The accessibility of the

Eucharist The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instit ...

intellectually disabled Intellectual disability (ID), also known as general learning disability in the United Kingdom and formerly mental retardation, Rosa's Law, Pub. L. 111-256124 Stat. 2643(2010). is a generalized neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by signifi ...

Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...

varies depending on the Christian denomination or community. Some Christian traditions maintain that a theological understanding of the sacrament is necessary to receive Eucharist and, therefore, do not administer the sacrament to intellectually disabled persons. Other Christian traditions maintain that spiritual devotion to the real presence of Jesus Christ is necessary to receive the Eucharist and, therefore, administer the sacrament to intellectually disabled persons under particular conditions—presuming the benefit of the sacrament can be received even if the Eucharist is not consumed. Still other Christian traditions understand the practice of Eucharist principally as a communal expression of community solidarity or unity and, therefore, administer the sacrament indiscriminately during the liturgy.

Roman Catholicism

Thomas Aquinas Thomas Aquinas, OP (; it, Tommaso d'Aquino, lit=Thomas of Aquino; 1225 – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Dominican friar and priest who was an influential philosopher, theologian and jurist in the tradition of scholasticism; he is known wit ...

maintained that all cognitively impaired Christians have a right to the Eucharist and that the sacrament should not be withheld from such persons, except in the most extreme of circumstances ( STh III.80.9). According to Aquinas, the extreme circumstance that warrants withholding the Eucharist from a cognitively impaired Christian is if the Christian is entirely incapable of expressing their desire to receive the Eucharist. The Code of Canon Law of the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

(and those bodies in full communion with it) has official policy about how the sacraments should be administered in the case of adult Christians who lack the use of reason. The rationale is developed on the understanding that persons who lack the use of reason, like infants, need the assistance of others to participate in the sacraments of the Church. Thus, ecclesial care for infants provides the principles for the ecclesial care of intellectually disabled persons. Regarding the administration of Eucharist to children and other persons who lack the use of reason,

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913 states :''"§1. The administration of the Most Holy Eucharist to children requires that they have sufficient knowledge and careful preparation so that they understand the mystery of Christ according to their capacity and are able to receive the body of Christ with faith and devotion."'' :''"§2. The Most Holy Eucharist, however, can be administered to children in danger of death if they can distinguish the body of Christ from ordinary food and receive communion reverently."'' This policy is reflected in the positions published by many Roman Catholic dioceses in the United States and Australia. Junior1communion

Additionally, the

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) and United States Catholic Conference (US ...

stated in its ''Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities'' (approved 1995): :''the criterion for reception of holy communion is the same for persons with developmental and mental disabilities as for all persons, namely, that the person be able to distinguish the Body of Christ from ordinary food, even if this recognition is evidenced through manner, gesture, or reverential silence rather than verbally. Pastors are encouraged to consult with parents, those who take the place of parents, diocesan personnel involved with disability issues, psychologists, religious educators, and other experts in making their judgment. If it is determined that a parishioner who is disabled is not ready to receive the sacrament, great care is to be taken in explaining the reasons for this decision. Cases of doubt should be resolved in favor of the right of the baptized person to receive the sacrament. The existence of a disability is not considered in and of itself as disqualifying a person from receiving the eucharist.'' In an effort to better reach marginalized populations, such as those living with autism and other

developmental disabilities Developmental disability is a diverse group of chronic conditions, comprising mental or physical impairments that arise before adulthood. Developmental disabilities cause individuals living with them many difficulties in certain areas of life, espe ...

, while at the same time providing for their religious education, organizations have emerged offering online alternatives to traditional Faith Formation in keeping with the USCCB's Guidelines. Similar to the Roman Catholic view,

Eastern Catholic Churches The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also called the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Eastern Rite Catholicism, or simply the Eastern Churches, are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous ('' sui iuris'') particular churches of t ...

, which practice

infant communion Infant communion, also known as paedocommunion, refers to the practice of giving the Eucharist, often in the form of consecrated wine mingled with consecrated bread, to young children. This practice is standard throughout Eastern Christianity, w ...

, favor intellectually disabled Christians being allowed to receive the Eucharist.

Orthodox Christianity

Orthodox Christianity Orthodoxy (from Greek: ) is adherence to correct or accepted creeds, especially in religion. Orthodoxy within Christianity refers to acceptance of the doctrines defined by various creeds and ecumenical councils in Antiquity, but different Chur ...

makes communion available to all baptized and chrismated church members who wish to receive it, regardless of developmental or other disabilities. The theory is that the soul of the recipient understands what is being received even if the conscious mind is incapable of doing so, and that the grace imparted by Communion "for the healing of soul and body" is a benefit that most especially should not be denied in such cases. This is consistent with the practice of

Infant Communion Infant communion, also known as paedocommunion, refers to the practice of giving the Eucharist, often in the form of consecrated wine mingled with consecrated bread, to young children. This practice is standard throughout Eastern Christianity, w ...

in Eastern Orthodoxy. Orthodox Christians typically receive the Sacrament of

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before receiving the Eucharist. However, for those who are either mentally incapable of recognizing or recalling their

sin In a religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered immoral, selfish, s ...

s, or who are mentally or physically incapable of communicating their sins to a

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in partic ...

, this requirement is dispensed with, just as it is for very young children.

Lutheranism

In the Lutheran Churches, the sacrament of Holy Communion is administered to people with intellectual disability, as with people with

dementia Dementia is a disorder which manifests as a set of related symptoms, which usually surfaces when the brain is damaged by injury or disease. The symptoms involve progressive impairments in memory, thinking, and behavior, which negatively affe ...

Presbyterianism

The

Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland. The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Reformation of 1560, when it split from the Catholic Church ...

says in regard to those with learning difficulties: :"there is nothing in the law of the Church which would automatically disqualify a person with learning difficulties from admission to the Lord's Table and from having his or her name added to the Communion Roll of a congregation."

Nondenominational Christianity

In most evangelical Christian churches, the only requirement for any individual to participate in Communion is that the person professes to have a personal relationship with God and to have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. Before Communion in these churches, the policy is usually verbally outlined and the decision is left up to the individual.

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