When you see a non-Catholic receive Communion

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RosaryFan,

I don’t know the “right” thing to do (this is when I hope and pray one of the real apologists might chime in on our conversation) . . . I only know what I feel comfortable with now that I have more understanding.

The man who told me to “hold my ground” and not be intimidated by the pastor to resign my commission as an EMHC, well he’s the one who also helped me really understand the ministry of being a EMHC. He likened it to being a secret service agent (no, I don’t wish to offend, just an analogy). He explained that our role is to be willing to die for Christ. That if a Consecrated host were to fall out of a minster’s hands, as EMHCs, we should be willing to nose-dive into the ground to catch Jesus lest His Sacred body hit the ground before we do. He explained that we are to stop what we are doing to clean up spills with all reverence lest someone should step on Christ. So as Jesus’s bodyguard, I don’t feel comfortable presenting Him to anyone I know has blasphemed Him and publically claimed not to believe. I’m still switching places with other EMHC for now, but praying for the day when I will have the courage and strength of my convictions to stand up for Christ and offer the woman a heartfelt blessing instead of the Holy Eucharist.

Now, please understand that I am not suggesting any EMHC ever judge another person’s worthiness to receive. As I shared with my priest, this has nothing to do with worthiness or an individual’s state of grace – it is a specific person who has announced to a group of 25 other women that she is proud to be Lutheran and has no intention of ever joining our parish since she “gets all the rights & privileges of membership right now.”

Our pastor is too confrontation adverse to stop her so the way I see it, there are only two things I can do – 1) pray for her that she might one day be in full communion with us, and 2) continue to perform my job as Christ’s body guard by singing His praises and doing everything in my power to prevent Him from being abused.

I’ll pray for you and humbly request that you pray for me too!
 
For me, 99% of the time, I know them to be Orthodox, so it is a non-issue.
 
Suslar, thank you for your valuable (name removed by moderator)ut. I will certainly pray for you.

I have not yet spoken with the priest in my parish (I was debating on whether or not I should mention it). I have since decided I have an obligation to at least mention the situation to him, and I hope and pray he’s a little more understanding than your priest was. Although I don’t feel like I’m judging this woman and simply want to do what is right in defense of our Lord, I hope my priest doesn’t see it as my judging another. So, thank you for offering to pray for me, too.

I like the analogy of “secret service”. That really puts it in perspective.

God bless,
RosaryFan
 
During a first Holy Communion mass, I was asked to participate as minister. When someone approached me that obviously hadn’t a clue what they were doing, they tried to reach into the ciborium themselves, I stopped them by covering it with my hand. I then asked if they had made their first communion before. I then told them, they cannot receive without instruction…talk to the priest after mass. Of course, they didn’t, but I couldn’t abuse the sacrament in that way. I told my pastor and he just shrugged his shoulders. I did tell him, not to schedule me for this mass in the future. Maybe what I did was not openly sympathetic to the one who came up for Communion, but I felt challenged to protect Jesus from someone who had no clue what it was all about.
 
RosaryFan said:
Is this none of my business,
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I would say yes, it is none of your business. Who’s business is it to decide if someone is Catholic or not, in a state of grace or not that you can pick and choose who receives communion? The only place for you is to mention it to your priest and let him decide; it is his place, not yours.

How would you feel if you went to communion and someone had the temerity to ask you whether you’ve committed any mortal sins without going to confession first? The priest has the right to ask but you do not.
 
Timothysis said:
I would say yes, it is none of your business. Who’s business is it to decide if someone is Catholic or not, in a state of grace or not that you can pick and choose who receives communion? The only place for you is to mention it to your priest and let him decide; it is his place, not yours.

How would you feel if you went to communion and someone had the temerity to ask you whether you’ve committed any mortal sins without going to confession first? The priest has the right to ask but you do not.
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Another reason to do away with EHMC’s–just my 2cents!
 
Suslar said:
My goodness! If the OP could be from my parish! I have the same issue. A Luthern who attends Mass and presents herself for Eucharist. . . and it IS widely known that she’s not Catholic and it IS causing great scandal.

For me personally, I serve as a EMHC. Once, while preparing to serve, I noticed where the woman was sitting and began to have a panic attack - I could not stop shaking with fear she’d come to me and I’d mishandle the situation. Afterall, I thought, I am certainly not worthy to receive Christ nor to minister His precious Body and Blood . . . so how could I decide if someone else is worthy? As my panic grew, I did the only sane thing I could think of at the moment - I arranged to switch places with another EMHC so I would be on the other side of the Church. I know it sounds childish, but I was under stress!

I later talked to our pastor about it. He said he knows she is not Catholic and that since I’ve never walked a mile in her shoes, I shouldn’t judge her. He went on to say that my questioning anyone else receiving Holy Communion calls into question my own state of grace and my commission to serve as a EMHC. I didn’t know what to say . . . .

