Reply #36: My understanding

[wellstone dem]

is that the Eucharistic Minister is not there to judge, with the possible exception that if someone is aware an individual attempting to receive communion is not Catholic. This came up in my church when a coalition of Catholics who oppose the Church's position on homosexuality, staged an action one Sunday, with many people showing up wearing a rainbow sash. Some wore the sash because they are gay, other's who are straight wore the sash because they oppose the Church's position. All were given communion, the Bishop and the Pastor required the Eucharistic Ministers to avoid judging. As my pastor noted, "I don't have time nor is it my position to interrogate each person about their behavior in their marriage or outside their marriage, their use of birth control, whether they are a practicing homosexual, etc. My job, and the job of Eucharistic ministers is to humbly and devotely to present the body of Christ to those who come forward."

BTW, I am a Pro-life Catholic Democrat, supporting the Church's teachings on abortion, the death penalty, service to the poor, environmental justice, preservation of the family farm and opposing what I see as the non-pro life teachings on homosexuality and birth control.