How do I tell Protestants not to receive Communion at my wedding?

[Phillipos]

My fiancee and I are preparing for marriage in September. We are looking to get an early jump on practically everything, and of course wedding invitations are one of those things needed to be nailed down. My question is what is a proper way in the wedding invitation to tell our Protestant friends and family that they can’t receive Communion during the wedding Mass? I’m a former Protestant pastor so this will be very helpful.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

As much as I sympathize with your desire to educate your guests about the proper Communion protocol at a nuptial Mass, the implied message that you are considering, “Please come to our wedding. You can’t receive Communion!” just isn’t hospitable. Fortunately, there is a way to accomplish your goal.

Don’t put anything about Communion protocol on your invitations. Put it in your wedding program. I recommend contacting the United States Bishops’ Conference to see if you can obtain permission to print its Communion guidelines in the program. That way, you’ll cover all the bases and appear to be merely repeating the Church’s own guidelines (rather than appearing to lecture your guests). I then recommend asking your priest celebrant to direct the congregation’s attention to the Communion guidelines at the end of his homily. If he is reluctant to do so, you could ask your ushers to say to arriving guests, “Communion guidelines are in this program,” as they hand them a program and lead them to their seats.