to ignore the church statement, if God is only love then the church statement is ridiculous to say the very least!
JJ.McDonald.Grima Canadian/Maltese
May 24th 2010, 20:19
Whatever 2 consulting adults do in a case of a man and a woman do in their own home its their business and nobody elses, just remember wars starts by A- religion or once beliefs. People at least in this country at 18 are deemed as adults and are both responsible for their own action. To me a good christian is not just by going to church, but a good christain is respecting one and other, helping the poor and the very old, ofcourse, respect the law of the country,and on a more serious note taking once life or even stealing from your fellowman. thats a good christain and above all respect other people's beliefs, whoever they maybe. Jews,Buddists,RC's,Muslims and many more, Do not force religion on others that live by their own morals, and as far as sex before marriage, thats up to the individual and not the Bishop or whoever is in charge of preaching to others and yet we read so many downfalls of priest in many foreign news media. I know alot disagree with me by then its my own free choice and i don;t believe its a crime. YES? JJ.McDonald Canada
Margaret Betts
May 24th 2010, 14:54
It has been proven so many times not only in Malta but also abroad i know i live in the Sweden, that getting married in church is only a piece of paper to say its legal under the eyes of god, but as a matter of fact statistic shows that people that cohabit stay together much longer then people bound by as i say with a piece of paper to say they are legally married, and when and if the couple decided to seperate or divorce they are entitle to whatever is owing to them so a question of Money, especially when the partner is well over the age ie., a suger daddy and a young bride or vice versa. To me its a man made church rule, same as peopel not eating meat on a Friday, or nothing to eat before Holy Communion, or silly rules tha takes the Bishop's fancy.
Joe Zammit
May 24th 2010, 12:28
Yes, our bishops know exactly what they are saying. They are just echoing Christ words to receive Holy Eucharist worthily, i.e., not in mortal sin. Cohabitants are living in grave sin because they are using sex outside marriage.
If they love God, they should marry each other and heal their sinful friendship through a valid marriage.
Andrea Axisa
May 25th 2010, 17:29
You have said "grave sins" for at least 20 times in two articles.
Are u some sort of prophet who knows exactly what is wrong and what is right??
I don't believe in Holy Communion, it's just a symbol.
For those who believe in the Holy Communion, who are you or some bishop who think that they are preaching Jesus's words to deny them that right?
Why didn't they mention you in the bible?They should have named you "Farizej and co".
People like you should do a sort of therapy to teach you that you have to listen,analyse and then form your opinion and not just repeat and repeat with the same argument that the church is always right and so on. If you have a mind you should know that the church is just human and has always and will continue to do scandals and mistakes.
Do you remember the Jahova stickers?
I think that should ring you a bell. That is if you even know how to think. Or are you just a parrot who helps the church continue to influence our opinions and keep the people ignorant?
Francis Collen Isherwood
May 24th 2010, 07:47
And yet Supermodel Elle McPherson had her little boy Baptised in a Roman Catholic church in Rome with a very high profile??
Maybe the Maltese Bishops could comment on that??
M. Cilia
May 24th 2010, 00:10
Cannot understand. You are still invited in God's house with His infinite love to share supper with Him, But the Bishops are telling us, you can watch but you cannot eat. Do Bishops in Malta know what God really wants. How about one's conscience that may be in perfect harmony with God who loves unconditionally one and all. It is safer to leave man and God relate between themselves.
M. Cilia
May 23rd 2010, 23:31
Another matter that in a few years to come another 'public apology' be issued by our local Church.
Wilfred Camilleri
May 23rd 2010, 23:21
For those who seem happy co-habitating and doing as they please I can only say; "Go ahead, do as you please. Just don't complain that the Church is enforcing its doctrine." No one can force you to believe in God or His teachings. So why complain? You obviously know better than the Church which is guided by God!
Joe Zammit
May 23rd 2010, 21:16
We are barred from receiving Holy Communion whenever we are in the state of a mortal (grave) sin. Any mortal sin renders us unworthy to receive Jesus himself in the Eucharist. And if we dare to do it, we will be committing another mortal sin and Holy Communion would be for us our condemnation.
Cohabitation is a grave sin as well but while in other sins, one can repent and confess his sins and receive Holy Communion, in the case of cohabitation one cannot repent, nor confess if one intends to continue with his cohabitation. If he or she repents and decides either to get married if the other partner is still unmarried, or to separate, then, of course, the ex-cohabitant can repent, confess and receive Holy Communion.
That's why our bishops spoke of the possibility of conversion!
Bertrand Russell
May 23rd 2010, 20:18
I dunno but the church does not seem very credible lately. Ultimately they can bar no one since there is no filtering of who receives the communion.
Stephen Parnis
May 23rd 2010, 19:28
Why stop with co-cohabiting couples ? What about couples who have sex before before marriage, outside marriage or who use contraception. How about anyone who has evaded income tax or has failed to issue a fiscal receipt. Lets ban the lot from Holy Communion whilst we're at it
Should be interesting to see how many of us are left are left next Sunday...
