Communion with Non-Catholic Christians - by Jeffrey Vanderwilt (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Is it ever appropriate for non-Catholic Christians to receive Holy Communion at a Catholic Mass? What should a pastor do to preserve the holiness and the purpose of Communion? What happens when a non-Catholic receives Holy Communion? How should a Catholic pastor respond to non-Catholics who wish to have communion without conveying harshness, scrupulosity, legalism, or rudeness? Intended to help Christians recognize the present provisional norms and to see new possibilities in eucharistic sharing, Communion with Non-Catholic Christians examines the risks, challenges, and opportunities involved in the admission of communion to non-Catholic Christians.

Communion with Non-Catholic Christians begins by defining eucharistic sharing. It assists Catholics and non-Catholics in understanding the present discipline of eucharistic sharing or receiving Holy Communion outside of one's own church. Secondly, it looks at what caution should be taken in eucharistic sharing, the values at stake, and the reasons for more open eucharistic sharing for Christian unity. Finally, it looks at the opportunities in eucharistic sharing and the possibility of full communion. By focusing on liturgical law and pastoral practices, this book moves the discussion of the admission of communion forward to new possibilities for growth in communion.

Chapters are: "What is Eucharistic Sharing?" ?Risks, or Some Reasons for Caution in Eucharistic Sharing, ? ?Challenges, or Some Reasons for a More Open Eucharistic Sharing, ? and ?Opportunities, or Sharing the Eucharist in Hope for Full Communion.?

Review Quotes

All Christians who thirst for unity and for honesty should welcome this book. It should be widely read and discussed. With an utterly clear, fair, and refreshing voice?and yet with detailed attention to Catholic theology, magisterial pronouncements, and canon law? VanderWilt weighs the genuine (rather than the false) risks of eucharistic sharing, calls his own Roman Catholic Church to a more open practice at the Holy Table, and illumines the ecumenical significance of the eucharist for us all.Gordon W. Lathrop, Charles A. Schieren Professor of Liturgy, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia

He examines ?eucharistic sharing' from many angles. He looks at the risks to eucharistic doctrine, church unity, apostolic succession, and the indiscriminate reception of communion. He suggests reasons for more open sharing: pastoral needs, signifying unity, discerning the body of Christ in one another, hospitality, and avoiding further hurts and injuries.Theology Digest

The book will be of great interest to those who teach the Church's law and the theology of sacraments, as well as to those involved in ecumenical endeavors and those who minister to interchurch families. The style and content are clearly accessible not only to professionals but also to anyone interested in the topic and willing to engage the various issues at stake. Indeed, there are concrete examples and a teaching method which is engaging, pastorally sensitive, and invites further reflection and investigation.Studia Canonica