Do you ever?

[DeOppressoLiber]

To the OP. I’m sorry you have had such experiences, but rest assured it’s not one sided.

I was raised in New Orleans, where much like you I was surrounded by Catholics. However, I never experienced any problems being Methodist.

I converted to Catholicism later in collage. I now live in an area of east Texas that is 90% protestant (mainly Baptist). I get problems due to being Catholic all the time here. Some people are quite direct, in your face and rude about it. I know many people in my parish basically hide the fact that they’re Catholic from their fellow workers etc… to avoid some of the animosity.

I’m not much of a hide myself type of person. So, I get to deal with the questioning quite often. And I don’t mean the “oh you’re Catholic… tell me more about your faith” questions, I mean “oh you’re Catholic… don’t you know you’re an idolater and that the Pope is Satan” type questions.

So… I guess long story short, it probably has more to do with where you live, and the people in the community more than the religious difference. Some places are more naturally accepting of others, some are more closed minded about anyone not like them.

 

[Izdaari]

I haven’t particularly noticed that one side is better or worse in that regard than the other. IMO, prejudice against Protestants by Catholics and against Catholics by Protestants is about equally common… and equally shameful, since despite legitimate doctrinal differences, we are brothers in Christ.

 

[IowaJay]

OK… but is that what happens?

If I say, I’m having Black and White movies and Lamb, but if you are going to come over and talk through the movies, and if you are going to fill up on pizzas before the Lamb is served, and I am offended by that, I won’t be inviting you

… then you fill up on pizzas and come in and begin to talk through the movies…

you are not welcome.

NOT because I don’t want you there, but your actions, your behavior all tell me that you really don’t want it.

Let’s get out of this muck called ‘analogy’

If a person is not Catholic, and as such, is not permitted to receive Catholic Eucharist, as this is a Sacrament from within the church, a keystone of the church, and you, a Non-Catholic, say, 'That’s not the Body and Blood of Christ. In my church, we eat the same thing, because it symbolizes the Body and Blood of Christ. I want to eat that Body and Blood of Christ… well, you are not welcome.

Be offended, you may be, but you would be seriously, way more than black and white movies and lamb seriously, offending me and our Mother Church.

That, however, doesn’t give any one the right or reason to say, ‘Oh, Crimey, a lousy Protestant!’

You may be able to talk the talk, but you aren’t living the life.

If you do not believe in the tenants expressed in the Nicene Creed enough for you to go through the conversion process to become a Baptised Catholic, you are insulting our faith to try to say that you ‘speak the language’ and ‘know the customs’, because my faith is not language or customs.

Apryl - thanks for your vigorous defense of Catholicism. There are just a few things about about your post that need to be clarified, however:

(1) Lutheranteach, I’m sure, would say that the Catholic Eucharist is not a “symbol” of the Body and Blood of Christ, but is is the Body and Blood of Christ. Lutherans hold different beliefs about the Eucharist than most other Protestants.

(2) The Orthodox, as well, as many other Christians who are not in full communion with Rome would disagree with you when you imply that only Catholics take the Nicene Creed seriously.

(3) You make the remark that Lutheranteach should be “baptized” Catholic. The Catholic Church holds Lutheranteach’s baptism (as well as all Trinitarian baptisms, regardless of whether they were performed in or outside of communion with Rome) as being valid. So, if Lutheranteach were to enter the Catholic Church, there would be no baptism.

 

[Apryl]

Apryl - thanks for your vigorous defense of Catholicism. There are just a few things about about your post that need to be clarified, however:

(1) Lutheranteach, I’m sure, would say that the Catholic Eucharist is not a “symbol” of the Body and Blood of Christ, but is is the Body and Blood of Christ. Lutherans hold different beliefs about the Eucharist than most other Protestants.

… then what are they Protest-ing? I’m asking because I do not know.

And my comments were never intended to be directed at any one, or group of people. They were generic comments.

(2) The Orthodox, as well, as many other Christians who are not in full communion with Rome would disagree with you when you imply that only Catholics take the Nicene Creed seriously.

I didn’t imply. You inferred.

(3) You make the remark that Lutheranteach should be “baptized” Catholic. The Catholic Church holds Lutheranteach’s baptism (as well as all Trinitarian baptisms, regardless of whether they were performed in or outside of communion with Rome) as being valid. So, if Lutheranteach were to enter the Catholic Church, there would be no baptism.

