Juridical Aspects Regarding the Sharing of the Eucharist in Interchurch Mariages
Juridical Aspects Regarding the Sharing of the Eucharist in Interchurch Mariages

Summary/Abstract: The reception of the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, is a crucial statement of faith and of adherence to a specific Church. Most Christian Churches have regulations regarding the reception of the Eucharist. Today, interchurch couples, although they may share Catholic faith in the Eucharist, are restricted from fully participating in Eucharistic worship together on a regular basis. The current rise in interchurch marriages, along with the Church’s emphasis on strengthening marital and family unity, as well as the need to foster ecumenical unity, demands a rethinking of the rule regarding communicatio in sacris. Since Vatican II the family has been referred to as “domestic church.” This means that a married couple signifies and shares the unity of Christ and the Church. On the other hand baptism creates a true sacramental unity with Christ, the head of his Body, therefore has a major ecclesiological significance. Eucharistic communion is not just the sign of the unity of the Church, but it also fosters unity both for the individual and for the church as a whole. Current research demonstrates a strong positive correlation between the religious life and the marital stability of a family. While the law regulating the celebration of the Eucharist aims to strengthen the community of the Roman Catholic Church, it may also hinder the theological values of marital stability and ecumenical unity. Therefore I propose here is an amendment to the current Latin code. My specific concern will address canon 844, §4, regarding the reception of the sacraments by the members of Western Churches.

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