I was asked to do a census of the people who make up our parish community. It was really a lot of fun. Anyway, during one of my visits I knocked on the door and a young girl answered. Through the screen door I asked if her mom or dad was home. She looked a little reluctant to answer the question so I bent down and said, as innocently as possible, "Do you know who I am?" She immediately ran deeper into the house calling, "Mom! There's a man at the door who doesn't know who he is!" Oops!

Dear Father Joe:

I am a divorced Catholic. Some people have told me that I cannot receive communion and others have said I can. Who is right?

Me. Always. And write that down!

Well, about your specific question, though, you may be able to receive communion. Let's run through the policies. First of all, a Catholic who is divorced and not remarried is able to receive communion. It is those who are divorced and remarried outside of the Church who are not permitted.

The reason is because the host that you receive Æ the body of Christ Æ is, among other things, a sign of our unity with each other, and the Church as a whole. Those who are baptized are obligated to marry in the Church, and marrying outside of the Church breaks the unity that your parents, or you, promised at your baptism.

As Catholics, it's important for us to know who we are and what we are all about. So who are we? And what are we all about? We are a Eucharistic people. Eucharist is Greek for thanksgiving, and we use it to refer to the Body and Blood of Christ that we receive at Mass. This is what defines us and, in many ways, what is different about us from other Christians.

Enjoy another day in God's presence!

Originally Published: July 2000