Eucharist during Ecumenical (Protestant/Catholic) Ministry

[SjMelnychuk]

This question is specifically for Catholics because it has to do with our Sacrament of the Eucharist.

I’ve been pondering whether or not to get back involved with this ministry that is Ecumenical in nature. In this ministry both Catholic and Protestant Christians participate within the context of this ministry. On the rare occasion, with this ministry there is an evening set aside for Communion. The majority of people involved with this ministry are Protestant believers but there are a few people who are also Catholic.

Just wanted to see what all your thoughts are on this.

As a Catholic should we not participate in the Protestant form of Communion?

I have known some Catholics participating and I’ve known Catholics who won’t. Perhaps it’s a grey issue. I’m not certain. For the sake of common unity within the context of the ecumenical ministry I’m leaning towards participation but I’ve refrained from participating in this since becoming Catholic. Anyway, if I do get involved with this ministry again then I need to resolve this issue.

I mean, when it comes to participating, it wouldn’t be a true Sacrament because a Priest wouldn’t be there and so it wouldn’t be a blessed host but simply “just bread and wine” … is there anything according to the teachings of the Catholic Church that would make participating in a Protestant Communion within the context of an ecumenical ministry a mortal or venial sin? Or is there allowance within the context of an ecumenical ministry to participate in this form of communion?

Just curious to know a Catholic response to this. When my older sisters were baptized in the United Church my Catholic Grandparents were forbidden to attend but they were able to attend my baptism a few years later because things changed a little with that respect. So, I’d like to hear from Catholics, if you are a Catholic and would participate, why? If you’re a Catholic and would not participate, why? If the Catholic Church would forbid this then please provide a link where I can see for myself the Catholic Church forbidding Catholics from participating in the Protestant form of communion.

Over the last few months I’ve been pondering reasons for and against.

Reasons Not To:

It would be a true Sacrament
Protestants doctrine on the Eucharist is different
Protestants cannot participate fully in a Catholic Sacrament of the Eucharist

Reason To Participate:

It’s an ecumenical ministry
In the spirit of unity
It’s not a true Sacrament, therefore it’s not legitimate for a Catholic
Because it wouldn’t be a legitimate sacrament I could see in the spirit of unity it being OK
If in a Protestant communion it’s just symbols but remains as bread and wine
I haven’t seen anything from any Catholic teaching (YET) that forbids me
I can understand the reasons why the majority of Protestant cannot participate in full communion with the Catholic Church but with the Protestant their “communion” albeit no legitimate according the Catholic Church but still nonetheless open to all Christians even Catholic Christians if Catholics are present… just as long as there is a conversion to faith in Christ.

So far, from my understanding, this is something I am leaning towards but have not participated in because I just don’t know how to respond just yet. I would think there are some traditional Catholics who wouldn’t but regardless if you would or wouldn’t, as a Catholic, does the Catholic Church specifically forbid this?

I was thinking about talking to the Director of this ministry about this. Our National Director is Catholic. Also, the founder of this ministry is located in the United States. The Founder of this ministry is also Catholic. And since key people in this ministry have been converting to the Catholic faith this ministry has become ecumenical with both Protestant and Catholic Christians. So there’s now a growing number of Catholics who are participating and joining the ministry team. I wanted to first see how all of you might respond to this.

I appreciate your response! Thanks

 

[Phemie]

Canon Law says this: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, without prejudice to the prescripts of §§2, 3, and 4 of this canon, and ⇒ can. 861, §2.

§2. Whenever necessity requires it or true spiritual advantage suggests it, and provided that danger of error or of indifferentism is avoided, the Christian faithful for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister are permitted to receive the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick from non-Catholic ministers in whose Churches these sacraments are valid.
Since this wouldn’t be a valid sacrament we are not to receive.

 

[PaulfromIowa]

Communion signifies unity. Catholics can participate in a Service of the Word with Protestants. However, to receive a Protestant communion would indicate Protestant faith.

 

[liturgyluver]

To be honest, I have never heard of ecumenical Eucharistic services. I think most protestant denominations know that Catholics cannot receive in these circumstances and so the ecumenical services will be morning or evening prayer in which everyone can freely participate.

 

[OraLabora]

By participating, to you mean receiving communion from a Protestant “eucharist”, or just being present at the service? There’s a big difference.

I attend an Anglican service from time to time, with my wife, as she’s Anglican. I “participate” to the extent that I pray with them especially those prayers that we hold in common with them, but I don’t go up to receive their communion, nor for a blessing.

I don’t see anything fundamentally wrong with being present at such a service provided your faith is secure, but of course we cannot receive their communion.

By actually receiving we are making a false statement of unity between our faiths. But by being present and sharing in prayer with them, particularly those we share with them, we are in fact highlighting those aspects of unity upon which we should build dialogue towards greater unity. The Church has spoken, ecumenism is a good thing, to be celebrated with our separated brethren, within properly defined boundaries.

 

[SjMelnychuk]

Canon Law says this: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, without prejudice to the prescripts of §§2, 3, and 4 of this canon, and ⇒ can. 861, §2.