G Caruana
May 24th 2010, 01:02
Perhaps Pharmacists can send a list of people who buy contraceptives to the Parish Priest and this list can be read out at mass every Sunday !
Therese Diffey
May 22nd 2011, 13:39
your comment made me laugh out loud!
Joe Zammit
May 23rd 2010, 19:26
Every sin against the Sixth or Ninth Commandment, whether internal or external, is a grave sin that separates the offender from God and puts him or her on the path to hell.
This sin can be given different names: fornication, adultery, homosexuality, cohabitation, masturbation, onanism, etc. So every sexual act outside marriage is always a grave sin.
Sexual acts have been intended by God only for a validly married couple and each sexual act has to be open to life
Joseph Micallef
May 23rd 2010, 21:58
The Law of Moses could not impart life (2 Cor. 3: 7-18). The law was only a "schoolmaster to bring us (Jew, dm) unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith" (Gal. 3: 24). "But after that faith is come," Paul continued, "we are no longer under a schoolmaster" (vs. 25). Paul warned regarding any who would attempt justification by the Law of Moses. Hear him: "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace" (Gal. 5: 4). One cannot be saved by a system of meritorious works that seek to earn salvation and by grace at the same time (Rom. 11: 6). John said, "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (Jn. 1: 17).
I HOPE YOU GET THE MESSAGE THAT LOVE PREVAILS OVER THE LAW-THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW IS WHAT MATTERS!
Kevin Farrugia
May 23rd 2010, 17:10
The church just keeps pushing poeple away. It does not make sense. The teachings of the church are not in line with the day and age we live in. I am not saying that teaching from 2000 years ago does not apply now. However, issues like this and contraception and other bechaviour by the church will keep pushing poeple away and surely it will not attract younger poeple.
Christopher Xuereb
May 23rd 2010, 16:53
Really MBorg? I cohabit and very happily live in perpetual sin. The so called 'loving' god you speak of is a strange being. He only loves you provided you do as he commands..if you don't, the 'love' quickly vanishes and he seems then to have very little compunction about consigning you to eternal damnation.....is the profundity of your delusion that bottomless?
Mary Andrews
May 23rd 2010, 16:46
Fornication has been forbidden to the followers of Christ since the origins of Christianity. Premarital relations have become so commonplace in some segments of Western society that the Church's teaching on their sinfulness is a scandal to the defendants of contemporary morality. Be that as it may be, anyone who fornicates, puts their soul in grave danger of damnation. We have to repent of all serious sin and reform our lives. Read the bible to find the answer to this question, especially the writings of St. Paul in Corinthians. He addressed this issue which many in Corinth found hard to practice. Christians must practice chastity to their state of life. Chastity before marriage is the best preparation for fidelity in marriage. Selfless love that is cultivated and practiced between a man and a woman who plan to marry is the only love that can sustain them through life after they are married. We all must learn to reverence chastity. Living God's law in one's life, brings happiness here on earth and the reward of eternal happiness in heaven.
Christopher Xuereb
May 23rd 2010, 16:36
The church and its obsession with sex! The pope was right...the greatest enemy lies within. If, as the church contends, a cohabiting couple are living in a state of sin, might it not be more prudent to shut up and leave judgement to the compassionate and omniscient god they keep waffling on about? Will priests who know that couples are cohabiting refuse them communion? If so, does this mean that the church is arrogating unto itself the judgement of god? What a circus!
renald williams
May 23rd 2010, 16:15
even Mr Gandhi appreciated the New Testament, and advised his followers to at least read the first four books, the Gospels. may what Mr Gandhi hinted, that is was not Christ that failed, but the Christians, be not due to our not reading the Book of Jesus. peace and health...
Sander Depasquale
May 23rd 2010, 15:36
When 2 consenting adults in love have sex is not a sin, on the contrary it is a real sin if they do not!!! This is nature.
The only harm that can occur is only if one of the consenting adult gives the impression to the other that one is in love and one is not! And in so doing hurt the feelings of the other person.
Wilfred Camilleri
May 23rd 2010, 15:05
To quote the Doctrine of the Church: (Par. 2354) "Fornication is carnal union between an unmarried man and an unmarried woman . It is gravely contrary to the dignity of persons and human sexuality which is naturally ordered to the good of spouses and the generation and education of children." And fornication is a mortal sin. And further (Par. 2348) "At the moment of Baptism, the Christian is pledged to lead his affective life of chastity." If therefore one chooses to disregard the Doctrine of the Church, then one has no right to expect that he/she can participate in the Sacraments of the Church. You either believe or you don't. The laws of the Church are not optional laws where one can pick and choose which laws to obey and which to disobey.
Charles Micallef
May 23rd 2010, 15:02
@ M. Borg
So both sets are committing sins of various degrees.....I think I will elect to carry on living in sin as all this sort of hypocrisy is not for me ! Its more tempting and exciting!
Francis H Cavanaugh
May 23rd 2010, 14:53
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
None of us should receive the Sacrament of Eucharist in the state of mortal (serious) sin. If we do so knowingly, we thrust ourselves into far deeper mortal sin that can be removed by the Sacrament of Penance, "to confess my sins, do penance and amend my life. Amen
No amending, no forgiveness.