And then I found a fabulous Catholic apologist who encouraged me to stand my ground! He explained that my pastor was wrong and may have been poorly trained in seminary - and that did not excuse me from performing my role as an EMHC. He said I was right in switching places to avoid confrontation until the day I can with all humility and sincerity offer this woman a blessing when she comes to receive from my line . . . I’m not there yet (I’m still switching places often), and I pray for the grace to deal with the situation.

As for the pastor, at a second discussion, he told me the lady says she believes in Divine Presence. I asked how that could be true since Divine Presence in the Eucharist is brought about by him as our priest and she doesn’t “believe in priests” – i.e. as a Luthern, she has rejected the authority of Rome and the Petrine succession. This time, he had nothing to say. He still has not stopped her from receiving, but I know that by actively avoiding giving the Precious Body & Blood of Our Savior to one who does not accept it as such, I have done my part. Now, I pray for the soul of my priest – that he may not lead souls astray nor allow the Holy Sacrament to be intentionally degraded. Please pray for me as I fight this holy battle to defend the diginity of Jesus!

My heart aches when I see Jesus so demeaned. BTW, this woman is married to a Catholic – he is the president of the Parish Council and has announced that he will be “church shopping” just as soon as his kids are out of Catholic school at 8th grade.
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Suslar,

Keep this in mind, an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion is acting as a representative of that priest who appoints that person at that particular moment. Since you are in fact representing him, if you do what he explicitly instructs you to do, your own conscience is clear (or should be).

There is a general principle in liturgy that says that when someone approaches the priest to receive Communion, the priest makes the assumption that the person is Catholic and in a state to receive worthily; that is unless there is something in the external forum to indicate otherwise. There’s nothing wrong (and everything right) about quickly and quietly asking someone who appears not to know how to receive “are you Catholic?” In other words, the communicant is first given the benefit of the doubt. In cases of public persons whom the bishop has asked not to receive, that’s different because their rejection of essential truths of the faith has been expressed in public, and they have lost that benefit-of-the-doubt. Likewise with people who are known to be non-Catholic, or people who otherwise publically (key word) have made it known that they are not living a life in harmony with the Church’s teachings. This is a very personal thing. The first time it happens, a priest might (again key word) give Communion under the assumption that the person has been to confession (he also has an obligation to look into the matter), but if it becomes a regular thing, it is the responsibility of the priest to use his judgment and apply the requirements of the Church by advising that person not to receive, and even withholding Communion until he learns that the situation has changed.

We all know that sometimes priests give Communion to those who should not be receiving. If the priest does this knowingly and intentionally, that is on his own conscience and he will have to answer for it, if not in this world then in the next. But if you do it as the representative of that priest, and you do it out of obedience to what he has specifically instructed you, the fault is his and not yours.
 
RosaryFan said:
I was at Mass this morning and I happened to notice a woman receiving Communion whom I know is not Catholic. Is this none of my business, or is it my duty to say something to the Pastor? I am absolutely certain she is not Catholic because she and I have had past discussions about religion. I truly don’t know what I’m obliged to do in this situation.
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You need to take her aside, and gently explain to her… that the reason non-Catholics aren’t permitted to receive Holy Communion at Mass… is because they are not “in full union” with the Catholic Church.

To be in “full union” with the Catholic Church… means to believe and live out ALL that the Catholic Church teaches. This would include, of course… belief in the Real Presence. But also extends to other beliefs… such as Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Communion of Saints, the doctrines of Purgatory and hell… and on and on. If all the tenents of the Catholic Church are believed and followed… then it is only logical for the person to seek “union” with the Catholic Church (to become Catholic). Until then, they should NOT receive Holy Communion.

Hope this helps. God bless.
 
You report the matter to your pastor and then you follow his directions precisely. If you cannot do this, then you must no longer serve as an emHC. You may also report the matter to the Bishop, but you would be wise to suspend yourself from serving as an emHC until the Bishop’s office handles your concern.

It is not for the laity to judge the worthiness of anyone presenting themselves for Holy Communion. The Church draws the line at the pastor. If you receive no instructions to not give Communion to someone who presents themselves, then you must give them Communion.
 
To Timothysis and faithfulone, as I said in a earlier post, I am not suggesting any EMHC ever judge another person’s worthiness to receive.

We are NOT talking about anyone’s state of grace or if/when people have been to confession. We’re not at all talking about private matters but about someone who has publically denounced our Catholic faith. See the difference? The question is not if a Catholic has sinned – that is never a question for an EMHC because we’re all sinners. This is about a NON-CATHOLIC who speaks to various groups and tells them that “Catholics don’t know how to pray” and that we’re all “damned to hell for our misguided belief in the Pope’s instruction.”

