In an earlier post, another non-Catholic respondent had written the following. That reply’s now been deleted, but I wanted to put part of it here for context of my reply:
The earlier post:
And most protestants are very well aware that Catholics don’t want us in their Churches and hence we don’t go. Silly really because we all are Christian but that is what the Catholics want and we respect that more than Catholics realise. No we on the whole wouldn’t bother a Catholic Priest for anything because they don’t want us. Sad though it is but any long withstanding active worshipper of the protestant churches are too well aware that we are not wanted in the Catholic Church accept to become Catholic.
My reply:
I have to say that as a Catholic, this reply and the responses to it make me sad. We are all Christians, as you say. We are saved by Christ’s sacrifice alone. The labels we attach to denominations are sad ways to divide us. Catholic was a term first used in the 1st century, be either St. Ignatius or St. Irenaeus. The term shows up in the apostles and nicean creeds of later centuries… these were written against early heretical movements like Gnosticism and Arianism. In those creeds catholic means universal, so many Protestant denominations include “small c” catholic as they profess the Nicean Creed in their services.
As for “not wanting” others in our services, nothing could be further from the truth, at least for me. However, we have scriptural basis for why we ask non-Catholics not to take the Eucharist. In 1 Corinthians 11:27, Paul writes that anyone who takes Eucharist but does not “discern the body” of Christ “eats an drinks judgement” on themselves. Catholics have always interpreted that as meaning that non-Catholics who typically don’t believe in transsubstantiation shouldn’t take communion for their own sakes!
I personally think Canon Law goes too far at times. First, the Orthodox and some Episcopals who believe the bread and wine is body and blood seem excluded only by quibbles over deference to Rome. That’s a barrier to ecumenism I think is based on turf politics alone. Secondly, the scriptural basis of Annointing of the Sick is James 5:14-15. It says that the sick should “summon the presbyters” for the Annointing. Now, if a Protestant calls on Catholic clergy, why should they be denied?
As Christians, we have more in common than in division. The labels we apply to one another are terrible divisions. We should all be “nondenominational.” But in doing so, share each others’ reasoning for doing certain things. I don’t want you to feel unwelcome in my Church, but so many Catholics are on defense, as are Protestants.
