Questions on Receiving Holy Communion, the creed

by Diocese of Des Moines | April 22, 2024

Q. Can a Catholic who is divorced and re-married receive communion? Is this issue presently under consideration by Pope Francis who seeks inclusion?  -M. Z., Des Moines

A.  Yes and no.  Yes, if the divorced Catholic has also received an annulment of that previous marriage.  No, if the divorced Catholic has not received an annulment of that previous marriage.  Pope Francis has simplified some of the process of granting annulments in the past few years.  If you or someone you know is divorced, it’s a good idea to speak directly to a priest or deacon to consider the circumstances and the best path to follow.

Q.  On the liturgical calendar many women are listed as virgin while men are not. It seems like a double standard. If belonging to a religious order, why not indicate “religious” for both men and women?  -M.Z., Des Moines

A.  You ask good questions!  There are various designations given to saints in the Roman Calendar.  We see, for example, priest, bishop, pope, confessor, martyr, pastor, virgin, etc.  Why women are referred to as virgins, and men are not isn’t clear.  We refer to Mary as the Blessed Virgin, but we don’t refer to Joseph as virgin, but as spouse.

Q. In Luke, the angel tells Mary “The Holy Spirit will come upon you.” In Matthew, an angel appears to Joseph in a dream saying Mary’s child was conceived through the Holy Spirit. Was this terminology (Holy Spirit) known to Jewish people?  -M.Z., Des Moines

A. Only two of the four gospels speak of the birth of Jesus: Matthew and Luke.  These are often referred to as the “infancy narratives.”  The gospels of Mark and John begin with Jesus as an adult, beginning his public ministry.  Matthew gives his attention to Joseph, while Luke gives his attention to Mary.  While we often look to the Scriptures for concrete historical information, the gospels often concentrate on the person and the character of the individual.  Only Matthew gives us the story of the Magi coming from the East and their encounter with the wicked King Herod.  Only Luke gives us the appearance of the angels to the shepherds tending their flocks.  Both gospels try to set the stage for the development of the rest of their gospel – Who is this Jesus? How did we come to know him? How was he received?  There are many similarities in the gospels, but there are also important differences.

The Hebrew word for Spirit (Ruach) is also the word for “breath.”  The Trinity as we have come to know it was not part of the Jewish tradition.  

 Q.  In the Apostles’ Creed I love to pray “ I believe in the communion of saints.” Why is this not in the Nicene Creed? Which came first and why are there two creeds?
 
A.  There are different creeds or statements of belief both within the Catholic Church and in other denominations and non-Christian religious groups.  The Apostles’ Creed, once erroneously thought to have been composed by the apostles, is ordinarily used at the beginning of the rosary.  It can also be substituted for the Nicene Creed at Sunday Mass.  The Nicene Creed dates to 325 and 381 A.D.  It was commissioned by the Council of Nicea and later revised by the Council of Constantinople.  Creeds usually use a concise listing of beliefs.  No one creed can express the whole faith of the Church.  At the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council, St. Paul VI introduced the Creed (or Credo) of the People of God.

The Apostles’ Creed includes that phrase “I believe in the communion of saints.”  This refers to those who have gone before us in faith as well as those with whom we share our faith today.  We can learn from the tradition of holy people and also our contemporary brothers and sisters in Christ.  

Father John Ludwig is a retired priest of the Diocese of Des Moines. Have a question you want answered? Email them to communications@dmdiocese.org.