UNWORTHY. — From Lat. *indignus*, “unworthy,” “not deserving”; morally, one to whom the Sacraments may not be administered or ecclesiastical office or benefice conferred (v.).
With regard to the Sacraments, generally speaking, the unworthy are those who, though capable of receiving them validly, nevertheless lack the necessary dispositions for receiving them fruitfully and hence lawfully. Such is, for example, one who receives Holy Communion in a state of mortal sin.
Unworthiness may be public (if the sin is public) or occult (if the sin is occult; known only to the minister, naturally by non-sacramental knowledge, or to very few). Moreover, the request for the Sacrament may be public (if made in the presence of persons who know of it) or occult (if made only to the minister).
To the unworthy person who requests the Sacrament occultly, the Sacraments are ordinarily to be denied, even if his unworthiness is occult. For charity obliges the minister to prevent sacrilege, and religion demands that the reverence due to the Sacrament be preserved (can. §55 § 2).
To the unworthy person who requests the Sacrament publicly, the Sacraments are ordinarily not to be denied. For such a denial would not only harm the reputation of the petitioner but also deter others from approaching him, as each might fear a similar affront for himself (can. §55 § 2; cf. *Summa Theol.*, 3ª, q. 80, a. 6).
It is ordinarily not lawful to administer the Sacraments to a public unworthy person, that is, a public sinner, even if he requests them publicly. This is required by charity, which obliges one to prevent, insofar as possible, the sin of one’s neighbor, and by the necessity of avoiding scandal to others (can. §55 § 1; cf. *Summa Theol.*, 3ª, q. 80, a. 6).
If it is not possible to deny the Sacraments to a public (or even an occult) unworthy person without the danger of very grave harm, it is probably lawful to administer them when they are not requested out of hatred for the faith or in contempt of religion.
It is forbidden to administer the Sacraments to heretics or schismatics, as prescribed by can. 731 § 2. This prescription does not appear to extend to the case of one who is in danger of death and deprived of his senses; for in extreme necessity, one must provide for the salvation of souls by any means, even if only probably efficacious. Indeed, it seems lawful to administer the Sacraments even to a heretic or schismatic who, though fully aware of his state, is so attached to his error through good faith that prudence would dictate that it is useless to summon him to the duty of abjuration. The danger of scandal, however, must be removed.
The election of an unworthy person to an ecclesiastical office is null if so provided either by common law or by the law of foundation (can. 153 § 3). Clerics or lay persons who knowingly present or nominate an unworthy person are immediately deprived, on that occasion, of the right of presentation or nomination (can. 2391 § 3).
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