As for doing away with EMHCs, I’m with you! The issue is that I serve in a parish that has Mass Sat. night, 3 on Sunday morning, and 1 Sunday evening – each gets between 1500 – 2500 people attending. And, we only have one permanent priest. It would take forever for him to distribute Holy Communion to everyone by himself.
 
Fr. David, I’ve been hoping you would respond! This might sound silly, but because the parish is so large and the 1 priest is stretched so thin, EMHCs don’t get instruction from him. He did sign the official Commissioning Certificate, but instruction, commissioning and scheduling are all handled by a lay person (who is appointed by the pastor). When I asked that lay person about the situation (without naming names) he said something about not wanting to cause hurt feelings for people. Since his answer didn’t sound right, I did seek other counsel and talked to the pastor directly.

I was able to talk with our retired pastor about how I was feeling moments before serving as an EMHC . . . I explained the feelings of panic and being unsure about what to do about this woman. I asked if I should resign my commission and I asked if it was subject matter for Confession. He told me that when he was pastor, he knew the woman was not Catholic and he asked her not to present herself to receive. Yet, she ignored his advice and continued to receive whenever she’d come to Mass.

I asked how he handled it. He said he continued to talk with her (advising her not to receive until she decides to join our Church & giving info about RCIA) but he also realized she would sit in the same place so he switched places to stand on the other side of the altar! It made my switching places not feel so childish! He said he felt her disobedience was on her shoulders after he had done his job of instructing her but that he did not feel compelled to offer her the Holy Eucharist. He encouraged me to continue to serve (and change places when necessary) provided that I would pray for this woman.

Fr. David, in your opinion, was that good advice? That I should continue to serve but do so in such a way that accomplishes three objectives - #1) I do not go against the decision of the priest who is the current pastor (do not deny her HC), #2) I pray for the woman, and #3) I do not have to go against my own conscience. Would appreciate your thoughts.

Please pray for me.
 
Suslar said:
To Timothysis and faithfulone, as I said in a earlier post, I am not suggesting any EMHC ever judge another person’s worthiness to receive.

We are NOT talking about anyone’s state of grace or if/when people have been to confession. We’re not at all talking about private matters but about someone who has publically denounced our Catholic faith. See the difference? The question is not if a Catholic has sinned – that is never a question for an EMHC because we’re all sinners. This is about a NON-CATHOLIC who speaks to various groups and tells them that “Catholics don’t know how to pray” and that we’re all “damned to hell for our misguided belief in the Pope’s instruction.”
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No, but for fear of this slippery slope, the Church has drawn the line at the pastor. Only he can decide to deny someone the Sacrament within his parish.

If we allow emsHC to deny someone Communion because they believe the person is a Lutheran, what is to stop the emsHC from denying someone Communion because they believe them unworthy to receive? My principal is an emHC at our parish. What if I take the Lord’s name in vain in his office on a Friday morning, and then at Mass Saturday night present myself to him for Holy Communion. He knows I committed a sin yesterday, so why can’t he judge me unworthy? Because he doesn’t know that I’ve also gone to Confession inbetween, something that is none of his business.

Furthermore, if we give emsHC the authority to deny someone Communion because they believe the person isn’t Catholic, what’s to stop them from using their judgement about a stranger?

No, this is a dangerous road to trod down, and the Church has wisely reserved the decision to the judgment of the pastor, and neither asks nor allows emsHC to judge on their own.
 
Thanks, MusicMan, I understand your point. It backs up what Fr. David said about giving people the benefit of the doubt.

I guess in my head I was looking at it differently. . . .more like evaluating what the person in question has actually publicly declared vs. judging things I don’t or can’t know. I’m not sure I’m explaining myself well but this is a situation in which the person made a statement to me and many others, and not me using judgment or trying to decide anything about “worthiness”, you know? Like known facts (SHE told us she’s not Catholic and doesn’t accept our beliefs) vs. trying to guess about the unseen/unknown (such as in the confession example). It just feels icky to be in the middle of this and so I pray for a more compassionate and understanding heart . . . AND, I am now praying to be more obedient!
 
MusicMan said:
No, but for fear of this slippery slope, the Church has drawn the line at the pastor. Only he can decide to deny someone the Sacrament within his parish.

If we allow emsHC to deny someone Communion because they believe the person is a Lutheran, what is to stop the emsHC from denying someone Communion because they believe them unworthy to receive? My principal is an emHC at our parish. What if I take the Lord’s name in vain in his office on a Friday morning, and then at Mass Saturday night present myself to him for Holy Communion. He knows I committed a sin yesterday, so why can’t he judge me unworthy? Because he doesn’t know that I’ve also gone to Confession inbetween, something that is none of his business.

Furthermore, if we give emsHC the authority to deny someone Communion because they believe the person isn’t Catholic, what’s to stop them from using their judgement about a stranger?

