Baptist Communion?

[rondirect]

Receiving ‘communion’ at a Protestant denomination could have three negative effects:

That’s assuming that she is wearing a sign that says, “I am Catholic.”

 

[rondirect]

I stand by my comments regardless of your opinion, AINg. In the back of our Missals, it states who may and who may not receive Communion and why.

That’s is OUR missals. We are talking about someone receiving communion in a Protestant church.

 

[lilypadrees]

So pleasing her husband is the most important thing, rondirect? What about pleasing Jesus?

Protestants receive a piece of cracker and grape juice. Symbols only. Catholics take the words of Jesus literally. We receive His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Eucharist. We receive Jesus Himself.

There is no comparison between the two.

The OP has already stated that she feels uncomfortable with receiving Protestant Communion. Therefore, she shouldn’t do it just as Protestants shouldn’t receive Communion in our Church.

As for the advice her priest gave, she should seek a second priest’s opinion.

 

[lilypadrees]

Yes, and our Missals are very specific. We are not in full communion with Protestant denominations. As such, they are not to receive in the Catholic Church and we are not to receive in theirs because our views about Communion are different. I don’t understand why that is so difficult for you to see.

Because my mother was a Protestant, I grew up attending Protestant churches as well as my beloved Catholic Church. And I knew I was not to receive in them even though they (the various denominations) would have allowed me to and pressed me to. When she took us to the Catholic Church, she knew she wasn’t allowed to receive in ours. We both knew the rules and the underlying meaning and consequences had either of us received where we weren’t supposed to.

 

[Gorgias]

That’s assuming that she is wearing a sign that says, “I am Catholic.”

Right. 'Cause her husband doesn’t know that.

my biggest concern is the argument that will occur on the ride home with your husband.

I agree – this is a really important consideration! However… it’s not the only consideration.

 

[Reuben_J]

JessiL: You know where your heart is and that is in the Catholic faith where the real presence of Christ is in the Eucharist. When you go to church with you husband, know that your priest is right and that it is OK and not a sin, just a symbol. Take the baptist communion at face value as just a symbol. Eat the wafer and drink the juice and think nothing more about it, except for the fact that it will please your husband, which I think is the most important aspect of this whole thread.

Your priest said OK, and my biggest concern is the argument that will occur on the ride home with your husband.

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[poche]

That canon refers to churches where the sacraments of ordination (and therefore the mass) are valid. Communion in a Lutheran church is not a valid communion.

 

[Wannano]

So pleasing her husband is the most important thing, rondirect? What about pleasing Jesus?

Protestants receive a piece of cracker and grape juice. Symbols only. Catholics take the words of Jesus literally. We receive His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Eucharist. We receive Jesus Himself.

There is no comparison between the two.

The OP has already stated that she feels uncomfortable with receiving Protestant Communion. Therefore, she shouldn’t do it just as Protestants shouldn’t receive Communion in our Church.

As for the advice her priest gave, she should seek a second priest’s opinion.

Lilypadrees, my friend, it hurts when I read you say “Protestants receive a piece of cracker” for I am 67 years old and have never in my experience received a cracker of any form, only bread.

 

[rondirect]

So pleasing her husband is the most important thing, rondirect? What about pleasing Jesus?

This has nothing to do with pleasing Jesus. How do you know that this act which will please her husband is not going to please Jesus? Just because she receives a wafer and juice in communion with her husband there is no issue. Marriage is a Sacrament too. You are so off base. I never said anything to compare the two. What is the big deal: She feels uncomfortable and I was offering my opinion. The priest said OK, and you cannot accept that so that is your issue. How many priests does one have to ask before you get the answer you want to hear?

 

[rondirect]

Communion in a Lutheran church is not a valid communion.

Well of course I know that in the eyes of the Catholic Church! She does not care if its valid or not, but pleasing her husband should. She receives the real presence when she attends Mass.

 

[rondirect]

So you rather see this poor woman agonize and fight with her husband every time she goes with him when communion is offered? It’s just a symbol, so the priest’s answer was correct, IMO. Receive the “symbolic communion,” be in “communion” with your spouse, he’s pleased, and, sorry, I cannot imagine that Jesus would be displeased with this; a loving and gracious Son of God that he is. She is not dissing the Catholic Church, she attends and does receive Him. Alll is good.

