Communion at non-Catholic church

[hugochocano]

Would like clarification about Cannon Law regarding the reception of communion at non-Catholic services(Methodist to be exact)
Thank you,

 

[lizaanne]

Not sure what you mean by “clarification”. The answer is NO - you may not participate in any non-Catholic Lord’s Supper service (regardless of what it’s called) if you are Catholic. There are no exceptions.

EDIT - sorry, where are my manners!!! Welcome to CA!

~Liza

 

[DJgang]

Welcome to the forum!

I have no idea if it’s outlined in Canon Law…I’m sure someone will come to your rescue on this…

 

[mercygate]

Lizaanne is correct. We cannot receive a sacrament that testifies to a unity that does not exist.

 

[wifeandmomoftwo]

MAY CATHOLICS RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNIONIN OTHER CHRISTIAN CHURCHES AND ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES

see page 22-23

Catholics may participate in and receive Holy Communion during any Eucharistic liturgy celebrated by a Church in full communion with the Holy See, whether using the Roman rite or
one of the Eastern rites.
[Edited by Moderator]
36 Catholics should always be respectful, however, of the disciplines of other Churches concerning the sharing of Holy Communion, which may restrict the reception of Holy Communion to their own members.
[Edited by Moderator]
38 When participating as guests in worship services in other Christian communities, Catholics are encouraged to join the community in the shared responses and in the singing of hymns.39 It is not permitted for Catholics to receive communion in other Christian ecclesial communities.40 Because the celebration of the Eucharist on the Lord’s Day is of essential importance to Catholics, moreover, if participation in a non-Catholic service were to occur on a Sunday, it is important for Catholics to remember that the obligation to participate in a Catholic Mass still remains.

 

[DJgang]

Is that from Canon Law?

 

[wifeandmomoftwo]

Is that from Canon Law?

the end note on that one verse is the following…
See CIC, c. 844 §1; CCEO, c. 672 §1. See also Pope John Paul II, Encyclical Letter On the Eucharist (Ecclesia
de Eucharistia), no. 30.

Can. 844 §1. Catholic ministers administer the sacraments licitly to Catholic members of the Christian faithful alone,** who likewise receive them licitly from Catholic ministers alone**

 

[palmas85]

The last I checked Methodism is not a Church but an ecclesial community. They are not in communion with the Catholic Church now in any way shape or form and never have been… Therefore you cannot receive communion there and quite frankly, I can’t see why you would want to.

Tell you what:

If you want to eat some bread, go and buy a loaf. I like Hawaiian bread myself. If you want grape juice or wine why not?. If you want to share it with your friends, go for it:thumbsup: Have a party. . If you want to make that party a personal memorial to the Last Supper, fine.** It isn’t communion though.** Not as Catholics understand it.

And neither is Methodist Communion, which is essentially what you would have done in the above scenario… They know it and they know exactly what they are eating, bread. They don’t deny it. For them transubstantiation does not exist. For you to receive communion with them could be construed as a tacit acceptance of their beliefs and a repudiation of ours.

Its not worth it. Don’t do it. Bread is cheap and so is grape juice. The Body and Blood of Christ though are priceless.

 

[benedictgal]

Unfortunately, because Protestant ecclesial communities do not believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament (they only see Communion as a symbolic meal), the notion of intercommunion does not exisit. Furthermore, because they do not have Apostolic succession, their “communion” is rendered invalid.

 

[water]

I have a question. Could this also cause scandal? Thanks.

 

[palmas85]

I have a question. Could this also cause scandal? Thanks.

Yes it can.

 

[Ilroy]

Not sure what you mean by “clarification”. The answer is NO - you may not participate in any non-Catholic Lord’s Supper service (regardless of what it’s called) if you are Catholic. There are no exceptions.

EDIT - sorry, where are my manners!!! Welcome to CA!

~Liza

There actually is one exception. If we are in an area where we absolutely cannot attend a Catholic Mass/Divine Liturgy but there is an Eastern Orthodox Liturgy available, such as some parts of Russia, then we can recieve communion with them, but only if they also approve of us recieving. This last part is not likely to happen. Our attending their Liturgy does fulfill our Sunday obligation though.

