Can you please explain why non-Catholics cannot receive Communion in a Catholic Church and vice/versa?  Thank you. - Maria Wood

Great question and an important one.  If someone is not Catholic the reason that they should not receive the Eucharist is because they do no believe what we believe about the Eucharist (if they did they would become Catholic).  As Catholics we believe that the Eucharist is the real presence of Our Lord - body, blood, soul and divinity.  If people do not have the same belief then they should not receive Communion.  And to go one step further, when we say Amen and receive Communion we are also saying that we agree (or are struggling to understand) everything that the Church teaches.  In the Eucharist we say Amen to the whole teaching of Christ and the Church.  If we as Catholics go to another Christian church for some event, we do not receive at their church because we do not believe what they believe.  It really is a respect thing!!  One step further - if as Catholics we are in a state of mortal sin then we also should not receive Communion until we first go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  The Eucharist is a great gift and so it must be treated that way!!!

Pax Christi,
Fr. Jakub