ROME, APRIL 29, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.
Q: I will be in Shanghai, China, for about a month. Does the Church allow me to go to the Chinese state-sponsored Mass and receive Communion? -- T.W., Athens, Georgia
A: Although the situation of the state-approved Church in China is very complex, a visiting Catholic could attend Mass and receive Communion there without implying any particular acceptance of the current unfortunate ecclesial situation.
The Ecumenical Directory permits Catholics to receive Communion at the liturgies of Orthodox and other Eastern Churches not in communion with the Holy See.
These Chinese "official" Catholic Churches, albeit in an irregular situation, almost invariably desire to be in full communion with the Holy Father. They usually pray for him at Mass. And in some cases these Churches have been recognized in some way or other by both the government and the Holy See. Hence, it is possible to receive Communion at Masses in these Churches.
As testified by the Holy Father's May 2007 letter to Chinese Catholics, the Holy See is actively attempting to bring about the reconciliation of the Church in China and to find a way come to an understanding with the government that will allow it to establish proper relations with all Chinese Catholics.
Catholics traveling in China should certainly try to attend a Mass in a community that is in full communion with the Holy See. Since this is not always possible or prudent, however, they may choose to attend an "official Church." But they would not be bound to do so in order to fulfill their Sunday obligation.
The Church's long history knows several situations in which pastors and faithful have been forced to choose between loyalty to the Church and to government policy. During the French Revolution, for example, all clergy were obliged by law to take the revolutionary oath of loyalty to the "Civil Constitution of the Clergy." That document undermined the Church's independence and connection to Rome.
A few accepted the oath from revolutionary conviction, many more out of fear, and others so as not to leave their faithful deprived of the sacraments in a moment of crisis and war. There was also confusion from Church authorities regarding the correct attitude to take, especially since the changes were primarily disciplinary and not dogmatic in character.
Those who courageously refused to take the oath accepted the increasing legal penalties imposed by the state. At first, there were fines and removal from their dioceses or parishes. As the revolution descended into terror, those who refused to swear had to increasingly face exile, imprisonment and death.
God repaid and vindicated the sacrifice of those who suffered. The Church in France rose from the ashes of the Revolution and enjoyed almost a century of growth characterized by the foundation of numerous new religious congregations, international charitable organizations, great missionary zeal, renewed devotion to the Eucharist and the Sacred Heart, and a wealth of saintly figures such as the John Vianney, Antoine-Frédéric Ozanam and Thérèse of Lisieux.
Only God can pronounce final judgment on those who were weaker. For many the oath was no protection from revolutionary harshness, and one can be sure that in many cases the martyrs also died for them and won for them the grace to repent and return to the path of fidelity.
While the Chinese experience is only partially similar and the suffering has been far more protracted, we can be certain that the salvific logic of the Cross will once more bear fruit and the sacrifice of those who remain faithful will not be in vain.
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Follow-up: Padre Pio, Monsignor Escrivá and the Roman Missal
After our mention of the feasts of Cosmas and Damian coinciding with that of St. Josemaría Escrivá (see April 15 column), a pediatrician from Louisiana wrote: "You said their feast is June 26; I believe you meant Sept. 26. Usually I take our group of pediatricians and their spouses out to dinner that evening to celebrate their feast and God's blessings to our practice."
Our reader, who is also a deacon, is quite correct. I mixed up my saintly pairs and should have said Sts. John and Paul, Roman martyrs in 362 under Julian the Apostate.
These two saints, who are specifically mentioned in the first list of saints in the Roman Canon, are actually not present in the universal calendar but only in that of the Diocese of Rome. The ancient Roman basilica that houses their tomb and site of martyrdom also contains a chapel with the relics of St. Paul of the Cross, founder of the Passionists.
Some readers pointed out that St. Padre Pio was an obligatory and not an optional memorial. This is true in Italy, the United States and many other countries. However, the Latin decree promulgating the feast did not specify it as an obligatory memorial, perhaps leaving some leeway for countries where devotion to this saint is less prevalent.
Some other readers asked for the general criteria to be observed in celebrating those who had been declared blessed but not yet canonized. We dealt with this topic in our columns of Dec. 21, 2004, and Jan. 18, 2005.
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Readers may send questions to liturgy@zenit.org. Please put the word "Liturgy" in the subject field. The text should include your initials, your city and your state, province or country. Father McNamara can only answer a small selection of the great number of questions that arrive.