That comes from years of not knowing any better… but I know better now I should have said ‘come into full communion with the Catholic Church’

 

[rev_kevin]

Do any other non-Catholics ever feel they are far more accepting of Catholics than Catholics are of them.

I feel accepted by the CAF because they allow non-Catholics to be a part of this site. Now on the other hand, when you get into a discussion with some of the Catholic members and you happen to disagree with them, you are called anti-Catholic, ignorant, and other things. This is not said by all here and I have respect for the Catholic faith. We have been told to got to a non-Catholic site, what are you doing here. Now I understand that we are guests but that is no way to treat a guest.

 

[Lutheranteach]

Apryl - thanks for your vigorous defense of Catholicism. There are just a few things about about your post that need to be clarified, however:

(1) Lutheranteach, I’m sure, would say that the Catholic Eucharist is not a “symbol” of the Body and Blood of Christ, but is is the Body and Blood of Christ. Lutherans hold different beliefs about the Eucharist than most other Protestants.

(2) The Orthodox, as well, as many other Christians who are not in full communion with Rome would disagree with you when you imply that only Catholics take the Nicene Creed seriously.

(3) You make the remark that Lutheranteach should be “baptized” Catholic. The Catholic Church holds Lutheranteach’s baptism (as well as all Trinitarian baptisms, regardless of whether they were performed in or outside of communion with Rome) as being valid. So, if Lutheranteach were to enter the Catholic Church, there would be no baptism.

— and by the way, we recite either the Apostles Creed or Nicene Creed every week in church and take them seriously, they are both part of the Lutheran Catechism. I fully agree with #1 above. I just also believe the real presence is every bit as much a part of the Lutheran Church service as it is the Catholic Mass.

 

[Melquita]

… then what are they Protest-ing? I’m asking because I do not know.

Is this really the only thing you can imagine on which one might possibly disagree with the Catholic church? A guy named Luther came up with 95 others!

 

[Apryl]

— and by the way, we recite either the Apostles Creed or Nicene Creed every week in church and take them seriously, they are both part of the Lutheran Catechism. I fully agree with #1 above. I just also believe the real presence is every bit as much a part of the Lutheran Church service as it is the Catholic Mass.

LutheranTeach…

I’m not sure what point you are trying to make… so I’ll make one and hope that helps

In the Roman Catholic Church, if a person is not a Roman Catholic, they are not to receive the Sacrament of the Holy Communion

That is, when we get to the Liturgy of the Eucharist, you are a spectator. You may watch, you may pray, you may listen, you may be inspired. But you may not go forward and receive this sacrament which is reserved for Roman Catholics.

If a person goes up to receive, simply because they know the words to say, the gestures to have, they know who the EMs are, is not only deceptive and disingenuous, but it’s also disrespectful, esp when you know that you should not do it.

It’s not that you are not ‘accepted’, but you are not Catholic. By your choice, by my choice, by geography, because Levi Strauss put rivets on denim jeans.

What does it take for you to be Catholic? For starters, go to a priest and learn what you need to do, and do it.

I realize that Lutherans (and others) say the Apostle’s Creed… but I don’t know that they believe it the way that Roman Catholics are supposed to mean it.

This isn’t what you know or what you can say. It’s what you believe.

If you believed as I did, you wouldn’t want to go up for the reception of Holy Communion in a Catholic church without doing what it takes to become a Roman Catholic and PROPERLY receive this most Holy Sacrament.

I’ll go further to say that those around you who are Roman Catholic would not encourage you to go up, either.

 

[Apryl]

Is this really the only thing you can imagine on which one might possibly disagree with the Catholic church? A guy named Luther came up with 95 others!

Nope!

It’s the biggie, though.

 

[SSTeacher]

In the Roman Catholic Church, if a person is not a Roman Catholic, they are not to receive the Sacrament of the Holy Communion

That is, when we get to the Liturgy of the Eucharist, you are a spectator. You may watch, you may pray, you may listen, you may be inspired. But you may not go forward and receive this sacrament which is reserved for Roman Catholics.

What does the Catholic Church instruct about the Eucharist in the case of Orthodox Christians?

Curiously,
Mick

 

[JonNC]

In the Roman Catholic Church, if a person is not a Roman Catholic, they are not to receive the Sacrament of the Holy Communion

 

[JonNC]

What does the Catholic Church instruct about the Eucharist in the case of Orthodox Christians?

