Communion and Protestants

[rinnie]

How do you have “One Church, One Faith” and yet still “believe differently”? That statement is self-contradictory. And please explain how Catholics have various ways of “[punishing] those who publically sinned in some way”? If you are speaking of refusing communion to those politicians who publically break the laws of God and His Church, this is not a punishment, but rather a mercy, preventing them from commiting even a greater sin. They always have the option of reconciling and being welcomed back.

Either that or spending time in prayer seems to be a punishment? I would say confessing your sin and being forgiven more of a reward myself. I mean what could be better then to be free from sin.

And what could be more rewarding then spending time with Christ in pray of thanksgiving. I guess us Catholic’s just don’t see this as a punishment I guess.

 

[Lovesa]

Yes I understand that, if you go back and read what I said, I was sure to say MOST.

But you must realize you hit a very important Point here the word SACRAMENT. You also see the Eucharist as a Sacrament. They don’t. If they did see it as a true Sacrament they would indeed see it as you do.

Is it really most? I knew some saw it symbolically, but I wasn’t given to understand it was most.

Also is it really the view of some churches that something must be a Sacrament before it is accorded due respect and ceremony? I haven’t encountered that before, but that may be due to a Lutheran upbringing. For instance, we don’t accord marriage the status of a sacrament, but there is a good deal of consultation with the pastor, religious instruction, etc., involved when someone is prepping for a wedding at our church.Perhaps it is different in other Protestant denominations.

 

[Publisher]

How do you have “One Church, One Faith” and yet still “believe differently”? That statement is self-contradictory. And please explain how Catholics have various ways of “[punishing] those who publically sinned in some way”? If you are speaking of refusing communion to those politicians who publically break the laws of God and His Church, this is not a punishment, but rather a mercy, preventing them from commiting even a greater sin. They always have the option of reconciling and being welcomed back.

Friend it is only “contradictory” when “Catholic definitions” are used to the exclusion of “Protestant definitions”…We have One Faith in Christ…One Lord…One Baptism through the Spirit…He makes us one in Him…we are not one because we belong to a certain organizational institution…we are One in Him because the same Lord and Savior resides in us…regardless of what “name” is in front of the building we enter to worship this One Lord.

 

[SteveVH]

Friend it is only “contradictory” when “Catholic definitions” are used to the exclusion of “Protestant definitions”…We have One Faith in Christ…One Lord…One Baptism through the Spirit…He makes us one in Him…we are not one because we belong to a certain organizational institution…we are One in Him because the same Lord and Savior resides in us…regardless of what “name” is in front of the building we enter to worship this One Lord.

Well, there is really no such thing as a “Protestant definition”. It is more like 50,000 different “Protestant definitions”. You cannot even agree with the rest of Protestantism on the rite of baptism as you refuse baptism by “water and the Spirit”. So tell me how that makes us “One Church, One Faith”. Because you say you believe in Christ? That is why the Apostles instructed their followers to listen to no one other than themselves or those who they had sent. It is why the creeds were written, and why Christ started a Church, and not many churches. We are not one in belief or in practice and to say that we are is nothing more than wishful thinking.

 

[TrueLight]

Well, there is really no such thing as a “Protestant definition”. It is more like 50,000 different “Protestant definitions”. You cannot even agree with the rest of Protestantism on the rite of baptism as you refuse baptism by “water and the Spirit”. So tell me how that makes us “One Church, One Faith”. Because you say you believe in Christ? That is why the Apostles instructed their followers to listen to no one other than themselves or those who they had sent. It is why the creeds were written, and why Christ started a Church, and not many churches. We are not one in belief or in practice and to say that we are is nothing more than wishful thinking.

There is so much mockery and hostility in that statement. Oh well, it’s not the first time I’ve seen it.

I can only speak for the Evangelical churches I am used to. Once you are baptized and part of the body of Christ, you can take communion. Although these churches normally don’t view communion as the “real presence”, as someone said, it is still a reverent communion where believers obey Christ and “break bread” in memory of his awesome sacrifice, through which we are saved.

So if a Baptist goes to a Church of God, there may be differences in certain beliefs, but when the communion cup comes around, and you take it, people will assume or at least pray that you have been baptized, and thus able to take communion.

So if someone goes to a Catholic church and sees themself as baptized and therefore not about to “eat or drink of the cup unworthily”, then yes they will be shocked when they are told they cannot take communion. After all, we are all part of the CHRISTIAN religion. It is not as if they are going to a muslim service.

The best way to avoid this is to advise the person of that fact ahead of time.

 

[4Squarebaby]

There is so much mockery and hostility in that statement. Oh well, it’s not the first time I’ve seen it…

The best way to avoid this is to advise the person of that fact ahead of time.