 

[lizaanne]

There actually is one exception. If we are in an area where we absolutely cannot attend a Catholic Mass/Divine Liturgy but there is an Eastern Orthodox Liturgy available, such as some parts of Russia, then we can recieve communion with them, but only if they also approve of us recieving. This last part is not likely to happen. Our attending their Liturgy does fulfill our Sunday obligation though.

The OP’s question was regarding a Methodist service. Not an Eastern Liturgy.

~Liza

 

[cameron_lansing]

There actually is one exception. If we are in an area where we absolutely cannot attend a Catholic Mass/Divine Liturgy but there is an Eastern Orthodox Liturgy available, such as some parts of Russia, then we can recieve communion with them, but only if they also approve of us recieving. This last part is not likely to happen. Our attending their Liturgy does fulfill our Sunday obligation though.

This does not seem to be true any longer according to the Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism, n. 115: “. . . it must be remembered that even when Catholics participate in ecumenical services or in services of other Churches and ecclesial Communities, the obligation of participating at Mass on these days remains.”

See vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_25031993_principles-and-norms-on-ecumenism_en.html

In the case of impossibility, however, the obligation ceases.

 

[Extraordinary]

Not sure what you mean by “clarification”. The answer is NO - you may not participate in any non-Catholic Lord’s Supper service (regardless of what it’s called) if you are Catholic. There are no exceptions.

EDIT - sorry, where are my manners!!! Welcome to CA!

~Liza

Poster #12 was correct. You missed the ancient eastern exceptions…

 

[lizaanne]

Poster #12 was correct. You missed the ancient eastern exceptions…

Ok - let’s look AGAIN at his original post:

Would like clarification about Cannon Law regarding the reception of communion at non-Catholic services(Methodist to be exact)
Thank you,

HE WAS ASKING ABOUT A METHODIST SERVICE! He did not ask about any communion service anywhere. Besides, I said NON-Catholic (re-read the parts you made red). Last I checked, the Eastern Churches are still considered Catholic.

Sheesh!! I didn’t “miss” anything. I answered his question - and I belive I answered it correctly.

~Liza

 

[NewUlm1976_2000]

Would like clarification about Cannon Law regarding the reception of communion at non-Catholic services(Methodist to be exact)
Thank you,

While official Canon Law discourages it, in real life the world will not end. I have received before from a non-Catholic church and I just did not count that for my weekly obligation. It was done as a show of friendship and unity with my friends there.

 

[benedictgal]

While official Canon Law discourages it, in real life the world will not end. I have received before from a non-Catholic church and I just did not count that for my weekly obligation. It was done as a show of friendship and unity with my friends there.

It still causes scandal. Would your namesake have condoned this act? If he were faithful to the Magisterium, he would have. What you have done is give scandal by saying that, as a Catholic, you condone this act. There is no valid reason for you to have done what you did.

 

[NewUlm1976_2000]

It still causes scandal. Would your namesake have condoned this act? If he were faithful to the Magisterium, he would have. What you have done is give scandal by saying that, as a Catholic, you condone this act. There is no valid reason for you to have done what you did.

How so? It is an act of friendship and ecumenicism. Coming together in our commonalities is a good thing and not focusing on our differences. The “official” schisms happened so long ago that people do it “just because” by our current generation.

Catholics as a sub-social group are not marginalized like when these policies were put into effect. Many parts of the Church have worked with other sects to put those old divisions behind us. Progress has been made and is continuing to be made.

I did point out that I still went to Catholic communion later, so there is no apparent harm or foul here.

 

[wifeandmomoftwo]

How so? It is an act of friendship and ecumenicism. Coming together in our commonalities is a good thing and not focusing on our differences. The “official” schisms happened so long ago that people do it “just because” by our current generation.

Catholics as a sub-social group are not marginalized like when these policies were put into effect. Many parts of the Church have worked with other sects to put those old divisions behind us. Progress has been made and is continuing to be made.

I did point out that I still went to Catholic communion later, so there is no apparent harm or foul here.

How so…by taking communion in a non-catholic church as a Catholic you are showing them and Catholics that their Communion is no different than ours… Why would you want anybody to think that ?? As there is a difference between them.