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Hi,
We are Catholic and will be attending a wedding in an Episopal church next week. We would like to receive communion at there mass. Is this wrong? What are there beliefs vs. ours in this area.
 
A Catholic may not recieve communion in an Episicopal / Anglican church.

The Catholic Church has the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

The Episcopal/Anglican church has communion bread and communion wine at their churches.

By all means attend the wedding and enjoy the day, but as a Catholic you are not permitted to recieve.
 
We are Catholic and will be attending a wedding in an Episopal church next week. We would like to receive communion at there mass. Is this wrong?
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Yes, it would be wrong.
Their “mass” is NOT a Catholic Mass and their “communion” is NOT Communion as The Holy Mother Church understands Communion- actual transubstantiation. Episcopalians are protestants and do not recognize the authority of Rome, the magistarium, The Pope, or transubstantiation.
 
Nope, can’t do it. Think of the word “communion.” Catholics are NOT in communion with Anglicans, (Anglican’s choice, no disrespect intended) therefore it is impossible to recieve communion.
 
WOW–I’m shocked. Can’t believe our all loving, all excepting, God we worship would not want us to come to the table when ever we are invited there. Even if there believes are different and it’s not the actual body and blood of christ, it’s his table and not going to it seems to be rude to our brother and sister’s somehow. Just a thought. Thanks, Howard
 
When you receive communion at some other church you are saying that you believe everything they do. You are also approving of something (their comunion) which profanes our Lord by trivializing something so important as the Holy Eucharist of His Body by receiving (aka accepting instead of rejecting) that profanity.
 
On what basis can you claim that we trivialize the Eucharist? You can accuse us of a lot of things, but not that, I think.

True, we officially don’t believe in transubstantiation, but this is pretty much a dead letter. Many Anglicans do believe in transubstantiation, and those who don’t generally believe in some kind of vague “Real Presence.”

I’m not saying that this is or should be good enough for you. Just clarifying the matter of fact.

Edwin
 
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Lazerlike42:
When you receive communion at some other church you are saying that you believe everything they do. You are also approving of something (their comunion) which profanes our Lord by trivializing something so important as the Holy Eucharist of His Body by receiving (aka accepting instead of rejecting) that profanity.
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:amen:
 
What I am saying is… let’s see how to put this. I don’t know if you believe in real presence of not. Just for now, pretend you do, and that it was instituted by Christ as the single most important thing in the world to you. Think about how wonderful you feel knowing without any doubts that each week you get to not only meet God in prayer but you get to physically meet God in Body! Also take into account that you now believe that only your church has it, and that only in your church does God come to be physically present.

Now take this Eucharist, the single most important thing in your life, and say that other churches start saying it’s fake. By saying it is fake, they are virtually doing the same thing as an atheist who tells you that God is fake. The atheist says, “God is not really there you know,” and the other churches are saying, “God is not really there, you know.” They not only say it’s fake, but they still go about the motions of it anyways, not intending to be negative of course, but nevertheless turning God’s real and physical presence right there in front of you into a symbolic ceremony. They are now calling this thing that is the most important part of your life fake, and they are practicing it anyways, but instead of being as a Holy and amazing thing, it is done as a symbol… it is done to represent God… it may have some good meanings for them, but it is to you turning GOD into bread. Then imagine some other church decides to say that God is there when He’s really not. They are taking what could be an incredible, Holy and important thing for so many people and telling them that they are getting to really have God physically present, and then giving them a fake. At best, they are telling people that God is really there when He is not. They are causing so many people to think that what it feels like to have God physically there is a 10 on the scale of good feelingness when it is supposed to be 100! They are making people think God only feels a certain way when He feels so much more. At worst, they are giving people idols of flour and wheat, idols that these people will believe as God when He is not there.

That is why I said what I did.
 
Yes, I thought that was your argument, but it works the other way for Anglicans.

We feel exactly as you describe when you say that our Eucharist is “fake.” It is incredibly important to us and we firmly believe that Christ is present (I speak for myself and every Episcopalian I’ve ever talked to in person–I did know one guy on the Internet who probably believed otherwise but he went off and became a Methodist precisely because he couldn’t accept our sacramental belief). This is in fact the single biggest reason for me to be Episcopalian rather than Methodist (many Methodists, such as my wife, believe in the Real Presence too; but most probably don’t except in a very symbolic way). It’s also in some sense an obstacle to my becoming Catholic, simply because I’m unwilling to say that when I receive communion in the Episcopal Church I’m not receiving Christ’s Body and Blood (in the fullest possible sense).

