Can a Catholic take communion at a Protestant church?

[Tammy111]

I recently became Catholic. My husband is Protestant, and I go to church with him on Sunday morning and go to Saturday Mass. I also go a couple times during the week. My question is can I take communion at his church?

 

[benedictgal]

I recently became Catholic. My husband is Protestant, and I go to church with him on Sunday morning and go to Saturday Mass. I also go a couple times during the week. My question is can I take communion at his church?

No, Tammy, it is expressly forbidden. It is wrong on many levels. First of all, according to the Church, these Protestant ecclesial communities do not have Holy Orders. As a result, and this is the second point, these ministers cannot validly confect the Eucharist. This means that Jesus is not present in their “communion.”

Furthermore, Protestant ecclesial communities do not believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Their view of the Lord’s Supper, as many refer to it, is that it is merely symbolic. They do not take Our Lord at his word when He, through the priest, says, “This is my Body…This is my Blood.”

Protestant ecclesial communities do not have a notion of sacrifice. The Church, which you have been received into, is the New Israel. Ancient Israel rendered worship to God in both Word and Sacrifice. When the Temple was destroyed by the Romans, the Jews had no place to offer sacrifice. This did not unsettle the Church because, she, as the New Israel, continues to offer the Sacrifice of her Divine Spouse. Jesus is both the Word and Sacrifice. He is the final Word spoken by the Father and he is the Sacrifice and the Priest. We don’t repeat the Sacrifice of Jesus. At every Mass, the veil of heaven and earth is lifted, time and space are suspended, and, we are just as much there at Calvary as were the Blessed Mother and Sts. John and Mary Magdalene.

I hope this helps.

 

[teadough]

I recently became Catholic. My husband is Protestant, and I go to church with him on Sunday morning and go to Saturday Mass. I also go a couple times during the week. My question is can I take communion at his church?

(((

(((prayers))) for you because I have asked this same question before I became Catholic this year

God Bless ::

 

[Tammy111]

No, Tammy, it is expressly forbidden. It is wrong on many levels. First of all, according to the Church, these Protestant ecclesial communities do not have Holy Orders. As a result, and this is the second point, these ministers cannot validly confect the Eucharist. This means that Jesus is not present in their “communion.”

Furthermore, Protestant ecclesial communities do not believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Their view of the Lord’s Supper, as many refer to it, is that it is merely symbolic. They do not take Our Lord at his word when He, through the priest, says, “This is my Body…This is my Blood.”

Protestant ecclesial communities do not have a notion of sacrifice. The Church, which you have been received into, is the New Israel. Ancient Israel rendered worship to God in both Word and Sacrifice. When the Temple was destroyed by the Romans, the Jews had no place to offer sacrifice. This did not unsettle the Church because, she, as the New Israel, continues to offer the Sacrifice of her Divine Spouse. Jesus is both the Word and Sacrifice. He is the final Word spoken by the Father and he is the Sacrifice and the Priest. We don’t repeat the Sacrifice of Jesus. At every Mass, the veil of heaven and earth is lifted, time and space are suspended, and, we are just as much there at Calvary as were the Blessed Mother and Sts. John and Mary Magdalene.

I hope this helps.

Where is it forbidden? I do not doubt you, but I want to know so when I explain it to my husband. Reconciliation with the Catholic Church was not a whim for me I have studied multiple years and read widely. Including church history and doctrine, so I appreciate your time.

 

[Phemie]

Where is it forbidden? I do not doubt you, but I want to know so when I explain it to my husband. Reconciliation with the Catholic Church was not a whim for me I have studied multiple years and read widely. Including church history and doctrine, so I appreciate your time.

Code of Canon Law:

Can. 844 §1. Catholic ministers administer the sacraments licitly to Catholic members of the Christian faithful alone, who likewise receive them licitly from Catholic ministers alone, without prejudice to the prescripts of §§2, 3, and 4 of this canon, and can. 861, §2.

§2. Whenever necessity requires it or true spiritual advantage suggests it, and provided that danger of error or of indifferentism is avoided, the Christian faithful for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister are permitted to receive the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick from non-Catholic ministers in whose Churches these sacraments are valid.

§3. Catholic ministers administer the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick licitly to members of Eastern Churches which do not have full communion with the Catholic Church if they seek such on their own accord and are properly disposed. This is also valid for members of other Churches which in the judgment of the Apostolic See are in the same condition in regard to the sacraments as these Eastern Churches.

§4. If the danger of death is present or if, in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or conference of bishops, some other grave necessity urges it, Catholic ministers administer these same sacraments licitly also to other Christians not having full communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and who seek such on their own accord, provided that they manifest Catholic faith in respect to these sacraments and are properly disposed.

