Communion Guidelines in Program?

Hulz2000 · October 2010

Did anyone include Communion guidelines in your program? My church sent me the full guidelines published by the USCCB, but they are pretty long and would take up a whole page in my program. Does anyone have a shorter neater version that they used?

mica178 · October 2010

I didn't. I have been to weddings where the priest said something about Communion rather than depending on your guests to read the long passage in your program.

[Deleted User] · October 2010

I have seen both. We put the guidelines on our website and we are also going to include them in the program.
I would also suggest speaking with the priest that is going to marry you, he may be able to better guide you in this manner.

M

[Deleted User] · October 2010

We didn't include anything in our programs. A lot of our guests were Catholic, however, for those that were not, our priest made a quick statement about who could receive, etc. I think most of our family and friends that weren't Catholic knew enough about our faith to not receive when it came time for Communion.

lisa89760 · October 2010

Can someone post or send me what you put in your program regarding communion? While both of our familes are catholic, the majority of our bridal party & friends are not. I think it would be helpful to have something in the program!

Thanks!

[Deleted User] · October 2010

This is what we are posting. I hope that this helps.

M

Guidelines for Receiving Communion
The following Guidelines for Receiving Communion must be included in a prominent place in all participation aids in the same type used for the responses of the assembly.

For Catholics
As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. We are encouraged to receive Communion devoutly and frequently. In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (canon 916). A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all.

For Other Christians
We welcome our fellow Christians to this celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. We pray that our common baptism and the action of the Holy Spirit in this Eucharist will draw us closer to one another and begin to dispel the sad divisions which separate us. We pray that these will lessen and finally disappear, in keeping with Christ's prayer for us "that they may all be one" (Jn 17:21).

Because Catholics believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life, and worship, members of those churches with whom we are not yet fully united are ordinarily not admitted to Holy Communion. Eucharistic sharing in exceptional circumstances by other Christians requires permission according to the directives of the diocesan bishop and the provisions of canon law (canon 844 § 4). Members of the Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Polish National Catholic Church are urged to respect the discipline of their own Churches. According to Roman Catholic discipline, the Code of Canon Law does not object to the reception of communion by Christians of these Churches (canon 844 § 3).

For Those Not Receiving Communion
All who are not receiving Holy Communion are encouraged to express in their hearts a prayerful desire for unity with the Lord Jesus and with one another.

lisa89760 · October 2010

Thank you so much!

eshaufle · October 2010

I have a question, M, about the language in the section for 'Other Christians'. I actually had a question about this since it's kind of ambiguous language and I've definitely gotten mixed messages about this.

Are they basically saying that if you are not Catholic (as opposed to another Christian faith) that you shouldn't participate? This may seem like a stupid question but let me clarify since this actually came up between my mother and I the other day...

My parents are not Catholic but had me attend Catholic school all my life (the best private schools in our area just happened to be Catholic). So I had the same religious education as all of my other Catholic-raised friends. When it came around 1st Communion time I told my parents that I thought I wanted to be baptized and participate in the Catholic church.

My parents had no problem with this but they actually expressed their concerns to the priest at my parish that they would not be able to fully participate in my religion with me when I was a child. My priest (who has since left the parish and is now very high up there in authority so I'm assuming he must be doing something right) actually told my parents that he was fine with my parents taking communion with me even though they were non-Catholic. My parents believed in what communion represented but not everything else about the Catholic church so that's why they never joined themselves. To this day, when they go to Mass with me they still receive communion with me as a part of my religion.

I guess I just never though anything of it since our priest said he was fine with it. I just wanted to make sure I understood that language correctly. Maybe it's still saying the same thing my priest said to my parents (since they were Christian) but the language is losing me a bit.

[Deleted User] · October 2010

Eshaufle I will send you a message tonight. Sorry for my delayed response.

M

eshaufle · October 2010

Thanks! I'm really curious about this!

[Deleted User] · October 2010

Eshaufle,
I pray that this reaches you well. I am sorry that it has taken me so long to respond. I have been super busy.

However I have been able to do some research for you on the communion language. I have found some resources that you can look into. I am unsure why your Priest allowed your parents to receive communion. There can be exceptions and he may have felt that they were included in those exceptions. I have no idea and I would suggest speaking with him to find out if he felt that they met a specific exception. (IMHO if you please)

I too understand when one family is not Catholic and the other is, my entire family is Protestant and I am the only Catholic.I have been Catholic since I was six years old. Thus, they do not participate in communion when they do attend church with me, my Father was Catholic and my Mother was always Protestant. They are very active in the Church and tell me that because they do not believe in the Eucharist as I do they do not receive. As, when I go to their church I do not participate in their communion service. This is something that we have talked about before and we feel that it works best for our family.

