JERMYN -- The Archbishop of Philadelphia recently explained guidelines on who can receive holy communion in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
The report calls out gay Catholics, divorced Catholics who have remarried, and Catholic couples living together before getting married as unfit for taking communion:
With divorced and civilly-remarried persons, Church teaching requires them to refrain from sexual intimacy. This applies even if they must (for the care of their children) continue to live under one roof. Undertaking to live as brother and sister is necessary for the divorced and civilly-remarried to receive reconciliation in the Sacrament of Penance, which could then open the way to the Eucharist.
This all comes at a time when people are calling Pope Francis one of the most progressive leaders in the Catholic Church.
This past April, Pope Francis took a drastic shift from traditional couple values, when he alluded to embracing unorthodox couples:
When a couple in an irregular union attains a noteworthy stability through a public bond - and is characterized by deep affection, responsibility towards the children and the ability to overcome trials - this can be seen as an opportunity, where possible, to lead them to celebrate the sacrament of matrimony.
During bingo night at the Sacred Hearts of Jesus & Mary in Jermyn, Catholics were surprised to see the archbishop setting a different tone from the Pope.
"I would agree with the Pope because he's more open to what's going on right now," said Matt Stygar of Archbald.
"Why should the Pope or the archbishop make a decision like this," asked Linda Catanzaro of Carbondale. "If they feel comfortable enough to go to communion, they should go to communion because you're answering to God, not a man."
Ann Marie Prusinski helped couples for many years getting ready for marriage so she's seen firsthand what these kind of guidelines can do for Catholic couples.
"I tend to be traditional in leaning a little more toward what I'm used to, and what the church has always taught," said Prusinski. "However, I do feel there is a need to adapt in certain ways."
