Someone walked off with the Blessed Sacrament

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…and I chased him down. At daily Mass the other day (I am morning sacristan), I was kneeling in the pews after having received communion. We normally have about 50 people in the congregation. Something caught my eye, perhaps a new person with whom I wasn’t familiar. I was idly gazing at the priest and communicants as this fellow approached. He received and then cupped his hands around the host as he walked by the EMHC with the Precious Blood and down the far aisle.

Well, I got up and intercepted him as he was walking toward the rear doors of the church. I could see the host in his hands. I said to him (pretty gently, I thought), “you are going to consume the host now?” and he gulped it down. He said “I was going to eat it right there,” pointing to a pew. I said “you should consume it immediately after receiving it from the priest.” He said “I didn’t know that.” I then asked him what I should have asked him first, “are you Catholic?” “No, but I am Christian.” I then explained to him that he should not receive communion in the Catholic Church unless he was Catholic; this signifies that he believes everything the Catholic Church teaches; if he was interested in becoming Catholic, RCIA is every Tuesday night, etc.

What would you have done? Has anyone else had this experience, and what did you do?

By the way, my priest profusely thanked me for “defending the Blessed Sacrament.”
 
I think you handled it pretty much the right way, probably better than I would have. In hindsight, I agree with you that perhaps if you asked first if he was Catholic, he might not have had the opportunity to eat the Blessed Sacrament.

Hard to say if that would have been better or not, but since you asked I figured I would chime in…

Thanks!

Jason
 
GwenL said:
…and I chased him down. At daily Mass the other day (I am morning sacristan), I was kneeling in the pews after having received communion. We normally have about 50 people in the congregation. Something caught my eye, perhaps a new person with whom I wasn’t familiar. I was idly gazing at the priest and communicants as this fellow approached. He received and then cupped his hands around the host as he walked by the EMHC with the Precious Blood and down the far aisle.

Well, I got up and intercepted him as he was walking toward the rear doors of the church. I could see the host in his hands. I said to him (pretty gently, I thought), “you are going to consume the host now?” and he gulped it down. He said “I was going to eat it right there,” pointing to a pew. I said “you should consume it immediately after receiving it from the priest.” He said “I didn’t know that.” I then asked him what I should have asked him first, “are you Catholic?” “No, but I am Christian.” I then explained to him that he should not receive communion in the Catholic Church unless he was Catholic; this signifies that he believes everything the Catholic Church teaches; if he was interested in becoming Catholic, RCIA is every Tuesday night, etc.

What would you have done? Has anyone else had this experience, and what did you do?

By the way, my priest profusely thanked me for “defending the Blessed Sacrament.”
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You did just fine. 👍 God bless you!

I hope I would be as composed and graceful in such a situation.
 
You handled that in a way that I have little doubt makes Our Lord smile.
You handled it with love and mercy, yet clarity of truth. 🙂
 
I saw this happen once in our church - our priest who gave communion to this woman stopped what he was doing and followed her (it was only a few steps - but he obviously knew she hadn’t put it in her mouth) and he told her to do it then.

I’d say you did the right thing too!
 
GwenL said:
…and I chased him down. At daily Mass the other day (I am morning sacristan), I was kneeling in the pews after having received communion. We normally have about 50 people in the congregation. Something caught my eye, perhaps a new person with whom I wasn’t familiar. I was idly gazing at the priest and communicants as this fellow approached. He received and then cupped his hands around the host as he walked by the EMHC with the Precious Blood and down the far aisle.

Well, I got up and intercepted him as he was walking toward the rear doors of the church. I could see the host in his hands. I said to him (pretty gently, I thought), “you are going to consume the host now?” and he gulped it down. He said “I was going to eat it right there,” pointing to a pew. I said “you should consume it immediately after receiving it from the priest.” He said “I didn’t know that.” I then asked him what I should have asked him first, “are you Catholic?” “No, but I am Christian.” I then explained to him that he should not receive communion in the Catholic Church unless he was Catholic; this signifies that he believes everything the Catholic Church teaches; if he was interested in becoming Catholic, RCIA is every Tuesday night, etc.