I am not trying to attack the Catholic position, just trying to make it clear who is calling whom fake. We do not trivialize your Eucharist; you trivialize ours by denying that we have valid Orders. You may be right, but that is what you are doing.

Edwin
 
But if we are right, then you are trivializing ours far more than we yours, and we all believe we are right or else we’d believe something else!

I’m not trying to accuse or be mean or anything here… in other words I wouldn’t go around saying “Ooohh Ooohh Oooh look at those Episcopalians! Look at their communion it’s fake!!” I doubt you’d do that either. I was saying that in the very specific context of trying to explain to the guy why a Catholic ought not to receive communion at an Episcopalian church. Now I’m not sure, but I believe that an Episcopalian would teach that a fellow Episcopalian souldn’t go receiving the Catholic Eucharist for the same reason. It wasn’t about attacking anything, it was about saying… hmmm… 'If you receive communion there, this is what you believe from a Catholic perspective. In other words, if you are a Catholic and believe what the Church teaches about the Eucharist, then from this perspective of this belief you would be holding then this is what you would be agreeing to because you, believing the Church’s teachings, would believe that this is what the Episcopalians are doing. Now an Episcopalian, as you said, might say the same thing of a Catholic but from the Episcopalian perspective.
 
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Rellinger:
Hi,
We are Catholic and will be attending a wedding in an Episopal church next week. We would like to receive communion at there mass. Is this wrong? What are there beliefs vs. ours in this area.
Click to expand...
As I have read here before, it would be an insult to the your friends’ church to receive their communion, since your beliefs are not the same as theirs. Many of them are just as serious about their beliefs as many Catholics are about ours.
 
Grace & Peace!

If a Roman Catholic is having problems with Anglo Catholic Eucharistic theology, I would suggest a quick reading of the Anglican / Episcopal liturgy to discover what is and what is not believed regarding the Eucharist. One of the strengths of Anglicanism is its very firm insistence on Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi–the Law of Prayer is the Law of Belief, that is, the life of prayer reveals the life of faith. This is why, I believe, Anglicanism often appears to countenance diverse faith positions–its concern is that people pray the same thing together so that they may come (if they have not already come) to the fullness of the faith that the prayers express.

From the American Book of Common Prayer, one will find this in Eucharistic Prayer A:

Referring to the consecrated elements: “Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom.”

Eucharistic Prayer B:
“We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrificem that we may be acceotable through him, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with [_________ and] all your saints, we may eneter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation.”

Eucharistic Prayer D:
“Lord, we pray that in your goodness and mercy your Holy Spirit may descend upon us, and upon these gifts, sanctifying them to be holy gifts for your holy people, the bread of life and the cup of salvation, the Body and Blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Grant that all who share this bread and cup may become one body and one spirit, a living sacrifice in Christ, to the praise of your Name. Remember, Lord, your one holy catholic and apostolic church, redeemed by the blood of your Christ. Reveal its unity, guard its faith, and preserve it in peace. And grant that we may find our inheritance with the Blessed Virgin Mary, with patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, (with _______) and all the saints who have found favor with you in ages past. We praise you in union with them and give you glory through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Under the Mercy,
Mark

Deo Gratias!
 
I speak for myself and every Episcopalian I’ve ever talked to in person
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Then what are you waiting for? Swim the Tiber and come home!
If not for Catholic Henry VIII wanting to divorce his Catholic wife, Catherine of Aragon, to marry Anne Boleyn, you would BE Catholic. Henry was angry that the Pope refused him the divorce so set himself up as supreme head of the church in England and, whala!, Anglicanism (Episcopal in America) was created.
Don’t you think that allegiance to The Pope and Rome a little more than to Henry?
We’re waiting to welcome you with open arms!
 
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Rellinger:
Hi,
We are Catholic and will be attending a wedding in an Episopal church next week. We would like to receive communion at there mass. Is this wrong? What are there beliefs vs. ours in this area.
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Hi Rellinger,

Yes, if you are Catholic, it is wrong to receive Communion in a Protestant Church.

You might want to check out this thread from not to long ago… Communion In a Protestant Church… ( http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/misc/multipage.gif 1 2 )
Singinbeauty

Quote:
Originally Posted by Singinbeauty
I have read many times here that a person of the catholic faith cannot receive communion (as if it’s a sin to do so) in a protestant church… Why is this?

