Communion at "diversely attended" masses

[PeteZ28]

Having been to a few funerals this year, I noticed a disturbing trend. Although at masses such as funerals often both Catholics and non-Catholics are in attendance, I have seen the Eucharist distributed indiscriminately to anyone attending. As non-Catholics, we cannot expect our guests to understand the significance of receiving Holy Communion.

Two cases in point:

1: At my grandmothers funeral, prior to assembling in the aisle for Communion, the priest walked along the front pew and administered Communion to everyone in that pew, roughly 15 people. Although fortunately all are Catholic, I can say with reasonable certainty that several of them are not in proper disposition to receive. Among them, for example, two self professed atheists and and two who are divorced and remarried.

I have no doubt that left to their own devices, none of them would have received. But it was more or less pushed upon them by the priest. I could tell my divorced aunt was initially hesitant but after the priest remained there holding the Eucharist for several seconds she obliged by accepting it.

2: A young friend of mine passed and the funeral had a large turnout of both friends and family. I sat next to a girl whom my friend was very close with during our late teen/early 20’s years. I was reasonably certain she was not Catholic. When our pew began getting up for Communion, I asked her if she was Catholic. She replied “No, but I’m Christian and I’ve made my communion”. And with that, she walked away.

I guess the moral of my story is why isn’t this addressed more directly by the clergy during the ceremony? It is to be expected that non-Catholics will be in attendance at weddings and funerals.

Is there a reason that priests cannot, or do not, announce, prior to leaving the alter, that Communion is ONLY for baptized Catholics?

 

[ConstantineTG]

Even if he does, there’s still nothing to prevent other people from ignoring him and going up to receive. I remember my former pastor does that during Christmas, knowing many family members would show up for Christmas who are either non-Catholics who would go with Catholic family, or Catholics who only show up during Christmas and Easter. He reminded them that they should not come up for Communion. But beyond that, nothing else. What can you really do?

 

[Sarabande]

I cantor for funerals and weddings in many different parishes, towns/cities and states. For most of them, the celebrants will usually announce right before the distribution of communion that Catholics “in good standing” can receive communion. Some have also gone further to say that those who are not of the faith can make a “spiritual communion” with God from their pews. At least where I have worked, it’s rare that a priest won’t make such an announcement.

That all said, there really isn’t any way to stop a person from receiving unless the priest knows that the person going up is either not Catholic or not a Catholic in good standing.

 

[ConstantineTG]

That all said, there really isn’t any way to stop a person from receiving unless the priest knows that the person going up is either not Catholic or not a Catholic in good standing.

The Catholic not in good standing part is really difficult. We are always to presume that any Catholic would have adequately prepared oneself to receive Christ.

 

[Sarabande]

The Catholic not in good standing part is really difficult. We are always to presume that any Catholic would have adequately prepared oneself to receive Christ.

I agree. That’s just what most of the priests I’ve seen say all the time right before the distribution of communion. And the only way I can see a priest knowing this about individual people is if he knew them personally and their situations. But then again, I don’t think most people would not try to go up there for communion if they knew the priest knew.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I say we should have RFiD cards and then a priest would record dates of confession there and Mass attendance

 

[Phemie]

1: At my grandmothers funeral, prior to assembling in the aisle for Communion, the priest walked along the front pew and administered Communion to everyone in that pew, roughly 15 people. Although fortunately all are Catholic, I can say with reasonable certainty that several of them are not in proper disposition to receive.

The same thing happened at my Dad’s funeral. The only people in the pew were my gay brother, his Jewish lover and me. Everyone received.
I’m not sure what would have happened had we been allowed to just go up to receive.

I guess the moral of my story is why isn’t this addressed more directly by the clergy during the ceremony? It is to be expected that non-Catholics will be in attendance at weddings and funerals.

Is there a reason that priests cannot, or do not, announce, prior to leaving the alter, that Communion is ONLY for baptized Catholics?

At Christmas we had a visiting priest make just such an announcement. He couched it in these terms: “Receiving Communion means that we are fully committed to the Catholic Faith. I’m sure that if there are faithful Pentecostals, United Church, or Anglican members here with their families and friends, you would not want to make such a statement.”

Now, I know that some non-Catholics still went to receive, probably because they’re used to doing so in our parish: even the Anglican & United Church ministers have received at different times.

 

[catsrus]

I believe that ALL priests should make an announcement prior to Mass. Also, there should be on the 1st page of the missal, an explaination of who may receive and who may not. I attended a parish in AZ where this was done. Also, in that particular church, there was a sign in the narthex stating that all cell phones were to be turned off before entering the church and silence would be observed.
It was a very reverent parish. The Fr. brooked NO stuff and nonsense there!

 

[JHow]

I think the priest should explain about who should receive beforehand. In my case, since I am a convert, I can only imagine that half the family likely to attend will be protestant. They are used to communion open to all believers and won’t necessarily understand - and of course, at my funeral, I won’t be able to explain.

 

[zalzankavol]

anytime I have been at such a setting the priest has addressed the issue with the congregation, asking non catholics or catholics who have been away from communion to please come up for a blessing during communion, with their arms folded in front of them. It has worked nicely.