Curiously,
Mick

Mick,
I think they are welcome to receive, but are encouraged to follow the teachings of their Orthodox faith.

Jon

 

[Apryl]

What does the Catholic Church instruct about the Eucharist in the case of Orthodox Christians?

I don’t know

I have little to no contact with Orthodox Christians

So if I were an Orthodox Christian, or had a friend who was OC and visiting my church, I would go to the celebrant before Mass and ask if he/she was in communion with the churcxh and could approach the altar for Communion

Esp since we all know that the Eucharist is not ‘Crackers and Juice’ and should be respected as such.

 

[Apryl]

The LCMS practices close communion, too. It is a shame, isn’t it, Apryl, that we as fellow Christians cannot receive His true body and blood at the same altar. Let’s pray and work for the day that this is no longer the case.

Why is it a shame?

 

[JonNC]

JonNC;6519464:

Why is it a shame?

It is a shame because Christ called us to unity, and we are not in unity.

Jon

 

[JonNC]

Apryl,
Pope Benedict XVI thinks it is sad, also. Here is what he said at a Lutheran Church in Rome:

“The hope we have is that this unity might be even deeper. Certainly we must not be content with the ecumenism of the last few years, because we still cannot drink of the one chalice and we cannot be together around one altar.
This must make us sad, because it is a sinful situation, but unity cannot be something we make ourselves. We must entrust ourselves to the Lord because only he can give us unity.”

thebostonpilot.com/article2.asp?ID=11565

Jon

 

[Apryl]

It is a shame because Christ called us to unity, and we are not in unity.

But we are not in union because… ?

Just like complaining he isn’t married to her, but he asked her and she said ‘no’

 

[JonNC]

But we are not in union because… ?

Just like complaining he isn’t married to her, but he asked her and she said ‘no’

Pope Benedict XVI very clearly tells us why we are not in union:

***Human sinfulness ***has fractured the unity that should mark the Christian community, so Christians have a responsibility to work and pray to heal their divisions, Pope Benedict XVI said during a visit to a German Lutheran church in Rome.

**“A Christian cannot live and be fully Christian without community, but we must recognize that *we ***have destroyed this ‘us,’ we have divided the one path into many paths and, in that way, we have harmed our witness,” the pope said March 14 during a prayer service in German.

Notice he said “we”, not you. He is fully aware that our separation is a joint sin, Lutherans and Catholics share responsibility for our lack of unity.

Jon

 

[SSTeacher]

SSTeacher;6519301:

What does the Catholic Church instruct about the Eucharist in the case of Orthodox Christians?

Curiously,
Mick

Mick,
I think they are welcome to receive, but are encouraged to follow the teachings of their Orthodox faith.

Jon

Thanks, Jon. I think that’s the case, too, but I was adhering to the fourth of the current general guidelines for the Non–Catholic Religions forum that “Questions are a better approach than assertions.”

Cordially,
Mick

 

[SSTeacher]

I don’t know

It seems to be as Jon has suggested. I searched around and found this page on Catholic Answers. Under the subheading “Possible exceptions” it is stated:

Catholic ministers may licitly administer the sacraments of penance, Eucharist and anointing of the sick to members of the oriental churches which do not have full Communion with the Catholic Church, if they ask on their own for the sacraments and are properly disposed. This holds also for members of other churches, which in the judgment of the Apostolic See are in the same condition as the oriental churches as far as these sacraments are concerned.

I have little to no contact with Orthodox Christians

We have seven sacraments, incense, icons, candles, processions, and crucifixes. We fast for about six months in every year, we stand to worship, our choirs generally sing a capella, our priests have wives and beards, and we claim to have been telling the truth since A.D. 33.

So if I were an Orthodox Christian, or had a friend who was OC and visiting my church, I would go to the celebrant before Mass and ask if he/she was in communion with the churcxh and could approach the altar for Communion

I doubt that you would. Orthodox Christianity does not permit its faithful to receive Holy Communion in non–Orthodox communities, period.

Esp since we all know that the Eucharist is not ‘Crackers and Juice’ and should be respected as such.

The question from the Orthodox perspective is not one of Eucharistic hospitality but whether one believes everything the Orthodox Church teaches (which you’ll doubtless agree that Catholics definitely don’t).

Cordially,
Mick