Closed communion?

[peace2u2]

My question is for Catholics (converts, reverts & cradle Catholics) and hopefully Non-Catholic Christians will answer as well. I’m not sure if I placed this in the right forum? Anyway. . .

Did you always know that the Catholic Church celebrated closed communion?

When and how did you find out?

Did you understand the reason? And,

Were you ever in a situation where you knew the people that you were with at Mass were not Catholic and you did not tell them about “closed communion” and they went up and received anyway?

Also would this be a sin on the part of the person who knew that the people they were with were Non-Catholics and shouldn’t receive but did not say anything?

And, how do you tell a Non-Catholic about Closed Communion without sounding un-christian like. Scripture verses would help as they are Bible Only Christians.

Thank you for your help in this matter.

Peace

 

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

=peace2u2;9612963]My question is for Catholics (converts, reverts & cradle Catholics) and hopefully Non-Catholic Christians will answer as well. I’m not sure if I placed this in the right forum? Anyway. . .

Did you always know that the Catholic Church celebrated closed communion?

Yes

When and how did you find out?

very young alway knew if you were not Catholic us did not receive the eucharist

Did you understand the reason? And,

Yes

Were you ever in a situation where you knew the people that you were with at Mass were not Catholic and you did not tell them about “closed communion” and they went up and received anyway?

no i have always let them know that they are very much wanted at Mass, but could not receive.

Also would this be a sin on the part of the person who knew that the people they were with were Non-Catholics and shouldn’t receive but did not say anything?

I am not able to make that call.

And, how do you tell a Non-Catholic about Closed Communion without sounding un-christian like. Scripture verses would help as they are Bible Only Christians.

I explain that We Catholic belive that the Eucharist is the real body and Blood of the Lord. That in recieveing this we not only acknowledge that belief but also show our union with one one another in that beleif and all things that the Church teaches, since they are not Catholic it would be a lie for them to receive. I also explain that we belive that if one is not in a state of grace one should not receive and I share 1 Corinthians 11 with them:
[20] The Lord’s supper: So the apostle here calls the charity feasts observed by the primitive Christians; and reprehends the abuses of the Corinthians, on these occasions; which were the more criminal, because these feasts were accompanied with the celebrating of the eucharistic sacrifice and sacrament.

[21] For every one taketh before his own supper to eat. And one indeed is hungry and another is drunk. [22] What, have you not houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise ye the church of God; and put them to shame that have not? What shall I say to you? Do I praise you? In this I praise you not. [23] For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread. [24] And giving thanks, broke, and said: Take ye, and eat: this is my body, which shall be delivered for you: this do for the commemoration of me. [25] In like manner also the chalice, after he had supped, saying: This chalice is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as often as you shall drink, for the commemoration of me.

[26] For as often as you shall eat this bread, and drink the chalice, you shall shew the death of the Lord, until he come. [27] Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord. [28] But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of the chalice. [29] For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord. [30] Therefore are there many infirm and weak among you, and many sleep.

Thank you for your help in this matter.

your welcome.

 

[corsair]

Yes, I was aware of it long before I converted in 1970. It makes total sense to me.

 

[Daizies]

My question is for Catholics (converts, reverts & cradle Catholics) and hopefully Non-Catholic Christians will answer as well. I’m not sure if I placed this in the right forum? Anyway. . .

Did you always know that the Catholic Church celebrated closed communion?

No

When and how did you find out?

When I read Catholicism for Dummies

Did you understand the reason? And,

At first it seemed a little odd, but the more I reflected on it, especially in context with the passage in 1 Corinthians on Communion, it made total sense.

Were you ever in a situation where you knew the people that you were with at Mass were not Catholic and you did not tell them about “closed communion” and they went up and received anyway?

No, the one time my Baptist friend came with me to Mass I told her about the closed communion, and made sure she understood not to receive.

Also would this be a sin on the part of the person who knew that the people they were with were Non-Catholics and shouldn’t receive but did not say anything?

I’m not sure, but I suspect it could be.

And, how do you tell a Non-Catholic about Closed Communion without sounding un-christian like. Scripture verses would help as they are Bible Only Christians.