 

[JessiL]

Hi all, just wanted to say thank you to everyone for sharing and offering your advice, it’s helpful to get an outside opinion.
I’m going to offer some further information to help clarify some points brought up.

1. Perhaps I didn’t express myself clearly enough with my priest, there is also a slight language and cultural barrier that has resulted in misunderstandings before. I will try harder to see him and get clarification on what he meant, and take the details shared here to discuss.
2. The people asking are older people, friends of my husband, who are very kind, welcoming and blunt. If they are curious, they will ask. Which is why I was hoping for better wording for a response (I like the explanation about partaking meaning assent to all the beliefs of the church) because if they realize I didn’t answer their questions, they will ask again.
3. In this particular church, the idea of communion seems to be less personal and more about sharing in this as a community, which may be why the question was asked. I didn’t know if that was a normal Protestant belief, I’m glad to hear about your beliefs and practices TC2.
4. Please don’t worry that my husband is upset with me for not receiving, he knows how much I value receiving the Eucharist at Mass and about our beliefs. My concern was that I might blurt something out that might be taken the wrong way or misunderstood because I am no theologian, obviously

To sum up, I will continue to not partake in their communion service, will continue praying for Christian unity while they do so, and have some of the wise words shared here ready in case I have to explain my actions. Thank you all.

 

[dallas_r]

Explain to them you only commune with Christ, not symbols.

 

[Reuben_J]

So you rather see this poor woman agonize and fight with her husband every time she goes with him when communion is offered? It’s just a symbol, so the priest’s answer was correct, IMO. Receive the “symbolic communion,” be in “communion” with your spouse, he’s pleased, and, sorry, I cannot imagine that Jesus would be displeased with this; a loving and gracious Son of God that he is. She is not dissing the Catholic Church, she attends and does receive Him. Alll is good.

I do not agree that this woman will fight with her husband just because she sticks to her belief that she should not partake in an invalid Eucharist. I do not agree that her husband would be unreasonable enough to force her to do something which is against her religious belief. If a husband does that, then what kind of a husband is he?

Following one’s conviction in one religious belief has nothing to do with pleasing the husband and it should not depend on that as well.

Sorry, you have this wrong. If she wants to receive, it has to be on her conscience that she is okay with it.

 

[Reuben_J]

So you rather see this poor woman agonize and fight with her husband every time she goes with him when communion is offered? It’s just a symbol, so the priest’s answer was correct, IMO.

This is just the priest’s opinion. Just because he is a priest, it does not mean he is always right. But you are right in saying it is your opinion.

All this means is that the OP still has to make a decision on her own, perhaps based on her conscience. As you can see the posts here, it is not just a matter of their communion being symbolic but the implication, which goes deeper than that.

She is a Catholic - can a Catholic partake in a Protestant Eucharist or not? What is the implication if she does?

These are things that should come into consideration.

Compromising one’s belief in order to please the husband does not seem to be the way to go. She went to their service - that should be quite generous of her.

 

[steve-b]

My husband attends a Baptist Church while I go to Mass. I try to support him by attending with him when I can. I feel very uncomfortable when I’m there and they pass around the bread and juice (about once a month I think) because I can’t bring myself to take it and I’ve been asked about it afterwards. I didn’t know how to answer, without giving offense, that I didn’t want to participate in a hollow echo of what I know Communion was meant to be. So I changed the subject.
I asked my priest and he said it wasn’t a sin to partake of it but wasn’t able to give much more guidance regarding if I should just participate for ecumenism’s sake or a way of sharing the truth in a loving way. He’s pretty busy so I haven’t been able to corner him and get a more thorough discussion.

For a Catholic, to receive in those situations

would in effect, condone an ambiguity about the nature of the Eucharist and, consequently, fail in our duty to bear clear witness to the truth. Similarly, it is unthinkable to substitute or even by our action suggest by our action, to equate something invalid with what goes on in Mass. "Objectively speaking, to knowingly violate these precepts by receiving communion in a Protestant Church or neglecting to worship at Mass constitutes a mortal sin."
From Fr William Saunders

JessIL:

My husband has said I tend to speak the truth without always balancing it with love, while he is the opposite I think, so I’m afraid to say something that might cause problems. Am I being judgemental and “holier-than-thou” about this and should just do it, or can this be a sharing moment about Church teachings? If so, in what words?

