[quote:183f126w]Communion is the “source and summit” of Christian life, and our entire ecclesiology is ordered towards the Eucharist.

What material food produces in our bodily life, Holy Communion wonderfully achieves in our spiritual life. Communion with the flesh of the risen Christ, a flesh “given life and giving life through the Holy Spirit,” preserves, increases, and renews the life of grace received at Baptism.

This growth in Christian life needs the nourishment of Eucharistic Communion, the bread for our pilgrimage until the moment of death, when it will be given to us as viaticum.

Holy Communion separates us from sin. The body of Christ we receive in Holy Communion is “given up for us,” and the blood we drink “shed for the many for the forgiveness of sins.” For this reason the Eucharist cannot unite us to Christ without at the same time cleansing us from past sins and preserving us from future sins.

As bodily nourishment restores lost strength, so the Eucharist strengthens our charity, which tends to be weakened in daily life; and this living charity wipes away venial sins. By giving himself to us Christ revives our love and enables us to break our disordered attachments to creatures and root ourselves in him.

[b:183f126w]In the year between my conversion and my Confirmation and First Communion it was AGONY to be without the Eucharist. I often shed tears at Mass when I had to sit there, knowing the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ was present in the room and I could not be a part of it.[/b:183f126w]

Surely the power of the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Risen Lord is more powerful than any possible evangelical “tool”…. why should we deny other Christian (Trinitarian) groups from this Sacrament>?

[color=blue:183f126w]Now…. I understand all the reasons for Communion being only for members IN COMMUNION with the Church…. [u:183f126w]but would love to hear more discussion about thoughts concerning this topic[/u:183f126w].[/color:183f126w]

Peace,
Scott[/quote:183f126w]

Scott,

Can a Catholic only receive Holy Communion after he or she is confirmed? I was told by a priest that any baptised Catholic in good standing with the church could.