Now that I know this, I can do it the next time I go to a Catholic school graduation ceremony or some other function involving communion at a Catholic church.
I was led to this post by this one, which discusses how a non-Catholic disrespected the Eucharist. And I just loved this part:
“Tolerance,” must be a two-way street or it is nothing.It's so typical. Go ahead and respect Islam and Buddhism and Snake Handling and Wicca and The Church of the Sub-genius, but when it comes to Christianity--WTF, do whatever you want, because those jerks are all a bunch of moralistic uptight prudish morons anyway.
Quinn would likely never think to walk into a mosque with high heels and an uncovered head, or go into those parts of a Hindu temple reserved only for the devout, but she sees no problem with availing herself of the Holy Eucharist in a Catholic Church without considering that, for Catholics receiving the Eucharist is a sacrament, just like Baptism.
Anyway, I'm glad I learned this. As a Protestant I don't believe much of the dogma of the Catholic church (such as, to give an example, that you must talk to a man in a special outfit to receive salvation--salvation comes direct from God with no middle man needed) but I do have great respect for it nonetheless. I consider the Pope to be the high priest of all Christianity regardless of sect. And so I now understand how to take part in the Catholic Eucharist while respecting it. Hoody hoo.