What would you have done? Has anyone else had this experience, and what did you do?

By the way, my priest profusely thanked me for “defending the Blessed Sacrament.”
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Good Job!
 
GwenL said:
…and I chased him down. At daily Mass the other day (I am morning sacristan), I was kneeling in the pews after having received communion. We normally have about 50 people in the congregation. Something caught my eye, perhaps a new person with whom I wasn’t familiar. I was idly gazing at the priest and communicants as this fellow approached. He received and then cupped his hands around the host as he walked by the EMHC with the Precious Blood and down the far aisle.

Well, I got up and intercepted him as he was walking toward the rear doors of the church. I could see the host in his hands. I said to him (pretty gently, I thought), “you are going to consume the host now?” and he gulped it down. He said “I was going to eat it right there,” pointing to a pew. I said “you should consume it immediately after receiving it from the priest.” He said “I didn’t know that.” I then asked him what I should have asked him first, “are you Catholic?” “No, but I am Christian.” I then explained to him that he should not receive communion in the Catholic Church unless he was Catholic; this signifies that he believes everything the Catholic Church teaches; if he was interested in becoming Catholic, RCIA is every Tuesday night, etc.

What would you have done? Has anyone else had this experience, and what did you do?

By the way, my priest profusely thanked me for “defending the Blessed Sacrament.”
Click to expand...
Well done…
 
Great save, and done diplomatically and with class! Plus, you even gave him information on how to become Catholic if he wants to.
 
You are right that you should have asked if he was Catholic first, BUT given the situation and being caught off guard etc…You did great. 👍

Peace
James
 
jwinch2 said:
I think you handled it pretty much the right way, probably better than I would have. In hindsight, I agree with you that perhaps if you asked first if he was Catholic, he might not have had the opportunity to eat the Blessed Sacrament.

Hard to say if that would have been better or not, but since you asked I figured I would chime in…

Thanks!

Jason
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I agree, you are now a Most Blessed Sacrament Knight! :knight1:
 
I had a similar experience one time… a Catholic guy who was very devout, but sometimes mistaken in his practices. Kind of weirded me out a little bit, if I’m being totally honest.

Well, at mass one day I noticed him walking off with the Eucharist… just… staring at it as he walked away from the altar. As was my practice, I sat at the far end of the back pews in those days (now I sit against the center aisle… this was at college in portland and no one kneeled, so I kneeled in the back corner as not to cause a scene). As he passed me, I reached out and caught his arm, breaking his revery. He looked at me, I nodded meaningfully at his other hand, in which was the Most Precious Host, and he consumed it then and there. This all occured in total silence, I don’t even think those sitting next to me were aware of it.

We should always defend the Eucharist, but we should also do so with extreme charity, with a mind toward reconciling the person to the proper practice, and with GREAT respect for the fact that we should not scandalize the mass any more than the minimum needed to resolve the issue.

Well done!
 
GwenL said:
…and I chased him down. At daily Mass the other day (I am morning sacristan), I was kneeling in the pews after having received communion. We normally have about 50 people in the congregation. Something caught my eye, perhaps a new person with whom I wasn’t familiar. I was idly gazing at the priest and communicants as this fellow approached. He received and then cupped his hands around the host as he walked by the EMHC with the Precious Blood and down the far aisle.

Well, I got up and intercepted him as he was walking toward the rear doors of the church. I could see the host in his hands. I said to him (pretty gently, I thought), “you are going to consume the host now?” and he gulped it down. He said “I was going to eat it right there,” pointing to a pew. I said “you should consume it immediately after receiving it from the priest.” He said “I didn’t know that.” I then asked him what I should have asked him first, “are you Catholic?” “No, but I am Christian.” I then explained to him that he should not receive communion in the Catholic Church unless he was Catholic; this signifies that he believes everything the Catholic Church teaches; if he was interested in becoming Catholic, RCIA is every Tuesday night, etc.

What would you have done? Has anyone else had this experience, and what did you do?

By the way, my priest profusely thanked me for “defending the Blessed Sacrament.”
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I would do just what u did
 
Thanks for all of your thoughts.

