SHARING COMMUNION


    Many interchurch families experience a serious spiritual need to receive communion together so that they can strengthen the spiritual unity of their domestic church.  


    Many interchurch families experience a serious spiritual need to receive communion together so that they can strengthen the spiritual unity of their domestic church. They already share the sacraments of baptism and marriage, and, because of this, the Roman Catholic Church now recognises that some such families may possibly have a need for eucharistic sharing. Such sharing, however, remains exceptional and is permitted only under certain conditions and particular case.  


    To help couples understand the current church regulations in England and Wales, the National Board of Catholic Women (in consultation with other bodies listed at the foot of this page*) produced a leaflet in early 2021 entitled “Who can receive Communion with us”.  


    The text of the leaflet was based on a teaching document on the Eucharist in the life of the Church called “One Bread, One Body” [Title to be linked to document in Library] and was issued in the form of Questions and Answers with several quotations selected from relevant documents. It is reproduced below and copies of the NBCW leaflet can be downloaded at:


    Domestic Church 


    The Catholic Church considers that the Sacraments of Marriage and the Eucharist are closely linked and that a Christian family is a Domestic Church. This is particularly significant for interchurch families who already share the sacraments of Baptism and Marriage and who long to share the Eucharist together. 


    The close bond between married life and the Eucharist thus becomes all the more clear. For the food of the Eucharist offers the spouses the strength and incentive needed to live the marriage covenant each day as a ‘domestic church’. 


    - Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitia (2016)#318 


    * The NBCW leaflet was produced in consultation with the Association of Interchurch Families, the Department for Dialogue and Unity of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity in Rome




    • What do we mean by sharing in Communion?

      The Catholic Church’s teaching on sharing the Eucharist holds together two important principles.


      First, the Eucharist is a sign of unity, the unity of the faith that we share with those who are in communion with us.  

      Secondly, the Eucharist is a gift from God, the spiritual food that helps us to overcome sin and grow in the life of faith.  The first principle means that Catholics believe it is not generally appropriate that they share the Eucharist with those with whom they are not in full communion. 


      For Catholics, this is a painful reminder of our separation, but it also motivates us to continue working for Christian unity, until that day when we can all worship together, fully united.


    • When can the Eucharist be shared with other Christians?

      The second principle means, however, that it is sometimes desirable for the Eucharist to be shared in certain pastoral circumstances.  This could occur while a priest (or deacon) is accompanying an individual or a family in a pastoral context. In such circumstances, it might become apparent to the minister that someone who is a baptised Christian, but not a Catholic, has a strong pastoral need to receive the strength and support of the sacrament. 


    If a family member who is not a Catholic wants to come to Communion with you for a particular special reason, the first step is for them to approach the parish priest, explain their situation and make this request. 


    The priest will discern whether to pass the request on to the Bishop or whether general guidelines issued by the Bishop are applicable. 


    Important family occasions such as Baptisms, First Communions, Weddings, and Funerals can give a particular focus to a family member’s strong desire and need to receive the grace of the sacrament with their Catholic family.


    One Bread, One Body, the teaching document of the Bishops’ Conference referred to earlier, mentions particular situations when a close family member may feel an intense desire and need to receive Holy Communion, such as: 


    • The parent of a child being baptised during Mass or receiving First Holy Communion. 
    • The parent or wife of someone being ordained.
    • The close family of the deceased at a Funeral Mass. This does not exclude other


    In order to give Communion in such a situation the priest must first discern that the person is expressing a great desire and need to receive the sacrament. (For this reason permission is given to individuals, not whole categories of people). Secondly, he must be confident that the person shares the Catholic belief that Christ is truly present in the consecrated bread and wine. 



    “Several times in our lives we have received permission, for my wife to receive Communion with me.  These were joyous occasions when we could pray together, share peace together and receive Our Lord together.” 


    Comment made by an interchurch couple

    Pope St John Paul II notably said in a teaching document issued in 1995


    "It is a source of joy that Catholic ministers are able, in certain particular cases, to administer the sacraments of Eucharist, Penance and Anointing of the Sick to Christians who are not in full communion with the Catholic Church but who greatly desire to receive these sacraments, freely request them and manifest the faith which the Catholic Church professes with regard to these sacraments.” – [Ut Unum Sint (1995) #46]


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