text: Jay, I happen to think that the argument on both side of the intercommunion issue are very sensible. 
  
  The ancient tradition most definitely is against intercommunion, and in this modern eccumenical age, that tradition can be transformed into the positive pain of being present at an Orthodox liturgy, desiring to receive, but restraining oneself out of respect for the Orthodox preference to not receive. 
  
  And on the other hand, it can be a wonderful experience of eccumenism to welcome non-Catholics to receive and to receive in some Protestant churches. I am thinking in particular of a Catholic retreat house the regularly has a mixture of Catholics and Protestants on week long or month long silent retreats. The spiritual intimacy that develop in such a context is such, that it would feel down right un-Christian to not share the Eucharist. 
  
  I am an Eastern Catholic deacon. At my ordination service, it was very special to communicate Orthodox family members.