Communion in other Churches?

[fellicia]

I attended an a non-denominational worship service and was asked why I would not take Communion with them, I tried my best to explain that the bread and wine are seen as different and that the way the Priest blesses this is also different, also that we have to take ‘First Communion’ to do this in our church.

Really I had no idea why I shouldn’t take the Communion, just that I shouldn’t. I know that we believe this to be the exact Body and Blood of Christ. But if they just believe its a symbol should it matter as long as I realise this? Its just bread and water to them after all. Can I participate in this eating bread and water as a symbol aswell as taking into myself the actual Body and Blood of Christ?

Can someone just reiterate the exact reason why I should not do this in a non - Catholic church?

Thank you,

Fellicia xxx

 

[JMMK]

As a good Catholic it would be formal participation in a protestant/heretical worship service as opposed to being an observer. This is expressly forbidden.

You can always go with, “It’s a Catholic thing”. Which is true. To really understand why they would have to have a good grip on our ecclesiology.

 

[fellicia]

Haha yeah the ‘its a Catholic thing!’ was kind of how I ended the conversation. Is it really so bad to join in with Christian worship, after all the songs are what I feel for God, eg I love you Jesus Christ as lyrics. Obviously as long as you attend Catholic Mass also.

 

[JMMK]

It’s a cloudy area in some respects. What you mention are indeed good things. However, active participation in their worship is seen as an endorsement of it, and while it might seem simplistic and innocent enough it is the worship by those who reject the apostolic authority of the bishops and the pope.

That said, your presence may also be a form of Catholic evangelization of this group.

Modern Ecumenism is usually poorly understood, and really isn’t my forte. The primary thing that a Catholic must understand and adhere to is that true ecumenism does not compromise one letter of our doctrine.

 

[rosebudsal]

As a good Catholic it would be formal participation in a protestant/heretical worship service as opposed to being an observer. This is expressly forbidden.

You can always go with, “It’s a Catholic thing”. Which is true. To really understand why they would have to have a good grip on our ecclesiology.

And by doing so, it’s kind of like your condoning their worship practices and their belief in Communion, when as a Catholic you don’t (or are not supposed to, because there are plenty of Catholics who don’t understand the Eucharist and how we truly view it.).

 

[Erich]

I attended an a non-denominational worship service and was asked why I would not take Communion with them…

Purely hypothetically, if they were to attend Mass with you and if they were allowed to receive the Eucharist (which they aren’t), would they still choose to receive (knowing that Catholics believe it to be the Real Presence and not merely a symbol)?

Even if they could rationalize their action away (i.e. “I don’t believe I’m receiving the Real Presence, I believe it’s just a symbol, so no matter what anyone says I’d just be receiving a symbol” or some such), they would be seen by others as at least implicitly agreeing with Catholic teaching on this. I would hazard a guess that this is something they probably wouldn’t want to be seen agreeing with Catholic teaching on.

You certainly wouldn’t expect them to compromise their strongly-held beliefs for the sake of appearances… so they shouldn’t expect you to compromise yours. You can honestly say something like, “out of respect for the beliefs of each of our respective faith traditions, you choose not to receive Communion with them because it would imply a unity of belief that sadly doesn’t yet exist.”

 

[fellicia]

Thank you lots guys. I am alot more cleared up about this now. I will carry on attending the worship cerimony (along with Catholic Mass obs) as I feel that it is worship of The Lord in my own heart through these songs and as kind of an add on to Church I feel it will do me no harm. Most of the people that go, join in with different church services in the morning and come together here at night. I find it very uplifting and helpful to keep my faith constantly in mind using music and I am hoping that my Church creates something similar to this at some point as I would much prefer to attend that.

However I will not join in with the taking of the Bread and Wine and if someone questions this I will tell them exactly why

 

[TBolt1000T]

I was just thinking about this earlier today! I’m currently an RCIA student at my perish, but because of a prior commitment, I have to play keyboards in a Baptist church on Sunday mornings until the end of December. yesterday was Communion service at the Baptist church, and I didn’t take Communion, because it just didn’t feel right. I’ve taken Communion there before, but that was before I started RCIA. Even then, it didn’t feel right, because I disliked the fact that they use grape juice instead of wine for the blood of Christ, and I always viewed Communion as more than a symbol. . What does the Catholic Church say about RCIA students taking Communion in Protestant churches?

