Source: http://www.clsadb.com/document/1b29a14d-293b-49e5-a6e9-709e9198d30a
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 22:26:42+00:00

Document:
USCCB, Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities, 15 June 2017.
Catholics with disabilities, as well as those who minister to or with them, often point out that pastoral practice with regard to the celebration of the sacraments varies greatly from diocese to diocese, even from parish to parish. Inconsistencies arise in such areas as the provision of sign language interpreters and captioning for persons who are deaf, in the accessibility of church facilities for persons with mobility needs, and in the availability of catechetical programs for persons with intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities. Pastoral inconsistencies may occur in other areas as well.
The inconsistencies in pastoral practice often arise from distinct yet overlapping causes. Some result from a misunderstanding about the nature of disabilities. Others arise from an uncertainty about the appropriate application of church law toward persons with disabilities. Others are born out of fear, misunderstanding, or unfamiliarity. Still others seem to be the result of the real or perceived limitations of a parish’s or diocese’s available resources.
These guidelines were developed to address many of the concerns raised by persons with disabilities and their families and advocates, and also clergy and other pastoral ministers, for greater consistency in pastoral practice in the celebration of the sacraments throughout the country. With this objective in view, and with the desire to meet the spiritual, sacramental, and pastoral needs of persons with disabilities, the guidelines draw upon the Church’s ritual books, its canonical tradition, and its experience in ministering to or with persons with disabilities in order to dispel misunderstandings that may impede sound pastoral practice in the celebration of the sacraments. It is our hope that the guidelines will enhance diocesan policies already in existence.
While they do not address every conceivable situation that may arise in pastoral practice, the guidelines present a set of general principles to provide access to the sacraments for persons with disabilities. Diocesan staff, pastoral leaders, catechists, parishioners, health care workers, and all those who minister to or with Catholics with disabilities are invited and encouraged to reflect upon and utilize these guidelines in their continuing effort to bring Christ’s healing message and call to justice to the world.
1. All human beings are equal in dignity in the sight of God. Moreover, by reason of their Baptism, all Catholics also share the same divine calling.
4. Since the parish is the center of the Christian experience for most Catholics, pastors and other parish ministers should make every effort to provide for all Catholics with disabilities who reside within a parish’s boundaries. Special effort should be made to reach out to and welcome all parishioners, including persons with disabilities who live independently, with their families, in institutions, or in other living arrangements. Pastoral visitation, the parish census, and the diverse forms of parish and diocesan social communication are just a few of the many ways in which the pastoral staff can work toward the inclusion of all parishioners in the parish’s sacramental life.
5. Pastors are responsible to provide evangelization, catechetical formation, and sacramental preparation for parishioners with disabilities,6 and dioceses are encouraged to establish appropriate support services to assist pastors in this duty. Persons with disabilities, their advocates and their families, as well as those knowledgeable in serving those with disabilities can make a most valuable contribution to these efforts. Parish catechetical and sacramental preparation programs may need to be adapted for some parishioners with disabilities, though, as much as possible, persons with disabilities should be integrated into the ordinary programs. They should not be segregated for specialized catechesis unless their disabilities make it impossible for them to participate in the basic catechetical program.7 Even in those cases, participation in parish life is encouraged in all ways possible.
7. The creation of a fully accessible parish reaches beyond mere physical accommodation to encompass the attitudes of all parishioners toward persons with disabilities. All members of the faith community have a role to play in the invitation, welcome, and inclusion of people with disabilities. Pastoral ministers are encouraged to foster attitudes and a parish culture, and to develop informational materials, aimed at forming a community of believers known for its joyful inclusion of all of God’s people around the table of the Lord.
8. Difficult situations may be encountered by those making pastoral decisions. Dioceses are encouraged to establish appropriate policies for handling such instances, which respect the rights of all involved, and which ensure the necessary provision of evaluation and recourse.
Parents who receive a prenatal diagnosis of a life-threatening condition should receive the support they need to assure that their child will be baptized “without delay.”15 Indeed, priests, deacons, and other pastoral ministers should provide spiritual and emotional support to families who have received any difficult prenatal diagnosis and offer on-going support before and after the birth of a child, with special concern in the event of the death of a child.