And if presented such a way how can a wedding guest be anything but offended?

 

[Publisher]

Well, there is really no such thing as a “Protestant definition”. It is more like 50,000 different “Protestant definitions”. You cannot even agree with the rest of Protestantism on the rite of baptism as you refuse baptism by “water and the Spirit”. So tell me how that makes us “One Church, One Faith”. Because you say you believe in Christ? That is why the Apostles instructed their followers to listen to no one other than themselves or those who they had sent. It is why the creeds were written, and why Christ started a Church, and not many churches. We are not one in belief or in practice and to say that we are is nothing more than wishful thinking.

Peace to you friend.

 

[patricius79]

A co-worker of mine let it be known to me that she was a bit offended at my wedding that non-Catholics weren’t allowed to take Communion.

I .

what offends me is the way Protestant Evangelicals–including pastors–seem to keep telling people that Catholics believe in “re-Sacrificing” Jesus Christ in the Mass

 

[Kat127]

Thanks for all the replies.

This was not the first time my friend attended a Catholic Wedding so she knew before hand she would not be able to take Communion. My priest also explained it very tactfully to the guests and offered a blessing for any who wanted one.

I was just surprised by the offense considering she doesn’t have Communion every Sunday.

I can understand the offense when Protestants treat Communion the same way Catholics do. Say the same words, have it every Sunday, etc. To them it looks like the exact same thing we do and of course they will wonder why they cannot join. But if we treat it differently, why are they so surprised the rules are different?

I’m just going to have to start being more charitable towards them. My mind keeps linking it to a child that throws a tantrum because they were told they couldn’t play with a certain toy but maybe somewhere in their hearts they sense the Real Presence and that is what is causing their behavior.

 

[TrueLight]

what offends me is the way Protestant Evangelicals–including pastors–seem to keep telling people that Catholics believe in “re-Sacrificing” Jesus Christ in the Mass

Pretend you are an outsider looking in. Is that so hard to understand?

 

[ThatKrazyPagan]

As a non-Catholic, I do see it as inhospitable to be invited to a service, but then not allowed to take part in a central part of it. It’s one of the biggest reasons I don’t really enjoy going to mass very much. I was raised Protestant, taking communion every week. For the first 15 years of my life, I heard nearly every week that everyone without exception was welcome at the table of the Lord. When I started attending masses in college, I felt like I was missing out, and would turn red as everyone around me got up to take communion while I had to remain seated. At the mass for my sister’s class when she entered as a freshman, my mother felt so insulted that she had to leave because a moronic priest decided that when he had a huge crowd of people with diverse beliefs was the time to give a homily about how the Eucharist was the most important part of being Christian.

If you want to have non-Catholics at your wedding, why make it a full Eucharistic mass? I think the standard practice is that if, say the bride’s family is Catholic and the groom’s is not, usually the ceremony is done without the Eucharist, right? Of course, sometimes both sides will be Catholic and want to have mass. However, anyone having a wedding inviting non-Catholics should realize that they risk making their guests feel unwelcome if they include the Eucharist. It may sound harsh, but it’s the truth, especially if you invite Hindus, who may see the wafers as prasad.

 

[SaintSaintSaint]

It’s because we believe the Eucharist is the body and blood of Christ too. But I don’t really care because if you want to have the Eucharist in a Catholic Church, become a Catholic!

 

[BigDave31]

I find it strange that a non-catholic would even want to recieve communion in a catholic church knowing that for the most part they do not believe in what catholics believe. C-mon, growing up evangelical protestant I would not even think about recieving in a catholic church. It would seem so foriegn to me then.

 

[hn160]

I find it strange that a non-catholic would even want to recieve communion in a catholic church knowing that for the most part they do not believe in what catholics believe. C-mon, growing up evangelical protestant I would not even think about recieving in a catholic church. It would seem so foriegn to me then.

Last night at my LC-MS Lutheran church at the Board of Elders, the pastors interviewed the candidates for confirmation separately, when asked if they went to a friend’s church that was non-LC-MS and they were offered communion would the accept, they all said that they would not because to do so would be to their harm.

 

[ThatKrazyPagan]

I find it strange that a non-catholic would even want to recieve communion in a catholic church knowing that for the most part they do not believe in what catholics believe. C-mon, growing up evangelical protestant I would not even think about recieving in a catholic church. It would seem so foriegn to me then.

Perhaps you did not attend many masses as a Protestant, or your church did not put much of an emphasis on communion. Or perhaps your church believed Catholics and Protestants to be essentially different rather than essentially similar. I find it strange that you could attend a religious service, during which you are denied taking part in what that church teaches is the most important part of the service, and not feel at least somewhat uncomfortable, especially when everyone else around you gets to take part.

