Are the sacraments only for Catholics?
26th April 2009 - 3rd Sunday of Easter

Our parish priest says, “You don’t have to be Catholic to receive the sacraments of first Communion and first penance. You need only be baptized. “Is what he says Church teaching or his own theology? - Judy

Dear Judy,

It sounds to me as if your priest is trying to be responsive to pastoral needs in his parish. but his interpretation does not fully reflect Catholic teaching. Several criteria exist for non-Catholics to receive the sacraments of Communion, penance, and anointing in the Catholic Church: They must request the sacraments on their own, agree with a Catholic belief regarding these sacraments, and be in serious need without access to their own ministers (see Canon Law 844; Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1401; and the United Stales Conference of Catholic Bishops Guidelines for the Reception of Communion).

These criteria point more to extraordinary circumstances than to regular practice. Your question, however, doesn’t mention a situation of serious need.

I think your priest misunderstands the Church’s theology about sacramental sharing. Most Protestant traditions allow sacramental sharing if one is baptized and believes in Christ, but the Catholic Church does not allow sacramental sharing except in the circumstances out lined above.

John Schmidi, C.Ss.R.