Pope ‘to ease Communion ban on non-Catholics’

A ROMAN Catholic law that once stopped Tony Blair taking Holy Communion with his wife and family is set to be relaxed.

The rule – which prevents non-Catholic Christians regularly receiving Communion with their Catholic spouses at Sunday services – is likely to be liberalised at a meeting in Rome this month of cardinals and bishops, who advise Pope Francis on reforms.

Any relaxation of the rule would be welcomed by the Church of England, which argues that many Anglicans in mixed-faith marriages feel excluded. But Catholic sources said any changes would face strong opposition from critics who say they undermine the teachings of the Church.

At the moment, Church law bans non-Catholics from receiving the sacrament except in cases of ‘grave or pressing need’. But these conditions would be waived for spouses of Catholics if they could not easily attend their churches and they agreed with the Catholic teaching on Holy Communion.

Mr Blair was rebuked by the late Cardinal Basil Hume for regularly attending a Catholic church with wife Cherie and their children.