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Alice wrote:

Hi, guys —

I have a couple questions about Communion.

  1. Can anyone bring the gifts up before Communion or should they be Catholic?
  2. For example, can family members of a different faith attending a funeral do this?
  3. If Communion is a gathering of people with the same:

    • beliefs about God, and
    • Church practices and Communion, and

      the Bible warns about communing with those of different beliefs:

    • Why are non-Catholics allowed to attend Catholic Communion?

Alice

  { Can anyone bring up the gifts and why are non-Catholics allowed to attend Communion? }

Bob replied:

Alice,

Generally, the persons bringing up the gifts should be Catholic but ultimately the priest or pastor will decide policy for the parish in practice. I'm a Music Director at my parish. I play at over one hundreds funerals a year and there are occasions where, in my parish, the pastor allows family members (non-Catholics or non-practicing Catholics) to bring up the gifts.

It is a different matter with respect to the reception of Holy Communion. That is reserved for those who make a full profession of faith in the Catholic faith and whose conscience is clear — having confessed all serious sin.

This sacrament is a sign of unity amongst the Church so it would become a false sign if participants were not adherents to Catholicism and didn't practice the faith. (Consider that the word sacrament means oath.)

Catholics and non-Catholics alike may attend Mass, but only properly disposed Catholics may receive Holy Communion for the above reasons. In some parishes, as ours, the pastor may invite others to receive a blessing at Communion time.

Peace,

Bob Kirby

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