Here is my reply…
Simply, because Protestant Churches are not in FULL communion with the Catholic Church. “Communion” is the key word of course 😉

Church unity is attested to biblically and from early writings of the Church. And as someone has pointed out, 100 years ago ALL Christian churches shared this belief. There are SOME “closed communion” Protestant Churches still around.

Please pray for this unity. Our Father is a God of unity, NOT dis-unity.
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I hope this helps.

God Bless,

Joe
 
Deo Volente:
Grace & Peace!

If a Roman Catholic is having problems with Anglo Catholic Eucharistic theology, I would suggest a quick reading of the Anglican / Episcopal liturgy to discover what is and what is not believed regarding the Eucharist. One of the strengths of Anglicanism is its very firm insistence on Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi–the Law of Prayer is the Law of Belief, that is, the life of prayer reveals the life of faith. This is why, I believe, Anglicanism often appears to countenance diverse faith positions–its concern is that people pray the same thing together so that they may come (if they have not already come) to the fullness of the faith that the prayers express.

From the American Book of Common Prayer, one will find this in Eucharistic Prayer A:

Referring to the consecrated elements: “Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom.”

Eucharistic Prayer B:
“We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrificem that we may be acceotable through him, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with [_________ and] all your saints, we may eneter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation.”

Eucharistic Prayer D:
“Lord, we pray that in your goodness and mercy your Holy Spirit may descend upon us, and upon these gifts, sanctifying them to be holy gifts for your holy people, the bread of life and the cup of salvation, the Body and Blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Grant that all who share this bread and cup may become one body and one spirit, a living sacrifice in Christ, to the praise of your Name. Remember, Lord, your one holy catholic and apostolic church, redeemed by the blood of your Christ. Reveal its unity, guard its faith, and preserve it in peace. And grant that we may find our inheritance with the Blessed Virgin Mary, with patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, (with _______) and all the saints who have found favor with you in ages past. We praise you in union with them and give you glory through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Under the Mercy,
Mark

Deo Gratias!
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No one has mentioned Priests and Holy Orders. They are separated from the Pope. According to the Catholic Church, Episcopal/Anglican Priests are not valid Priests, male OR female. So that makes the consecration of the Eucharist invalid for Catholics. Another difference is that Episcopalians believe in Con-substansiation, I think that is the proper word, where Jesus is present along WITH the bread & wine, and after Communion, Jesus is no longer present, hence no need for a Tabernacle. That is how I always understood the Episcopal faith to be. I was born & raised an Episcopalian until 1995, when I came into the Catholic Church. Alot of people outside the Catholic Church think of Communion as a “touchy-feeley” type thing, and are offended if they are not invited to partake. When you take Communion in any church, you are saying “I believe.” And of course, as Catholics we believe that Jesus is present Body, Blood, Soul & Divinity in the Eucharist AND we are to be in a state of Grace to receive Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist.
Peace:)
 
:Another difference is that Episcopalians believe in Con-substansiation, I think that is the proper word, where Jesus is present along WITH the bread & wine, and after Communion, Jesus is no longer present, hence no need for a Tabernacle.:

Most Episcopal churches have tabernacles, and many practice Benediction. The 39 Articles don’t approve, but Episcopalians are not bound by them (or if we are we don’t generally recognize the fact).

Many Episcopalians may believe in consubstantiation; most of us don’t really think about the matter much. It’s popular in Anglican circles to say that Jesus said it was His Body, so we believe it was His Body, and we don’t need to have a complicated theory about how that works. The official teaching of the Articles actually rejects both transubstantiation and consubstantiation in favor of the more Reformed view that Christ’s body and blood are truly received by believers. But as I said not many, at least in the U.S. (I think England is different), follow the Articles that strictly, and many of them try to explain them away (along lines Newman first suggested and then abandoned) arguing that they don’t necessarily conflict with Trent .

The long and the short of it is that we believe Jesus is present and that we are receiving Him, and you don’t think we are.

Edwin
 
I believe that Jesus probably is present in the Episcopal Church, if the priest has valid orders.

I wouldn’t take communion in an Episcopal Church since I do not believe 100% in that Church and it would be an insult to their faith and to mine to trivialize this. This would be like saying your beliefs do not matter and I will take the Eucharist regardless of your deeply held beliefs.

Now to derail this thread, which Churches do believe they have the real presence?
Anyone?

God Bless
Scylla
 
I believe that where there are two or more gather in his name he is present.
 
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