Catholic man marries Episcopal Woman

[LRThunder]

Who is mocking them? I am merely saying that equal respect should be given to the Episcopal church. You shouldn’t be making such statements that only give merit to the Catholic Eucharist and the doctrine surrounding while sneering at the Episcopalians as if they were evil. Very uncharitable.

Nobody is sneering at the Episcopalians in this thread, but merely pointing out that there can be no concelebration as asked about in the original post, and certainly no mixed communion.

Catholics are not permitted to receive communion in an Episcopalian church and Episcopals aren’t permitted to receive communion in a Catholic church. There is nothing uncharitable and I am saying it charitably.

 

[SIA]

Nobody is sneering at the Episcopalians in this thread, but merely pointing out that there can be no concelebration as asked about in the original post, and certainly no mixed communion.

Catholics are not permitted to receive communion in an Episcopalian church and Episcopals aren’t permitted to receive communion in a Catholic church. There is nothing uncharitable and I am saying it charitably.

I understand the prohibition of the mixed communion. I get that, okay? I am merely saying that the Eucharist is just as important to Episcopalians as it is Catholics and the celebration of holy communion shouldn’t just be dismissed altogether because of the difference in beliefs upon who receives and who does not.

 

[SIA]

Semantics? I don’t get that accusation. Epicopalians cannot receive Communion in the Catholic Church nor can Catholics receive Communion at an Epicopal church. The reasons are spelled out in canon law and it is not semantics. The commonly suggested way to avoid hurt feelings and confusion when planning a mixed wedding is to have the marriage ceremony without Mass.

Very self serving and uncharitable. Have you ever even been to an Episcopal Holy Eucharist service?

 

[Corki]

Very self serving and uncharitable. Have you ever even been to an Episcopal Holy Eucharist service?

Yes, I have - and Episcopal weddings too. I have a close relative that is an Episcopal priest. Based on outward appearances alone, you would hardly notice you aren’t at Catholic Mass. But that is why it is so important to keep the differences in mind and avoid confusion.

How is it self-serving or uncharitable to point out the very real restrictions in canon law and to provide a way to have a mixed marriage without these problems?

 

[SIA]

Yes, I have - and Episcopal weddings too. I have a close relative that is an Episcopal priest.

How is it self-serving or uncharitable to point out the very real restrictions in canon law and to provide a way to have a mixed marriage without these problems?

My point is to attempt to have a mixed wedding with something that at least resembles a mass to serve what both churches know as worship. Communion could be totally separate. that’s all I am stating here.

 

[SIA]

Let’s face it, liturgically speakling Episcopalians are right on the doorstep of Catholicism vs. other Protestants not even being in the yard!

 

[masuwerte]

I would love to hear a canon lawyer’s take on that one!!

Me too.

 

[masuwerte]

BTW, a priest does not “prepare” the Eucharist.

Would you prefer the term “confect”? I was unsure of the proper terminology; what do you think it is?

 

[masuwerte]

How sad it is. Jesus didn’t intend for this and he even said that we should be as one. The Catholic church has done so much to create separation and ill will amongst other God loving Christians and it is so very sad. The Episcopalians woul be ever so willing to share in communion with Catholics, but they only refuse and continue to uphold this stale mate if you will. It is senseless.

Yes, I agree.

 

[masuwerte]

Belief in the Real Presence is not enough. By receiving communion in the Catholic Church, one sends a message that they believe everything the Church teaches about the Eucharist and that they are in communion with the Church.

That’s the part I don’t get. I know that the Catholic Church teaches that, but I just don’t understand why.

 

[Tonks40]

Someone on this thread is accusing the Catholic Church of creating separation and ill will amongst other God loving Christians?? If my memory of history serves me well, the Church has done no such thing…I believe it was started by a man named Luther…and some king in England…

Face the facts, SIA! You can’t handle the Truth!

As for the OP, I agree with what others on this thread had said in regards to the ceremony.  Please speak with your priest to discuss this issue with him.  It would be possible to have your marriage held in your fiance's church, but you need to go through the necessary steps to required in order to do so.

You must also firm yourself up on Catholic teachings regarding your obligations as a Catholic (ie your obligations to raise any potential children Catholic).  There may be some difficulties having a mixed Christian marriage, but it can work with understanding and respect on both spouses!

God Bless!
(from a devout Catholic with an Anglican DH...)

 

[Rawb]

Who is mocking them? I am merely saying that equal respect should be given to the Episcopal church. You shouldn’t be making such statements that only give merit to the Catholic Eucharist and the doctrine surrounding while sneering at the Episcopalians as if they were evil. Very uncharitable.

No, you’re asking for preferential treatment.

The Catholic belief is that it alone has the Real Presence. It has rules for it’s own members and visiters that must be respected. Even if you don’t believe that, you should respect our own belief in our own Church. This is not sneering at Episcopalians, if anything, as our teaching came first, your request is an insult to us.

You want us to disregard 2,000 years of teaching…for you? For false teachings? For a false sense of unity?

Please start another thread on this, as this isn’t the place for it. I’d be most interested in hearing your calm reasoning behind what I’m sure is a logical and sensible argument.

 

[Peter_J]

The Episcopalians woul be ever so willing to share in communion with Catholics, but they only refuse and continue to uphold this stale mate if you will. It is senseless.

Sia,

I think you’ll find that a lot of us Catholics are more sympathetic than you realize – keep in mind that we ourselves believe that inter-communion between Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox is possible, but this idea generally isn’t too well received among the Orthodox.

