That Lesbian Communion Thing: My Two Cents

See an update: More on That Lesbian Communion Thing


Plenty has been said and written about the woman who was denied Holy Communion at her mother’s funeral because the priest had been told she was living in an active homosexual relationship. (For the comic relief of a great parody, see The Idiot’s Guide to Catholic News.)

Barbara Johnson

My vote, for the record: I applaud the priest for having the testicular fortitude to do what he thought was the right thing. I also think that Dr. Ed Peters and Fr. Z are likely correct in saying that what the priest did probably was not the right way to handle that particular situation.

And I vote that the Archdiocese of Washington’s letter of apology to the woman is scandalous. (See the letter below, courtesy of The Deacon’s Bench.)

Here’s why: These sentences from the letter signed by Most Reverent Barry Knestout made me scoff out loud.

It is understandable that you and your family would expect the funeral of your mother to be a time of fond remembrance of her life and comfort from the Church in the midst of family grief. I am sorry that what should have been a celebration of your mother’s life, in light of her faith in Jesus Christ, was overshadowed by a lack of pastoral sensitivity.

“Fond remembrance of her life” at the funeral Mass?! I guess I thought a funeral Mass was supposed to be a time of prayer for God’s mercy on the soul of the deceased, as well as a farewell to the deceased and an opportunity to strengthen the faith of the mourners. I guess I thought the homily at a funeral Mass was supposed to be…well, first of all, just that: a homily. Not a eulogy given by a family member, which specifically forbidden by GIRM paragraph 382. No: a homily given by the priest (or deacon) that consoles the faithful, but also exhorts them to be aware that our time on earth is short, eternity lasts a lot longer than that, and we’d better keep our souls in good shape so that we do have a chance to make it to Heaven.

Come to think of it, though, I don’t know why I think those things. I don’t believe I’ve ever been to a funeral Mass that actually followed those rules.

But that’s beside the point. I know what a funeral Mass is supposed to accomplish, because I have read what the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the General Instruction of the Roman Missal have to say about it.

And that phrase, “a celebration of your mother’s life”…at the funeral Mass?! Ummm…I just don’t believe that a funeral Mass is supposed to “celebrate” a person’s life. The Mass is our liturgical vehicle for worshipping God. It’s our highest form of prayer. We pray for the deceased at the funeral Mass, because we do not assume that the deceased was perfect and went directly to Heaven. We essentially acknowledge that there were things about the person’s life that we don’t celebrate, and we ask God’s mercy on the deceased.

As for the priest’s “lack of pastoral sensitivity”…hmph. Naturally, the Archdiocese isn’t talking about how this priest was at least watching out for the soul of the woman to whom he denied Holy Communion. What kinder thing could he do than prevent her from receiving the Body and Blood of Our Lord unworthily, thus bringing condemnation on herself?

I wonder if any pastoral priest, monsignor, or bishop from the Archdiocese of Washington has taken the time and made the effort to talk to the woman about the fact that she is living in sin, that she should not present herself for Holy Communion, that there is a hell, and that even if the priest erred, she should, in her own Christian charity, forgive him.

Just sayin’.