Need to educate non-believers thoughtlessly receiving the Eucharist

Dear Editor, As I grow older I go to more and more funerals; a fact of life!

It seems as though these are significant occasions for evangelisation. Nowadays the minority of younger people attending funerals do not attend Mass regularly; they do not know the responses or the movements (knelling, standing etc.)

Yet many of them queue for Holy Communion for whatever reason, when attending a funeral – and, of course, receive.

Surely some enriching attention should be given to this whole situation? The liturgy, the readings, the attitude of deep reverence of the celebrant, speak volumes.

Could there be a leaflet available to everyone welcoming them, whatever might be their religion and giving some explanation of the Mass indicating that the sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ is available to believers? Young people are usually very fair about avoiding hypocrisy, but haven’t thought out their behaviour.

If, as under the present ruling, the Eucharist may not be received by people who have divorced and now have a second relationship; then why overlook the fact of the sacrament being so thoughtlessly received by people who have otherwise left the Catholic Church?

Yours etc.,

Angela MacNamara,

Churchtown,

Dublin 14