I hope that some of this helped. Here is some research that I have found:

http://www.catholic.com/library/Who_Can_Receive_Communion.asp

http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2003/0302sbs.asp

http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/intercommunion.htm

eshaufle · October 2010

I really appreciate all the research Myst. I wish I could go back and ask this priest why he allowed it but he moved on to bigger and better things within the church awhile back. At the time, I was only in 2nd grade when my parents talked to him about this so obviously it never occured to me to wonder why they were allowed. It's not like I'm going to tell my parents that after 15+ years that they can't take Communion anymore...they only ever go to church with me anymore anyways so I would feel weird calling them out on this. This is just more me being curious.

I may just have to ask my current priest that is marrying my FI and I since I really don't see a firm clear-cut answer on this. On one hand, the links you gave me seem to say overwhelmingly that communion in a Catholic church is for Catholics only. Makes sense. However, this quote was also in the first link under the section about other Christians and communion:

The guidelines for receiving Communion, which are issued by the U.S. bishops and published in many missalettes, explain, "We welcome our fellow Christians to this celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. We pray that our common baptism and the action of the Holy Spirit in this Eucharist will draw us closer to one another and begin to dispel the sad divisions which separate us. We pray that these will lessen and finally disappear, in keeping with Christ’s prayer for us ‘that they may all be one’ (John 17:21).

This quote kind of implies that all baptized Christians are welcome to celebrate the Eucharist. So I guess I'm still confused :-)

I really appreciate the help though! I'm curious to see what the priest that is marrying FI and I will say about this topic. He's pretty liberal though so I wouldn't be surprised if I just keep being led in circles by his answer lol.

agapecarrie · October 2010

The mass is "celebrating the Eucharist". Anyone is invited to mass. That's what that means.

Only Catholics, in the state of grace can receive the Eucharist.

Calypso1977 · October 2010

i dont feel its appropriate for a couple to put guidelines in a program or attempt in anyway to guide people on how/when to receive. determining who should receive is up to the priest celebrating the mass. only he has the right to refuse/deny someone communion. the responsibility is on him to make sure the "flock" is informed.

our priest as part of his intro stated very briefly the rules regarding communion, and offered the opportunity for those who didnt "qualify" to come up for a blessing in place of communion.

eshaufle · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_communion-guidelines-program?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:615Discussion:aac3903a-babb-4658-9480-dd0b1551d16fPost:a12c0d52-53cc-46aa-a025-67b889340a4d">Re: Communion Guidelines in Program?</a>:
[QUOTE]The mass is "celebrating the Eucharist". Anyone is invited to mass. That's what that means. Only Catholics, in the state of grace can receive the Eucharist.
Posted by agapecarrie[/QUOTE]

Ah, got it. Good to know. Haha guess I can't do anything about my parents now but it's good to know for future reference with other relatives, kids, etc.

uhldansereau · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_communion-guidelines-program?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:615Discussion:aac3903a-babb-4658-9480-dd0b1551d16fPost:0e53dfb9-9515-4d20-aed2-5dbce8107c51">Re: Communion Guidelines in Program?</a>:
[QUOTE]I have a question, M, about the language in the section for 'Other Christians'. I actually had a question about this since it's kind of ambiguous language and I've definitely gotten mixed messages about this. Are they basically saying that if you are not Catholic (as opposed to another Christian faith) that you shouldn't participate? This may seem like a stupid question but let me clarify since this actually came up between my mother and I the other day... My parents are not Catholic but had me attend Catholic school all my life (the best private schools in our area just happened to be Catholic). So I had the same religious education as all of my other Catholic-raised friends. When it came around 1st Communion time I told my parents that I thought I wanted to be baptized and participate in the Catholic church. My parents had no problem with this but they actually expressed their concerns to the priest at my parish that they would not be able to fully participate in my religion with me when I was a child. My priest (who has since left the parish and is now very high up there in authority so I'm assuming he must be doing something right) actually told my parents that he was fine with my parents taking communion with me even though they were non-Catholic. My parents believed in what communion represented but not everything else about the Catholic church so that's why they never joined themselves. To this day, when they go to Mass with me they still receive communion with me as a part of my religion. I guess I just never though anything of it since our priest said he was fine with it. I just wanted to make sure I understood that language correctly. Maybe it's still saying the same thing my priest said to my parents (since they were Christian) but the language is losing me a bit.
Posted by eshaufle[/QUOTE]

The priest was incorrect to allow your non-Catholic family to receive the Eucharist, unless they are part of one of the Eastern Orthodox Churches whose Sacraments the RCC recognizes as valid (as explained in a PP). However, if your family is Protestant, or any other denomination of Christianity they should not receive the Roman Catholic Eucharist. It is an act of sacrilege. This is why it is a concern that non-Catholic guests understand that they should not receive the Eucharist.

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