Catholics Taking Eucharist in Protestant Churches: Need CCC cite

[rr1213]

(The following sentence is humorously intended) It almost seems like the answer being sought is one of “How close can I come to violating Canon Law without quite violating it?”

As they say, tax evasion sends you to jail but tax avoidance is perfectly legal and may make you rich.

 

[Dominicanis]

Cute. Glad you’re not my accountant.

In any case, CUF gave a good answer in that link I posted. There still may be nuances that must be taken into account, but if there is no danger to his faith, a Catholic may attend other religious services as long as he also attends Mass and refrains from communion at the non-Catholic service. The Pope attends inter-faith services at times to pray with non-Catholics, just as Christ went to seek His lost sheep and bring them home. It’s also a great way to show people Catholics really aren’t as scary as they’ve been told. I mean, the myths abound…

Yours in Christ,
Dominicanis

 

[Church_Militant]

So what’s the scoop with divided families? If children convert to the Catholic faith, can they still attend Protestant services when visiting their folk’s home assuming that they: (i) don’t take communion and (ii) still go to Catholic Mass?

Yes.

What about when a wife converts, can she still attend church with her Protestant husband assuming that she also doesn’t take communion and doesn’t forego her Sunday obligation?

Yes.

I’ve seen multiple and conflicting answers to these sorts of questions from a number of different Catholics over the years. Some say…“of course, provided the above caveats are observed”

These are correct.

and others insist “no way…not all all.”

Well, there is no document to support that. One thing that a person needs to be sure of is that they know their Catholic faith well and are not swayed by emotionalism and an errant Sola Scriptura type preaching because that can really be deceptive. A Catholic among Protestants (or their derivatives) must be conversant and knowledgeable of the Bible. I sometimes listen to n-C preachers on the radio and often have found it decent but not nearly as meaty as Catholic teaching. That’s one reason that a revert buddy and I nicknamed it all “Christianity Lite”, because there really is more to Christianity than they preach, and it’s like dangling a steak in front of a hungry soul and then when you take it in hand, you discover that spam has been substituted.

Has the Catholic Church spoken on this common question or not?

Actually there is some recent teaching by the church on what we believe about n-C communities. You’ll find out why I called them that when you read it. RESPONSES TO SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING CERTAIN ASPECTS
OF THE DOCTRINE ON THE CHURCH

 

[rr1213]

Cute. Glad you’re not my accountant.

I imagine that your accountant would know the difference between the two concepts…at least if he’s a *****good *****accountant.

 

[rr1213]

In any case, CUF gave a good answer in that link I posted.

Yes, I’ve read that. Thank you. What is frustrating is the differences of opinions which I receive when asking these sorts of questions. Your response and that of Church Militant are essentially on the same wavelength, many others that I’ve seen (although not in this thread) are not.

 

[rr1213]

( Actually there is some recent teaching by the church on what we believe about n-C communities. You’ll find out why I called them that when you read it.

RESPONSES TO SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING CERTAIN ASPECTS
OF THE DOCTRINE ON THE CHURCH

Yes, that one caused a bit of consternation amongst the Protestant Churches when it came out, although I really don’t know why. It said nothing different from Dominus Iesus or the various VII documents. It was just shorter (much) and a bit more to the point.

 

[Church_Militant]

Yes, that one caused a bit of consternation amongst the Protestant Churches when it came out, although I really don’t know why. It said nothing different from Dominus Iesus or the various VII documents. It was just shorter (much) and a bit more to the point.

Yeah it did, but like you I wasn’t surprised by what it said, just that so many n-Cs jumped on it.

 

[rr1213]

Yeah it did, but like you I wasn’t surprised by what it said, just that so many n-Cs jumped on it.

It is not surprising that non-Catholics would take issue–after all look what it says about the Protestant Churches–but it is surprising that this is “news” to people considering that it was said by the Catholic Church elsewhere at other times.

 

[chris_molter]

It is not surprising that non-Catholics would take issue–after all look what it says about the Protestant Churches–but it is surprising that this is “news” to people considering that it was said by the Catholic Church elsewhere at other times.

I don’t think the second is very surprising either given the poor state of catechesis in the Catholic Church post Vatican II. Plenty of folks thought all that stuff was “done away with”. Such misconceptions persist to the present day. Folks outside the Church can hardly be blamed for not knowing what the Church teaches when a good chunk of the folks INSIDE the Church don’t know what the Church teaches!

 

[rr1213]

Good point.

 

[Church_Militant]

It is not surprising that non-Catholics would take issue–after all look what it says about the Protestant Churches–but it is surprising that this is “news” to people considering that it was said by the Catholic Church elsewhere at other times.

As in from say the time of the Reformation on? IOW for the last 500 years?