Can I enter other churches?

[BintuluChuchGuy]

What I mean is that can I step into their church,the building,their premises?? and if not,why?

Because my friend invited me to go to their church for an activity(Youth Night or something)(Methodist Church by the way)…Is it forbidden to enter other churches?

 

[TuAutem]

It depends on the reason for attending. (So, no, it is not always forbidden.) It is a sin to participate in another religion, but it is not a sin to attend the services of another religion, if one is not participating but a guest (say for a graduation ceremony at a Protestant school, or a wedding). Even so one should try to avoid Protestant celebrations of communion, because for a Catholic there is the risk of the added sin of sacrilege.

It may be alright to visit a Protestant service if invited to promote ecumenical understanding, but it should be clear to all involved that you are not visiting as an inquirer about their church, merely to be polite or to promote good relations.

There is also the sin of scandal, whereby others might misinterpret your actions. Another Catholic may think that, because you are attending a Protestant church, it is okay to do so, and go on to sin because of your actions. So this is also to be avoided.

Entering the building for a non-religious function, like a social group, scouts, a dance, or a sports match, is totally fine, as long as the aforementioned risk of scandal isn’t present (i.e., if other Catholics know you’re going there, they should know why, lest they get the wrong idea.) If their youth night is a prayer group, you probably shouldn’t attend, though.

That’s my take on it, anyway.

 

[paperwight66]

Even so one should try to avoid Protestant celebrations of communion, because for a Catholic there is the risk of the added sin of sacrilege.

.,.

How can there be a risk of sacrilege?

It is not the Body and Blood. How can there be any sin of sacrilege?

 

[TuAutem]

Not in the sense of desecrating the body of Christ, but in the sense that it is considered sacrilege to perform the act of consecration when one is not a priest. IIRC.

Now, to Protestants who do this, they believe they are performing a valid communion (although they don’t believe in transubstantiation), so I am not accusing them of performing such a sin with any intent. Indeed their intent is to honour Christ. But to a Catholic, these communion services are a perversion of a Catholic sacrament. So it seems wiser to me (in my opinion) not to attend an event that, from our perspective, is objectionable. And certainly participating or receiving communion would be a sacrilegious act for a Catholic.

 

[ChadTorgerson]

I’m not a theologian, but I would not be as strict as others may be. Of course, avoid anything that may go against Catholic Tradition (including Holy Communion or the Eucharist). Of course, our Church calls us to attend Mass, but if you were to attend a youth night or other event, I think that it is great for us to reach out to our fellow Christians. There is the danger of you being converted to their beliefs, but maybe they will see the beauty of Catholicism through you instead.

As Catholics, I don’t believe we can continue to separate ourselves from the rest of Christiandom and still expect to reach out to them in an ecumenical way. Of course, I am speaking as a former Protestant who found Catholicism through Catholics who were willing to reach out to me. It may start with you attending one of their functions, and they may return the favor. We may differ greatly on the various practices of our faith, but we all share the same common love of Jesus Christ.

Just my 2 cents.

Chad Torgerson
Waking Up Catholic

 

[Redratfish]

What I mean is that can I step into their church,the building,their premises?? and if not,why?

Because my friend invited me to go to their church for an activity(Youth Night or something)(Methodist Church by the way)…Is it forbidden to enter other churches?

I’ve dicussed this with my priest and on here many times.

You may go as a guest, but not actively take part in the liturgy. No recieving their communion, no altar calls, ect.

 

[OchsFam]

I think the key here is based upon it being a social activity. Like a previous poster said, if it is a Bible study or prayer group, it is not that it would be forbidden, but you must be very well formed before you can participate.

Just as it is a sin to allow for the near occasion of sin, such as visiting inappropriate websites, it may be a near occasion of sin to attend a protestant Bible study or prayer group if you aren’t willing to stand up to their false accusations or are willing to put forth the Catholic view point.

If you are just going to spend time with a friend, there is nothing wrong there but I agree that you should invite them to your Church sometime in the future. If they refuse, they may not actually be interested in being your friend so much as they want you to become protestant. It is not always the case, but it is certainly a red flag.

In terms of it being a Sunday or Wednesday service, there is nothing wrong with this either but that again would depend on your intent and formation. If you are unable to defend Catholicism or are wavering in your faith, it would be a sin to attend anything promoting the protestant propaganda because it could be what takes you away from the Church and into a state of mortal sin and thus separation from the graces of God. You must also remember that a protestant service is not a replacement for Mass, so you must go to Mass on Sunday in addition to attending a protestant service if that is the case. That is off topic however, so I apologize.

God Bless.

 

[JamestheOlder]

What I mean is that can I step into their church,the building,their premises?? and if not,why?

Because my friend invited me to go to their church for an activity(Youth Night or something)(Methodist Church by the way)…Is it forbidden to enter other churches?

Please be very, very careful. Loss of your Faith can occur in the most innocuous ways.

My wife and I are cradle Catholics, both educated in Catholic schools and both active in the various parishes where we have lived. I think we could be called “mature” Catholics for other reasons than just our ages.

Some years ago, we visited the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City and toured their visitor center. We were accompanied by a very bright and friendly Mormon guide, who explained the various beliefs of the Mormon Church as we toured their well-done wall murals. Towards the end of the tour, my wife and I looked at each other, blinked a few times, and left abruptly. Our friendly tour guide was so innocently persuasive that he had us almost agreeing with the Mormon “history” and method of belief. It scared us that we were so gullible.

On another occasion, we “sat in” on a Praise and Worship session at a convention. We were well-removed from others in the auditorium….on purpose. Even then, we were caught up in the emotion of the music and singing. We were almost at the point of “standing up for the Lord!” before we realized that we had been co-opted by the enthusiasm of not only the preacher and performers, but also by the enthusiastic response of the crowd….even though we were separated in the “cheap seats”.

Your Faith is very precious and fragile, even though you think you take all the precautions. Be aware of temptation. Be careful. Please.