Communion with Non-Catholic Christians

Is it ever appropriate for non-Catholic Christians to receive Holy Communion at a Catholic Mass? What should a pastor do to preserve the holiness and the purpose of Communion? What happens when a non-Catholic receives Holy Communion? How should a Catholic pastor respond to non-Catholics who wish to have communion without conveying harshness, scrupulosity, legalism, or rudeness? Intended to help Christians recognize the present provisional norms and to see new possibilities in eucharistic sharing, Communion with Non-Catholic Christians examines the risks, challenges, and opportunities involved in the admission of communion to non-Catholic Christians.

Communion with Non-Catholic Christians begins by defining eucharistic sharing. It assists Catholics and non-Catholics in understanding the present discipline of eucharistic sharing or receiving Holy Communion outside of one's own church. Secondly, it looks at what caution should be taken in eucharistic sharing, the values at stake, and the reasons for more open eucharistic sharing for Christian unity. Finally, it looks at the opportunities in eucharistic sharing and the possibility of full communion. By focusing on liturgical law and pastoral practices, this book moves the discussion of the admission of communion forward to new possibilities for growth in communion.

Chapters are: "What is Eucharistic Sharing?" “Risks, or Some Reasons for Caution in Eucharistic Sharing,” “Challenges, or Some Reasons for a More Open Eucharistic Sharing,” and “Opportunities, or Sharing the Eucharist in Hope for Full Communion.”

Jeffrey VanderWilt, PhD, teaches liturgy, sacraments, and Christian theology at Loyola Marymont University, Los Angeles. He is the author of A Church without Borders: The Eucharist and the Church in Ecumenical Perspective.