Catholics can't attend Protestant services?

[wisdomseeker]

No kidding; they probably see you as a potential convert - why would they have a problem with that?

St. Paul was referring here to the Church that was in full communion with St. Peter, the first Pope.

Protestants are not “the eye” or “the ear” of Christ’s Body - if anything, they are the toenail clippings or the hair cuttings, because they have been cut off from the Body by their own desire and preference; they do not even want any kind of unity with Christ’s Body the Catholic Church; the idea of being in submission to the Pope even offends them; they are just not interested in that at all - and since they want no connection with the Head, how can they be living parts of the Body?

i so agree with you.
misinformed catholics they have no idea what is really going on here.
i wonder what St Paul would say to his followers if they went to meetings of those who separated themselves from his authority.

“**I should not believe the Gospel except as moved by the authority of the Catholic Church.”
Saint Augustine (354-430), Against the Letter of Mani, 5,6, 397 A.D… **

 

[gaderenian]

"But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’

 

[pbmd]

Lots of emotions being expressed in this thread.

To stick to the original subject, I have been told by my parish priest that attending a protestant service is allowed, but to not receive communion(this because of our belief in The Eucharist). I think the links and references listed by previous posts support this. I attend Mass regularly, and attend a non-denominational service for the sake of my family. I spent 22 years being nurtured by our non-Catholic brethren, and I thank GOD for using these believers to make me grow in the faith. I have been reconciled with The Church since. I have no problem defending the Church as the original to our non-Catholic brethren. For those of you who fear “conversion” to protestant denominations, I suggest the following:
-Study your Bible, intensely and regularly. Do not neglect the Old testament!
-read the writings of the early Christians(Eusebius,et al).This will give you background knowledge and realize that The Scriptures do not exist in a vacuum(sola scriptura). Tradition IS important, and critical to understanding the Scriptures and our faith. The Church, by the Grace of GOD, has guarded the deposit quite well for 2000 years.
-If you attend protestant services, avoid the more liberal ones with relativistic teachings, over-emphasis on “social gospel”/politics; in some cases, denial of basic Christian doctrine. This is where a poorly catechized believer can run into trouble.
There is a lot, to our mutual benefit, that we can learn from each other. To harshly label other Christians as heretics, without really knowing their journey in the Lord, is uncharitable, unnecessary and in many cases erroneous. In these recent years, we as Christians are starting to experience more prejudice and persecution for our beliefs than I have ever seen. It may get worse. “When we as believers are the only ones left on the beach, it is not the time to start drawing lines in the sand”. The Peace of Christ be with you all, my fellow believers.Love one another. Paul

 

[Julianna]

Not sure where Fr Serpa is coming from on that one.

I was baptized Catholic in 1958 as an infant. My mother is Baptist. From then on I attended the Catholic church and the Baptist church one Sunday a month. My father did not attend. My mother told my sister and I that we were not to participate in their communion service or altar calls. She told that we were baptized Catholic and that she respects the rules of our church on that. If she had a question she would phone the church and request a meeting with Father or if a Sister was available she would meet with her.

As a result of going to both churches…I am Catholic, period. I understand the Baptist beliefs and respect their POV. When I went to SC during the summer…I went to the Baptist church with my grandmother and the Catholic church with her neighbors down the street.

I have never found my mother or my grandmothers church unwelcoming, nor did they try to convert me. My mother attended the Catholic with us 3 Sundays of the 4. This was in the early 60’s and 70’s. The Priest in our church knew the story and was fine with it. He was always kind to my mother and answered all her questions on what kinds of things she could do to help us with our catechism. My mother loved my father enough to promise to raise his children Catholic and do what she could to help us make it through confirmation.

I can and will attend Protestant churches when I choose. I know I am a Catholic and that comes first.

and we wonder why people are running and screaming away from the church…extremism and zealots will do it every time. How sad.

 

[gaderenian]

9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself:
‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people:
swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
12 ‘I fast twice a week;
I pay tithes of all that I get.’
13 “But the tax collector,
standing some distance away,

        was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying,

‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’

14 “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

 

[bartimaeus]

St. Paul was referring here to the Church that was in full communion with St. Peter, the first Pope.