Also, the RCIA director at my perish told me that there was no problem with me honoring my commitment to play at the Baptist church until the end of December. Is this right, or should I just stop playing there, even though I would be breaking a promise I made to them before I started RCIA? ? I’m very much tempted to just jump ship, partly because of my rapidly growing Catholic beliefs.

 

[palmas85]

I was just thinking about this earlier today! I’m currently an RCIA student at my perish, but because of a prior commitment, I have to play keyboards in a Baptist church on Sunday mornings until the end of December. yesterday was Communion service at the Baptist church, and I didn’t take Communion, because it just didn’t feel right. I’ve taken Communion there before, but that was before I started RCIA. Even then, it didn’t feel right, because I disliked the fact that they use grape juice instead of wine for the blood of Christ, and I always viewed Communion as more than a symbol. . What does the Catholic Church say about RCIA students taking Communion in Protestant churches?

Also, the RCIA director at my perish told me that there was no problem with me honoring my commitment to play at the Baptist church until the end of December. Is this right, or should I just stop playing there, even though I would be breaking a promise I made to them before I started RCIA? ? I’m very much tempted to just jump ship, partly because of my rapidly growing Catholic beliefs.

Receiving communion in another community would imply that you are in communion with that group and not the catholic Church/

I have never heard of anyone in your situation. Do you attend Mass on Sundays as well?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I attended an a non-denominational worship service and was asked why I would not take Communion with them, I tried my best to explain that the bread and wine are seen as different and that the way the Priest blesses this is also different, also that we have to take ‘First Communion’ to do this in our church.

Really I had no idea why I shouldn’t take the Communion, just that I shouldn’t. I know that we believe this to be the exact Body and Blood of Christ. But if they just believe its a symbol should it matter as long as I realise this? Its just bread and water to them after all. Can I participate in this eating bread and water as a symbol aswell as taking into myself the actual Body and Blood of Christ?

Can someone just reiterate the exact reason why I should not do this in a non - Catholic church?

Thank you,

Fellicia xxx

Also because they have choosen to remain separated from the Church Christ established, and refuse to return to union with her. The term “communion” reflects this union of Christians that sadly does not exist today.

 

[TBolt1000T]

Receiving communion in another community would imply that you are in communion with that group and not the catholic Church/

I have never heard of anyone in your situation. Do you attend Mass on Sundays as well?

Until the End of December, unless God provides a way out of playing at the Baptist church, I have to attend mass on Saturday evening, instead of Sunday, because my work schedule at the other church conflicts with the times my perish has Sunday masses. Believe me, I’d rather be at Sunday mass, then working in the other church, where I’m very unhappy. I wish I would have never made that commitment.

 

[Pong]

Josh,

You are fine to continue playing in the Baptist church. If church musicians only played in their respective denominations, most would starve to death. Don’t recive their “communion” of course, but as long as you are attending mass on Saturday evening or Sunday you are doing exactly what you should.

 

[TBolt1000T]

Josh,

You are fine to continue playing in the Baptist church. If church musicians only played in their respective denominations, most would starve to death. Don’t recive their “communion” of course, but as long as you are attending mass on Saturday evening or Sunday you are doing exactly what you should.

Thanks, Pong. After I get through the RCIA process, I may consider becoming a musician at a local perish. Because of my growing Catholic beliefs, I already feel very uncomfortable even attending the services at the other church, but I don’t think I mind playing, or listening to some of that music. Because that particular church is an African-American church, they play a whole lot of gospel music, which has a very uplifting message. However, no church music even comes close to the Catholic Latin classics.

 

[palmas85]

Until the End of December, unless God provides a way out of playing at the Baptist church, I have to attend mass on Saturday evening, instead of Sunday, because my work schedule at the other church conflicts with the times my perish has Sunday masses. Believe me, I’d rather be at Sunday mass, then working in the other church, where I’m very unhappy. I wish I would have never made that commitment.