I told my friend that taking communion in a Catholic Church means that you agree with every thing that the Church teaches, and that you are allowed to receive according to the Church’s own rules. If you don’t believe it is the body and blood of Christ, why would you want to receive communion in a Church that does - and if you did participate, is there not a chance you would be taking communion in an unworthy manner, and thus eating and drinking condemnation upon yourself as in 1 Corinthians? (I’m not sure how well this would go over with a less close friend, this is just the conversation I had with my friend)

Thank you for your help in this matter.

Peace

You’re welcome

 

[Phemie]

My question is for Catholics (converts, reverts & cradle Catholics) and hopefully Non-Catholic Christians will answer as well. I’m not sure if I placed this in the right forum? Anyway. . .

Did you always know that the Catholic Church celebrated closed communion?

Yes

Did you understand the reason?

Yes

Were you ever in a situation where you knew the people that you were with at Mass were not Catholic and you did not tell them about “closed communion” and they went up and received anyway?

No, but I’ve seen many a non-Catholic go up to receive and the priest knew they were non-Catholic and gave them Communion anyway. How did he know the weren’t Catholic? The were members of the local ministerial association, men and women whom he met with on a regular basis. Of course I saw him receive “communion” in the Anglican Church so, there you go…

And, how do you tell a Non-Catholic about Closed Communion without sounding un-christian like. Scripture verses would help as they are Bible Only Christians.

Thank you for your help in this matter.

Peace

The one time I heard this addressed in Church was at Christmas two year ago when we had a visiting priest. He said, “Receiving Communion in the Catholic Church is a public statement that you are Catholic and that you believe all that the Church teaches. I’m sure that there are some of you present who are from other religions and who would not wish to make that kind of public statement.”

 

[lizaanne]

I knew as a child that Holy Communion was only for Catholics. My grandfather took me to Mass when I was little (God bless him, he is why I became a Catholic. May he rest in peace.) - and I always knew that I was not to receive because I was not baptized (my mother’s choice). I know it broke his heart.

It makes perfect sense to me, and always has. I’ve never questioned this. I was not fully received into the Church until I was 35.

~Liza

 

[malphono]

Did you always know that the Catholic Church celebrated closed communion?

Yes. This is true of the Eastern & Oriental Churches, as well as the Orthodox, too.

When and how did you find out?

Long ago. Initial catechsis.

Did you understand the reason?

Yes.

Were you ever in a situation where you knew the people that you were with at Mass were not Catholic and you did not tell them about “closed communion” and they went up and received anyway?

No, not really. On several occasions, I’ve suspected this. See below.

And, how do you tell a Non-Catholic about Closed Communion without sounding un-christian like. Scripture verses would help as they are Bible Only Christians.

They’re not all Bible-toters. Some belong to completely alien faiths. On at least one occasion that comes to mind right now, (and this is a reference to the item above), I’ve seen non-Christians approach. I had suspected they were non-Christian and so, apparently, did the priest. His suspicion was such that he actually interrogated them. They lied (I was right behind and heard the whole exchange), and to the priest’s credit, he wasn’t convinced. He refused them. They balked but were led away by ushers. Fortunately for the faithful congregation (not to mention the priest) that was the end of it.

 

[ExGratia]

Raised Catholic, I always knew the policy. But it is also closed to Catholics who have unconfessed mortal sin, and I’m not sure all Catholics know that!

Something that I did not know is that in other churches we are not allowed to receive. As a child, I once did at my (much older) sister’s non-denominational church. I assumed that since everyone there knew it was just symbolic it was okay. Funny thing is, even though I was a kid, it still bothers me now that I did that!

 

[Phemie]

Were you ever in a situation where you knew the people that you were with at Mass were not Catholic and you did not tell them about “closed communion” and they went up and received anyway?

I’ve rethought my answer on this one. It would be yes, but I never thought that the person would go to Communion since he wasn’t even Christian.

It was at my Dad’s funeral. In the first pew: my brother, his partner (a Jew) and I. Father didn’t let us go to Communion, he came to the pew and gave us Communion, something I had never expected. I was horrified when K. received but he didn’t know what to do when the Host was extended to him.

It was the same type of ‘come to the pew to give Communion’ that set up our Prime Minister for the outrage that resulted when he, an Evangelical Christian, received Communion at the funeral of a Catholic politician. Again, the bishop came to him and offered him Communion. Not sure if the Bishop realized whom he was offering it to but if he didn’t he must have been living under a rock.