Catholic & Baptist (Eucharist)

[dskysmine]

Hi,

A Baptist girlfriend of mine, with whom I am trying to discern if I am called to share my life with, really wants to understand more about my faith, and I too want to explain everything in the right way.

What I want to know is regarding the Eucharist. She wants to know if she could take part of the Eucharist with me when she’s comming with me to mass or not. I have asked her not to, but it’s mostly because I know that only people who go through the First Communion have that “right”. Is this true? She has also asked me to take part of the “Last Supper” ritual they have in their church. I don’t mind going to her church and pray with her but I don’t feel comfortable taking part in a ritual I’ve never heard of.

Is it a sin if I take part of it (their ritual)?
Will this make our (potential) marriage bad?

God bless,
Daniel

 

[jmcrae]

Hi,

A Baptist girlfriend of mine, with whom I am trying to discern if I am called to share my life with, really wants to understand more about my faith, and I too want to explain everything in the right way.

What I want to know is regarding the Eucharist. She wants to know if she could take part of the Eucharist with me when she’s comming with me to mass or not. I have asked her not to, but it’s mostly because I know that only people who go through the First Communion have that “right”. Is this true?

What she would need to do is, she would need to take part in RCIA, and become a Catholic, and then receive her First Reconciliation, and then be Confirmed and receive her First Holy Communion, before she could do that.

She has also asked me to take part of the “Last Supper” ritual they have in their church. I don’t mind going to her church and pray with her but I don’t feel comfortable taking part in a ritual I’ve never heard of.

Your instincts are good - you should not do this.

Is it a sin if I take part of it (their ritual)?

YES, it would be a sin - it is called “the sin of indifferentism,” where we pretend that there are no important differences between religions.

Will this make our (potential) marriage bad?

There are a lot of things to consider when you are thinking of marrying someone who is not a Catholic. For example, are you prepared to raise your children by yourself? since your wife (not being Catholic herself) will not be able to raise your children as Catholics. Also, you could not have a nuptial Mass, since she and her family members are not Catholics, and would not be able to come to a Mass for the wedding - it would have to be a simple wedding with no Mass.

 

[Corki]

No, she may not receive Communion at a Catholic Mass. This is what is usually printed in the missalette or bulletin.

For our fellow Christians
We welcome our fellow Christians to this celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. We pray that our common baptism and the action of the Holy Spirit in this Eucharist will draw us closer to one another and begin to dispel the sad divisions which separate us. We pray that these will lessen and finally disappear, in keeping with Christ’s prayer for us “that they may all be one” (Jn 17:21).

**Because Catholics believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life, and worship, members of those churches with whom we are not yet fully united are ordinarily not admitted to Holy Communion. **Eucharistic sharing in exceptional circumstances by other Christians requires permission according to the directives of the diocesan bishop and the provisions of canon law (canon 844 § 4). Members of the Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Polish National Catholic Church are urged to respect the discipline of their own Churches. According to Roman Catholic discipline, the Code of Canon Law does not object to the reception of communion by Christians of these Churches (canon 844 § 3).

 

[MarkThompson]

Hi,

A Baptist girlfriend of mine, with whom I am trying to discern if I am called to share my life with, really wants to understand more about my faith, and I too want to explain everything in the right way.

What I want to know is regarding the Eucharist. She wants to know if she could take part of the Eucharist with me when she’s comming with me to mass or not. I have asked her not to, but it’s mostly because I know that only people who go through the First Communion have that “right”. Is this true? She has also asked me to take part of the “Last Supper” ritual they have in their church. I don’t mind going to her church and pray with her but I don’t feel comfortable taking part in a ritual I’ve never heard of.

Is it a sin if I take part of it (their ritual)?
Will this make our (potential) marriage bad?

God bless,
Daniel

1. Only a member of the Catholic Church may receive Communion in the Catholic Church. We do not have “open communion” like some groups do.
2. It is forbidden for any Catholic to receive communion at a Protestant church, including any sort of “Lord’s Supper” ritual where you would eat bread and drink wine or grape juice. You can go, but if you are offered communion you must politely refuse.

As to whether it would make your marriage bad, only you and your girlfriend can know that. Interfaith marriages always have that element of tension, but if you can each enjoy and feel confident in your own religion without feeling hurt or excluded by the practices of the other, you can make it work. Obviously, you must be committed to raising your children in the Catholic faith, so she would need to be understanding about that. (And if she eventually migrates home to the Catholic Church, so much the better for all concerned. )

 

[paperwight66]

Also, you could not have a nuptial Mass, since she and her family members are not Catholics, and would not be able to come to a Mass for the wedding - it would have to be a simple wedding with no Mass.

