Planks and specks (Erin)

I missed this story from yesterday: Sally Quinn, co-editor of the religion blog "On Faith," wrote on that blog about her decision to receive Holy Communion at Tim Russert's funeral Mass--even though Sally is not a Catholic, and does not share the Church's beliefs about Communion.

The Catholic League is, um, displeased.

Father James Martin of America calls for a balanced view (HT: DMN Religion blog):

Catholics believe in the "real presence," the actual presence of Christ in the elements of the Eucharist: the bread and the wine. It is a central element of our faith, and reception of Communion is something that a Catholic does not do lightly. Which is something of an understatement. "First Holy Communion" is an important passage to adulthood; and even afterwards adults are asked to approach Communion reverently and without being conscious of any grave sin. Catholics also know that the very word "Communion" means that you are in "communion" with the rest of the Catholic church, and accept its beliefs.

Therefore, it is probably not too much to expect that the co-founder of a prestigious online blog about religion run by two of the nation's premier journals, would understand something about the most basic practices of the Catholic church. Most intelligent people know a few facts about the Catholic church: this is one of them. And even if one doesn't know this, one would know to act with great care when in the midst of a worshiping community not your own. (For example, I am always exceedingly careful not to offend anyone's sensibilities when in a synagogue, a mosque or a Christian church or meeting place not affiliated with the Catholic church.) An essential element of respect for another religious tradition is approaching their holy places, people and ceremonies with sense of reverence, even awe.

That's why the words "transubstantiation notwithstanding" are difficult to hear. If one knows enough about Catholicism to mention "transubstantiation" then one should also know that the word "notwithstanding" makes little sense in that context.

At the same time, the Catholic League need not attack Ms. Quinn ad hominem. Ms. Quinn, whatever her personal beliefs, seems to have approached the altar rail out of love for her Catholic friend, not hatred for the Catholic church. The League also has no idea whether Ms. Quinn's life is "all about experiences and feelings." What is essentially a discussion about ecumenical concerns (i.e. Who can receive Communion?) is not advanced by ad hominem arguments.

I think Father Martin is right, for the most part. After all, Quinn may have been told by well-meaning Catholics, possibly even including a priest, that it would be fine for her to receive Communion. After the catechetical nightmare of the last forty years, I wouldn't be surprised if a survey on the subject found that many Catholics don't understand the Church's position on this matter, and think we're just being meanies not to let everybody who wants to join us in the reception of Holy Communion.

But the Eucharist is a big deal for Catholics--and presumably someone who writes about religion for a living would have at least the smallest ink of an inkling of the idea. Most of us take care to be sensitive to important beliefs or holy objects of other traditions; for Catholics who believe that the Eucharist really is the Presence of Christ, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, the reception of Holy Communion ought never to be undertaken lightly, and not at all, ordinarily, by people who are not part of our faith.

Still, as Father Martin says, it is not becoming to attribute to narcissism what may be easily explained by ignorance--no matter how baffling that ignorance is in this case. Moreover, if we Catholics wish to teach others how serious a matter we consider the reception of Holy Communion to be, it behooves us to examine the plank of unworthy or careless reception that protrudes alarmingly from our own eyes before we fixate on the specks of possibly unintentional ignorance in the eyes of those who are not necessarily as aware of the ramifications of the matter as we are--or should be.