HAVE WE MADE RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION AN IDOL?

Protestants and Catholics are turning the Church into a market place! Not like the market that Jesus cleanses which was the Jewish Temple, but the selling of Christianity to consumers who don't want the truth or salvation but their version of the truth (aka--lies) and their version of salvation (aka--the acceptance of sin).

In an Associated Press story, three "denominations" (actually two, and the the third the true Church) are dealing with laity exiting the Church, what many now call "nones." These people are fed up with scandal (understandable) but also the fact that the Church's sexual morality does not see as virtuous homosexual sex, the gay agenda and same sex "marriage". These acts and ideologies are opposed to God, cut one off from sanctifying and actual grace and if lived persistently and arrogantly before God and the Church deserve the eternal fires of hell as punishment.

Of course if I am marketing Catholicism, I would never say that because who would want to buy it except those moved by the Holy Spirit and God's grace to accept it, convert and live the "Way, the Truth and the Life."

But let's talk about exclusion. I don't know about Protestant Churches, but I have never seen a gay person turned away from attending Mass and registering in a parish even is there is a so-called "gay marriage" involved. Of course if they disrupt the Mass in a public way with an anti-Catholic ideology by the clothes they wear, slogans on t-shirts and the like, they will be turned away.

Sinners who are Catholic are obligated under the pain of mortal sin to attend Mass each Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation. No one is excluded unless there is a censure from the bishop that requires radical exclusion, like a police warrant or something like that, extremely rare but it does happen.

Catholics are excluded from receiving  Holy Communion in a state of unrepentant mortal sin especially if that mortal sin is institutionalized and made public in any way, such as invalid second unions while an there still exist a life-long Sacramental marriage.

Up until 1958 Catholics had to fast from midnight until the time of the Mass they attended. No food or drink, except water. The more rigid would refrain from Holy Communion if they accidentally swallowed some toothpaste!  But they still were obligated to assist at or hear Mass!

Then the fast was changed to three hours before Mass in 1958 and one hour before Holy Communion in 1966.

One was free to break the fast if they chose to do so and therefore be excluded from receiving Holy Communion. But they were not dispensed from the Obligation under the penalty of mortal sin to hear or assist at Mass!

Catholics in good standing with the Church are required by Church law to receive Holy Communion only once a year and during Eastertide and to go to Confession for any mortal sins if these exist.

To make Catholicism more marketable by a flimsy inclusivity  meme link solely to being allowed to receive Holy Communion is idolatry!