Please read the Catechism of the Catholic Church and learn your wonderful God given religion.
Does no one know and practice their faith?
S. Caruana
May 23rd 2010, 13:44
Fr George Dalli don't let anyone intimidate you. Sounds like you are the absolute minority representing the absolute majority.
What I admire in you is your strength, conviction and perseverence to teach and share in all truth what you know is just , head high against fear of persecution.
Unlike many priests and lays, you are not brainwashed and nor intend to brainwash and damage many and I mean 'many' whether married or not, with the wrong perception of sex, cohabitation, contraception etc etc... a never ending list of issues....
How right you were when you said.....'Jien nibza mill-kattoliku li mhux Kristjan'
Unfortunately the unchristian catholic is missing out on all that spells 'LOVE' and holding on to old laws (B.C.) with its 'do's' and 'dont's' overshadowing the beauty of life.
what a shame!
Adrian Cardona
May 23rd 2010, 13:36
Fair enough...it's their exclusive club after all, so they get to set the rules. If you don't agree with them just do like me and don't form part of it any more. What I do not accept however, is when this exclusive club decides to interfere and try to influence areas which are not in it's domain.
S. Caruana
May 23rd 2010, 13:08
Once again a church with its 'do's' and 'dont's'. I firmly believe that the sacrament of Holy Communion is the most personal and intimate moment between human and God and noone, no priest should have a right to interfere or even worse , hinder such a moment of Grace in anyone's life nomatter what his or her situation in life is.
Maybe the priest should serve God and administer the sacrament of Holy Communion whilst letting God be God.... and Father to His children. Only He knows what lives in the hearts of His children, their needs and their silent cries in such a moment.
I fully agree with Dun Gorg Dalli who does not play God but serves God and is a loving medium between God and His children.
To all those who can't see it......... pray for the gift of wisdom and understanding before pointing fingers. Let the military atitude belong to the military itself not imposed onto Christian hearts seeking Christ.
Peace and Love
David Scerri
May 23rd 2010, 12:33
what a load of c**p, its about time the church starts looking within itself and what some of its own are getting up to.
MBorg
May 23rd 2010, 12:02
@ Charles Micallef
I am no priest, however the church teaches us that we should have no sex outside marriage.
The differance between couples who cohabitate and others who have a sexual relationship without cohabitating is that while both couples are committing a sin, the ones that have a sexual relatioship and confess can stop the sexual relationship. This way their sin is forgiven and they can receive Holy Communion. On the other hand the situation with cohabitating couples is different . When they confess they cant repent and say that they will try not to commit the same sin again when they know that they will return to the same partner after confession.
Our God is a God of love and our sins will always be forgiven. We cannot break all the rules of the church as if they do not exist just because God loves us and will always forgive us. Couples who are living openly in sin should not think that they have the right to receive Holy Communion.
D.Galea
May 23rd 2010, 20:03
Make me happy come on, Quote me ONE Bible reference, until then I'll safely say that the Maltese curia is wrong about this matter.
anthony girard
May 23rd 2010, 11:58
I do not expect the Church to condone this; on the other hand, let it be a matter of a personal relationship with God based of the fact that He is perfect and loves us unconditionally.
Charles Micallef
May 23rd 2010, 11:29
But is it right to receive Holy Communion if the couple have a sexual relationship without cohabiting?
Will someone please put my mind at rest?
Stephen Damian
May 23rd 2010, 16:55
Sexual activity outside of marriage is grave matter, so if done with full knowledge of this and full consent, it is mortal sin. Mortal sin is deadly sin. I think people have largely forgotten that the Eucharist is not an "it" but a "Who." it is Jesus Himself, completely present under the APPEARANCE of bread and wine. If we are not in friendship with Him, why receive Him? And if one is not and does receive Him in Holy Communion, it is a horrible slap in the face to Jesus Himself, a sacrilege. Remember, the Church in matters of Faith and Morals cannot go wrong because the Church is guarded from error in these matters by the Holy Spirit. Do what the Church says. If we fall, confess, over and over if we must, giving up sin--it's much better to lose our life, so to speak, here on earth, which is so short, than to lose eternity in Heaven. Is Hell worth a few moments of illicit pleasure? Things will look very different to many people at death. Be good, Charles, be holy, and you will be happy.
Stephen Damian
May 23rd 2010, 16:57
And MBorg is absolutely right.
S Apap
May 23rd 2010, 21:09
Could someone please tell me which one is the biggest sin? Living with your mate so you can take care of your son, or leaving your family alone so you can receive comunion? As the church states, deciding if one is worthy of receiving comunion or not lies not in the priest's or any one elses' hands, but in the hands of the person itself. That is why confession does not come from the side of the church, but from the side of the so called sinner. As christ said, you can not judge anyone but yourself, (Matthew7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?) thus the church is prohibited from stopping people of receiving communion, it can only pass a friendly suggestion.