All Are Welcome?

[Claire_from_DE]

I’ve only heard it once, last Christmas, when a visiting priest made a point of explaining what receiving Communion meant and assured those ‘visitors and friends of other faiths’ that they ‘didn’t want to make it seem as though they believed everything about the Catholic Church by receiving Communion.’

It was a welcome change from watching the Anglican & United Church ministers going for Communion anytime they are at our Church for a funeral or other celebration.

That’s an excellent way to explain it. It lets non-Catholics understand that’s exactly what they would be indicating by receiving Communion in a Catholic church. I don’t think they realize that and would not want their reception of Communion to be taken as a profession of belief in all the Catholic church teaches, which it is.

 

[Chatter163]

I was in Rome in October, 1995 and again in March, 1997. I never saw such a sign. If I had, this would have been scandalous. Like the other posters, I am hard-pressed to believe such a story.

 

[Allegra]

No sign of the alleged sign on the internet.

 

[ProVobis]

Before my wife started RCIA, she went with her family to Rome. She had been looking at the Church so obviously Saint Peter’s in Rome was on her “must see” list. As she was walking in, she saw a sign (permanent type, not a paper taped to the door) That read “All are welcome to receive the Eucharist”. The sign went on to spell out what the Eucharist is and that if you believed, you were welcome regardless of whether or not you were Catholic. She received that day and came home absolutely ON FIRE for RCIA and becoming Catholic.

Now that was at Vatican City. If they are breaking rules, then I have to wonder if they are actually rules or not.

Beyond that, I can’t comment…

God bless

Perhaps an English mistranslation? The “Eucharist” could refer to the Mass itself.

 

[Myqyl]

Sorry it took so long to get back but it was a hectic weekend.

I spoke with my wife and got more details.

She said the sign was inside… There was a ropeline leading to a chapel in the back with a sign with magnetic letters on a stand at the head of the ropeline. It told the Mass Times and indicated that this was NOT a section for tourists or photos. The last part said (to the best of her memory which I have found to be remarkable) “All are Welcome to receive the Eucharist provided they respect the Real Presence of Christ”.

She said that St Peter’s is in the shape of a cross (I’ve never been there) and that this chapel was in the “top” section of the cross (assuming the main doors to be the bottom).

I hope this helps anyone that asked for clarification.

I will be dropping off this thread because I’ve found myself getting very angry at those that have implied my wife is a liar. I ask them to forgive the uncharitable thoughts I’ve had toward them.

God bless

 

[benedictgal]

Sorry it took so long to get back but it was a hectic weekend.

I spoke with my wife and got more details.

She said the sign was inside… There was a ropeline leading to a chapel in the back with a sign with magnetic letters on a stand at the head of the ropeline. It told the Mass Times and indicated that this was NOT a section for tourists or photos. The last part said (to the best of her memory which I have found to be remarkable) “All are Welcome to receive the Eucharist provided they respect the Real Presence of Christ”.

She said that St Peter’s is in the shape of a cross (I’ve never been there) and that this chapel was in the “top” section of the cross (assuming the main doors to be the bottom).

I hope this helps anyone that asked for clarification.

I will be dropping off this thread because I’ve found myself getting very angry at those that have implied my wife is a liar. I ask them to forgive the uncharitable thoughts I’ve had toward them.

God bless

Could it be that she may have misunderstood “reverence” for “receiving”? I, too, would be very hard-pressed that, in the Vatican, of all places, this would have happened.

No one is calling your wife a liar; however, I suspect that this was a serious case of misunderstanding.

 

[MissRose73]

The last funeral Mass I attended was for my paternal grandmother 4 years ago, and the priest never said: non Catholics cannot receive Communion. Then again it wasn’t a worry as very few there were non Catholic & they knew not to go up to receive, the majority in attendance could receive.

 

[Phemie]

The last funeral Mass I attended was for my paternal grandmother 4 years ago, and the priest never said: non Catholics cannot receive Communion. Then again it wasn’t a worry as very few there were non Catholic & they knew not to go up to receive, the majority in attendance could receive.

It seems from what we read here that in some parishes these announcements are routinely made but in others, like mine, they are rarely or never made.

 

[Cider]

At my brothers wedding, the preist said “all are welcome to receive the Eucharist”. My wife as well as my cousin could not believe it. One of my liberal cosuins from out of state said “now that is my kind of priest”

Any thoughts?

What?

I’m speechless. Yes the priest should be reminding everyone that unless they are Catholic and free from mortal sin they should not receive.

 

[tskrobacz]

Yikes!

The priest has issued such a reminder at most weddings and funerals that I have attended. In a few cases it was in the program.

The priest reminded everyone at my father’s funeral last month that communion was only for those in good graces with the Catholic Church…it was very unwelcoming and inappropriate IMHO.

 

[ProVobis]

The priest reminded everyone at my father’s funeral last month that communion was only for those in good graces with the Catholic Church…it was very unwelcoming and inappropriate IMHO.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[waterbrook]

I am not catholic but I have received twice in catholic churches and on both occassions it was made very clear that non catholics were being invited to do so. Those who did really appreciated the priviledge that they had been granted. I have always respected the communion boundaries when attending Mass - which I have done hundreds of times.

Reading some of the comments on this thread I find a question rising to the surface…what is sharing in communion…receiving the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ or a statement of faith in the everything the Roman Catholic church teaches? Personally I do not think the two are entirely mutually exclusive but some comments seem to forget that the catholic church recognises all trinitarian baptisms and therefore accept all Christians as part of the body of christ. I understand that the nature of the Eucharist means that people wish to honour christ and protect communion from abuse but I think the occassional exception for pastoral reasons is scarcely a scandal.