18. All baptized Catholics who possess the use of reason may receive the Sacrament of Confirmation if they are “suitably instructed, properly disposed and able to renew the baptismal promises.”26 Persons who because of intellectual or developmental disabilities may never attain the use of reason can receive the Sacrament of Confirmation and should be encouraged either directly or, if necessary, through their parents, to receive it. It is important that they receive the pastoral guidance needed, along with the welcome and embrace of the whole community of faith. To the degree possible, those with disabilities should be included along with others during the preparation and celebration of the sacrament. At times, pastoral need may necessitate an accommodated setting and a simpler manner.
21. The Eucharist is the most august sacrament, in which Christ the Lord himself is contained, offered, and received, and by which the Church constantly lives and grows. It is the summit and the source of all Christian worship and life, signifying and effecting the unity of the People of God, providing spiritual nourishment for the recipient, and achieving the building up of the Body of Christ.30 The celebration of the Eucharist is the center of the entire Christian life.
22. Parents or guardians, together with pastors, are to see to it that children who have reached the use of reason are correctly prepared and are nourished by the Eucharist as early as possible. Pastors are to be vigilant lest any children come to the Holy Banquet who have not reached the use of reason or whom they judge are not sufficiently disposed.31 It is important to note, however, that the criterion for reception of Holy Communion is the same for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities as for all persons, namely, that the person be able to “distinguish the body of Christ from ordinary food,” even if this recognition is evidenced through manner, gesture, or reverential silence rather than verbally.32 Pastors are encouraged to consult with parents, those who take the place of parents, diocesan personnel involved with disability issues, psychologists, religious educators, and other experts in making their judgment. If it is determined that a parishioner who is disabled is not ready to receive the sacrament, great care is to be taken in explaining the reasons for this decision. Cases of doubt should be resolved in favor of the right of the Catholic to receive the sacrament. The existence of a disability is not considered in and of itself as disqualifying a person from receiving Holy Communion.
23. Given the paramount significance of the Eucharist in the lives of the faithful, and in light of medical and technological advancements that affect Catholics with disabilities, new questions have arisen regarding the reception of Holy Communion, and circumstances that were once rare have even become relatively common. Clergy and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are encouraged to become familiar with the needs of their parishioners. In many instances, simple accommodations can be very helpful, and should be embraced by all at the parish level.
24. Catholics who require nourishment through feeding tubes are encouraged to receive Holy Communion, as are all the Catholic faithful. Christ is sacramentally present under each of the species, and Holy Communion can be received under the species of bread or wine alone.33 Since the full presence of Christ and his sanctifying grace are found in even the smallest piece of the consecrated host or in a mere drop of the consecrated wine, the norm of receiving through the mouth remains the same for those who otherwise use a feeding tube for sustenance, and Holy Communion is not to be administered through a feeding tube. For these communicants it will commonly be possible to place one or a few drops of the Precious Blood on the tongue. Clergy and pastoral ministers are encouraged to use these guidelines and consult with physicians, family members, and other experts on a case-by-case basis, to determine how those who use feeding tubes may avail themselves of the abundant fruits of Holy Communion. Specialized instruction for extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion is to be provided as required.
25. Catholics with Celiac Sprue Disease or other conditions that make them gluten intolerant should be given the opportunity to receive a small fragment of a regular host, and made aware of the options to receive a low-gluten host or to receive under the form of wine alone. In the event of intolerance to gluten and wine, mustum may also be an option, with the approval of the local ordinary.34 Clergy and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion need to be aware of the possibility of cross-contamination and related issues in order to plan for the safe administration of the sacred species to Catholics with gluten intolerance. For example, the chalice given to a person with gluten intolerance should not contain a particle of the host, and low-gluten altar breads should never be intermingled with regular altar breads. As people may feel self-conscious at the prospect of needing special arrangements for the reception of Holy Communion, pastoral sensitivity in this area is particularly important.
26. When baptized Catholics who have been regular communicants develop advanced Alzheimer’s or other age-related dementias, there is to be a presumption in favor of the individual’s ability to distinguish between Holy Communion and regular food. Holy Communion should continue to be offered as long as possible, and ministers are called to carry out their ministry with a special patience. If swallowing becomes particularly difficult, decisions regarding the continued reception of Holy Communion may have to be faced. This pastoral decision is to be made on a case-by-case basis, in consultation with the individual, those closest to him or her, physicians, and the pastor.