§5. For the cases mentioned in §§2, 3, and 4, the diocesan bishop or conference of bishops is not to issue general norms except after consultation at least with the local competent authority of the interested non-Catholic Church or community.

 

[benedictgal]

Code of Canon Law:

I can always count on my online sister, Phemie, to come through with the right answer!

 

[Tammy111]

Code of Canon Law:

Thanks

 

[Phemie]

I can always count on my online sister, Phemie, to come through with the right answer!

What can I say? I’m a document geek with too much time on my hands. Hard to believe I only discovered Church documents 10 years ago; harder to believe that I’d been on Parish Councils & liturgy committees for years without ever hearing about the GIRM, Canon Law, or other documents. What a revelation it was to start volunteering at the parish office and running into a teacher, former sister, who introduced me to all those. Now I’m usually downloading the latest directly from the vatican website, long before they are promulgated in my diocese.

I did that with RS and handed it to my pastor. In a week he had stopped using a flagon for consecration, was rinsing out the corporals and purificators himself, was purifying the vessels himself. The he became ill and left; his replacement reversed all the changes except the flagon with the excuse: “This document has not been promulgated in our diocese.” It still hasn’t been.

 

[1ke]

Where is it forbidden?

I suggest you read the document Ecclesia de Eucharistia in its entirity. It will certainly help you explain to your husband.

It covers your question in paragraph 30 and many other aspects of the Eucharist as well:

*“The Ecclesial Communities separated from us lack that fullness of unity with us which should flow from Baptism, and we believe that especially because of the lack of the sacrament of Orders they have not preserved the genuine and total reality of the Eucharistic mystery. Nevertheless, when they commemorate the Lord’s death and resurrection in the Holy Supper, they profess that it signifies life in communion with Christ and they await his coming in glory”.

The Catholic faithful, therefore, while respecting the religious convictions of these separated brethren, must refrain from receiving the communion distributed in their celebrations, so as not to condone an ambiguity about the nature of the Eucharist and, consequently, to fail in their duty to bear clear witness to the truth.*

 

[palmas85]

Where is it forbidden? I do not doubt you, but I want to know so when I explain it to my husband. Reconciliation with the Catholic Church was not a whim for me I have studied multiple years and read widely. Including church history and doctrine, so I appreciate your time.

II would recommend that you refrain from attending your husbands communities gathering with any regularity. Attending these gatherings regularly can cause Catholics much confusion over that faith and can also lead to a sense of solidarity with them and what they preach.

Question, does he also attend Mass with you?

 

[Tammy111]

II would recommend that you refrain from attending your husbands communities gathering with any regularity. Attending these gatherings regularly can cause Catholics much confusion over that faith and can also lead to a sense of solidarity with them and what they preach.

Question, does he also attend Mass with you?

I will refrain from taking “communion” with my husband as I now fully understand the reasons not. I spent multiple years studying doctrine and reading Church history so I will not refrain from attending Sunday morning services with him regularly. And he does attend Mass with me. Thank you for your concern.

 

[palmas85]

I will refrain from taking “communion” with my husband as I now fully understand the reasons not. I spent multiple years studying doctrine and reading Church history so I will not refrain from attending Sunday morning services with him regularly. And he does attend Mass with me. Thank you for your concern.

Obviously you did not fully understand before despite your multiple years" of studying. Perhaps you should read what the Church Herself says about regular attendance at these events. Perhaps you missed that as well as the difference in Communion.

In case you are interested, the Church is not in favor of such things, and has said so repeatedly.

 

[Roger_Wissinger]

I can always count on my online sister, Phemie, to come through with the right answer!

Benedictgal, you rock. Your right on the money. I don’t need to take the time to answer any questions cuz you got it. [Edited by Moderator]

 

[Seatuck]

BTW, Catholics do not “take” communion at Mass. We receive it. Just a little nitpick that kinda means a lot.

 

[georgehparker]

What you are talking about is the prohibition against Communicatio in Sacris. It is a grave matter not only for the inherent scandal it represents, but also because it is an act that communicates indifference to objective truth. We should respect the wisdom of the Church as well which warns us that it can lead to the loss of Faith, which is a gratuitous gift of God and not the result of our efforts. While we respect others’ freedom of conscience, we mustn’t take lightly God’s mercy towards us for the sake of mere human consideration. Thanks.

 

[Tammy111]

What you are talking about is the prohibition against Communicatio in Sacris. It is a grave matter not only for the inherent scandal it represents, but also because it is an act that communicates indifference to objective truth. We should respect the wisdom of the Church as well which warns us that it can lead to the loss of Faith, which is a gratuitous gift of God and not the result of our efforts. While we respect others’ freedom of conscience, we mustn’t take lightly God’s mercy towards us for the sake of mere human consideration. Thanks.

I understand, thanks very much. I will also not say “take” communion.