 

[Phemie]

I am not catholic but I have received twice in catholic churches and on both occassions it was made very clear that non catholics were being invited to do so. Those who did really appreciated the priviledge that they had been granted. I have always respected the communion boundaries when attending Mass - which I have done hundreds of times.

Reading some of the comments on this thread I find a question rising to the surface…what is sharing in communion…receiving the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ or a statement of faith in the everything the Roman Catholic church teaches? Personally I do not think the two are entirely mutually exclusive but some comments seem to forget that the catholic church recognises all trinitarian baptisms and therefore accept all Christians as part of the body of christ. I understand that the nature of the Eucharist means that people wish to honour christ and protect communion from abuse but I think the occassional exception for pastoral reasons is scarcely a scandal.

The Church provides for occasional exception – not ‘every non-Catholic feel free to come up’ that we see at funerals & weddings (I recall my Jewish BIL receiving at Dad’s funeral).

 

[Cider]

catholic.com/library/Who_Can_Receive_Communion.asp

"Because Catholics believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life, and worship, members of those churches with whom we are not yet fully united are ordinarily not admitted to Communion. Eucharistic sharing in exceptional circumstances by other Christians requires permission according to the directives of the diocesan bishop and the provisions of canon law. . . . "

Possible exceptions

“Catholic ministers may licitly administer the sacraments of penance, Eucharist and anointing of the sick to members of the oriental churches which do not have full Communion with the Catholic Church, if they ask on their own for the sacraments and are properly disposed. This holds also for members of other churches, which in the judgment of the Apostolic See are in the same condition as the oriental churches as far as these sacraments are concerned” (CIC 844 § 3).

Christians in these churches should, of course, respect their own church’s guidelines regarding when it would be permissible for them to receive Communion in a Catholic church.

The circumstances in which Protestants are permitted to receive Communion are more limited, though it is still possible for them to do so under certain specifically defined circumstances.

Canon law explains the parameters: “If the danger of death is present or other grave necessity,** in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or the conference of bishops**, Catholic ministers may licitly administer these sacraments to other Christians who do not have full Communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and on their own ask for it, provided they manifest Catholic faith in these sacraments and are properly disposed” (CIC 844 § 4).

It is important to remember that, under the rubrics specified above, even in those rare circumstances when non-Catholics are able to receive Communion, the same requirements apply to them as to Catholics.

The U.S. bishops’ guidelines for receiving Communion state, “We also welcome to this celebration those who do not share our faith in Jesus Christ. While we cannot admit them to Communion, we ask them to offer their prayers for the peace and the unity of the human family.”

Because they have not received baptism, the gateway to the other sacraments, non-Christians cannot receive Communion. However, in emergency situations, they can be received into the Church via
baptism, even if no priest is present, and an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion may bring them Communion as Viaticum.

I think that covers it, and none of the examples so far posted in this thread apply as far as I can tell.

 

[Cider]

Pray for that priest. I am praying for that priest.

I’ve been to more than a few funerals and one wedding this month and a bit. And every one Catholic, and every priest using the “teachable moment” scenario. What I found interesting, is that when he did indeed proclaim the truth about the Eucharist, and welcome those non-believers up for a blessing, hardly any went up for a blessing.

The blessing also is not allowed and there is a sticky at the top of this forum about it

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=543513

for others who are not to be admitted to Holy Communion in accord with the norm of law, the Church’s discipline has already made clear that they should not approach Holy Communion nor receive a blessing. This would include non-Catholics and those envisaged in can. 915 (i.e., those under the penalty of excommunication or interdict, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin).

 

[Myqyl]

I am not catholic but I have received twice in catholic churches and on both occassions it was made very clear that non catholics were being invited to do so. Those who did really appreciated the priviledge that they had been granted. I have always respected the communion boundaries when attending Mass - which I have done hundreds of times.

Reading some of the comments on this thread I find a question rising to the surface…what is sharing in communion…receiving the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ or a statement of faith in the everything the Roman Catholic church teaches? Personally I do not think the two are entirely mutually exclusive but some comments seem to forget that the catholic church recognises all trinitarian baptisms and therefore accept all Christians as part of the body of christ. I understand that the nature of the Eucharist means that people wish to honour christ and protect communion from abuse but I think the occassional exception for pastoral reasons is scarcely a scandal.

And many Catholics agree with you.

 

[TheMc]

The Church provides for occasional exception – not ‘every non-Catholic feel free to come up’ that we see at funerals & weddings (I recall my Jewish BIL receiving at Dad’s funeral).

What exceptions? Please explain, and back up with documentation.

 

[Phemie]

What exceptions? Please explain, and back up with documentation.

Cider already did. And just in case you misinterpreted, I didn’t think my Jewish BIL was that kind of exceptional circumstance.

 

[TheMc]

Cider already did. And just in case you misinterpreted, I didn’t think my Jewish BIL was that kind of exceptional circumstance.

Thanks. I did misunderstand the story about your BIL.

 

[Newbie2]

Yeah…wow…“open communion”. Touchy subject for some.

Perhaps there is some biblical guidance here:

1 Cor. 11:26-29, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he does not judge the body rightly.”

So if someone doesn’t beleive in the real presence, and does not believe that he or she is consuming the actual body and blood of our Lord, could that be attempting to receive in an unworthy manner? Perhaps.

A lot of ink has been spilt in the interpretation of “unworthy manner” and exactly what it entails. To me, anyway, I’d consder myself unworthy if I didn’t believe about the Eucharist what the Church teaches.