28. Only those who have the use of reason are capable of committing mortal sin. Nevertheless, even young children and persons with intellectual disabilities often are conscious of committing acts that are sinful to some degree and may experience a sense of guilt and sorrow. As long as the individual is capable of having a sense of contrition for having committed sin, even if he or she cannot describe the sin precisely in words, the person may receive sacramental absolution. Those with profound intellectual disabilities, who cannot experience even minimal contrition, may be invited to participate in penitential services with the rest of the community to the extent of their ability.
29. In the case of individuals who are nonverbal or have minimal verbal communication ability, sorrow for sin is to be accepted even if this repentance is expressed through some gesture rather than verbally. Many Catholics experience significant communication difficulties related to autism spectrum disorder, traumatic brain injury, post-stroke complications, and other conditions. Catholics with significant communication disorders may be permitted to make their confessions using the communication system with which they are most fluent. Individuals preparing for the sacrament are to be taught to be as independent as possible in the use of their communication system to allow for the norm of private reception of the sacrament.
30. Catholics who are deaf should have the opportunity to confess to a priest able to communicate with them in sign language, if sign language is their primary means of communication. They may also confess through an approved sign language interpreter of their choice.37 The interpreter has the obligation to observe secrecy.38 When neither a priest with signing skills nor a sign language interpreter is available, Catholics who are deaf should be permitted to make their confession in writing or through the use of an appropriate portable electronic communication device that can be passed back and forth between the penitent and confessor. The written or digital materials are to be returned to the penitent and properly destroyed or deleted.
37. The existence of a physical disability is not considered in and of itself as disqualifying a person from Holy Orders. However, candidates for ordination must possess the necessary spiritual, physical, human, moral, intellectual, emotional, and psychological qualities and abilities to fulfill the ministerial functions of the order they receive.47 The proper bishop or competent major superior makes the judgment that candidates are suited for ordained ministry in the Church.48 Cases are to be decided on an individual basis and in light of pastoral judgment and the opinions of diocesan personnel and other experts involved with disability issues.
38. Diocesan vocations offices and offices for ministry with persons with disabilities should provide counseling, informational resources, and reasonable accommodations for men with disabilities who are discerning a vocation to serve the Church through one of the ordained ministries.
39. In preparation for responsible leadership in ordained ministry, the diocesan bishop or major superior is to see to it that the formation of all students in the seminary includes awareness of and experience with persons with disabilities. Formation personnel should consult with persons with disabilities, parents, psychologists, religious educators, and other experts in the adaptation of programs for ministerial formation related to disabilities. Indeed, these Guidelines might even be part of the course of studies in seminaries and in ongoing formation of the clergy.
40. Some men with disabilities already serve the Church as bishops, priests, or deacons. Clergy who have or acquire a disability are to have access to resources and accommodations that will aid them in continuing in their ministry.
43. Pastors of souls should make the necessary provisions to ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities in marriage preparation programs. Through this preparation all couples may become predisposed toward holiness and to the duties of their new state. In developing diocesan policies, the local ordinary should consult with men and women of proven experience and skill in understanding the emotional, physical, spiritual, and psychological needs of persons with intellectual disabilities.51 Including persons with disabilities in sponsor couple programs is an especially effective way of supporting both the needs and the gifts of couples preparing for marriage.
44. Couples with intellectual or developmental disabilities who believe they are called to the vocation of married life are encouraged to seek counsel by discussing the Sacrament of Matrimony with their families and pastors. For matrimonial consent to be valid, it is necessary that the contracting parties possess a sufficient use of reason; that they be free of any grave lack of discretion affecting their judgment about the rights and duties to which they are committing themselves; and that they have the mental capacity to assume the essential obligations of the married state.52 It is also necessary that the parties understand that marriage is a permanent union and is ordered to the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of children.53 Pastors and other clergy are to decide cases on an individual basis and in light of pastoral judgment based upon consultation with diocesan personnel involved with disability issues, and canonical, medical, and other experts.