 

[1ke]

For now and for the wedding, she would prefer to marry in an Episcopal church, hoping that we can go through marriage counseling within both churches and have a Catholic priest present to officiate with the Episcopal priest. confusing, I know.

This is not possible.

If you receive permission to marry outside the Catholic form, a priest may be a **witness **but may not be an officiant. If the Catholic priest is going to be the officiant, then the marriage would take place in the Catholic form.

There can be nothing that has the appearance of “con-celebrating” or mixing the Catholic and Episcopal ceremonies or both of them officiating.

The first step is for you to talk to your priest about marriage prep and all of the necessary paperwork should you choose to marry in her church. It is very possible to do this, but not in the way you seem to be implying here.

I think this can be done, but a question remains about the order of the liturgies and what can be done for the Liturgy of the Eucharist, how communion happens, catholics and episcopalians present together, etc, etc.

No. It cannot be done. It violates Canon Law in numerous ways.

Catholics may not receive Communion in the Episcopal Church onr vice versa. There can be no “combining” of liturgies.

It would be best to have no Eucharist at all, but if the marriage takes place in the EC then the Catholics would not receive their communion.

Very confusing, and I wanted to have some idea before we went out to talk to both of our churches. Any thoughts?

The best place to start is with your priest.

 

[AlexiaMusing]

How sad it is. Jesus didn’t intend for this and he even said that we should be as one. The Catholic church has done so much to create separation and ill will amongst other God loving Christians and it is so very sad. The Episcopalians woul be ever so willing to share in communion with Catholics, but they only refuse and continue to uphold this stale mate if you will. It is senseless.

I agree, it is so divisive and so against the tenor of Jesus’ statements. Our rector is about to retire and our assistant rector has a number of other ministers lined up to assist during the interim period, including some Lutheran ministers. I can’t imagine this kind of stubborn childish behavior in my church certainly.

 

[AlexiaMusing]

Semantics? I don’t get that accusation. Epicopalians cannot receive Communion in the Catholic Church nor can Catholics receive Communion at an Epicopal church. The reasons are spelled out in canon law and it is not semantics. The commonly suggested way to avoid hurt feelings and confusion when planning a mixed wedding is to have the marriage ceremony without Mass.

Roman catholics are more than welcome to receive communion in the Episcopal church, of course. It is only the arrogance of the receiver that it doesn’t “take” that prevents it. We think God welcomes all who come in love of Jesus to the table. We don’t reject anyone simply because they have a different dogma than we do. Baptism is all that is required. But another reason that Rome is not for me. It’s all about exclusion.

 

[Corki]

Roman catholics are more than welcome to receive communion in the Episcopal church, of course. It is only the arrogance of the receiver that it doesn’t “take” that prevents it. We think God welcomes all who come in love of Jesus to the table. We don’t reject anyone simply because they have a different dogma than we do. Baptism is all that is required. But another reason that Rome is not for me. It’s all about exclusion.

It isn’t arrogance, it is humility and submission to the teaching of the Church. Catholics believe that all Sacraments are outward signs of truths. For example, in Baptism, the pouring of water is the outward sign of the washing away of Origninal Sin. In the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist, receiving Communion together is the outward sign of the truth that we are in communion with each other and with the Church. Intercommunion with non-Catholics would be an outward sign of something that is sadly not currently true.

 

[TheGreenO]

I think this thread has turned into the perfect example of how people do not understand the Catholic Church and its teachings. The best way I can put it is, the Catholic Church isn’t a “NO, NO, NO” it is in contrast a “YES, YES, YES” to the will of God and the Church which Jesus founded. The people who are saying “NO, NO, NO” are those who would rather not submit to His Church and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and God’s will for their own self-serving opinions, desires, and feelings. The Church isn’t a democracy. We do not take light the Eucharist nor would we make a mockery of something of such importance. It is true that all are invited to the table, but not all are welcome.

Where other churches bend and break for accommodating certain people, the Catholic Church remains to be firm, stern, and even seems to grow stronger in its truth.

Could that be why more and more are looking to Rome for full communion or conversion?

 

[AlexiaMusing]

It isn’t arrogance, it is humility and submission to the teaching of the Church. Catholics believe that all Sacraments are outward signs of truths. For example, in Baptism, the pouring of water is the outward sign of the washing away of Origninal Sin. In the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist, receiving Communion together is the outward sign of the truth that we are in communion with each other and with the Church. Intercommunion with non-Catholics would be an outward sign of something that is sadly not currently true.

Would it now? How sad for you.

 

[AlexiaMusing]

I think this thread has turned into the perfect example of how people do not understand the Catholic Church and its teachings. The best way I can put it is, the Catholic Church isn’t a “NO, NO, NO” it is in contrast a “YES, YES, YES” to the will of God and the Church which Jesus founded. The people who are saying “NO, NO, NO” are those who would rather not submit to His Church and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and God’s will for their own self-serving opinions, desires, and feelings. The Church isn’t a democracy. We do not take light the Eucharist nor would we make a mockery of something of such importance. It is true that all are invited to the table, but not all are welcome.

Where other churches bend and break for accommodating certain people, the Catholic Church remains to be firm, stern, and even seems to grow stronger in its truth.

Could that be why more and more are looking to Rome for full communion or conversion?

Could be we are not serving our own self-interest but that we honestly believe that your interpretation is wrong. Astounding thought? We don’t take lightly the eucharist either. We recognize that not all are welcome at your table. Funny, just the opposite of Jesus who called a lot of sinners to his table and fed them well. I wonder if there is a lesson in there somewhere. And the idea that people are converting to the roman Church? Well, I don’t know, undoubtedly some are, but a ton are leaving in every region of the world so I read.