Jeg nevnte så vidt i november i fjor et dokument som den amerikanske bispkjonferansen ga ut om hvordan man rett kan motta den hellige kommunion. Det som står der passer godt sammen med det jeg skrev om messen og kommunionen for noen uker siden.
Dokumentet fra USA heter:
«Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist. Hele dokumentet kan leses her, og innledningsvis skriver biskopene:
The celebration of the Mass is the center of the life of the Church. The heart of the Mass is the Eucharistic Prayer, for through this prayer Christ’s sacrifice is both recalled and made present and we give our thanks and praise to God. The consummation of the Mass, however, occurs in Holy Communion, where we eat and drink the Body and Blood of Christ.
At each Eucharistic liturgy, Jesus speaks his healing word to us and gives to us his life-giving Body and Blood – his very self. In so doing, Christ continually nourishes and forms his pilgrim Church as she journeys towards the Kingdom. …
As bishops and shepherds of the Catholic faithful in the United States of America, we
recognize our responsibility to nurture the faith of our Catholic brothers and sisters in this most wondrous mystery – Jesus’ Real Presence in Holy Communion.
In the following series of questions and answers, we wish to affirm clearly what the Church believes and teaches concerning the Eucharist and the reception of Holy Communion. We also wish to provide a clear affirmation as to who may receive Holy Communion within a Catholic Eucharistic celebration. Finally, we want to recommend some practices that every Catholic can use for preparing to receive Holy Communion in a more worthy fashion.
Så går biskopene videre og forklarer hva vi tror om nattverden, hvordan man best skal forberede seg, og hvem som kan motta nattverden i Den katolske kirke. Her har jeg tatt med spørsmålene som drøftes:
1. WHAT DO WE BELIEVE ABOUT HOLY COMMUNION?
2. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BEING UNITED TO CHRIST IN HOLY COMMUNION?
3. WHO MAY RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION?
4. SHOULD WE EVER REFRAIN FROM RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION?
5. HOW CAN WE PREPARE TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION MORE WORTHILY?
CONCLUSION
APPENDIX A
MAY THOSE WHO ARE NOT CATHOLIC RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH?
APPENDIX B
MAY CATHOLICS RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION IN OTHER CHRISTIAN CHURCHES AND ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES?