Munich, Germany, Apr 19, 2018 / 11:01 am
The German bishops' conference has denied reports that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has rejected its planned proposal to publish guidelines permitting non-Catholic spouses of Catholics to receive the Eucharist in some limited circumstances.
"Reports that the Vatican, whether the Holy Father or dicasteries, has rejected the handout are false," conference spokesman Matthias Kopp said April 19.
In February, Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising announced that the German bishops' conference would publish a pastoral handout for married couples that allows Protestant spouses of Catholics "in individual cases" and "under certain conditions" to receive Holy Communion, provided they "affirm the Catholic faith in the Eucharist".
The announcement concerned a draft version of the guidelines, which were adopted "after intensive debate" during a Feb. 19-22 general assembly of the German bishops' conference under the leadership of Cardinal Marx, who is the conference chairman.