A Catholic using artificial birth control who knows that the Church condemns such practices is not to receive communion. If they do receive Communion, they are committing sacrilege against the Blessed Sacrament.  Here are some quotes from the Church's official book of Catholic Doctrine--The Catechism of the Catholic Church. These quotes are authoritative because the Catechism is produced and approved directly by the Vatican.

Unnatural Contraception is a Sin:
"EVERY ACTION which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act (i.e. the birth control pill, the IUD), or in its accomplishment (i.e. the condom, the diaphragm), or in the development of it's natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, TO RENDER PROCREATION IMPOSSIBLE IS INTRINSICALLY EVIL" (Paragraph 2370 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church; parenthetical comments and emphasis added).
--The Church officially teaches that artificial contraception, since it's an action that intends to render procreation impossible, is a seriously evil action--a grave sin.

A Catholic in a State of Mortal Sin Must Not Receive Communion:
"ANYONE WHO IS AWARE OF HAVING COMMITED A MORTAL SIN MUST NOT RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession" (Paragraph 1457 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church; emphasis added).
--The Church charges anyone who has not yet received confession for a mortal sin to abstain from the Eucharist.

Three Conditions for a Sin to be Mortal:
"For a SIN to be MORTAL, three conditions must together be met: 'Mortal sin is sin whose object is (1) GRAVE MATTER and which is also committed with (2) FULL KNOWLEDGE and (3) DELIBERATE CONSENT" (Paragraph 1857 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, emphasis added).
--So for a sin to be mortal, the sin must (1) be grave (as artificial contraception is defined), it must be (2) committed with the knowledge that it is a sin, and it must be (3) committed with full consent. Notice that the sinner doesn't have to know that the sin is grave, they only have to know that it is wrong.  The grave nature is something that is objective, it doesn't depend on whether the sinner knows that it is grave.

     Therefore, since artificial contraception is a grave sin, then as long as a Catholic knows that his/her Church speaks infallibly for Christ, and he/she knows that the Church condemns contraception as evil, then he/she is committing mortal sin if he/she uses artificial contraception with full consent. Furthermore, since this Catholic has then committed mortal sin, they should refrain from Communion by order of the Church until they receive the Sacrament of Confession.

     Many people will try to confuse the issue by saying that the general Catholic cannot be held accountable for the sin of artificial contraception because they can only be held accountable for what they know is wrong. This statement is true, but two things are not being mentioned. First, a Catholic is charged by the Church to know what the Church teaches. So, if a Catholic does not know that artificial contraception is a sin, then they are committing a dangerous sin by not learning the faith. Second, if a Catholic does not have the means to find out, then those priests and catechists who are supposed to teach the faith in union with the Pope are committing a grave sin by withholding the official teachings. This sin is grave because it is a robbery of a very precious gift--a theft of the one's right to the Gospel, the knowledge of one's meaning and true fulfillment in life. Therefore, if a Catholic is using artificial contraception, then someone is committing sin. Either the Catholic or his/her spiritual leaders will be held accountable for that sin on judgement day!

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