You are correct.

 

[rondirect]

I

I do not agree that this woman will fight with her husband just because she sticks to her belief that she should not partake in an invalid Eucharist. I do not agree that her husband would be unreasonable enough to force her to do something which is against her religious belief. If a husband does that, then what kind of a husband is he?

No one knows that for sure. You might not think that, but it was mentioned that she is questioned in the car and she just changes the subject. As a married man for many years, I know there’s more to it than that. We are not aware of what the feelings are between them for the rest of the day. Your assumption would be doubting any argument which will support your opinion on this, but we really do not know. Marriage is give and take. “What kind of husband is he?” Some might understand, some might not. Do you really think that Jesus would condemn her as a Catholic to partake in their symbolic communion? It’s means absolutely nothing to a Catholic; just a wafer and some juice.
My church at times will coordinate a Passover Meal with our neighboring Temple. My attendance and participation did not make me a hypocrite and believe in Jewish customs. Yes, I know, the Passover Meal is Jesus’ Last Supper, but with a grand finale.
Sorry, but I can’t be convinced that all this is so illicit when one knows that participation in this act is not their belief and God must then be appalled.

 

[Reuben_J]

Btw, the meme I put up was meant to be tongue in cheek but you jumped the gun so I answered in kind. A woman at her age would probably say ‘whut’ to you if you ask her to please her husband by doing something that she does not want to do.

Anyway, we are all contributing our opinions. So we differ there.

The subject is about Communion, not Passover Meal or any other rituals, which is a very big thing in Catholicism. There is so much that can be taken into consideration.

Anyway, I think there is a post by a Baptist that it does not really matter if someone does not partake in the communion. Probably it means more to us rather than to them.

 

[rondirect]

For a Catholic, to receive in those situations

would in effect, condone an ambiguity about the nature of the Eucharist and, consequently, fail in our duty to bear clear witness to the truth. Similarly, it is unthinkable to substitute or even by our action suggest by our action, to equate something invalid with what goes on in Mass. "Objectively speaking, to knowingly violate these precepts by receiving communion in a Protestant Church or neglecting to worship at Mass constitutes a mortal sin."
From Fr William Saunders

Please…she is not condoning or not bearing clear witness a to the truth in a Baptist communion at all by partaking in this symbolic action. It’s what’s in her heart and mind, not her actions that are the truth in this case and she is not “neglecting to worship at Mass.” And, a mortal sin? Really? I can see that only if she receives and believes this Baptist communion as the real deal.

JessiL: You were concerned, you asked a Priest, and you received an affirmation answer. Go with it.
No one here who disagrees with the answer will be happy until you continue to ask priest after priest until one agrees with the other posters. And, of course, only that priest would be correct! Be at peace with it and simply know that their wafer and juice is just that alone. You know what’s in your heart and mind. Done.

 

[steve-b]

steve-b:

For a Catholic, to receive in those situations

would in effect, condone an ambiguity about the nature of the Eucharist and, consequently, fail in our duty to bear clear witness to the truth. Similarly, it is unthinkable to substitute or even by our action suggest by our action, to equate something invalid with what goes on in Mass. "Objectively speaking, to knowingly violate these precepts by receiving communion in a Protestant Church or neglecting to worship at Mass constitutes a mortal sin."
From Fr William Saunders

Please…she is not condoning or not bearing clear witness a to the truth in a Baptist communion at all by partaking in this symbolic action.

That’s a contradiction in terms.

rondirect:

It’s what’s in her heart and mind, not her actions that are the truth in this case and she is not “neglecting to worship at Mass.” And, a mortal sin? Really? I can see that only if she receives and believes this Baptist communion as the real deal.

Another contradiction of terms.

rondirect:

JessiL: You were concerned, you asked a Priest, and you received an affirmation answer. Go with it.

She knew better.

rondirect:

No one here who disagrees with the answer will be happy until you continue to ask priest after priest until one agrees with the other posters. And, of course, only that priest would be correct! Be at peace with it and simply know that their wafer and juice is just that alone. You know what’s in your heart and mind. Done.

Catholics are NOT to take Protestant communion.