Often times during funeral masses many people ask – Why can’t everyone receive Holy Communion? Why can’t we be more hospitable and invite all to receive Holy Communion? Our Catholic church accepts and teaches as absolute truth that it is Jesus Christ’s Body and Blood that is truly present in the Eucharist. Thus, only those who believe in His true presence and are in agreement with the basic tenets of our Catholic faith can be in communion with us and thus be eligible to receive Holy Communion. Of course anyone that is not free of any and all mortal sins should not receive Holy Communion either, since their commission of serious sin has separated them from God. When they have repented of their serious sins and received absolution in the sacrament of Reconciliation they may once again receive Jesus’ most precious Body and Blood.
The real and true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist has been substantiated by numerous miracles throughout the past 2,000 years. One such miracle occurred in Gruaro, Italy in 1294. In the public wash house of Versiola, a woman was washing one of the altar linens from the church of St. Justus. Suddenly she saw the altar
linen become tinged with Blood. Observing more closely, she noticed that the Blood was flowing from a consecrated Host remaining among the folds of the cloth. Frightened the woman ran to inform her pastor, who then informed the Bishop of Concordia. The Bishop authenticated the miracle and persuaded them to build the Church of the Most Holy Body of Christ where the relic of this miracle remains to this day.