Catholic parents want their children to receive Holy Communion at Mass. It troubles parents when they see that their children stay away from the Communion rail for any length of time. They wonder what could be keeping their son or daughter from receiving Our Lord in Holy Communion. Is their faith fading away? Are they indifferent to Our Lord’s Presence? Did they break the Communion fast by eating something? Are they feeling ill? Are they scrupulous such that they fear they are unworthy? Are they committing mortal sins that would make it sacrilegious for them to receive Holy Communion?

At the same time they are concerned that their child is not receiving, they are also aware that they must approach the matter with the utmost discretion. They do not want their son or daughter to feel pressured into receiving Holy Communion when it would be sacrilegious to do so. A child who thinks his parents are “watching” him to make sure he’s receiving Communion might be pressured into receiving sacrilegiously. Parents faced with the dilemma of saying nothing despite their worries or saying something, with the risk of inducing their child to commit sacrilege, should speak with a priest for help. The priest can advise them of what to say or not to say — or offer to make a discreet inquiry himself in order to advise the child who might feel caught in a dilemma between risking the scrutiny and disapproval of parents by not receiving Holy Communion or offending God by receiving Communion when he knows he should not.