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A Swiss diocese has announced that three people who shared the Eucharist with their dogs have not been excommunicated because they “did not act with sacrilegious intent.”
The Diocese of Chur announced in an April 17 statement that it had completed an investigation into an incident that took place at a blessing of the animals held last October 4, at Good Shepherd Parish in Zurich.
“Due to a poor weather forecast, the blessing was moved indoors and combined with a Eucharistic celebration. During this Eucharistic celebration, three people shared portions of their hosts with their dogs,” the diocese said.
Diocesan Bishop Joseph Bonnemain heard about the incident and began an investigation.
“The findings clearly showed that the three individuals did not act with sacrilegious intent. Consequently, these individuals cannot be accused of sacrilege, as they lacked this sacrilegious intent. Therefore, they did not incur the excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See as a penalty for their actions,” the diocese said.
Canon law states that “One who throws away the consecrated species or, for a sacrilegious purpose, takes them away or keeps them, incurs a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See.”
At issue, according to the diocesan statement, is
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