A Silent Blessing: On Welcoming the Not-Yet Communicants and Visitors from other faiths to the House of the Church

A contributor for Catholic Outlook noted that current liturgical books do not provide specific rubrics for gestures toward those not receiving the Eucharist during Communion.

Writing from the perspective of a concelebrant at Sunday Mass at Mission Basilica, the author observed children who have not yet made their First Communion standing with arms crossed to receive a blessing. The author noted that the General Instruction describes the Communion procession in terms of communicants, leaving the treatment of catechumens, visitors from other faiths, or those with no faith present without explicit instruction in the liturgical books.