Protestants are not “the eye” or “the ear” of Christ’s Body - if anything, they are the toenail clippings or the hair cuttings, because they have been cut off from the Body by their own desire and preference; they do not even want any kind of unity with Christ’s Body the Catholic Church; the idea of being in submission to the Pope even offends them; they are just not interested in that at all - and since they want no connection with the Head, how can they be living parts of the Body?

God tells us that when He speaks His word will accomplish what He desires and achieve the purpose for He sent it.  When God speaks, things happen.  He spoke and a world was created.  When God says something will happen, it always does.  When Jesus spoke, things happened exactly as He said; Get up and the dead rose, you are healed, Lazarus, come out and he did.  Jesus also showed that His curses brought the result He sought.  



        We must learn to listen to God, Father and Son and their Holy Spirit within us, for their word is truth and when they speak things happen exactly as they said.  Once we accept, *Truly *accept that fact, then and only then can our relationship with Jesus -and through Him, with the Father deepen and become what it should be.  Until we fully accept that God’s word is inviolate and unquestionable, we cannot love Jesus fully. ( and The Word was made Flesh)  Doubt, underlying uncertainty, sets up a barrier to unbridled love -for to love is to trust and to trust is to know that His word is true and follow it.  Prejudice, fear, pride, and anxiety are all difficult to eliminate, but they are signs of distrust of the word of the Lord and a barrier to our love for Him, for they are signs of disbelief in His word.

 

[jmcrae]

God tells us that when He speaks His word will accomplish what He desires and achieve the purpose for He sent it. When God speaks, things happen. He spoke and a world was created. When God says something will happen, it always does. When Jesus spoke, things happened exactly as He said; Get up and the dead rose, you are healed, Lazarus, come out and he did. Jesus also showed that His curses brought the result He sought.

        We must learn to listen to God, Father and Son and their Holy Spirit within us, for their word is truth and when they speak things happen exactly as they said.  Once we accept, *Truly *accept that fact, then and only then can our relationship with Jesus -and through Him, with the Father deepen and become what it should be.  Until we fully accept that God’s word is inviolate and unquestionable, we cannot love Jesus fully. ( and The Word was made Flesh)  Doubt, underlying uncertainty, sets up a barrier to unbridled love -for to love is to trust and to trust is to know that His word is true and follow it.  Prejudice, fear, pride, and anxiety are all difficult to eliminate, but they are signs of distrust of the word of the Lord and a barrier to our love for Him, for they are signs of disbelief in His word.

I’m not sure of your point.

All of these things happen in the Catholic Church. Other churches have a partial connection with God, of course, but only the Catholic Church has the fullness of the Holy Spirit guiding it throughout all of time and space - this was Christ’s promise. If we say that we “believe in” Christ, then surely we must believe His promises, should we not?

 

[bartimaeus]

All Jesus wants is to see the love and truth in people’s hearts…

AMEN Sister,
It is not a religion that our God is interested in, it IS a relationship with our God and Creator.

In Him,
Tim <)><

 

[Julianna]

I’m not sure of your point.

All of these things happen in the Catholic Church. Other churches have a partial connection with God, of course, but only the Catholic Church has the fullness of the Holy Spirit guiding it throughout all of time and space - this was Christ’s promise. If we say that we “believe in” Christ, then surely we must believe His promises, should we not?

I guess that is a matter of “your” opinion. There are millions of people all across this planet who believe their faith is the one…and it is amazing that you know the Catholic church is the one and only.

As a Catholic I would never tell anyone what you just stated. The reason being…I don’t know…and you don’t know either.

I was raised as a Catholic and attended the Baptist Church…I was dedicated at the Baptist Church…and I was Christened in the Catholic church. My mother married a Catholic and promised to raise myself and my siblings in the Church. She did. But she showed us what else was out there in the faith community that will grow up into, live with, work with, and share the planet with. I never felt that the Catholic church was an island unto itself. I thought of the church as universal…welcoming…loving…giving…high on the social justice meter. It wasn’t until I started reading posts on CAF I found there are those who are right traditionalist minded and believe their way or the hi-way. It is funny though, my siblings married Protestants and yet the children are all Catholic…speaks volumes for tolerance now doesn’t it?

I thank my mother for loving my father enough to ask questions and raise us in a church of which she had little knowledge. She did ask questions and worked with us on our catechism more than my dad did. Dad took us to mass…that was about it.