45. Catholics who are deaf are to be offered the opportunity to express their matrimonial consent in sign language, if sign language is their primary means of communication.55 Marriage may also be contracted with the assistance of a sign language interpreter whose trustworthiness has been certified by the pastor.56 Likewise, those who are nonverbal or have minimal verbal communication ability should be offered the opportunity to express their matrimonial consent using the communication system with which they are most fluent.
As people live longer, more will experience loss of mental and physical capabilities, including Alzheimer’s and other age-related dementias. The faith community must minister both to the spouse whose body or mind begins to fail and also to the spouse who becomes the caregiver. The witness to their matrimonial commitment “in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health”58 should be recognized and honored by the whole faith community. Adult children who care for their parents also deserve the community’s support and encouragement.
1 Pastoral Statement of US Catholic Bishops on Persons with Disabilities (November 1978, revised 1989), 23.
2 The Guidelines were developed specifically for the Latin Church. They may be of assistance, however, to all Churches sui iuris in the United States, following the necessary adaptation to reflect the particular traditions, pastoral life, and requirements of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.
3 See Codex Iuris Canonici ( CIC), c. 835, §4.
4 CIC, c. 843, §1.
5 See Pope Benedict XVI, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum caritatis (February 22, 2007), 58.
6 See CIC, c. 777, 4º.
7 See National Directory for Catechesis (NDC) (Washington, DC: USCCB, 2005), 49.
10 See Christian Initiation, General Introduction, 1-2; see CIC, c. 849.
11 See CIC, cc. 856 and 857.
12 See Rite of Baptism for Children, 4 and 10.
13 See CIC, c. 868, §1, 2º.
14 See CIC, cc. 868, §1, 1º and 852.
15 CIC, c. 867, §2.
16 See CIC, c. 851, 2º.
18 See CIC, cc. 851, 1º and 852, §1; see RCIA, 34 and 35.
20 See National Statutes for the Catechumenate (NSC) (Washington, DC: NCCB, 1986), 14.
21 See CIC, c. 872 and 874.
22 Order of Confirmation, 1-2; see CIC, c. 879.
23 See CIC, c. 890.
24 CIC, c. 885, §1.
25 See United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Decree implementing canon 891 (August 21, 2001): http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/canon-law/complementary-norms/canon-891-age-for-confirmation.cfm.
27 See CIC, c. 892.
28 See CIC, c. 893, §2.
29 See RCIA, 473-498; see NSC, 35.
30 See CIC, c. 897.
31 See CIC, c. 914.
32 CIC, c. 913, §2; see Pope Benedict XVI, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum caritatis (February 22, 2007), 58.
33 See Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1390; CIC, c. 925.
34 See Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Circular Letter to all Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences concerning the use of low-gluten altar breads and mustum as matter for the celebration of the Eucharist (July 24, 2003), C-1.
35 See Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 11; see CIC, c. 959.
36 See CIC, cc. 978, §1, 979, and 981.
37 See CIC, c. 990.
38 See CIC, cc. 983, §2 and 1388, §2.
39 See CIC, c. 964; see USCCB, Decree implementing canon 964, §2 (October 20, 2000): http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/canon-law/complementary-norms/canon-964-2-the-confessional.cfm; see Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, Response, July 7, 1998: Acta Apostolicæ Sedis 90 (1998), 711.
40 See CIC, c. 998.
41 See CIC, c. 1001.
42 See CIC, c. 1004.
43 See Pastoral Care of the Sick: Rites of Anointing and Viaticum, 12 and 14.
44 See CIC, c. 1005.
45 See CIC, c. 1002.
46 See CIC, c. 1008.
47 See CIC, cc. 1029 and 1041, 1º.
48 See CIC, cc. 241, §1; 1025, §2; 1029; and 1051, 1º.
49 See Order of Celebrating Matrimony, 8.
51 See CIC, cc. 1063, 2º and 1064.
52 See CIC, c. 1095.
53 See CIC, cc. 1096 and 1055, §1.
54 See CIC, c. 1084, §2.
55 See CIC, c. 1104, §2.
56 See CIC, c. 1106.
57 See CIC, c. 1063, 4º.
58 Order of Celebrating Matrimony, 62.
The document Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities (Revised Edition) was developed by the Committee on Divine Worship of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). It was approved by the full body of the USCCB at its June 2017 General Meeting. It has been directed for publication by the undersigned.
Copyright © 2017, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington DC. All rights reserved.

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