No, this is a dangerous road to trod down, and the Church has wisely reserved the decision to the judgment of the pastor, and neither asks nor allows emsHC to judge on their own.
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I see your point, and it’s a good one. The essential difference though is between the internal forum and the external forum. One’s state of sin or grace (or whatever in between) is an internal matter, and a Catholic deserves the benefit of the doubt unless something external presents itself.

When it comes to non-Catholics, their lack of membership in the Church is in the external forum. If a person is known to be not-Catholic, then that person’s reception of Communion should and must be delayed. Sometimes people come up in line and obviously do not know what to do (I’m sure readers here have experienced/seen such situations); in that case, one should quietly and respectfully inquire “are you Catholic?” Members of the Orthodox Churches and the Polish National Church are an exception and may receive Communion if they present themselves.

The Pastor has the responsibility to “regulate” who receives Communion, but only within the theology and liturgical laws of the Church. The pastor is not free to decide to give communion to non-Catholics. There is a common misconception that just because a priest is permitted (but never obliged) to give Communion to a non-Catholic in extreme circumstances such as war, persecution, or natural disaster, that he can do so in ordinary circumstances.

You asked a good question about a stranger. The answer is that such a person deserves the benefit of the doubt that he is Catholic and in a state of Grace, unless and until something in the external forum changes that.

The Church does not give EMHCs the authority to deny someone Communion, rather the Church (acting through the priest who appoints them) allows the authority ONLY to assist the priest in distributing Communion to those whom the Church defines as eligible. That’s an essential point to keep in mind.
 
Suslar said:
Fr. David, I’ve been hoping you would respond! This might sound silly, but because the parish is so large and the 1 priest is stretched so thin, EMHCs don’t get instruction from him. He did sign the official Commissioning Certificate, but instruction, commissioning and scheduling are all handled by a lay person (who is appointed by the pastor). When I asked that lay person about the situation (without naming names) he said something about not wanting to cause hurt feelings for people. Since his answer didn’t sound right, I did seek other counsel and talked to the pastor directly.

I was able to talk with our retired pastor about how I was feeling moments before serving as an EMHC . . . I explained the feelings of panic and being unsure about what to do about this woman. I asked if I should resign my commission and I asked if it was subject matter for Confession. He told me that when he was pastor, he knew the woman was not Catholic and he asked her not to present herself to receive. Yet, she ignored his advice and continued to receive whenever she’d come to Mass.

I asked how he handled it. He said he continued to talk with her (advising her not to receive until she decides to join our Church & giving info about RCIA) but he also realized she would sit in the same place so he switched places to stand on the other side of the altar! It made my switching places not feel so childish! He said he felt her disobedience was on her shoulders after he had done his job of instructing her but that he did not feel compelled to offer her the Holy Eucharist. He encouraged me to continue to serve (and change places when necessary) provided that I would pray for this woman.

Fr. David, in your opinion, was that good advice? That I should continue to serve but do so in such a way that accomplishes three objectives - #1) I do not go against the decision of the priest who is the current pastor (do not deny her HC), #2) I pray for the woman, and #3) I do not have to go against my own conscience. Would appreciate your thoughts.

Please pray for me.
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Speaking to you individually, I would agree with your retired pastor (not that someone’s opinion on the internet should override his pastoral counsel in any case). As an individual, what you are doing is fine. But it seems to me that there is a much larger problem here that the current pastor might be knowingly allowing non-Catholics to receive. If that’s the case, repeat, if that’s the case, there is certainly a problem. Also, the pastor cannot neglect his own responsibility to properly instruct EMHCs and to oversee who receives Communion. He can delegate this teaching function to someone else if he sees fit, but the responsibility is still his. Also, it is not up to the “coordinator” do decide who should receive Communion, that’s a matter for the Church to decide. Not wanting to “hurt someone’s feelings” is never a legitimate excuse for giviing Communion to someone who is not eligible by the Church’s definitions.
 
Suslar said:
Fr. David, in your opinion, was that good advice? That I should continue to serve but do so in such a way that accomplishes three objectives - #1) I do not go against the decision of the priest who is the current pastor (do not deny her HC), #2) I pray for the woman, and #3) I do not have to go against my own conscience. Would appreciate your thoughts.

Please pray for me.
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Your final #3 is what I’d like to emphasize. Remember that anytime an EMHC helps the priest to distribute Communion at Mass, that EMHC is acting under direct appointment from the priest celebrating that particular Mass (there is no parish “commissioning” or anything else that we often see–these practices are not sound and indeed are ultimately meaningless, and even sometimes harmful because they lead to misunderstandings).

Since you represent that particular priest at that particular moment, your “responsibility” is to do as he instructs you to do. He may be wrong, or he may be right, but it is on his conscience and his alone.
 
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