I’m surprised that the RCIA Director allowed this. One of the big things in RCIA is after the dismissal, those in the program gather together to break open the word in most parishes. In the Parishes I’ve been involved with that was a big thing and an integral part of the process. I am surprised that it is not considered to be so by your director,

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I’m surprised that the RCIA Director allowed this. One of the big things in RCIA is after the dismissal, those in the program gather together to break open the word in most parishes. In the Parishes I’ve been involved with that was a big thing and an integral part of the process. I am surprised that it is not considered to be so by your director,

Dismissals are only for catechumens. If the keyboardist has been baptized then he/she would not take part in the dismissal.

 

[palmas85]

Dismissals are only for catechumens. If the keyboardist has been baptized then he/she would not take part in the dismissal.

Yes, I am aware of that. But she never said that she was baptized. Many people, at least many if not most of the people that we had in RCIA, were not baptized. Also, many parishes probably for economic reasons lump the candidates and catechumans all together anyway, whether right or wrong.

In any event, I have never heard of an RCIA director allowing such a thing. It definitely takes away from the communal atmosphere that RCIA is supposed to foster.

 

[vee8]

I attended an a non-denominational worship service and was asked why I would not take Communion with them, I tried my best to explain that the bread and wine are seen as different and that the way the Priest blesses this is also different, also that we have to take ‘First Communion’ to do this in our church.

Really I had no idea why I shouldn’t take the Communion, just that I shouldn’t. I know that we believe this to be the exact Body and Blood of Christ. But if they just believe its a symbol should it matter as long as I realise this? Its just bread and water to them after all. Can I participate in this eating bread and water as a symbol aswell as taking into myself the actual Body and Blood of Christ?

Can someone just reiterate the exact reason why I should not do this in a non - Catholic church?

Thank you,

Fellicia xxx

I suggest you read the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church to gain a better understanding of what is actually going on at a Catholic Mass because it is very sublime.
vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html

For example
271. What is the Eucharist?
1322-1323
1409
The Eucharist is the very sacrifice of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus which he instituted to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until his return in glory. Thus he entrusted to his Church this memorial of his death and Resurrection. It is a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a paschal banquet, in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.

274. What does the Eucharist represent in the life of the Church?
1324-1327
1407
It is the source and summit of all Christian life. In the Eucharist, the sanctifying action of God in our regard and our worship of him reach their high point. It contains the whole spiritual good of the Church, Christ himself, our Pasch. Communion with divine life and the unity of the People of God are both expressed and effected by the Eucharist. Through the eucharistic celebration we are united already with the liturgy of heaven and we have a foretaste of eternal life.

 

[Aramis]

Can someone just reiterate the exact reason why I should not do this in a non - Catholic church?

Thank you,

Fellicia xxx

Unless they were Orthodox, Assyrian Church of the East, or Old Catholic : It’s not the Eucharist, as they lack valid priests to have a valid consecration.

If they were protestant, as you stated (and I believe you) most of them don’t believe in the real presence; Catholics do when it is presided over by a valid priest, in a valid liturgy.

Even in most of the protestant churches I’ve encountered, communion is a participation restricted to the believers of that faith; participating (rather than just observing silently) is similar to saying “I believe as you do”…

Now, for non-Eucharist services, joining in the songs of praise is not inherently the same issue… but be warned, many protestant praise and worship songs teach various heresies (and hence why there are often subtly altered words for some that have found their way into the various Catholic hymnals).

If you are not well trained, you might not realize the heresies as you sing merrily along.

 

[Genesis12345]

No! You should not take Communion from another denomination. You should know that it IS NOT THE BODY AND BLOOD of Christ. If you did take Communion, it would not mean anything and a mockery of the Catholic Church. If their denomination bwelieve it is Communion, fine, but you should no better in NOT receiving Communion from a non-Catholic Church.

 

[TBolt1000T]

Dismissals are only for catechumens. If the keyboardist has been baptized then he/she would not take part in the dismissal.

I was baptized in 1997, in a Nazarine church, back in my Protestant fundamentalist days, but I’ve been told by several perishs that I don’t have to be baptized again, but I have to show my certificate of baptism.

About the dismissal, I talked to my director about it. We start doing it in December, but I won’t be able to attend it until January, because of my prior commitment. My director said that it was ok for my sponser to record it for me, using an audio recorder, until I am able to attend.

I’m really confused now though. Since I’ve been baptized, you’re saying that I don’t have to take part in the dismissal?