bishop steven j. lopes, head of the personal ordinariate of the chair of saint peter, issued guidelines in january 2017 which state, "a civilly remarried couple, "if committed to complete continence", could have the eucharist available to them, after proper discernment with their pastor and making recourse to the sacrament of reconciliation. such a couple may experience continence as difficult, and they may sometimes fail, in which case they are, like any christian, to repent, confess their sins, and begin anew."