Baptized Protestant, can they take communion at a Catholic Church?

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Adrian89

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My boyfriend was baptized in a Methodist Church, can he take communion if we switch to a Catholic church? I was raised Catholic.
 
No, he may not.

He needs to convert to the Catholic faith in order to partake of the Blessed Sacrament. If he does receive without converting, he would be committing a grave sin of sacrilege.

I encourage you to speak to a priest about this matter and ask him the same question - he will have more good counsel to share.
 
NO!

The difference is we, as Catholics believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, most other Christian faiths only view it as a symbol. BIG difference!
 
No.

Communion is our greatest sign of unity with Christ and the Church and the Methodists are not in communion with Rome.

and one does not “take” communion. One receives it.
 
“If WE switch to a Catholic Church?”
 
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Crusaderbear said:
NO!

The difference is we, as Catholics believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, most other Christian faiths only view it as a symbol. BIG difference!
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Indeed. Also, just to clear up any possible confusion, a non-Catholic who professes belief in the Real Presence (even if they agree with the Catholic understanding) is still not permitted to receive; they must actually be Catholic (with very few exceptions I believe such as danger of death, and only with the approval of the bishop).


Edit - I believe there are quite a few denominations that hold a view of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist, but not in the Catholic sense of transubstantiation. Regardless, they would have to be received into the Catholic faith to receive Communion.
 
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OldCAFMember said:
“If WE switch to a Catholic Church?”
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From another thread, the OP was baptized and confirmed Catholic, but fell away from the faith and is now attending a Methodist church. So if they were to “switch to a Catholic church,” her boyfriend would have to go through RCIA and such to be able to receive Communion, and she would only have to see a priest for confession (of course with adequate preparation) and be reconciled fully with the Church.
 
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Yes, I left the Catholic faith at a young age and found Christian roots again in a Methodist Church but we are eventually switching to Catholicism. Right now we go to the United Methodist Church but we have been talking about finding a Catholic church
 
Since as a United Methodist, he has been already been baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, his Trinitarian Baptism will be recognized as valid by the Catholic Church. As others have already stated, he’ll need to go through the RCIA program to be received and confirmed into the Catholic Church (which traditionally occurs during the Easter Vigil Mass). At that time (but no sooner) he can receive Holy Communion.

But he is more than welcome to attend any Mass he wants. He is just not allowed to receive Holy Communion until he officially joins the Catholic Church.
 
Since he is Methodist, and you left the RCC but are “coming back”, might suggest you both go through the RCIA classes to do so. It will make your future much more grounded.

When one received communion in the RCC, the host is presented by the minister with the words, “the body of Christ” meaning the real and actual presence of Jesus in the sacred bread. One answers AMEN, or so be it, I agree. If one is not Catholic and belongs to a denomination that doesn’t believe in the Real Presence, one is committing or bearing false witness before the entire congregation.
Suggest you refrain from communion until you are in full communion with the Church.
 
No, and Catholics also aren’t allowed to receive communion at any other church- even if that church is OK with it.
 
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Brittany said:
This is a great idea, especially since you both are a couple, OP. It would be great to attend RCIA together and support each other through it.
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Brittany’s citing mutual support is a great point. I know several Catholic couples who are very devoted to each other (and their children) who came from other denominations and went through RCIA together. If you are considering marriage, it is a wonderful idea and may make a future marriage stronger.
 
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Adrian89 said:
Yes, I left the Catholic faith at a young age and found Christian roots again in a Methodist Church but we are eventually switching to Catholicism. Right now we go to the United Methodist Church but we have been talking about finding a Catholic church
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You don’t really switch to Catholicism. Catholicism isn’t a denomination of Christianity. It is the Church. If you were raised Catholic and left then you need to do something before you receive communion. You need to go to confession. You also need to be confirmed if you weren’t.

Being a member of the Catholic Church is like being in a marriage, as viewed by only the Catholic Church. It is a lifelong commitment. I hope you come back and your boyfriend wants to convert.
 
Yes. But he can receive the Eucharist only after he comes into Full Communion with the Holy Catholic Church through preparation to become Catholic. To do so now would express for him a unity with the Catholic Church which is not true. Indeed, it would be a lie.
 
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Adrian89 said:
My boyfriend was baptized in a Methodist Church, can he take communion if we switch to a Catholic church? I was raised Catholic.
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If by the term “switch”, you mean go through the conversion process and be admitted to communion officially by the parish priest, sure why not?

But if you mean just start going to mass and receiving communion without further ado, no.
 
Did I suggest otherwise? “It” refers back to the word “communion”; to use the word “it” as referencing back to communion is correct and not an implication that in any way denies the church teaching.
 
The answer is currently “no”, but this may change in a few years if some in the Vatican get their way.
 
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