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DICASTERIUM PRO DOCTRINA FIDEI

Letter to His Excellency, the Most Reverend Ramón Alfredo de la Cruz Baldera,
Bishop of the Diocese of San Francisco de Macorís (Dominican Republic)
Regarding Access to Eucharistic Communion for Single Mothers

Prot. 803/2023

13 December 2023

Your Excellency,

On 24 October 2023, this Dicastery received your email expressing concern about single mothers who “abstain from communion out of fear of the rigorism of the clergy and community leaders”. Several letters from lay people received by the Holy Father return to the same theme. It is noted that in some countries, both priests and some lay people prevent mothers who have had a child outside of marriage from accessing the sacraments and even baptizing their children.

The Holy Father recently recalled that “the Eucharist is God’s response to the deepest hunger of the human heart, the hunger for authentic life, for in the Eucharist Christ himself is truly in our midst, to nourish, console and sustain us on our journey”[1]. Women who, in this situation, have chosen life and who lead a very complex existence because of this choice should be encouraged to have access to the healing and consoling power of the sacraments.

The issue of single mothers and the difficulties that they and their children face in accessing the sacraments was already addressed by the Holy Father when he was the Cardinal Archbishop of Buenos Aires: “There are priests who do not baptize the children of single mothers because [the children] were not conceived in the sanctity of marriage. They are the hypocrites of today. They have clericalized the Church. They turn God’s people away from salvation. And that poor girl who could have sent her child back to the sender but had the courage to bring him into the world goes on pilgrimage from parish to parish to have him baptized”[2]. Subsequently, Pope Francis recognized the courage of these women in going ahead with their pregnancy: “I know that it is not easy to be a single mother. I know that people can sometimes look down on you. But I want to tell you something: you are a brave woman because you were able to bring these two daughters into the world. You could have killed them in your womb, yet you respected life: you respected the life you had inside you, and God will reward you for that, and he does reward you. Do not be ashamed; walk with your head held high: ‘I did not kill my daughters; I brought them into the world’. I congratulate you; I congratulate you, and may God bless you”[3].

In this sense, pastoral work should be done in the local Church to make people understand that being a single mother does not prevent that person from accessing the Eucharist. As for all other Christians, sacramental confession of sins allows the person to approach communion. The ecclesial community should, furthermore, value the fact that single mothers welcomed and defended the gift of life they carried in their wombs and struggle, every day, to raise their children[4].

Indeed, there are “difficult situations” that need to be discerned and accompanied pastorally. It can occur that one of these mothers, given the fragility of her situation, sometimes resorts to selling her body to support her family. The Christian community is called to do everything possible to help her avoid this very serious risk rather than judge her harshly. For this reason, “the Church’s pastors, in proposing to the faithful the full ideal of the Gospel and the Church’s teaching, must also help them to treat the weak with compassion, avoiding aggravation or unduly harsh or hasty judgements”[5].

Often, when commenting on the biblical episode of the adulterous woman (Jn. 8:1-11), the final phrase is emphasized: “sin no more”. Certainly, Jesus always invites us to change our lives, to respond more faithfully to God’s will, and to live with greater dignity. However, this phrase does not constitute the central message of this Gospel pericope, which is simply the invitation to recognize that no one can cast the first stone. For this reason, Pope Francis, referring to mothers who must raise their children alone, reminds us that “in such difficult situations of need, the Church must be particularly concerned to offer understanding, comfort, and acceptance, rather than imposing straightaway a set of rules that only lead people to feel judged and abandoned by the very Mother called to show them God’s mercy”[6].

Finally, it is necessary to recall the words of the Holy Father in his message to the Synod. He emphasized the feminine and maternal face of the Church and denounced the “machismo and dictatorial attitudes” of those ministers who “go too far in their service and mistreat the people of God”[7]. It is up to you to ensure that this type of behavior does not occur in your local Church.

In communicating the above, I take this opportunity to wish you a joyous Christmas and to reaffirm my fraternal affection.

In Christ,

Víctor Manuel Card. Fernández
Prefect

Ex Audientia Die 13/12/2023
Franciscus