§2. Whenever necessity requires it or true spiritual advantage suggests it, and provided that danger of error or of indifferentism is avoided, the Christian faithful for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister are permitted to receive the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick from non-Catholic ministers in whose Churches these sacraments are valid.
Since this wouldn’t be a valid sacrament we are not to receive.

Thanks. Is this current Canon law?

 

[SjMelnychuk]

Communion signifies unity. Catholics can participate in a Service of the Word with Protestants. However, to receive a Protestant communion would indicate Protestant faith.

I never quite thought of it like that but you make a lot of sense

 

[SjMelnychuk]

To be honest, I have never heard of ecumenical Eucharistic services.

Ecumenical ministries but I have been told that some Catholics have participated in Protestant Communion, but perhaps they did so out of ignorance?

Still, I’m curious as to what my Catholic friends in this ecumenical ministry have done during the year end Communion. I don’t think the National Director participates. At least I can’t remember if he did. It’s worth asking him.

I think most protestant denominations know that Catholics cannot receive in these circumstances and so the ecumenical services will be morning or evening prayer in which everyone can freely participate.

I think it’s that Protestants may not understand

 

[Phemie]

Thanks. Is this current Canon law?

Yes, current canon law. We are not to receive in churches with no valid sacraments. That means all the churches we think of as “Protestant”.

We may receive the sacraments in the Orthodox Churches if that becomes necessary but it’s not a given that they would allow it.

Sadly, not even priests always follow that rule. My former pastor, at a “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” service that turned out to be an Anglican Communion service because the Primate was there, went up to receive. Seeing that, several Catholics who had remained in their pews up to that point also went up to receive.

 

[SjMelnychuk]

By participating, to you mean receiving communion from a Protestant “eucharist”, or just being present at the service? There’s a big difference.

I attend an Anglican service from time to time, with my wife, as she’s Anglican. I “participate” to the extent that I pray with them especially those prayers that we hold in common with them, but I don’t go up to receive their communion, nor for a blessing.

I don’t see anything fundamentally wrong with being present at such a service provided your faith is secure, but of course we cannot receive their communion.

By actually receiving we are making a false statement of unity between our faiths. But by being present and sharing in prayer with them, particularly those we share with them, we are in fact highlighting those aspects of unity upon which we should build dialogue towards greater unity. The Church has spoken, ecumenism is a good thing, to be celebrated with our separated brethren, within properly defined boundaries.

I’ll have to see what the other Catholics do… These boundaries may have already been clearly defined and discussed and understood.

 

[SjMelnychuk]

Yes, current canon law. We are not to receive in churches with no valid sacraments. That means all the churches we think of as “Protestant”.

We may receive the sacraments in the Orthodox Churches if that becomes necessary but it’s not a given that they would allow it.

Thanks for the info

 

[SyroMalankara]

Yes, current canon law. We are not to receive in churches with no valid sacraments. That means all the churches we think of as “Protestant”.

We may receive the sacraments in the Orthodox Churches if that becomes necessary but it’s not a given that they would allow it.

Sadly, not even priests always follow that rule. My former pastor, at a “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” service that turned out to be an Anglican Communion service because the Primate was there, went up to receive. Seeing that, several Catholics who had remained in their pews up to that point also went up to receive.

That is scandalous and excommunicable.

 

[twf]

Church law is clear on this point. There is no grey area. While you are permitted to participate in an ecumenical service, you may not receive the Protestant form of communion.

 

[theyoungmonk]

Though I would debate even if such a “service” is acceptable or desirable I will refrain for now. On the matter of Protestant “Communion” it is never acceptable to receive as

1. It is not really the Blessed sacrament and by receiving you would be giving the impression it was.
2. Communion is a sign of unity (hence the term “being in communion”) as we do not have either organisational or doctrinal unity, not even to the degree we have with the Eastern churches it would present a unity that does not exist.
3. It could promote the heresy of indifferentism.

The same goes for anything else that in the Church would be restricted to the ordained in that context.

 

[SjMelnychuk]

Though I would debate even if such a “service” is acceptable or desirable I will refrain for now.

If by service you are talking about receiving the Eucharist sure … after reading all the points made here, it seems pretty clear as to why a Catholic should refrain from participating in a Protestant Communion… however, if by service you mean an ecumenical ministry … such ecumenical ministries have been known for enabling certain Protestant followers from becoming less ignorant about what the Catholic Church teaches and it also promotes dialogue. Where there is a promotion of dialogue there is opportunity to actually learn about what the other believes and why… as a result of such ecumenical ministries some Protestants have been known to actually Convert to the Catholic Church.

Within the context of ecumenical dialogue groups gather together in the place of what common ground there is. The only time this ecumenical ministry parts ways is within the context of their communion service that’s held once in a while… like perhaps once or twice a year. As I mention before, it could be that there may already be boundaries and understanding developed within the talks between the Director of this ministry who’s now Catholic and others who are not Catholic and so perhaps the Protestant believers do understand if their Catholic ministry partners do not participate in the communion service.

I’m actually going to talk to the Director of this ministry and another person I know who’s Catholic who’s part of the leadership team, and find out how they’ve resolved being Catholic and encountering the communion service that is held with the ministry on occasion.