Guidelines for the Reception of the Holy Eucharist

(Quoted from the Guidelines of The National Conference of Catholic Bishops) 

For Catholics --- “As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion.  We are encouraged to receive Communion devoutly and frequently.  In order to be properly disposed to receive Holy Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour.”

For our fellow Christians --- “We welcome our fellow Christians to the celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. We pray that our common Baptism and the action of the Holy Spirit in this Eucharist will draw us closer to one another and begin to dispel the sad divisions which separate us.  We pray that these will lessen and finally disappear, in keeping with Christ’s prayer for us ‘that all may be one’ (John 17:21).   Because Catholics believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life, and worship, members of those churches with whom we are not yet united are ordinarily not admitted to Holy Communion.”

For those not receiving Holy Communion --- “All who are not receiving Holy Communion are encouraged to express in their hearts a prayerful desire for unity with the Lord Jesus and one another.”

For non-Christians --- “We also welcome to this celebration those who do not share our faith in Jesus Christ.  While we cannot admit them to Holy Communion, we ask that they offer their prayers for the peace of unity of the human family.”