Can a priest withhold communion from a Catholic?

Denying a Catholic communion should never be done without due prayer and discernment.

The default position is that Catholics should not be denied communion except for a serious reason. The Code of Canon Law states, “Sacred ministers cannot deny the sacraments to those who seek them at appropriate times, are properly disposed, and are not prohibited by law from receiving them.” However, it also says that those “who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.”

The difficulties come from deciding who obstinately persists in manifesting grave sin and how this should be addressed. There are currently two circumstances that are particularly controversial: communion for divorced and remarried couples who have not had an annulment and communion for Catholic politicians who either accept or promote legal abortion. The preferred approach is for a priest to communicate with people privately and persuade them not to present themselves for communion until the situation is corrected.

Withholding communion from someone is not a statement on the status of that person’s soul, but rather it is a reaction to publicly available information that shows the person is not in “communion” with the church and its teachings. On these occasions, the reception of communion can cause others to doubt or misunderstand church teaching.

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