If Neanderthal man isn't considered a human and cannot participate in the Sacraments, then pretty much all of us are screwed, because science has also shown that EVERY single human OTHER than Black people and some Asians have Neanderthal DNA inside of them. My thoughts are that "humans" are defined by species' which belong to the Homo genus, since the species of the Homo genus are the only species in the history of Earth which appear to have souls.
Of course, Science says we evolved from..... that evolved from.... that evolved from......
DNA.... There can be many similarities between many living things.
Science has also a "belief", that they pass as a "theory", such as the big bang, and again, evolution. These things conflict with our scriptures and belief systems
Neanderthals would fit the bill. With the horrible errors in carbon dating, to the plausibility of vitamins, calcium levels, and diet affecting the appearance of them, I have to doubt Science claims. We have been taught from early on in school about DNA, evolution, etc., and we accept it as fact. But they really do throw out some wild ones, and often.
With evolution in mind, they classify things in categories. They put the man formed in God's image and group them with other animals.