Divorced and Remarried Couples Must Abstain from Sex to Receive Communion: Bishop

Utrecht: Divorced and civilly remarried couples in a second union can receive Communion in a Catholic church “only if they don’t have sex,” Dutch Cardinal Willem Jacobus Eijk, Archbishop of Utrecht, reiterated Tuesday. This statement confirms a conservative principle that late Pope Francis had attempted to ease.

According to Ansa News Agency, Francis had sought to mitigate or overcome this firm traditionalist principle in his exhortation Amoris Laetitia, opening the door to “case-by-case” discernment regarding the possibility of offering the Host to divorced and remarried couples as well. Cardinal Eijk addressed this issue during a presentation of his book The Bond of Love at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum.

“In issue 84 of John Paul II’s Familiaris Consortio, it is said that in that case one should live without sexual acts,” Eijk explained. He argued that civil marriage is not considered a valid bond if the first marriage is still valid. This, he said, is the reason why divorced and remarried couples face challenges in receiving the sacraments.

Eijk, known for his conservative stance on sexual morality, emphasized that “Christ gives himself totally to us in the sacrament of the Eucharist, and on our part there must also be a total donation to him. And if this is missing in marriage, one cannot receive communion.” He further noted that while these individuals are welcome in the Church, they cannot receive communion.

The Archbishop outlined a practice in the Netherlands where such individuals can participate in the liturgy and receive a blessing during the Eucharistic celebration by approaching the priest with their arms crossed over their chest. He noted that this practice helps alleviate feelings of exclusion and provides a sense of inclusion during the celebration.

“We have always blessed sinners in church as well. This would be my solution,” concluded the Archbishop of Utrecht.