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Church on collision course with Spanish State over Communion

Posted By Patrick Fitzgerald On In | Comments Disabled

A parish priest in Spain could face criminal charges for prohibiting a small-town mayor in a same-sex relationship from receiving the Eucharist, [1] according to the country’s equality minister.

The priest’s diocese denied the charges and said he acted in accord with the Church’s disciplinary norms which gives priests a right to refuse Communion to Catholics acting contrary to Catholic teaching. No Catholic is meant to present themselves for Communion if living in a way seriously at odds with Catholic teaching.

“[Denying communion] is contrary to the Spanish constitution” Minister of Equality Ana Redondo said during an interview, adding that the Church “cannot, even if there is no specific law, be exempted from the constitutional rules, the principle of equality and non-discrimination of Article 14.”

“You cannot discriminate against an LGTBI citizen and require him to choose either his faith or his sexual condition. This is clearly discriminatory and I hope there will be a [legal] challenge,” she added.

The minister’s remarks come after Rubén García, mayor of the Segovian town Torrecaballeros, said that his parish priest denied him the Eucharist because of his public same-sex relationship.