If I am unable to receive Communion, can I still go up and get a blessing?

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casslean said:
I’m afraid I disagree. And in this case, I think the consequences are far more negative from not allowing blessings than from allowing them.

I will say that one of the most tangible effects for me from being told I could go forward for a blessing - I started attending daily Mass. There are usually 15-20 people at daily Mass, and I had been incredibly intimidated to go and be so obviously “different” - like I shouldn’t be there because I wasn’t a “real” Catholic. When I could quietly just be there with everyone else and do nothing to set myself a part, it opened a door for me.
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Exactly what do you disagree with? Are you saying that everyone going up for whatever reason has no influence on the respect and protection for the Eucharist?

If you wanted to receive the Eucharist so bad that is easily remedied by joining the Church.
 
I think going to daily Mass in and of itself is a sign of pending conversion. I don’t know how ong ago that was, but welcome home.
God bless you.
 
exnihilo said:
Exactly what do you disagree with? Are you saying that everyone going up for whatever reason has no influence on the respect and protection for the Eucharist?

If you wanted to receive the Eucharist so bad that is easily remedied by joining the Church.
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I’m saying that people going up for blessings does not influence the respect for and protection of the Eucharist. If people were going forward to say hi to the priest, or get a better look at the sanctuary, or whatever - that might have an impact.

As to your last comment, I was in the process of joining the Church. It isn’t an overnight process, and one I undertook while facing a great deal of resistance from those around me. The efforts my parish took to make sure I felt welcomed and included were very likely critical to my ability to fight back against that resistance.
 
exnihilo said:
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TC3033:
That’s basically me whenever I go with my family (I’d change unworthy to unwelcome). If I can, I’ll find an excuse to excuse myself before communion (lately it’s the 15 month old that won’t sit still) rather than being one of the 1 or 2 people of 200 that everybody needs to take a gander at and wonder why they’re not going up.
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I am not unsympathetic but if you aren’t Catholic then you aren’t welcome to receive. When I was converting I understood that and didn’t have a problem with that. It was easily resolved by committing myself to the Catholic Church. I made myself unwelcome to receive. It was my choice.

If people are wondering why you aren’t going up then that is their problem. If you are assuming people are wondering why you aren’t going up that is your problem. I understand our inclinations to feel a certain way but this is where reason should rule.
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I understand that. I mean that in a larger sense, as in I’m unwelcome at the church in the first place.
 
Which is what I said. Most in our parish that go up are people enrolled in RCIA or young children not old enough to receive who go with their parent.
 
if you’d get it from a priest…

A “blessing” from a EMHC is no different than if any baptized person gave you a blessing…which isn’t bad…but it’s not anything different.
 
pianistclare said:
I have even asked some parents of our children in Formation if they have ever considered converting, and they say," no, because I can be blessed with the host, so there’s no need." This is honestly what they think.
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That’s very interesting. I don’t know why, but I’m always amazed how the same actions (such as blessings in the Communion line) can mean vastly different things to different people. I can see both sides, which is why I’m not too surprised that even the priests on this thread don’t agree on the issue. I guess that’s why I don’t feel strongly enough to advocate one way or the other.
 
Yeah, me too.
I won’t go against what my pastor says at any rate.
God bless!
 
@pianistclare my experience is almost directly opposite yours. In talking with people in RCIA, they have described going up for a blessing as tremendously important to them. Those blessings filled a need to experience God’s love and gave them the strength to make the call to learn what they would need to do to come into full communion.
 
I’m sorry you feel that way, and I’m sure you have a good reason. Whoever made you feel unwelcome in God’s house, please don’t let it bother you. In fact, at the start of EVERY Mass, my pastor welcomes everyone. EVERYONE. We’d be delighted to have you pray with us. May you be blessed with people who love and cherish you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and bring you peace.
 
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I think you may have misunderstood me friend.
I was talking about people who are not Catholic and don’t intend to be Catholic. That’s why I think it doesn’t advance the cause of RCIA classes.
The RCIA people are very moved by the experience.
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
In talking with people in RCIA, they have described going up for a blessing as tremendously important to them. Those blessings filled a need to experience God’s love and gave them the strength to make the call to learn what they would need to do to come into full communion.
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I am taking a position to follow whichever is right with the liturgy in this issue.

I have no such experience of crossing my arms for blessing since I am a cradle Catholic - I go when I can receive Communion and stayed back when I couldn’t, which admittedly is a rarity for me.

What I know is that our diocese (Bishop) allows it as many other parishes as well. There is no controversy about it.

Being as EHMC, I take pleasure in seeing children and even adults coming up for blessing. They seem to like it and hunger fo have Christ blessing them. That would certainly fare very well for them to desire the Eucharist itself when the time comes for them to be allowed to recieve Communion.

There are not many adults doing that but for the very few that did, I think they were very courageous to come up not to receive Communion but just the blessing. I think that take a lot of humility to do that. Surely it is due to their desire for the Eucharist but which they cannot receive.

Hearing how it encourages you and some others who have come up for the blessing to increase your love for the Eucharist, it is surely good readon to allow it. Isn’t the Eucharist is supposed to draw prople to Christ himself?

Again, as an exprienced EMHC, I can say abuse of Communion is very rare though it happens. If people purposely want to receive it, there is practically nothing much the priest can do, unless he knows the person personally.

As for someone putting the host into her handbag, that is plain negligent of the priest/EHMC. We usually have to make sure a communicant eat the host and if he/she looks unsure, we can akways ask them whether they are receiving or not. Priests/EHMC have a responsiblity as far as they can to protect the Eucharist.
 
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I’ve just accepted it as, it is what it is I guess.

I’ve gone from being “asterisked” on anything and everything that has our families name on it to not being invited to church events and festivals (because as a non-Catholic I’m not viewed as a member)…

Recently, the last few months have just been really weird too…
 
TC3033 said:
One thing I’ve noticed, that I think is strange anyway, I hear that adults need to be better cathecised so they can better explain to non-Catholic family and friends that they’re not welcome to communion. If I remember right, all my in-laws could tell me is “it’s Catholic only”.

Anyway…nowhere in the family faith formation stuff for this year is communion even touched on. I figured that would have been a sure thing.
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Exactly right. “it’s Catholic only” is not enough. Regrettably far too many Catholics cannot give an explanation.

I am always grateful to priests who are able to insert small snippets of teaching at mass: why we do this, the meaning of that … At those times I pray that his words will be heard by someone presently questioning, also that his words will come to me when asked to advise a non-Catholic or non-practising person.
 
That’s pretty bad.
Do the pastor a favor and relate your experiences to him. He needs to know.
Something is seriously “off”.
Praying it will be well received. Barring that? Find another parish. Life is too short to be hit with this negativism which they are perpetuating.
Wish you all were here. You would indeed be included. Like the hymn says “All are Welcome.”
Peace.
 
We’ll see, there aren’t many parish’s left to go…there’s one in town and one in the country, and my wife has gone back and forth between the two at least once in the last 5-6 years.
 
HAHAHAHA 🤣🤣🤣

I meant on CAF, but yeah, if you ever travel to Hotlanta, look us up! :hugs:
 
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