A Swiss Catholic diocese has concluded that three parishioners who shared consecrated hosts with their dogs during a liturgy last year did not incur automatic excommunication, ruling that the act, while “deeply regrettable”, lacked the sacrilegious intent required under canon law. The decision was announced on April 17 by the Diocese of Chur following an internal investigation into an incident at a parish in Zurich.
The ruling was issued under the authority of Bishop Joseph Bonnemain, who serves the Diocese of Chur, after the episode occurred during a blessing of animals on October 4 at a parish in Zurich. According to the diocesan statement, poor weather led organisers to move the event indoors and combine it with a Eucharistic celebration, during which three individuals gave portions of the consecrated host to their pets.
