Whose words are these

Bashing the Church 101. During the time of spring, our focus turns to little girls in white communion dresses. And how that awful, unfeeling Catholic Church goes out of its way to make sure and ruin the dreams of these little girls. Or so the Boston Globe says.

Although the Coynes are grateful for the support of their priest, the Rev. Paul Clifford, they are discouraged by the church's rules on Communion, which they believe are overly rigid.

I wonder if the family used the words "overly rigid" or if these words automatically pop up in the pre-formatted document the reporter found under the "Catholic Church--Old, Rigid" template.

It is always unsettling to see someone that has problems coming forward to receive our Lord in the Eucharist. The shut-ins must feel the same. Those in Saudi Arabia must know what it is like. But as sad as this case is, it seems as the Church is doing its part to help her without invalidating what she seeks to receive. Newspapers and publicity aside, I will avoid makeing judgements about what it is her parents find most important about this time in her life.

But it these cases always strike me as something St. Paul wrote about in 1 Corinthians 11:27-30. We eat and drink the judgement of the Lord upon ourselves and many are sick and dying. I am not calously judging this girl as guilty or even the parents. But as a Church, the priests, the bishops and we the laity are so cavalier about receiving the Eucharist, how can we not expect to suffer because of it?

tip to mark shea