As a Catholic, I have and will continue should I be invited attend a Protestant service. I know what the boundaries are…and so do the folks that have occasion to invite me…and I have never been pressured or cohersed in joining their faith.

 

[jmcrae]

I guess that is a matter of “your” opinion. There are millions of people all across this planet who believe their faith is the one…and it is amazing that you know the Catholic church is the one and only.

I looked at the Scriptures and compared them to the historical record. By a process of elimination, only one Church can possibly be “the one.”

The criteria are these:

It has to have existed then. (Matthew 16:18-19) (Eliminates everything derived from Martin Luther’s rebellion.)

It has to still exist now. (Matthew 28:20) (Eliminates everything except the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches from the Waldensians on back.)

It has to have gone forth into all the world. (Matthew 28:16-20) (Eliminates the Eastern Orthodox, which are ethic-centred; not world-wide.)

This is not an “unwelcoming” thing where I think other people, as human beings, are in some way inferior. We all have equal dignity.

But the Church is the Church. And everyone is welcome to join the Church. I don’t see how being the Church suddenly causes it to be in some way “unwelcoming,” since nobody is saying that non-Catholics are not allowed to become Catholics, should they so choose.

It’s neither more nor less welcoming than a church that says, 'Well, we’re not sure who we are, in the scheme of things. We don’t know what our status with God is."

And actually, I’d rather be a member of a Church that is certain of its status with God, and has convincing evidence of being the one that Christ founded.

 

[bartimaeus]

I’m not sure of your point.

All of these things happen in the Catholic Church. Other churches have a partial connection with God, of course, but only the Catholic Church has the fullness of the Holy Spirit guiding it throughout all of time and space - this was Christ’s promise. If we say that we “believe in” Christ, then surely we must believe His promises, should we not?

 

[bartimaeus]

Hi jmcrae,

If we say that we “believe in” Christ, then surely we must believe His promises, should we not?

Yes, I would agree that we should believe His promises.
Are you in agreement with the New Testament?

Jesus’ bore our sins in His body on the cross (1Pet 2:24)
It was Jesus who became sin on our behalf (2 Cor 5:21)

It was necessary for Jesus to accomplish what we are completely unable to do. If we were able to do anything at all to save ourselves, then why would God send His only Son to pay our penalty for us? It would be cruel to cause someone to suffer needlessly.

We are sinners, saved by grace, period. We will not lose our salvation by going to another church in addition to the one we habitually go to.

I myself would not go to a church that teaches that Jesus Blood is insufficient to save me from my sins. Or to any church that teaches I must accomplish certain acts before I die in order to go to heaven. Or any church that does not believe that God’s Word is infallible.
Would You ??

 

[jmcrae]

Hi jmcrae,

Yes, I would agree that we should believe His promises.
Are you in agreement with the New Testament?

Yes, I do.

Jesus’ bore our sins in His body on the cross (1Pet 2:24)
It was Jesus who became sin on our behalf (2 Cor 5:21)

This is what makes the Sacraments possible.

It was necessary for Jesus to accomplish what we are completely unable to do. If we were able to do anything at all to save ourselves, then why would God send His only Son to pay our penalty for us? It would be cruel to cause someone to suffer needlessly.

Yes, it would. Christ’s death on the Cross opened the floodgates of Grace, which we have access to by means of the Sacraments. (Think of the Sacraments as a kind of “tap” through which the Grace that Christ won for us on the Cross flows through space and time to get to us, just as water flows from the river into your kitchen sink through the tap.)

We are sinners, saved by grace, period. We will not lose our salvation by going to another church in addition to the one we habitually go to.

We can lose our grounding in the truth, by becoming confused by false teachings.

I myself would not go to a church that teaches that Jesus Blood is insufficient to save me from my sins. Or to any church that teaches I must accomplish certain acts before I die in order to go to heaven.

Jesus Himself teaches this. Read the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5 through 7) or the Judgement of the Nations (Matthew 25:31-46) - should we teach contrary to what Christ Himself taught?

Or any church that does not believe that God’s Word is infallible.
Would You ??

This is precisely why I had to become a Catholic - so that the Scriptures - all of them, not just a few picked-and-chosen verses - would match up with what is being taught in the pulpit.

 

[bartimaeus]

I looked at the Scriptures and compared them to the historical record. By a process of elimination, only one Church can possibly be “the one.”
…
And actually, I’d rather be a member of a Church that is certain of its status with God, and has convincing evidence of being the one that Christ founded.

