C
ctrinidad24
Guest
My son recently celebrated his first Holy Communion this weekend. I invited friends, co-workers and family to witness and be a part of this very special event. During the mass, a co-worker whispers in my ear “I’m going up for Communion”. I know she is Lutheran and doesn’t go to her church very much at all. I am caught between a rock and a hard place because I don’t think she should receive, and would like to explain why but do not want to be disrespectful to others in the pews around me by attempting to have a theological discussion that I know would turn into a heated exchange. I simply said, “But you’re not Catholic, you haven’t confessed and you can’t”. She quickly said that she, “too is a child of God and God doesn’t judge her for receiving. It’s all the same.”. Now, I know that to be wrong, because – did she really get that answer straight from the source?! Catholic is NOT the same as Lutheran or anything for that matter. In any event, I said a prayer to myself and did not respond. She proceeded to say that her “cousin is a Catholic priest and he lets her receive all the time”.
Today at lunch, she brought it up again in front of others and mentioned her cousin, the priest. I responded and said that just because the priest did it, doesn’t make it right. If you don’t believe in the Real Presence, you should not receive. The other person that was present for this conversation also said that she shouldn’t have received Communion because she did not confess and doesn’t believe. She said she did confess “in her mind before she went on line”. I walked away.
My husband, who is an atheist, comes to mass every week with me and my children. In fact, he is known throughout my parish as the most faithful atheist. Even he, was upset by my co-workers actions and thought it was wrong of her to disrespect 1) such a special mass for new communicants 2) my beliefs 3) the Church 4) the clergy.
Am I right? Did I do something wrong by allowing her to receive or did I do the right thing by not arguing about it and just turning it over to God? Should I have said something to my priests? Do I need to confess it?
Thank you,
Cristina
Today at lunch, she brought it up again in front of others and mentioned her cousin, the priest. I responded and said that just because the priest did it, doesn’t make it right. If you don’t believe in the Real Presence, you should not receive. The other person that was present for this conversation also said that she shouldn’t have received Communion because she did not confess and doesn’t believe. She said she did confess “in her mind before she went on line”. I walked away.
My husband, who is an atheist, comes to mass every week with me and my children. In fact, he is known throughout my parish as the most faithful atheist. Even he, was upset by my co-workers actions and thought it was wrong of her to disrespect 1) such a special mass for new communicants 2) my beliefs 3) the Church 4) the clergy.
Am I right? Did I do something wrong by allowing her to receive or did I do the right thing by not arguing about it and just turning it over to God? Should I have said something to my priests? Do I need to confess it?
Thank you,
Cristina