“So what the Church is really saying when it denies communion to all but those on its own membership roles is not so much that we think it’s best if you participate in this solemn event with those that can better attest to the validity of your faith experience or worthiness of character but rather that you aren’t even a fellow Christian at all.”
I’m not interested in starting a Catholic vs. Protestant debate, as it’s my bed time and I have been sitting in front of the computer way too long today, so I will simply make a hit and run reply. My observation to this is that the author here demonstrates an obvious lack of understanding of Catholic sacramental theology; denial of the Eucharist to non-Catholics is not a statement that they are not Christians. For clarification I would suggest reading from a Catholic website such as Catholic Answers, as I have found in large part that non-Catholic Christians attempting to explain or refute Catholic teachings generally do not adequately understand it themselves. That’s my 2 cents.
This is also an incorrect statement about Catholic doctrine. The Roman Catholic Church does NOT deny communion to everyone but Roman Catholics. For example, an Orthodox Christian in good standing is allowed to receive communion at a Catholic parish (although oddly enough, the reverse is not true)
“So what the Church is really saying when it denies communion to all but those on its own membership roles is not so much that we think it’s best if you participate in this solemn event with those that can better attest to the validity of your faith experience or worthiness of character but rather that you aren’t even a fellow Christian at all.”
The author only sees an exclusion (like a woman excluded from a mens' club) but doesn't see the reason. Catholics take Christ at His Word...
1 Cor 11:23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.Exclusion from the Catholic celebration of the Eucharist is not an us vs them matter. It's a matter of protection from grave sin in accordance with Scripture.27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. 30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number [s]sleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.