Israeli police arrest Jewish man who pushed and kicked a French nun in Jerusalem: here are the videos
A group of parishioners administered the Eucharist to their dogs, prompting a report to the diocesan bishop. The bishop investigated the incident and consulted canon law regarding the proper use of the sacrament. The diocese issued a formal ruling clarifying that the Eucharist is reserved for baptized, communicant Catholics and cannot be given to animals. The ruling emphasized the need for reverence and proper sacramental practice within the parish community.
1 day ago
The assault on a French nun in Jerusalem on April 28 2026, captured on video and followed by the arrest of a 36‑year‑old Jewish suspect, has reignited concerns over the safety of Christian communities in the city’s contested holy sites.
A 48‑year‑old French nun from the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem was pushed, thrown to the ground and repeatedly kicked near the traditional tomb of King David on Mount Zion. Video footage shows the attacker striking the nun while she lay defenseless before fleeing the scene 1.
The nun, a researcher, sustained bruising on her face and a bleeding wound at her temple. She has chosen not to speak publicly about the attack. Police identified the assailant as a 36‑year‑old Jewish man; authorities are examining possible racial or religious motives, noting that the suspect appeared to be wearing ritual garments associated with Jewish practice 1.
Israeli police arrested the suspect shortly after the incident, describing the act as one they view with “utmost severity.” The case will be presented before the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court, with a request to extend the suspect’s detention while investigations continue 1.
Human‑rights groups and local church leaders have reported a rise in hostility toward Christians in Jerusalem. Data from the Rossing Center for Education and Dialogue and the Religious Freedom Data Center recorded between 155 and 181 incidents of harassment, vandalism or assault targeting Christians in Jerusalem during 2025. Auxiliary Bishop William Shomali noted an increase in attacks against Christians in the West Bank since early 2026, with clergy often subjected to insults and spitting by extremist elements 1.
Recent tensions have also affected access to holy sites: security‑related restrictions temporarily barred senior Catholic clergy from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre during Easter, and Israeli soldiers were disciplined after vandalizing a statue of Jesus in southern Lebanon 1.
The attack underscores the challenges of ensuring religious freedom in a city where Judaism, Christianity and Islam share sacred geography. While Israeli authorities stress a zero‑tolerance policy toward such violence, the credibility of that stance depends on preventing future assaults and addressing the underlying cultural and ideological tensions that fuel hostility toward minority faith communities 1.
How does the Catholic Church define valid reception of the Eucharist?
The Catholic Church teaches that Holy Communion is truly received by a person who has the proper sacramental conditions and the proper interior disposition. When those conditions are present, the person receives the Body and Blood of Christ fruitfully in communion with the Church.
A person who desires to receive Christ in Eucharistic communion must be in the state of grace. If someone is aware of having committed a mortal sin, they must not receive Communion without first receiving sacramental absolution in Confession.
The Catechism also adds the exception: they may receive only when there is a grave reason to receive and there is no possibility of going to confession.
The Church’s “precept” (her law for the faithful) includes that one should confess serious sins at least once a year, specifically as preparation for the Eucharist through the sacrament of reconciliation.
It also teaches that the Eucharist is the “minimum” in connection with the Paschal feasts: one must humbly receive the Lord in Holy Communion at least during the Easter season.
Canon law requires that a person who is to receive the Most Holy Eucharist abstain for at least one hour before Holy Communion from any food and drink, except water and medicine.
There are also specific allowances for particular cases (e.g., the elderly/infirm may receive even if they have eaten within the preceding hour).
For children, Communion is to be given when they have sufficient knowledge and careful preparation so that they understand the mystery of Christ (according to their capacity) and can receive with faith and devotion.
In danger of death, however, Communion can be administered if the child can distinguish the Body of Christ from ordinary food and receive reverently.
The Church also teaches that some states of life objectively contradict the Eucharistic sign of Christ’s union with the Church, and therefore reception is not permitted while the situation persists.
For example, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith states that if divorced persons have remarried civilly, they “cannot receive Holy Communion as long as this situation persists.”
It explains that this is not merely a punishment, but because their state “objectively renders impossible the reception of Holy Communion.”
However, the same document says that they may receive only after sacramental absolution, in practice meaning they must be sincerely ready to undertake a way of life no longer contradicting the indissolubility of marriage—often expressed as continence (abstinence from the acts proper to married couples) when separation is not possible for serious reasons, and while avoiding scandal.
While your question is about reception, it’s worth noting that the Church also teaches that the Eucharist can be celebrated (and thus received) only by a validly ordained priest, since the minister “who is able to confect the sacrament of the Eucharist … is a validly ordained priest alone.”
To receive Holy Communion in the way the Church requires:
If you want, you can tell me the particular situation you have in mind (e.g., after a grave sin, difficulty attending Confession, or a family situation), and I can explain how the Church’s norms apply—still using the Church’s own teaching.