Dear Amy:

Anyone who is a Catholic in good standing, in communion with the Church (meaning agreeing with all the Church teaches as is required for Catholics, and obedient to all Church teachings), and in a state of grace may receive the Sacred Sacrament.

As for Vegans, it depends on their particular views. Some Vegans worship nature. This is the grave sin of Idolatry. Others just do not eat, wear, or use any product that comes from animals. Still others will also refuse any products derived from insects. These products include meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products, honey, fur, leather, wool, and silk. Other commonly used animal products are beeswax, bone char, bone china, carmine, casein, cochineal, gelatin, isinglass, lanolin, lard, rennet, shellac, tallow, whey, and yellow grease.

Some of these people think that animals are on the same level of dignity as human beings. This is going too far. Such an idea is contrary to Church and Biblical teachings.

Personally, I find these people silly, but unless they are also involved in some idolatrous ideology, or some other notions that are contrary to Church teaching, it is not a sin to be silly.

What are called "ethical vegans", on the other hand, are not just silly, they are loony. Again, depending on the depth of belief in ethical veganism, this area is hard to reconcile with Christianity. For example, some ethical vegans propose that animals have a right to not be treated as property and equate the treatment of animals as property with human slaves. This is patent nonsense. We are to treat animals properly as steward of God's creation, but animals were given to us by God for our good -- to eat, to use for clothing, to use as beasts of burden, etc. What God has approved is moral and good.

Vegetarians and Vegans can avoid animal products if they wish, but if they begin to suggest that animals have equal dignity with humans and therefore have similar rights, or that those who do use animal products are immoral or evil, then I cannot see how such dingbats can be in communion with the Church.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary