Catholics can't attend Protestant services?

[SIA]

Fr Serpa wrote:

**"Hi,

In the first place a Catholic has no business attending Protestant church services even occasionally. To participate in a heretical worship service and especially a communion service can be sinful for a Catholic because such an act is an affirmation of what we believe to be untrue. To attend an ecumenical service or a wedding or baptism is allowed, but Catholics are not allowed to attend such churches for the main reason of worship. Now if there are no Catholic churches in the vicinity on a Sunday, Catholics are allowed to participate in the Liturgy of Churches whose clergy are validly ordained such as the Eastern Orthodox Churches—including the reception of the Eucharist. Although we consider them to be in schism (not in union with the Pope) with the Catholic Church, such Churches are not heretical and share our basic beliefs.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P."**

Can anyone point me to some (recent) source on this. I know Catholics shouldn’t receive communion at non-Catholic Churches, but I was under the impression that attendance is allowed.

I have read through the Principles and Norms on Ecumenism before, but it strains my eyes to read large portions of text online (at times I can barely manage these posts).

Can anyone point me to anything that substantiates (or refutes) Fr. Serpa’s claim?

I understand this although I disagree with it. I believe that true dialogue between Christian churches is virtually impossible as long as these kinds of conduct issues remain. My parents are both RC and attend my wife and my church (Anglican) on occasion to see our son and his activities in the worship center program that we have for our children in the church. My father (who does not like change) says he feels quite comfortable in our church because our Liturgy and worship is very similar to that of the RCC.

 

[peary]

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Quote:
One who is guilty of prohibited participation in [non-Catholic] religious rites is to be punished with a just penalty (canon 1365, 1983 Code).

HUH? And what exactly is this supposed to mean?

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“If anyone comes to me, I want to lead them to Him.” --St. Edith Stein

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[bobzills]

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Quote:
One who is guilty of prohibited participation in [non-Catholic] religious rites is to be punished with a just penalty (canon 1365, 1983 Code).

HUH? And what exactly is this supposed to mean?

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I am not sure. But it sounds quite serious. Maybe excommunication from the Catholic Church or something like that?

 

[why_me]

Fr Serpa wrote:

**"Hi,

In the first place a Catholic has no business attending Protestant church services even occasionally. To participate in a heretical worship service and especially a communion service can be sinful for a Catholic because such an act is an affirmation of what we believe to be untrue. To attend an ecumenical service or a wedding or baptism is allowed, but Catholics are not allowed to attend such churches for the main reason of worship. Now if there are no Catholic churches in the vicinity on a Sunday, Catholics are allowed to participate in the Liturgy of Churches whose clergy are validly ordained such as the Eastern Orthodox Churches—including the reception of the Eucharist. Although we consider them to be in schism (not in union with the Pope) with the Catholic Church, such Churches are not heretical and share our basic beliefs.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P."**

Can anyone point me to some (recent) source on this. I know Catholics shouldn’t receive communion at non-Catholic Churches, but I was under the impression that attendance is allowed.

I have read through the Principles and Norms on Ecumenism before, but it strains my eyes to read large portions of text online (at times I can barely manage these posts).

Can anyone point me to anything that substantiates (or refutes) Fr. Serpa’s claim?

Many years ago, when I was just a kid and in love with the TV show *The Waltons’, I wanted to attend the baptist church as John-Boy did. But I also knew that attending another church service was a mortal sin, and so I didn’t. Those were the good old days. Now I think that the catholic church has a more easy going policy. You can attend a protestant service or for that matter any service if you wish to. It is not a sin. But at catholic answers, there is still this idea of doctrinal purity and so they have their own take on it. I would say, go to another service but still come out a catholic.Many a catholic go in and come out protestant after several visits. Just look at the Evangelical growth in Latin America. And maybe this is why, CA does not want catholics to attend other services.

 

[why_me]

I totally agree with what the Father says about attending other church services. When I was perfectly happy being a Catholic and went to a LDS (AKA Mormon) church I was sooo confused I had no where to run to. I should have gone to a priest but instead got sucked into meeting with missionaries. It is not a good thing to go to other services other than Catholic! but non Catholics can come to ours

I would not call it getting sucked in. You freely chose to meet with the mormon missionaries because you were intereted in their faith. The missionaries suck no one in.

 

[Yerusalyim]

Fr Serpa is not God, nor his he the Pope, nor is he infallible, and is some times mistaken. I think he’s mistaken here. While the REASON for attending a protestant service would be important, there are valid reasons to do so. As long as one attends to their Sunday duty and is faithful to the Church, attending a Protestant Service is not a problem.

I have a friend who is married to a Protestant Chaplain in the Army. They attend Catholic Mass together, and following mass they attend the Protestant Worship TOGETHER. Good on them both.

 

[peary]

Fr Serpa wrote:

"Hi,

In the first place a Catholic has no business attending Protestant church services even occasionally. To participate in a heretical worship service and especially a communion service can be sinful for a Catholic because such an act is an affirmation of what we believe to be untrue. To attend an ecumenical service or a wedding or baptism is allowed, but Catholics are not allowed to attend such churches for the main reason of worship. Now if there are no Catholic churches in the vicinity on a Sunday, Catholics are allowed to participate in the Liturgy of Churches whose clergy are validly ordained such as the Eastern Orthodox Churches—including the reception of the Eucharist. Although we consider them to be in schism (not in union with the Pope) with the Catholic Church, such Churches are not heretical and share our basic beliefs.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P."

OK, Fr. Vince. Tell me where I am wrong in all of this - I am employed as a music minister for a mainline protestant congregation and am responsible for the planning and implementation of music for two services each Sunday (I attend Mass on Saturdays). I am also offered communion, and I do partake of it even though I understand the Church’s teaching on this, but after serious thought have concluded that “where two or more are gathered in my Name there I am in the midst of them.” I do not believe that there is a real presence afforded to these communicants, but I do believe that Christ is present to them in a spiritual way. I have not ‘substituted’ my own Catholic Faith or understanding of the Eucharist for theirs in any sense. I have a difficult time understanding what you mean by a “heretical worship service.” If you mean that it is not the Mass, that’s a given. I have no intention of ‘converting’ to this particular denomination, however, but have a difficult comprehending why I am committing a sinful act in this regard.

 

[gaderenian]

Jesus arrived at the building where this service was taking place at 11 am. He was unfashionably early for the afternoon wedding celebration scheduled for 12:30.
When you first spotted him sitting in the back, softly singing along from a worn hymnal, you wished to approach him. Your heart urged you, pushed you, relentlessly, to go to him and to sit down next to him, without disturbing him, and to share your hymnal with him…

 

[birddog1]

This is obsured to categorically claim that one can not EVER attend a Protestant or any other non-Christian service. Is it not our current Pope who is calling for us to focus more on what we Christians have in common. Everything has it’s roots in either fear or love!! “where two or more are gathered in his name” they are there for love. Love of and for God.

I am Catholic and had dated a non-catholic Christian for 15 months. We have both grow through sharing our faith - yes sharing which means I have gone to her non-denom Church and she has gone to Catholic Church. Some weekends we had gone to both and others we had gone to one or the other. God knows my heart and he knows my intention. Dating this girl has made me a stronger and more knowledgeable Catholic - I’m pretty sure God had a hand in that . I have learned amazing lessons regarding scripture by going to her church. I have been introduced to some awesome Christian music and now have more Christian CD’s in my car and listen to Christian music more so then ever before - much of which I have been exposed too at her church.

I value Catholicism, still have much to learn as we all do - if you think you don’t - God Bless you and you could probably be dismissed from this lifetime . I love the feeling I get when I participate in the sacraments and when I come out of Catholic Church. I love the meditative quality of the way we worship as compared to her service. I have no doubt that praying through Mary and the Saints, while not a requirement to be Catholic has had significant impact in my life and I can also say going to her church has had a significant impact as well. I have no desire to disengage from Catholicism but think the Catholic Church (and some of us Catholics) could learn something from other Christian orgs and the reverse is true for non-catholic’s. Find ways to foster, not hamper and turn stumbling blocks into building stones!!

 

[laurence29]

I can feel a connection to the question about Catholics attending Protestant services. My wife who passed away 11 yrs ago belonged to the Christian Church. I have been a life long catholic. We were married 18 years before she passed away. During the first 4 or 5 years of our marriage, she went to her church on Sunday and I went to my church. I used to watch her leave our home and I realized she had to drive through some real bad traffic and she was getting older just like me. I spoke to the priest at my church about attending church with her and he said it would be OK, but don’t give in to any teachings of her church. We started to attend each others church. For about 12 - 14 years we did this. Her church was attended by good people and they had many a social event. The minister was a good speaker and was at her church over 30 yrs. I attended Sunday school with her and then we went to her service which ended about 11AM and then we drove 14 miles to my church and attended mass at 11:30AM. I experienced several times having discussions with some of the members about our beliefs, but I can honestly say nothing impressed me about their beliefs or services in the church. It was so bland. No statues and it seemed that Christ was not there. They still remained good people. Just before my wife died, one of her minister visited her at home and while he was giving her communion, she boldly told him and pointed to me and said “They do it better.” She realized this just by going to church with me. The minister was quiet and said nothing, but before he left he asked me about the Catholic church receiving married protestant ministers as priests. I told him to talk to my Father at my church. My wife died about 2 weeks after that and I was so amazed she had begun to believe in the Catholic faith. If she had lived, I believe she would have become Catholic.

 

[pismopal]

As a convert, I cannot understand why anyone who is a serious Catholic would want to attend a non Catholic service. I sometimes go with my wife on Easter or maybe Christmas music stuff but not as a replacement for mass…been there,done that.

 

[birddog1]

“This is obsured to categorically claim that one can not EVER attend a Protestant or any other non-Christian service.”

This should have read non-catholic service:blush:

 

[slybry]

All Jesus wants is to see the love and truth in people’s hearts. I grew up catholic in a very catholic country and never learned a thing. Thank God I attended a Protestant church that opened my heart to God and now I can truly see Jesus Crist working in my life. Instead being worried about attending or not another church, just be in silence to hear God speaking in your heart and He will guide you wherever He wants. Catholic Church may be the place for a lot of people but if you are not growing as a Christian I really encourage you to look for a different Church. Your salvation is more important than a denomination. God Bless you!
P.S. This is not slybry wrinting I am his wife.

 

[birddog1]

I agree that salvation is more important then denomination. It is not “we” and the sole act of choosing a denomination that saves us, it is Jesus. Even as Catholics we do not believe that non-Catholic Christians are not saved. On the other hand, I feel we have a responsibility as Christians (Catholics) to our community and it’s health/growth. We should not overemphasize the “personal” relationship at the expense of the community and discount one church because it does not have all the bells and whistles of the one in the next town. As the saying goes, if your not part of the solution, your part of the problem - it’s not the same the other way around!! We should surrender our personal desires to God, be committed to God, and seek knowledge and understanding. By doing so we are strengthened in faith and our church is strengthened. This is not a simple blanket statement either - if you know your church is part of something or taking part of something that is not Christian or not what Catholicism is supposed to represent then take a stand but by all means, we should not abandon Catholicism because of our church or what it “appears” to be. It has happened over the years that the “Church” has been part of some blatant “non-Christian” activities but this is not what the core of Catholicism represents, rather it was more like a cancer that spread at the hands of a few (or many) very weak, misguided people who lacked understanding and wisdom. Yes, they were people not super humans. The core of the church still holds true and there are far more good, God-guided priests, bishops, cardinals, followers, etc… then there are bad apples. The more I learn about practicing as a catholic the better my relationship becomes. God bless us all and help us learn to live together in love, together in you!!

 

[PattyPryor]

I would not call it getting sucked in. You freely chose to meet with the mormon missionaries because you were intereted in their faith. The missionaries suck no one in.

You have NO RIGHT to say how I feel!. I’m so sick of you twisting words around. I am a very shy person and yes I felt FORCEd into meeting with them. They LITTERALLY cornered me. I was sitting down and they were all around me. I was TOO SCARED to say no.
Jeez Why Me do me a favor and please don’t respond to my posts thank you

 

[peary]

I agree that salvation is more important then denomination. It is not “we” and the sole act of choosing a denomination that saves us, it is Jesus. Even as Catholics we do not believe that non-Catholic Christians are not saved. On the other hand, I feel we have a responsibility as Christians (Catholics) to our community and it’s health/growth. We should not overemphasize the “personal” relationship at the expense of the community and discount one church because it does not have all the bells and whistles of the one in the next town. As the saying goes, if your not part of the solution, your part of the problem - it’s not the same the other way around!! We should surrender our personal desires to God, be committed to God, and seek knowledge and understanding. By doing so we are strengthened in faith and our church is strengthened. This is not a simple blanket statement either - if you know your church is part of something or taking part of something that is not Christian or not what Catholicism is supposed to represent then take a stand but by all means, we should not abandon Catholicism because of our church or what it “appears” to be. It has happened over the years that the “Church” has been part of some blatant “non-Christian” activities but this is not what the core of Catholicism represents, rather it was more like a cancer that spread at the hands of a few (or many) very weak, misguided people who lacked understanding and wisdom. Yes, they were people not super humans. The core of the church still holds true and there are far more good, God-guided priests, bishops, cardinals, followers, etc… then there are bad apples. The more I learn about practicing as a catholic the better my relationship becomes. God bless us all and help us learn to live together in love, together in you!!

 

[Peter_J]

Catholics can’t attend Protestant services?

This is a bunch of baloney. Catholics can attend Protestant services – without receiving communion of course. (And it doesn’t fulfill your Sunday Obligation.)

God bless,
Peter.

P.S. Personally, I haven’t been to a Protestant service in the last 4 years (that I can recall). I’ve been to non-Catholic liturgies, but they’re either Eastern Orthodox or PNCC (Polish National Catholic Church).

 

[gaderenian]

Frightened when he slid away from you, in a moment, he returned and smiled and knelt down. He wrapped a soothing moist towel around your feet and with hands that looked like rough iron, he washed them.

 

[bartimaeus]

I have heard it said, during my catholic-grade-school years, that those who were non-catholic are going to go to hell.
As I look back, and as this teaching still rears its ugly head today, I see this as maliciously judgemental.
Why, the present pope is even reaching out to muslims, saying that we worship the same God. This is wrong of course, because muslims do not accept Jesus as deity . But catholics and protestants alike DO accept Jesus as deity, and Jesus Himself said, “Upon this rock Iwill build MY church.”

Man should not preach is own beliefs in an attempt to build, for it is likely this attitute does more harm than good. Especially when it is not backed up in Scripture To say that it is wrong for any catholic to go to another church is spiritually damaging to both parties. (can the ear say, “I am not good because I am not an eye?”) I believe that most true believers would benefit by occasionally visiting another church (in addition, and not as replacement to home-church worship) and have a better, more well-rounded relationship w/ Jesus and not be pronounced an heretic by any believer in the one body of the triune God.

Blessings to you and yours,
Tim

 

[jmcrae]

Yes, I have attended Baptist bible studies before because it is difficult to find a good Catholic Bible study. The people there know I’m Catholic; it’s not a problem to them.

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

bartimaeus:

To say that it is wrong for any catholic to go to another church is spiritually damaging to both parties. (can the ear say, “I am not good because I am not an eye?”)

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?