No, this is mistaken. Her family not being Catholic does not mean that she /you can’t have a Nuptial Mass.

It is true that she herself not being Catholic means this. But her family’s religion, or lack of it, is irrelevant.

 

[jmcrae]

No, this is mistaken. Her family not being Catholic does not mean that she /you can’t have a Nuptial Mass.

It is true that she herself not being Catholic means this. But her family’s religion, or lack of it, is irrelevant.

If she were to convert, they could, but the congregation would not receive Holy Communion (the couple would, though).

 

[benedictgal]

No, this is mistaken. Her family not being Catholic does not mean that she /you can’t have a Nuptial Mass.

It is true that she herself not being Catholic means this. But her family’s religion, or lack of it, is irrelevant.

Actually, this is what the Holy Father wrote in Sacramentum Caritatis:

In this regard, I would like to call attention to a pastoral problem frequently encountered nowadays. I am referring to the fact that on certain occasions – for example, wedding Masses, funerals and the like – in addition to practicing Catholics there may be others present who have long since ceased to attend Mass or are living in a situation which does not permit them to receive the sacraments. At other times members of other Christian confessions and even other religions may be present. Similar situations can occur in churches that are frequently visited, especially in tourist areas. In these cases, there is a need to find a brief and clear way to remind those present of the meaning of sacramental communion and the conditions required for its reception. Wherever circumstances make it impossible to ensure that the meaning of the Eucharist is duly appreciated, the appropriateness of replacing the celebration of the Mass with a celebration of the word of God should be considered. (153)

Thus, the Holy Father observes that it would be better to not have a Mass in this case.

 

[paperwight66]

Actually, this is what the Holy Father wrote in Sacramentum Caritatis:

Thus, the Holy Father observes that it would be better to not have a Mass in this case.

No, he said that the possibility of replacing it with something else should be considered. not that it would be better not to have a Nuptial Mass.

 

[benedictgal]

No, he said that thw possibility of replacing it with something else should be considered. not that replacing a Mass was preferable.

Actually, it would be preferable. In fact, that is the recommendation down here. Why have a Mass if only one party (bride or groom) can receive Holy Communion and the other can’t?

 

[dskysmine]

Actually, it would be preferable. In fact, that is the recommendation down here. Why have a Mass if only one party (bride or groom) can receive Holy Communion and the other can’t?

So if only one person goes to a particular mass the priest is to tell that person… “well… you don’t really matter. I need a quorum to preside a mass.”?

 

[jmcrae]

So if only one person goes to a particular mass the priest is to tell that person… “well… you don’t really matter. I need a quorum to preside a mass.”?

If the one person is receiving Holy Communion, and there is no one present who is unable to receive, then of course he would say Mass for that one person. (Although this would probably be quite rare - priests prefer to have Mass at times when larger numbers of people can come.)

But if a significant number of people are present who can’t receive, and would be offended to be told so, then he would prudently choose not to have a Mass, so as to avoid the whole conversation - especially with a wedding, where the reception of Holy Communion as a couple together is a significant moment in a wedding Mass - and it would be very much noticed, if one member of the couple were not receiving - it would highlight the difference between them, rather than highlighting their unity.

 

[Catholic1954]

Hi,

A Baptist girlfriend of mine, with whom I am trying to discern if I am called to share my life with, really wants to understand more about my faith, and I too want to explain everything in the right way.

What I want to know is regarding the Eucharist. She wants to know if she could take part of the Eucharist with me when she’s comming with me to mass or not. I have asked her not to, but it’s mostly because I know that only people who go through the First Communion have that “right”. Is this true? She has also asked me to take part of the “Last Supper” ritual they have in their church. I don’t mind going to her church and pray with her but I don’t feel comfortable taking part in a ritual I’ve never heard of.

Is it a sin if I take part of it (their ritual)?
Will this make our (potential) marriage bad?

God bless,
Daniel

Neither one of you should be receiving communion at each other’s church services. If she really is interested in learning about the Catholic Church, the best place for her to start is by joining an RCIA class at a nearby parish. You would also benefit from attending the classes with her, it would help you explain things when she has questions outside of class.

 

[dskysmine]

We reached an agreement as to not force the other to change denomination… and I don’t think bringing her to such classes would respect that agreement… but I’ll be sure to try to learn some more from the Cathecism.