Attending a Non-Catholic Weddng ceremony

[bnapgh]

There was a Methodist minister officiating. The couple chose to have a Lord’s Supper and to distribute bread and wine to the congregation. The minister said that anyone who believes in peace and holds no animosity toward Christ was welcome to partake.

I did not. Other Catholics felt it was rude not to participate since no one believed it was really the Body & Blood of Christ anyway. The minister prayed the scriptures much as the Catholic priest does at the consecration.

What is the Catholic Church official position on participating under these circumsatnces?

 

[nicolep]

Someone else will post the official documentation, but a Catholic should never receive communion from another church regardless of what the person officiating says.

 

[purplesunshine]

I think in grave circumstances a Catholic could participate…this does not seem as if the situation was grave. It also is too much like “Catholic” communion with the prayers of the real presance being prayed. There were too many nosy-bodies looking at you rather than the bride…water off a duck’s back.

I have participated when my friend was baptized, before they ate the celebratory dinner they shared a big pita and drank the dixie cup of grape juice. To not participate would of been very obvious and insulting. Plus it wasn’t too much like communion, there were no special prayers.

 

[1ke]

What is the Catholic Church official position on participating under these circumsatnces?

Catholics may not, under any circumstances, participate in such a communion service.

See Ecclesia de Eucharistia.

 

[1ke]

I think in grave circumstances a Catholic could participate…

This is not correct. A Catholic may not participate in the communion services of ecclesial communities who lack valid holy orders and sacraments under **any **circumstances. See Ecclesia de Eucharistia for a full treatment of the topic.

I have participated when my friend was baptized, before they ate the celebratory dinner they shared a big pita and drank the dixie cup of grape juice. To not participate would of been very obvious and insulting. Plus it wasn’t too much like communion, there were no special prayers.

You should not have done so if it was in the context of a liturgical celebration. It does not mattery whether it ‘looked like’ Catholic eucharist/liturgy or not.

 

[Barbkw]

The thing is, we’re not in communion with protestant groups. We don’t believe that Jesus was only speaking symbolically about His body and His blood.

I made this mistake, attending a protestant denomination service. A friend basically pushed their Communion on me (to make a point about how prejudice she feels Catholic closed Eucharist is).

Which, I ended up offending myself and I was a bit put off by her insistance (but I know it came from the way that she was educated about Catholicism).

I’d never been in that situation before and didn’t know what I was to think as a Catholic or how I was to graciously say “No”.

 

[Erich]

I made this mistake, attending a protestant denomination service. A friend basically pushed their Communion on me (to make a point about how prejudice she feels Catholic closed Eucharist is).

Which, I ended up offending myself and I was a bit put off by her insistance (but I know it came from the way that she was educated about Catholicism).

I’d never been in that situation before and didn’t know what I was to think as a Catholic or how I was to graciously say “No”.

Please tell me that she wouldn’t expect a Jewish visitor to her parish take communion with the rest of the congregation. And if she doesn’t expect Jewish visitors to take it, why does she expect Catholics to do so?

A simple “No thanks, I’m not Methodist” should suffice.

 

[ConstantineTG]

There was a Methodist minister officiating. The couple chose to have a Lord’s Supper and to distribute bread and wine to the congregation. The minister said that anyone who believes in peace and holds no animosity toward Christ was welcome to partake.

I did not. Other Catholics felt it was rude not to participate since no one believed it was really the Body & Blood of Christ anyway. The minister prayed the scriptures much as the Catholic priest does at the consecration.

What is the Catholic Church official position on participating under these circumsatnces?

We can attend, we cannot participate. If you partook of the bread, then you are participating.
That is the official position of the Church.