His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke unpacks in a clear, concise way the history and significance of the Catholic Church's long-held teaching regarding who is worthy to receive Holy Communion - and who is not. Referencing writings of Church Fathers, Pope St. John Paul II, numerous saints, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Scripture itself, Cardinal Burke cogently expresses the continuity of what Pope Benedict XVI referred to as a "perennial Church teaching." In an age in which misguided pluralism has caused doctrinal relativism to run rampant, Cardinal Burke explains Canon Law 915, which reads: "Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifestly grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion." Previously published for the clergy, this updated version includes commentary written for the laity by Catholic Action for Faith and Family President, Thomas McKenna, to help explain such points as: How the Church responded to historical scenarios of scandal, heresy, and unbelief, Circumstances that call for a person to refrain from receiving Holy Communion, When a communicant should be denied Holy Communion (and by whom), The insidious fruits of scandalous behavior and the "objective harm" that results, How this applies to politicians who continue to publicly support grave sins, What six saints said about properly receiving Holy Communion, Each chapter clearly spells out how to receive the Eucharist worthily and the reverence Catholics are called to show the Blessed Sacrament. This volume also addresses how many Catholics view the imposition of limits on the reception of Holy Communion due to prevailing notions regarding scandal and the rejection of moral norms. You will encounter many pastoral examples of how the Church defended the sanctity of the Eucharist and the rules for its reception from the earliest centuries - including a powerful story involving St. Francis of Assisi. And you will be inspired by how the Church's teaching on the proper reception of Holy Communion is an act of pastoral charity designed for the good of the faithful, for our union with one another, and for the salvation of souls.