Communion to go packs

[MadeAnew]

A few protestant churches I have seen have been providing their congregations with pre-packaged communion wafer and wine. I have not seen or heard of any parishes doing this. Many protestants believe that the communion is symbolic and is not actually Christ’s body, which I believe is why they do the pre-packaged communion. The issue is some Protestants and non-believers use this as an argumentative tool to say that this shows the communion is not that big of a deal and that Christ truly is not present in the eucharist. I know the Catholic Church had an issue not long ago with satanists coming in for communion to pocket a bit of the consecrated host. So I think I can say with complete confidence the Church would never do the pre-packaged hosts. Is it safe to say that the blessing used in Protestant churches is not a valid blessing and that their pre-packaged communion sets are not the same as the Catholic Churches? Searching for the best way to defend this.

 

[harshcshah]

Since Protestants don’t recognise or perform the sacrament of holy orders their hosts cannot be consecrated. Those Protestant communities that do recognise the Real Presence almost always have invalid holy orders and thus also don’t have the Eucharist. However, I think desecrating an unconsecrated host as a symbol of Christ would be blasphemous for it’s intention is blasphemy and it destroys a symbol of Christ.

 

[Weserthy]

You are correct that it doesn’t really matter what the Protestants do as they (with some very rare exceptions) do not have a valid Eucharist.

“Communion to go packs” have actually been tried by some priests/parishes since COVID started, and it has been stopped by the bishops of these dioceses in I think all of the cases that I have seen. There are a myriad of problems with this practice - as you noted it can lead to the unintentional or even intentional desecration of the Eucharist depending on who takes it.

The Body of Christ should not be carried home like a fast food meal and should be treated with reverence. That is why there are strict practices and procedures for taking communion to the sick and homebound - special vessels have to be used, there are practices that need to be observed when handling the Eucharist, etc. In pretty much all of the examples I’ve seen of priests attempting “communion to go”, these practices were not followed. This practice is just a bad idea if for no other reason than you cannot ensure what untrained laity will do with the Eucharist when you are passing it out to numerous people. What if someone forgets it somewhere, or it is accidentally discarded, etc. If this practice is happening somewhere the priest should be confronted about it and the bishop notified if necessary.

 

[OldCAFMember]

Defend what?

 

[MadeAnew]

Defend the Catholic belief of Christ being present in the sacraments and that the practices of the Protestant faith with communion does not prove it is simply symbolic but rather that the Protestant faith is incorrect in their blessing of the communion and that Christ is indeed present through the Catholic blessings of the sacraments.

 

[ThomasMT]

Many protestants believe that the communion is symbolic and is not actually Christ’s body,

It isnt the actual body, in a Protestant church.

The issue is some Protestants and non-believers use this as an argumentative tool to say that this shows the communion is not that big of a deal and that Christ truly is not present

It’s not a big deal because they dont have access to the Sacrament and the true presence.

It is a big deal, however, to the extent that it is a sacrilegious imitation of the actual Sacrament, IMO.

…and that Christ truly is not present in the eucharist.

The Protestant church is not the Catholic Church.
Perhaps you can remind them of St. John 6 : 53-57.
Jesus lost many of his own followers over this teaching. The ones that remained did so because they were committed and had no where else to go. Is it any surprise that people struggle with this today?

the Catholic Church had an issue not long ago with satanists coming in for communion to pocket a bit of the consecrated host.

Isn’t it interesting how satanists believe in the true presence while most Christians don’t?

So I think I can say with complete confidence the Church would never do the pre-packaged hosts.

Unlikely, but who knows in this day and age The only thing that I can say with confidence is that the gates of hell won’t overtake the Church.

Is it safe to say that the blessing used in Protestant churches is not a valid blessing and that their pre-packaged communion sets are not the same as the Catholic Churches?

Are the satanists seeking to desecrate and violate protestant communion sets? They couldn’t care less about those, for obvious reasons.
Only an ordained Catholic priest had the ability to offer this Sacrament.

 

[paperwight]

Defend the Catholic belief of Christ being present in the sacraments and that the practices of the Protestant faith with communion does not prove it is simply symbolic but rather that the Protestant faith is incorrect in their blessing of the communion and that Christ is indeed present through the Catholic blessings of the sacraments.

All that is true, of course and has been said and published times without number, so it is unlikely you will have any more success than that.

Have you been specifically asked to defend it, or challenged personally? If you have not, I would say that you should not get into arguments.

It’s rare that anybody’s mind was ever changed by getting into an argument. It simply reinforces already held beliefs and indeed can make things worse.

 

[MadeAnew]

Very good point ThomasMT

 

[MadeAnew]

No, I never pick arguments. I have had Protestant brothers and sisters try to attack the Church and I am still learning myself. So I find it is always best to ask a good source when I get asked a question that I feel like i cannot defend well.

 

[lwest]

They aren’t the same. Protestants have the symbol. We have the True Presence. So if they want to package it up and send it out, I don’t see the big deal. WE have the True Presence. Ever notice how satanists don’t bother with Protestant ‘eucharist’? Even they know it’s not the Real Thing. They desecrate the Catholic Host because they know it’s Him, whom they despise.

 

[Gorgias]

The issue is some Protestants and non-believers use this as an argumentative tool to say that this shows the communion is not that big of a deal and that Christ truly is not present in the eucharist.

So… people who aren’t Catholics do things that no Catholic priest would ever do… and then that’s proof that Catholic teaching is in error? Apparently, your interlocutors don’t have a very firm grasp on logic.

 

[TK421]

@MadeAnew

Communion for the sick and homebound is transported in a container called a pyx and looks something like this:

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

In these instances, there is a separate rite to follow and it wouldn’t be permitted for a Consecrated Host to be prepackaged. Generally, the people administering to the sick approach the altar during the Mass for however many Consecrated Hosts they need.

Peace.

 

[Anesti33]

One reason Catholics cannot pre-package hosts is because of the special nature of their containers.

As TK421 demonstrated, a pyx is used for “to go orders”, if you will. A pyx is a sacred vessel matching the specifications of ciborium, chalice, sacrarium, etc. They must be made of noble metal, usually, unbreakable and durable. It must be possible to clean them of fragments easily. Therefore, sacred vessels must never consist of plastic, paper, cheap wood, styrofoam(!) or anything else that is fragile or to which fragments would adhere, or soak in.

The Church has always had problems with Satanists and others attempting to steal and desecrate the Eucharist, and she always will have these problems. This is one reason why it is so carefully secured and guarded. The pastor of a parish is the chief custodian of the Eucharist, and it is his solemn responsibility to ensure that everyone who handles Jesus is reverent and conscientious, and aware of the various liturgical laws governing ministers.