Holy Communion to non-Catholics?

[feather]

gardenswithkids:

I completely understand what feather is saying because I once saw it that way too. Years ago I was so offended my (then) non-Catholic husband couldn’t receive Communion that eventually I stopped attending the Catholic Church. But I still agree with feather about one thing: THIS IS THE MOST PRECIOUS GIFT WE HAVE TO GIVE!

To draw an analogy: One of the most precious gifts my husband can give me is himself in our marital union. I would be horrified if husband gave that precious gift to anyone but his wife (me). In Holy Communion, Christ gives Himself to His Bride, the Church.

And like the marriage union, there is a right time for it–after we are united in marriage and not before that ceremony. To recieve Communion one should be in union with the Church and free of mortal sin so one can also be in union with Christ. I would like to invite all to be part that union with the Catholic Church and Christ our Bridegroom. We wish for no one to be excluded from Holy Communion who truly desires Christ, so we offer baptism and confession, and for those converting from other Christian faiths we also offer RCIA and a chance to make a professions of faith in the Catholic Church.

This is our most precious gift, so we should never treat it as anything less by sharing it with those who do not fully understand or accept full union with Christ and His Church.

I do believe that to elevate your husband to equate with Jesus is going pretty far in making your point. And sex and Jesus.
Really now!!!

 

[Ben_G]

feather:

I do believe that to elevate your husband to equate with Jesus is going pretty far in making your point. And sex and Jesus.
Really now!!!

Personally I think it was a great analogy … it illustrates the point very clearly. There is a right time and a wrong time for two people to engage in sexual relations, and there is a right time and a wrong time for a person to receive Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

As gardenswithkids said,

We wish for no one to be excluded from Holy Communion who truly desires Christ, so we offer baptism and confession, and for those converting from other Christian faiths we also offer RCIA and a chance to make a profession of faith in the Catholic Church.

This is our most precious gift, so we should never treat it as anything less by sharing it with those who do not fully understand or accept full union with Christ and His Church.

As an aside, it was the policy of the priest at my all-male Catholic college prep high school to publically announce the guidelines for the reception of Communion at the all-school Mass at the opening of the school year. However, no student was ever denied the Eucharist if he approached the altar to receive … it was left as a matter for individual consciences.

 

[feather]

Okay point made. I am coming from a situation where an Anglican Priest was refused communion in our Catholic Church

But now that I hear it talked about here, the Anglican Priest without a doubt chose to not take communion in our church. Very nice man too, very good Anglican Priest amd very smart.

 

[CARose]

Feather,

I am very pleased to see that you are coming to a better understanding of why communion is not available to everyone at any time.

I think some of the explainations given above have been excellent. I especially like the marriage analogy. Thank you!

CARose