I rejoice over your decision to return to the Church. You are in my prayers. As to your boyfriend who continues to insist on his right to go to Mass and receive Communion because he doesn’t see a difference between Anglican “Eucharist” and Catholic Eucharist, I recommend you give him the following articles:
- Who Can Receive Communion
- Ex-Anglican’s Conversion Story
Another source of his confusion could be that as an Anglican, he has probably heard the phase ‘real presence’ used to describe their Eucharist. Perhaps Anglican convert, Dwight Longenecker’s article on the The Real Presence? will help your boyfriend understand the differences between the Anglican and Catholic understanding of the Real Presence.
Again, remind him that when a person receives Communion in the Catholic Church, he thereby declares that he is fully at one with the Catholic Church in her belief. A non-Catholic cannot make this declaration, and so his receiving Communion would say something that is not true. It would not be honest. In the same way, if a Catholic were to receive communion in the Anglican church or any other Protestant church, that person would be declaring his oneness with that denomination. And, that too, would be untrue. This is what the Church teaches.
If, after all this, he still refuses to hear you, and continues to insist on receiving Communion at Mass, then don’t invite him to Mass unless he can give you assurance that he will not go forward to receive. He might want to read 1 Cor. 11:27-29. If, however, he gives you his word, yet goes forward anyway, then there’s nothing you can do (short of tackling him—not good). However, to show such blatant disrespect for you and your religious beliefs indicates a character flaw, and that you can do something about.
The *Catechism of the Catholic Church * states the following:
“Ecclesial communities derived from the Reformation and separated from the Catholic Church, “have not preserved the proper reality of the Eucharistic mystery in its fullness, especially because of the absence of the sacrament of Holy Orders.” It is for this reason that, for the Catholic Church, Eucharistic intercommunion with these communities is not possible. However these ecclesial communities, “when they commemorate the Lord’s death and resurrection in the Holy Supper . . . profess that it signifies life in communion with Christ and await his coming in glory.”
Lastly, I recommend you speak with your priest about your readiness to receive Holy Communion. God bless you.
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