What do you do when a priest invites everyone to Communion?

[ald]

After the consecration, the priest, during my father’s Mass of Christian Burial, announced that “everyone is invited to Communion.” Protestants, my sister who is divorced and remarried outside the Church, those who are living together outside of marriage, self avowed atheists and others received. Is this becoming a common practice?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

Unfortunately, there are indeed priests who think that it is “hospitable” to throw open Communion to anyone who wants to receive. And, more unfortunately, there is not much you can do at the time that this happens except perhaps to offer up your own Communion in reparation for any unworthy receptions of Communion that may be taking place.

After the liturgy though, and this is something you can do even now if you make an appointment with the priest, you might mention to the priest the consequences of his action: That, in addition to the Protestants he may have thought were the only ones he was “welcoming,” you know of non-Christians and people living in serious sin who felt themselves invited to receive.