Communion Questions and Answers
Is it okay to administer Holy Communion to yourself?
No, only Priests (alter Christi or one who is in the Person of Christ) at Mass are the only ones allowed to self-communicate, under normal circumstances. Think of it this way: Holy Communion is a gift. We receive gifts, we don't take them. Likewise, we receive Holy Communion as a gift and never grab or take such a Holy Gift. Think of your birthday or Christmas. Hopefully, you have gratefully received presents from others and not grab them from the hands of others!
The Church reminds us that receiving Holy Communion is a participation in the Sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross which is offered at the altar. It’s about what Jesus gave: His Body and Blood; His whole life for our salvation. And it’s about what He continues to give in the the Holy Eucharist. The reception of the Holy Eucharist is never about taking or “self-serve”. It is the Lord’s desire that we be waited on; that we be served at His table.
There are two ways in which Communion is received in the Catholic Church:
We receive either on the tongue or in the hand. The priest holds up the Host and says, “The Body of Christ,” and the communicant answers, “Amen.” That’s not an English word; it’s an Aramaic word, and it means, “So be it.” “I agree.” “I believe.” “It is the Body of Christ.” That’s what the “Amen” means: “I honestly believe that when I receive, it is the actual Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. And so I say “Amen.”
If you’re going to receive Holy Communion in the hand, the best way is to put one hand down and put the other hand on top of it and make it a kind of throne for the Lord. When the priest puts the Host on your hand, you say, “Amen.” Take a step or two to the side to make way for the next communicant, then receive our Lord. Communion should not be received on the run, as you’re walking back to your place; it should be consumed before you leave the area of reception.
If you are going to receive on the tongue, you should keep certain things in mind. First, the head should be bent back slightly, and the head should be held erect, but kind of tilted back. The tongue should come out so that the priest, deacon or Eucharistic minister has someplace to put the Host.
Sometimes communicants come up with their hands out and their mouths open, and the priest doesn’t know which way to give the Host. If you indicate clearly, it’s easier. If you’re going to receive in the hand, be clear about it.
Why can’t non-Catholics take communion?
The first and main reason, is that we are not in "communion" with each other. We aren't in communion with each other because we hold different views on the Church, faith, morals what the Eucharist is. For Catholics it is the actual Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord, not symbolic, not done as a mere memorial feast etc. Only Catholics living according the teachings of the Church are supposed to receive. Catholics living in sin should attend Mass on Sunday or Saturday evening to fulfill their obligation, but should not receive Holy Communion until after a willingness to change one's lifestyle and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Another reason is that Catholics believe that the Eucharist, besides being the literal Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, is also a sign of unity. So, Catholics are not supposed to take communion in a non-Catholic church as it would indicate to others that they believe the same as the non-Catholics do, and that you are in union with the beliefs of this particular church, which would not be true. That is partially why we say "Body of Christ" when someone is offered Holy Communion: as Scripture says, we are all one Body in Christ. However, If someone doesn't profess that unity with the Body, then they really cannot partake of the Eucharist. For, as Scripture says: "As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ”. If someone says they aren't a part of that body, which is the Catholic Church, by not willing to belong to the Catholic Church, or living according to the teachings of the Catholic Church, then they cannot honestly partake of Holy Communion offered by the Catholic Church.
Jesus Christ, as He is revealed by His Bride, the Church
So if I’m going to receive Jesus Christ, then I must accept Him, not as I have decided He is, but as the Church, as His Bride, has articulated who He actually is, and in truth it means everything about Jesus Christ. So, someone doesn't get to pick and choose what suits you. It really is all or nothing, and so when we look at who is excluded, we must honestly say this includes our separated Christian brothers and sisters, from different churches. They believe in Christ, obviously. They are Christians who may share some of the same beliefs that we do as Catholics, and yet as they are not in full communion, they should not present themselves for Holy Communion in a Catholic Church.
Why Catholics should not receive communion in non-Catholic churches
Catholics should not present themselves to receive communion at a non-Catholic Christian church. The reason for this is we are being respectfully truthful, in that sadly, all Christians are not yet fully in union or communion with each other. If a Catholic receives communion in a non-Catholic church they are saying that they believe what that particular group of Christians believe. Yet, Catholics and other Christians do believe differently in matters of faith and morals.
Receiving communion would be acting out a lie concerning one's own faith including the mystery of Christ, and what the Church teaches and believes about Him, and the teachings of Holy Mother Church. By not receiving communion we are being faithful to our Catholic Faith and at the same time, while respecting the faith of other Christians, giving witness to the truth that we are not yet in full communion sharing the same Faith. To receive communion when a person has different beliefs does not indicate true communion, and goes against the very nature of what they are doing.