catholic vs protastant communion

[SallyG]

I was talking to a friend lately about the catholic vs. protastant faith mainly communion differances and he was asking how if a catholic left the church and then becomes protastant why cant you recieve communion? I dont know a whole lot about the protastant faith but he said that although they believe the eucharist is a symbol if you belive that it is really Jesus then it is because protastants can have their own beliefs? it really confused my and I am not well educated in my apologetics so if anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ralphinal]

If we just look at the basic concept of what Communion signifies, without the theology, it is a sign of the common faith. If you leave the Catholic Church, then go back to communion, you are saying that you are a part of somethign that you are not a part of.

If you add the theology back in, as Catholics, we know what seems to be bread and wine is really Jesus’s body, blood soul and divinity. This is not a matter of thought or belief, it is a fact. TO allow someone who does not hold that same understanding to accept communion is a very serious sacralege.

I hope this helps.

 

[dessert]

I was talking to a friend lately about the catholic vs. protastant faith mainly communion differances and he was asking how if a catholic left the church and then becomes protastant why cant you recieve communion? I dont know a whole lot about the protastant faith but he said that although they believe the eucharist is a symbol if you belive that it is really Jesus then it is because protastants can have their own beliefs? it really confused my and I am not well educated in my apologetics so if anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated.

catholic.com/library/who_can_receive_communion.asp
Here is an article in This Rock at the top of the page.
Welcome to the forum

 

[bpbasilphx]

** I dont know a whole lot about the protastant faith**

**There is no such thing as “the protastant faith.”

“Protestant” is an umbrella term that covers a wide range of belief–and disbelief. Everyone from an Anglo-Catholic to a Unitarian comes under it.**

 

[FCEGM]

I was talking to a friend lately about the catholic vs. protastant faith mainly communion differances and he was asking how if a catholic left the church and then becomes protastant why cant you recieve communion? I dont know a whole lot about the protastant faith but he said that although they believe the eucharist is a symbol if you belive that it is really Jesus then it is because protastants can have their own beliefs? it really confused my and I am not well educated in my apologetics so if anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated.

Sally, it sounds like your friend is saying that one’s belief regarding the Holy Eucharist is all that matters, not whether that belief is true or not. IOW, if a former Catholic receives communion in a church of a Protestant denomination, then if the former Catholic believes that communion IS the Real Presence, then it becomes so… . .?

 

[Mannyfit75]

I was talking to a friend lately about the catholic vs. protastant faith mainly communion differances and he was asking how if a catholic left the church and then becomes protastant why cant you recieve communion? I dont know a whole lot about the protastant faith but he said that although they believe the eucharist is a symbol if you belive that it is really Jesus then it is because protastants can have their own beliefs? it really confused my and I am not well educated in my apologetics so if anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated.

Because it’s for their own safety for their soul. In the Catholic Church, we believe in the Real Presence. The majority of the Protestants do not. They believe in symbolism. No one can received Holy Communion if he is the state of mortal sin.

Even if they do believe in the Real Presence, it would not validate it because they deny other truths of the Church’s Teaching office.

It would be like breaking the Ten Commandments and receiving Holy Communion without going to Confession.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

I was talking to a friend lately about the catholic vs. protastant faith mainly communion differances and he was asking how if a catholic left the church and then becomes protastant why cant you recieve communion? I dont know a whole lot about the protastant faith but he said that although they believe the eucharist is a symbol if you belive that it is really Jesus then it is because protastants can have their own beliefs? it really confused my and I am not well educated in my apologetics so if anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated.

I think he is saying that in some protestant churches some of the communicants believe that their communion is just a symbol and some in the same church believe that it is really Jesus and either belief is OK within that denomination.

But there is only one truth. The fact is that their Eucharist is not really Jesus’ body. Just because somebody believes it does not make it true. (I’m not saying that I doubt the sincerity of the protestants who believe that, or their love of Christ.) Only a priest who is ordained by a Catholic or Orthodox bishop is able to consecrate the bread to become the body of Christ. Because only their holy orders go back to the apostles.

 

[SallyG]

okay so Protastants can believe both(that is is a symbol or it’s truly Jesus)? but if they still belive that it is truly Jesus and go to the protastant chuch casue they “like it better” or “the style more suits me” than why when they come to the catholic church is it not okay to recieve communion? If you still believe the same thing(basically concerning jesus and the eucharist not concerning mary) but the style is differant then why cant you recieve other than it’s “against our religion”? another one of my friends is leaving the catholic church and is going to a protastant church but yet still recieves communion. I want to talk to her about that but I need more facts and proof quotes or something like that would be helpful.
Thanks again
SallyG

 

[ralphinal]

okay so Protastants can believe both(that is is a symbol or it’s truly Jesus)? but if they still belive that it is truly Jesus and go to the protastant chuch casue they “like it better” or “the style more suits me” than why when they come to the catholic church is it not okay to recieve communion? If you still believe the same thing(basically concerning jesus and the eucharist not concerning mary) but the style is differant then why cant you recieve other than it’s “against our religion”? another one of my friends is leaving the catholic church and is going to a protastant church but yet still recieves communion. I want to talk to her about that but I need more facts and proof quotes or something like that would be helpful.
Thanks again
SallyG

Read this link
usccb.org/liturgy/q&a/mass/communion.shtml

For someone who is not Catholic. even if they used to be and left, to receive communion is to imply a unity that is not there.