Eucharist question

[ChristianKnight]

I am a “protestant” even though I’d like to consider myself a loner, but anyways. I haven’t taken the eucharist, but I was at a baptist church, and it was pretty big, had to be a couple hundred, at the least, people their, and they all took it, or about 90% (children didn’t, I tried, mommy slapped my wrist, I was 6 ).

Do all them people go to hell? According to the RCC is what I’d like to know.

 

[Rolltide]

I am a “protestant” even though I’d like to consider myself a loner, but anyways. I haven’t taken the eucharist, but I was at a baptist church, and it was pretty big, had to be a couple hundred, at the least, people their, and they all took it, or about 90% (children didn’t, I tried, mommy slapped my wrist, I was 6 ).

Do all them people go to hell? According to the RCC is what I’d like to know.

If a Protestant receives Communion at another Protestant church, the answer is no for two reasons. One, most Protestant groups consider the Eucharist to be merely symbolic (although a few groups DO restrict Communion, just like Catholics). Second, is that their Communion is not considered by Catholics to be of valid form. In other words, since Protestants do not have Apostolic Succession, and do not believe in the Real Presence, (and sometimes, because they do not use real wine or bread) Catholics don’t consider it to be a valid sacrament because the miracle that transforms the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ never takes place. In other words, they’re not eating the real Jesus, and so no sin of any kind occurs.

Now, if a Protestant received Communion at a Catholic or Orthodox Church, however, that might be a different matter. It would depend upon the state of their heart at the time. If they had committed no mortal sins, or had somehow managed to complete an Act of Perfect Contrition without knowing what one was, and one presented themselves for the sacrament genuinely believing in the Real Presence (which most Protestants do not), then they would not sin.

A third scenario would be for a Catholic or Orthodox to receive Communion in a Protestant church. This is not permitted, because Catholics and Orthodox consider Communion to ALSO be a Sacrament of Initiation. To receive communion, you actually must be “in communion” with the beliefs of that church. Since Protestants hold beliefs contrary to the Catholic Church, it could be considered as if you were abandoning your Catholic faith.

 

[benedictgal]

Hello.

First of all, Protestant ecclesial communities do not believe in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. For them, “communion” is merely a symbol, desptie the fact that Jesus speaks very clearly and emphatically in the sixth chapter of St.John’s Gospel that He is the bread of life.

The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus is really present in the Holy Eucharist. He is truly present, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. We take Jesus at His literal word when he said, “This is my Body…this is my Blood.” Furthermore, when Jesus told His apostles, “Lo, I am with you until the end of the age,” this means that He would always be present with the Church by means of the Blessed Sacrament.

Protestants, unless in grave circumstances, are not permitted to receive Holy Communion in the Church. Communion requires a belief in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ and in the teachings of the Catholic Church, as well as being in the state of grace (without mortal/grave sin). In other words, one needs to be in communion with the Church. If one is not, and this can mean to say that, for example, a person is in an invalid marriage, excommunicated, has committed a mortal/grave sin and has not gone to Confession, or is Protestant (or non-Christian), then, the individual cannot receive Holy Communion.

The only inter-communion that the Church allows is with her Sister-Churches, namely, the Orthodox Churches. Protestant ecclesial communities, including the Anglicans, Lutherans and Baptists, are not allowed to receive Holy Communion in the Church.

 

[FrDavid96]

Do all them people go to hell?

God decides that.

He also provides us with a way to go to heaven and avoid going to hell. This way is the Church and the Faith professed by the Church. If we choose to reject that way, then He gives us what we want.

 

[Rolltide]

God decides that.

He also provides us with a way to go to heaven and avoid going to hell. This way is the Church and the Faith professed by the Church. If we choose to reject that way, then He gives us what we want.

This is true… BUT… Protestants who are born into the faith are NOT rejecting the Catholic faith, they are ignorant of it, and might remain so their entire life. These people are NOT doomed to hell automatically, but judged on the virtue of the knowledge they possess.

 

[benedictgal]

This is true… BUT… Protestants who are born into the faith are NOT rejecting the Catholic faith, they are ignorant of it, and might remain so their entire life. These people are NOT doomed to hell automatically, but judged on the virtue of the knowledge they possess.

I believe the term is called “invincible ignorance”. I am not sure if it is still used today.

 

[Rolltide]

I believe the term is called “invincible ignorance”. I am not sure if it is still used today.

Yes. It’s in the Catechism.

 

[teachccd]

This is true… BUT… Protestants who are born into the faith are NOT rejecting the Catholic faith, they are ignorant of it, and might remain so their entire life. These people are NOT doomed to hell automatically, but judged on the virtue of the knowledge they possess.

That’s where we Catholics fail to evangelize. Even though Pope John Paul II stressed the importance of evangelization we are seriously lacking in this area. And many Catholics are ignorant of the Catholic faith. How do I know this? Because over the last eight years I continually get groups of Catholic adults in my pre-baptism classes that do not even know what a mortal sin is. They are ignorant of the most basic tenets of our faith.

Statistics show that more than 50% of those identifying themselves as Catholics do not believe in the Real Presence. (To get the actual study I would have to look but it was enough to scare it into my memory)

So, as to who goes to hell is left up to God but as to who can find heaven on earth in the Eucharist is contigent upon our getting the word out. We need to scream it from the rooftops. (Not really as one might fall off) We need to ignite the fire in our bellies and present to the world the biblical and ecclesial background for the Real Presence.

I’ve been to Protestant services. They can be very moving and very charismatic. But there is an absence there. It’s a feeling and a knowing that you cannot explain. Each time I go I pray for those there that they may come to someone who can share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullest…teachccd