What is this one Church? Is it the one True Church? What is this one true Church like? It is not a building, of course -which is built by man, but the Church is composed of all believers in the Lord Jesus. It is made up of *all *God’s elect—of all converted men and women which includes all true Christians.

It is a Church of which its members are born of the Spirit; they possess repentance towards God, faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, and holiness of life and conversation. They all hate sin, and they all love Christ.

They are all led by one Spirit; they all build upon one foundation; they all draw their religion from one single Book—that is the Bible. They are all joined to one great center—that is Jesus Christ.

The life of its members does not hang upon church membership, and baptism, and the Lord’s Supper—although they highly value these things, when they are to be had. But it has only ONE great Head ONE Shepherd, ONE chief Bishop—and that is Jesus Christ. He alone, by His Spirit, admits the members of this Church, though ministers may show the door.

It is a Church whose existence does not depend on catechisms, ceremonies, cathedrals, churches, chapels, pulpits, vestments, organs, money, popes, altars, or any act of service whatsoever from any hand of man.

This is the only Church which possesses true unity. Its members are entirely agreed upon in all the weightier matters of religion, for they are all taught by one Spirit.

If you were to find three or four of these believers, strangers to one another, from the farthest corners of the earth; and question each of them separately on these points; you will find them all of one judgment.

These church members are not merely holy by calling or profession, or holy in judgment; they are all holy in act, and reality, and life, and truth. They are not holy because of any deeds they do, but they do their deeds because they are committed to holiness.

This is the only Church which is truly catholic. It is not the Church of any one nationality; its members are to be found in every part of the world where the Gospel is received and believed. It is not confined within any form of outward government. In it there is no difference between Jew and Greek, black or white, Episcopalian and Presbyterian—but all who possess faith in Christ who is our all and is in all. Its members will be gathered from north, and south, and east, and west in the last day, and will be of every name and tongue—but all shall be one in Jesus Christ.

Brothers and Sisters, this is the true Church to which we all must belong, if we are to be saved.
Until we can proclaim that we belong to this, we are nothing but lost souls. You may have priveleges of happiness and knowledge—but if you do not belong to the body of Christ, your light, and knowledge, and privileges, will not save your soul. Men may have likes and preferences, that if they join this church or that church, and become members, elders, deacons, whatever -that all must be right with their souls. Yet, all were not Israel who were called Israel, and all are not members of Christ’s body who profess themselves to be Christians. Take notice, you may be a devout Catholic, or Non-denominational, Lutheran or Baptist, or Wesleyan, or Eastern Orthodox—and yet not be long to the true Church. And if you do not, it will be better at last if you had never been born.

may God bless you as you serve Him,

Tim

 

[jmcrae]

What is this one Church? Is it the one True Church? What is this one true Church like? It is not a building, of course -which is built by man, but the Church is composed of all believers in the Lord Jesus.

… who are in unity with the Successors of the Apostles, who were the original leading members of Christ’s Church.

They are all led by one Spirit; they all build upon one foundation; they all draw their religion from one single Book—that is the Bible.

Actually, no - they wrote a Bible which draws its material from the living religion of Christ’s Church. The Church came first, then Church members wrote and compiled the Bible.

They are all joined to one great center—that is Jesus Christ.

Yes.

As to the rest, you might as well say that God doesn’t distinguish between Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians - Episcopalians, Baptists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, etc. are not all members of the same religion, and no sane person would claim that they have any but the most generalized beliefs in common with each other - they certainly don’t hold the “weightier matters” in common - that’s why they remain separated from each other.

This is the only Church which is truly catholic. It is not the Church of any one nationality; its members are to be found in every part of the world where the Gospel is received and believed. It is not confined within any form of outward government. In it there is no difference between Jew and Greek, black or white,

Up to here, this is a perfect description of the Catholic Church, though, since the Catholic Church is a world-wide organization that has no ties to any national culture - it is a “country” all its own, separated from the world, to which anyone can come, regardless of nationality, skin colour, sex, age, marital status, or race.

 

[bobzills]

A Catholic would violate Catholic principles by attending services in a Protestant church,…

The Pope is Catholic and I thought that the previous Pope attended a Lutheran service in a Lutheran Church in 1983?

