Sacraments in Extreme Situations
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ormally, questions pertaining to celebrating sacraments in extreme circumstances are not much of a hot topic for canon lawyers, at least in the United States. But as we all know, life during the COVID-19 pandemic may be the very definition of extreme or extraordinary circumstances. For the sake of fostering the proper reverence and appreciation for the sacraments, the Church generally requires that sacraments be celebrated in particular ways. However, since the bare-bones requirements for a sacrament to be valid (that is, for a sacrament to “work” in a fundamental way) are often relatively minimal, sometimes in exceptional circumstances some of the rules for celebrating a sacrament can be relaxed. Let’s look at some examples of this: Reconciliation
Questions about whether sacramental confessions may be heard from a distance via the use of technology have been asked since the invention of the telegraph. Yet the consistent teaching of the Church has been that the sacrament of reconciliation requires what we call the “moral presence” of the priest-confessor and penitent together. That is, the priest and penitent must be able to see and hear each other while being, broadly speaking, in the same place. Still, even the requirement of moral presence allows for a great deal of flexibility. Canon 964 §1 tells us that: “the proper place to hear sacramental confessions is a church or oratory,” with §3 of the same canon stating that: “confessions are not to be heard outside a confessional without a just cause.” But the flip side of canon 964 §3 is that in situations where there is a “just cause,” or reasonable motive, confessions can be heard outside of a confessional.
Nobody would doubt that preventing the spread of COVID-19 is a “just cause,” which is why in our present circumstances the sacrament of reconciliation may validly and licitly take place in a number of creative ways. In some places in the United States, priests have arranged for “drive through” confessions celebrated outdoors, with penitents remaining safely in their cars at an appropriate distance from the priest. Perhaps less colorfully, it is also possible to celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation in an indoor space which is larger and better-ventilated than the average confessional, such as the main worship space of a Church building or a spacious sacristy, where the penitent and confessor can remain at least the CDC recommended six feet apart—i.e., far enough away to prevent contagion, but still within reasonable speaking distance.
Jenna Cooper
Tribunal Coordinator & Judge jcooper@dowr.org
Under normal circumstances a priest would use his own hand to anoint, but for “a grave reason” canon 1000 §2 allows for the priest to use an instrument— such as a cotton swab, which could be properly and reverently disposed of later—to carry out the actual anointing. Weddings
Anointing of the Sick
While weddings are typically community affairs with large numbers of family and friends in The sacrament of anointing of the sick Do y attendance, a large crowd is not necesou h must likewise be carried out by the a qu sary for a Catholic wedding, even in a cano estion ve priest in person. Although anointnormal times. In order to marry ing involves physical contact, and woul n law th about “according to canonical form,” or at yo therefore is never entirely riskansw d like to u what we colloquial call “marrys free, canon law does allow for ing within the Church,” the only Ema ered her ee e? il some modifications to the ritpeople who must be present jcoo ual which can reduce the risk per@ are: the priest or deacon, two d with of contagion in exceptional cirwitnesses, and the bride and "Cou owr.org rier cumstances like ours. groom (canon 1108). So on a ques tion" Normally, a member of the fundamental level, it is possible i s u bject n the faithful is anointed three times, to have a Catholic wedding while line. on the forehead and on both still observing the public health hands. However, canon 1000 tells guidelines of restricting gatherings us that “in a case of necesto under ten people. And of course, sity” it is sufficient to have nothing in canon law prevents the couple “a single anointing on the from having a big party celebrating their forehead or even on some other marriage at a later date, after the danger from the part of the body.” So, theoretically, coronavirus has passed! in the case of a patient suffering from a highly contagious respiraBaptism tory illness, if it was deemed truly necessary a priest could anoint Baptisms, like weddings, can easily be carried out the patient only once and on (for within a very small group of less than ten people. example) his or her foot, and the But it’s also good to remember that in the case of an sacrament would still be effective. emergency, anyone—including laypeople, and even non-Christians—can baptize validly and licitly. All that is necessary to confer the sacrament of baptism is the correct intention on the part of the baptizer (namely, the intention to baptize the person into the Catholic Church); using the correct matter of water; and using the correct formula of baptizing in “the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit” (canon 861 §2). An Important Point
May 2020 w The Courier w dowr.org
The coronavirus has impacted local communities in different ways, with some towns, cities, states, and regions of the country being much harder hit than others. So although the above-mentioned ways of administering the sacraments are possible when looking at things from a general perspective, the local circumstances “on the ground” in any given parish may affect the particulars of what is actually safe and logistically feasible. If you have questions about the possibility of receiving a sacrament during these challenging times, the best thing to do is talk directly to the pastor of your parish. But it’s important to keep in mind that our priests and bishops are doing the best they can as they navigate difficult pastoral decisions in response to a crisis situation that none of us would have imagined even just a few months ago. So in these times it’s especially crucial for all of us to strive to practice the Christian virtues of charity and patience, while continuing to support each other through prayer.
