Vatican Cardinal Says Protestant Spouses of Catholics Can Receive at Mass Anytime They Attend

Catholic Culture: Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio has said that the German bishops’ policy, allowing for Protestant spouses of Catholics to receive Communion on a regular basis, is consistent with the laws of the Church.

Cardinal Coccopalmerio— who recently retired from his post as president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, the Vatican body charged with interpretation of canon law— told Vatican Insider that the law currently allows for Protestants to receive Communion under exceptional circumstances. However, he went on to say that when a Protestant attends Mass together with a Catholic spouse, “We can honestly answer that it is an exceptional case.”

When pressed by Vatican Insider to say whether a Protestant could receive Communion routinely when attending Mass with a Catholic spouse, the cardinal answered in the affirmative. Report is here.