Question
May Orthodox Christians receive communion in Roman Catholic parishes? I understand there is a Canon law regarding non-Catholics receiving communion from a Catholic minister. Is this Canon 844?
--Wondering in Wichita
Answer
Yes. Here is paragraph 3 of Canon law 844;
[A] Catholic minister may licitly administer the sacraments of penance, Eucharist and anointing of the sick to members of the oriental church which do not have full communion with the Catholic Church, if they ask on their own for the sacrament and are properly disposed. This holds also for members of other churches, which in the judgment of the Apostolic SEE are in the same condition as the oriental churches as far as these sacraments are concerned.
Paragraph 4:
If the danger of death is present or other grave necessity, in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or the conference of bishops, [a] Catholic minister may licitly administer these sacraments to other Christians who do not have full communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and on their own ask for it, provided they manifest Catholic faith in these sacraments and are properly disposed.
A recent Vatican encyclical by Pope John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, affirms these paragraphs from the Code of Canon Law, but also states that:
the non-Catholic must "manifest Catholic faith in the sacrament," saying that the non-Catholic must not deny any of the truths of the Catholic faith regarding the Eucharistic mystery.