In reply to Roy S. Askins.

I dropped out of OCIA Ain the Catholic Church because of closed communion. The same rationalizations used by the Catholics to justify such an exclusionary practice are being used here. The reality is that some Christians see a need to practice second-degree separation; dividing themselves from both non-believers and fellow Christians who may have differing interpretations of scripture and church teachings. It drove me to tears during Mass on several occasions; by the time I had to stop attending, watching Communion had become unbearable. The “pastoral blessing” reduced those closed off from the Eucharist from “ partaking of the Lord” to “we acknowledge that you exist.” I can get that at any retail or food service establishment. I would encourage any church practicing this to remove their spiritual fencing, and I would encourage any individual attending a church that refuses to do so to leave.