 

[jmcrae]

The Pope is Catholic and I thought that the previous Pope attended a Lutheran service in a Lutheran Church in 1983?

I’m sure he wasn’t making a habit of attending there, or replacing his Sunday Mass obligation with the Lutheran service.

Special occasions are okay. It’s making a regular habit of it that is frowned upon.

 

[bartimaeus]

Yes, I do.

This is what makes the Sacraments possible.

Which Sacraments? Communion? Baptism? these are the only two that are mentioned by our Lord, the others were instituted by the RCC.

Yes, it would. Christ’s death on the Cross opened the floodgates of Grace, which we have access to by means of the Sacraments. (Think of the Sacraments as a kind of “tap” through which the Grace that Christ won for us on the Cross flows through space and time to get to us, just as water flows from the river into your kitchen sink through the tap.)

This is your teaching, unfounded by Scripture and is in contradiction with God’s Word. God’s grace is a gift, there is nothing we can do to earn a gift. this is the same as telling our parents “thanks for the Birthday present, now how much do I owe you?” Grace is defined as ‘unmerited favor’ If we earned it, it would not be called grace. The RCC pulpit is in error on this.

We can lose our grounding in the truth, by becoming confused by false teachings.

False teachings… Hmmm such as purgatory, which denies the sufficiency of Christ’s blood to save us from our sins?

Jesus Himself teaches this. Read the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5 through 7) or the Judgement of the Nations (Matthew 25:31-46) - should we teach contrary to what Christ Himself taught?

I guess I missed that part, Where does Jesus say that His blood is insufficient to save us? You need to read what Christ actually taught and not what any heretic says that He taught.
If you read the beatitudes and the similitudes, did you actually retain any of it?

This is precisely why I had to become a Catholic - so that the Scriptures - all of them, not just a few picked-and-chosen verses - would match up with what is being taught in the pulpit.

Which is why I am of the following mind:
It would be better for a Catholic Christian to attend a Protestant service, than for a Protestant to attend the man-made gospel that is present in the RCC.

Sorry, but what is being taught in the RCC pulpit is a different Gospel and not what St. Peter and St. Paul were teaching.

Gal 1:8-9 " But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed."

The Sacraments are a ‘Works-Based’ doctrine.

Purgatory teaches a ‘Works-Based’ cleansing.

God’s Word tells us that all our works of righteousness are but filthy rags to Him
He also relates earlier to us that His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways.

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Col 2:8)

Tim

 

[wisdomseeker]

The Pope is Catholic and I thought that the previous Pope attended a Lutheran service in a Lutheran Church in 1983?

i bet you he never went back again. did he?

 

[wisdomseeker]

**B]Which is why I am of the following mind:
It would be better for a Catholic Christian to attend a Protestant service, than for a Protestant to attend the man-made gospel that is present in the RCC.

i have seen this happen. catholics are not afraid to go into protestant congregations. and i have seen protestants afraid to even touch a catholic book. afraid the catholic book would make them sin.**

sorry, but what is being taught in the RCC pulpit is a different Gospel and not what St. Peter and St. Paul were teaching.

i heard this too. i know a protestant very close to me. she says that the CC does not have the Bible and does not preach from the Bible.

Gal 1:8-9 " But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed."

very good quote. you should meditate on this one while. ask yourself then which Church has its root all the way back to the apostles and also read for yourself what the early church did and believe. unless you are one of those who believe that the church ended with the apostles and Jesus forgot His Church after the apostles were gone. then Jesus some 1500, 1700, 0r 1800 years laters, Jesus suddenly remember He forgot something. He forgot His promise when He said to Peter: I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail, suddenly your church appeared.

The Sacraments are a ‘Works-Based’ doctrine.

Puritanism, self rightenoeuss, cant drink alcohol, cant do this cant do that. man made works.

Purgatory teaches a ‘Works-Based’ cleansing.

God’s Word tells us that all our works of righteousness are but filthy rags to Him.

i hope you believe that. because you just told us that is not good for protestants to go inot a CC.

He also relates earlier to us that His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways.

thank you for posting this quote. can you imagine if His mind and thoughts were like yours?

yet by your claims, you declare yourself to know more than God Himself.

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Col 2:8)

again, you should consider yourself maybe one of those being deceive.

Tim

peace onto you.