 

[ThatKrazyPagan]

Last night at my LC-MS Lutheran church at the Board of Elders, the pastors interviewed the candidates for confirmation separately, when asked if they went to a friend’s church that was non-LC-MS and they were offered communion would the accept, they all said that they would not because to do so would be to their harm.

Please explain?

 

[elvisman]

As a non-Catholic, I do see it as inhospitable to be invited to a service, but then not allowed to take part in a central part of it. It’s one of the biggest reasons I don’t really enjoy going to mass very much. I was raised Protestant, taking communion every week. For the first 15 years of my life, I heard nearly every week that everyone without exception was welcome at the table of the Lord. When I started attending masses in college, I felt like I was missing out, and would turn red as everyone around me got up to take communion while I had to remain seated. At the mass for my sister’s class when she entered as a freshman, my mother felt so insulted that she had to leave because a moronic priest decided that when he had a huge crowd of people with diverse beliefs was the time to give a homily about how the Eucharist was the most important part of being Christian.

If you want to have non-Catholics at your wedding, why make it a full Eucharistic mass? I think the standard practice is that if, say the bride’s family is Catholic and the groom’s is not, usually the ceremony is done without the Eucharist, right? Of course, sometimes both sides will be Catholic and want to have mass. However, anyone having a wedding inviting non-Catholics should realize that they risk making their guests feel unwelcome if they include the Eucharist. It may sound harsh, but it’s the truth, especially if you invite Hindus, who may see the wafers as prasad.

Why would you expect ANY Catholic to leave the source and summit of their faith out of their wedding ceremony just because you can’t handle it?
Sounds pretty selfish to me.

**Remember one thing about being invited to a wedding: It’s not about YOU - it’s about them . . . **
That goes for a wedding in ANY church, temple or venue of any kind.

 

[elvisman]

Perhaps you did not attend many masses as a Protestant, or your church did not put much of an emphasis on communion. Or perhaps your church believed Catholics and Protestants to be essentially different rather than essentially similar. I find it strange that you could attend a religious service, during which you are denied taking part in what that church teaches is the most important part of the service, and not feel at least somewhat uncomfortable, especially when everyone else around you gets to take part.

Read post #14.
I already explained why you can’t take part in Holy Communion in a Catholic Church if you are not Catholic and prepared.

 

[ThatKrazyPagan]

Why would you expect ANY Catholic to leave the source and summit of their faith out of their wedding ceremony just because you can’t handle it?
**Sounds pretty selfish **to me.

Remember one thing about being invited to a wedding: It’s not about YOU - it’s about them . . .
That goes for a wedding in ANY church, temple or venue of any kind.

Well, obviously you don’t care about alienating your non-Catholic friends. My message was more for anyone who did care about that. It’s certainly something to consider when planning a wedding.

Read post #14.
I already explained why you can’t take part in Holy Communion in a Catholic Church if you are not Catholic and prepared.

Right, you have a policy against it. Got that, loud and clear, bud. Don’t need your bolded letters and bright colors to understand.

---

And, while I’m thinking about Catholicism and communion, what do you all think about non-Catholics who receive communion despite official church policy? People do in India a lot because of the value of prasad there. Many of my classmates have at my Catholic university. Some of my Catholic classmates have encouraged me to do so as well. I’ve even talked to the priests here, and, while they do not endorse it, they certainly know it happens. I haven’t done so yet because, while I certainly disagree with the official policy on it, I continue to respect it.

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

Well, obviously you don’t care about alienating your non-Catholic friends. My message was more for anyone who did care about that. It’s certainly something to consider when planning a wedding.

Right, you have a policy against it. Got that, loud and clear, bud. Don’t need your bolded letters and bright colors to understand.

---

And, while I’m thinking about Catholicism and communion, what do you all think about non-Catholics who receive communion despite official church policy? People do in India a lot because of the value of prasad there. Many of my classmates have at my Catholic university. Some of my Catholic classmates have encouraged me to do so as well. I’ve even talked to the priests here, and, while they do not endorse it, they certainly know it happens. I haven’t done so yet because, while I certainly disagree with the official policy on it, I continue to respect it.

Well…for me…if the people attending my wedding were to get in a roar over something that is the MOST valuable thing in my life…then maybe I need new friends Like someone said…it’s not about the people attending. Someone is going to get offended someway somehow…its the nature of people:shrug:

I fear for people who receive unworthily because they bring condemnation on themselves. Now someone that TRULY does not know better…well that is a different story. What amazes me is Protestants who don’t want to be like us and yet want what is most valuable to us…the Eucharist. You can’t have your cake and eat it too…

Even when I was away from the Church…when I would attend Mass…I would not receive…out of respect…not because I knew the rules about it. And I didn’t even like the Church that much at that time…