Confronting a stranger (especially a guy who is taller, huskier, and younger) is always a bit uncomfortable. Our Cathedral is in a dicey downtown area, next to the Greyhound bus station, amidst a sea of tattoo parlors, bars, escort services, and the like. You never know where it will go. But this guy was walking toward the exit doors with determination and speed, carrying our Lord who-knows-where.

BTW–I’m a she, so no knighthood on the horizon. 😛

Perhaps my many years in the military served me well. All velocity and no vector, as we used to say.
 
promethius said:
I had a similar experience one time… a Catholic guy who was very devout, but sometimes mistaken in his practices. Kind of weirded me out a little bit, if I’m being totally honest.

Well, at mass one day I noticed him walking off with the Eucharist… just… staring at it as he walked away from the altar. As was my practice, I sat at the far end of the back pews in those days (now I sit against the center aisle… this was at college in portland and no one kneeled, so I kneeled in the back corner as not to cause a scene). As he passed me, I reached out and caught his arm, breaking his revery. He looked at me, I nodded meaningfully at his other hand, in which was the Most Precious Host, and he consumed it then and there. This all occured in total silence, I don’t even think those sitting next to me were aware of it.

We should always defend the Eucharist, but we should also do so with extreme charity, with a mind toward reconciling the person to the proper practice, and with GREAT respect for the fact that we should not scandalize the mass any more than the minimum needed to resolve the issue.

Well done!
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Interesting, and quick reaction on your part.

I don’t know if the guy I questioned was just spaced-out, truly ignorant, or on the way to a Satanic ritual. You have to assume the best, I guess, but be ready for the worst.

We had our little conversation at the rear of the church, quietly. But I think most everyone saw me leave my pew and speed toward the back. They all know me and must’ve figured something was up, so I think everyone in the pews was looking as we were, ahem, resolving the issue.
 
GwenL said:
…and I chased him down. At daily Mass the other day (I am morning sacristan), I was kneeling in the pews after having received communion. We normally have about 50 people in the congregation. Something caught my eye, perhaps a new person with whom I wasn’t familiar. I was idly gazing at the priest and communicants as this fellow approached. He received and then cupped his hands around the host as he walked by the EMHC with the Precious Blood and down the far aisle.

Well, I got up and intercepted him as he was walking toward the rear doors of the church. I could see the host in his hands. I said to him (pretty gently, I thought), “you are going to consume the host now?” and he gulped it down. He said “I was going to eat it right there,” pointing to a pew. I said “you should consume it immediately after receiving it from the priest.” He said “I didn’t know that.” I then asked him what I should have asked him first, “are you Catholic?” “No, but I am Christian.” I then explained to him that he should not receive communion in the Catholic Church unless he was Catholic; this signifies that he believes everything the Catholic Church teaches; if he was interested in becoming Catholic, RCIA is every Tuesday night, etc.

What would you have done? Has anyone else had this experience, and what did you do?

By the way, my priest profusely thanked me for “defending the Blessed Sacrament.”
Click to expand...
The first time my parents visited a Catholic church they almost walked out the door because of an extremely rude Extraordinary Minister. They joined the queue for the Eucharist, assuming they were able to receive because they had been confirmed.

When he saw them the Extraordinary Minister said, “You’re not Catholic,” and made a shooing gesture with his hand. They didn’t make a scene, but they were highly offended.

If it wasn’t for the choir director, we wouldn’t have come back. A few years later we converted. And by then the EM had left. You sow what you reap I suppose. 🙂

I think you sorted this out as tactfully as you could.
 
I add my voice to those who have complimented your action. You did the right thing. 😃

But our friend has a problem now, and I wonder 1) just what it is, and 2) how does he go about fixing(?) it.

We Catholics are instructed not to receive Holy Communion unworthily (in a state of mortal sin), for we bring condemnation on ourselves. In fact, I’ve heard that said about non-Catholics too. In my church bulletin are instructions welcoming non-Catholics and mentioning just this point.

So has our friend put himself unwittingly in a damnable condition? It certainly was an unworthy reception, wasn’t it? What can he do now? Whether he believes it or not, isn’t there some truth here that puts him in jeopardy?

Ken
 
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