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Objection 1: It seems that one may lawfully receive Communion from
heretical, excommunicate, or even sinful priests, and to hear mass
said by them. Because, as Augustine says (Contra Petilian.
iii), "we should not avoid God's sacraments, whether they be given
by a good man or by a wicked one." But priests, even if they be
sinful, or heretics, or excommunicate, perform a valid sacrament.
Therefore it seems that one ought not to refrain from receiving
Communion at their hands, or from hearing their mass.
Objection 2: Further, Christ's true body is figurative of His
mystical body, as was said above (Question 67, Article 2).
But Christ's true body is consecrated by the priests mentioned
above. Therefore it seems that whoever belongs to His mystical body
can communicate in their sacrifices.
Objection 3: Further, there are many sins graver than fornication.
But it is not forbidden to hear the masses of priests who sin
otherwise. Therefore, it ought not to be forbidden to hear the masses
of priests guilty of this sin.
On the contrary, The Canon says (Dist. 32): "Let no one
hear the mass of a priest whom he knows without doubt to have a
concubine." Moreover, Gregory says (Dial. iii) that "the
faithless father sent an Arian bishop to his son, for him to receive
sacrilegiously the consecrated Communion at his hands. But, when the
Arian bishop arrived, God's devoted servant rebuked him, as was
right for him to do."
I answer that, As was said above (Articles 5,7), heretical,
schismatical, excommunicate, or even sinful priests, although they
have the power to consecrate the Eucharist, yet they do not make a
proper use of it; on the contrary, they sin by using it. But whoever
communicates with another who is in sin, becomes a sharer in his sin.
Hence we read in John's Second Canonical Epistle (11) that
"He that saith unto him, God speed you, communicateth with his
wicked works." Consequently, it is not lawful to receive Communion
from them, or to assist at their mass.
Still there is a difference among the above, because heretics,
schismatics, and excommunicates, have been forbidden, by the
Church's sentence, to perform the Eucharistic rite. And therefore
whoever hears their mass or receives the sacraments from them, commits
sin. But not all who are sinners are debarred by the Church's
sentence from using this power: and so, although suspended by the
Divine sentence, yet they are not suspended in regard to others by any
ecclesiastical sentence: consequently, until the Church's sentence
is pronounced, it is lawful to receive Communion at their hands, and
to hear their mass. Hence on 1 Cor. 5:11, "with such a one
not so much as to eat," Augustine's gloss runs thus: "In saying
this he was unwilling for a man to be judged by his fellow man on
arbitrary suspicion, or even by usurped extraordinary judgment, but
rather by God's law, according to the Church's ordering, whether
he confess of his own accord, or whether he be accused and
convicted."
Reply to Objection 1: By refusing to hear the masses of such
priests, or to receive Communion from them, we are not shunning
God's sacraments; on the contrary, by so doing we are giving them
honor (hence a host consecrated by such priests is to be adored, and
if it be reserved, it can be consumed by a lawful priest): but what
we shun is the sin of the unworthy ministers.
Reply to Objection 2: The unity of the mystical body is the fruit
of the true body received. But those who receive or minister
unworthily, are deprived of the fruit, as was said above (Article
7; Question 80, Article 4). And therefore, those who belong
to the unity of the Faith are not to receive the sacrament from their
dispensing.
Reply to Objection 3: Although fornication is not graver than other
sins, yet men are more prone to it, owing to fleshly concupiscence.
Consequently, this sin is specially inhibited to priests by the
Church, lest anyone hear the mass of one living in concubinage.
However, this is to be understood of one who is notorious, either
from being convicted and sentenced, or from having acknowledged his
guilt in legal form, or from it being impossible to conceal his guilt
by any subterfuge.
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