Eucharist Question

[Adam14]

Hello Everyone,

I haven’t logged on to the forum in almost a year…so I’m sure that nobody remembers me from my last log in (10 Dec 08!)…it’s been way too long.

Anyway, I’m currently in RCIA and I now know that I am doing the right thing. It took me a while to finally go forward with it, but I’m doing it and have no regrets.

Recently during RCIA, the speaker was talking about non-Catholics taking communion, and how the Church discourages it…same stuff that most of us were already familiar with.

As he was mentioning this, another Catholic raised a point saying that the Church has changed it’s view on this, and that anyone is welcome to partake in communion as long as they’re doing so with an “open heart”. I’m not exactly sure what they mean by “open heart”, but I still get what they’re saying. I’m still not participating until I’m confirmed, but I wanted to see what your opinion is on this…that is, if the claim that the Church has a new view on it this is true.

 

[Nominefili]

Hello Everyone,

I haven’t logged on to the forum in almost a year…so I’m sure that nobody remembers me from my last log in (10 Dec 08!)…it’s been way too long.

Anyway, I’m currently in RCIA and I now know that I am doing the right thing. It took me a while to finally go forward with it, but I’m doing it and have no regrets.

Recently during RCIA, the speaker was talking about non-Catholics taking communion, and how the Church discourages it…same stuff that most of us were already familiar with.

As he was mentioning this, another Catholic raised a point saying that the Church has changed it’s view on this, and that anyone is welcome to partake in communion as long as they’re doing so with an “open heart”. I’m not exactly sure what they mean by “open heart”, but I still get what they’re saying. I’m still not participating until I’m confirmed, but I wanted to see what your opinion is on this…that is, if the claim that the Church has a new view on it this is true.

Welcome back to the forums! It looks as though you used to be a Lutheran, may I ask what Synod you were in?

With regard to an ‘open heart’ uhmm I’m pretty sure closed communion is a solid rule within the Roman church. Correct me if I’m wrong but Rome takes communion pretty seriously, I doubt they would open their altar to anyone who felt like walking up.

 

[Adam14]

Yeah that’s why I was a little surprised by that statement…they threw me a curveball, no doubt!

Thanks for the welcome back…and to answer your question, I was a member of an LCMS church. Thanks!

 

[twopekinguys]

Hello Everyone,

I haven’t logged on to the forum in almost a year…so I’m sure that nobody remembers me from my last log in (10 Dec 08!)…it’s been way too long.

Anyway, I’m currently in RCIA and I now know that I am doing the right thing. It took me a while to finally go forward with it, but I’m doing it and have no regrets.

Recently during RCIA, the speaker was talking about non-Catholics taking communion, and how the Church discourages it…same stuff that most of us were already familiar with.

As he was mentioning this, another Catholic raised a point saying that the Church has changed it’s view on this, and that anyone is welcome to partake in communion as long as they’re doing so with an “open heart”. I’m not exactly sure what they mean by “open heart”, but I still get what they’re saying. I’m still not participating until I’m confirmed, but I wanted to see what your opinion is on this…that is, if the claim that the Church has a new view on it this is true.

It is still a closed communion. If a Catholic in your RCIA is telling you otherwise, they are mistaken.

This should be stated in the missalette, usually inside the front or back cover.

 

[Gem]

I think there is an exception if the non-Catholilc is in danger of death, asks to receive on their own, believes in the Real Presence and the minister believes the person to not be in a state of mortal sin. Otherwise, closed Communion is practiced.

The reason for Closed Communion is because of the Real Presence (transsubstatiation) and that Paul says that whoever eats and drinks the Eucharist without discerning the Lord “eats and drinks condemnation unto himself”. Receiving Communion is to be IN Communuion and to be joined with the Body of Christ, literally and figuratively. It’s not just a friendly ceremony. It’s also an expression of the oneness of the Church (“one bread, one body”) which was something Christ wanted for all people, but which is, sadly, not the case.

 

[Belloc_Fan]

The comment right above me is 100% accurate.

A friend of mine who is trying to learn more about her Catholic faith highly recommends Catholic Christianity by Peter Kreeft. I haven’t read it, but everything I have read by Kreeft I’d highly recommend.

 

[dashso40]

Hello Adam, welcome back!
Communion in the Catholic Church is not open to everyone, only Catholics can partake in it…but nonCatholics are welcome to attend Mass…I was in RCIA, and I was not allowed to take Communion until I was confirmed

 

[MelanieAnne]

In our parish, an announcement is made right before the prayers to bless the Eucharist that Catholics who are spiritually prepared are welcome to receive the Eucharist. Non-Catholics and those Catholics who are not spiritually prepared to receive are advised that they are welcome to come forward and receive a blessing and are advised how they can signal that they wish to receive the blessing rather than the Eucharist.

Many Protestant denominations will permit “any baptized Christian” to receive the Eucharist and it is up to the individual to make their own decision whether to receive. This can result in persons receiving the Eucharist without understanding what they are doing.

 

[Reuben_J]

In our parish, an announcement is made right before the prayers to bless the Eucharist that Catholics who are spiritually prepared are welcome to receive the Eucharist. Non-Catholics and those Catholics who are not spiritually prepared to receive are advised that they are welcome to come forward and receive a blessing and are advised how they can signal that they wish to receive the blessing rather than the Eucharist.

Recently the instruction in our archdiocese following the introduction of GIRM is that such blessings are only for pre-communion children. Adults not receiving communion may not come forward. This new ruling will be implemented soon.

As for the OP, Communion is for Catholics only who are in a state of grace, generally means those who have gone for confession. However, if we think that the mass is only about communion then we miss the significance of the purpose of mass. Communion is just a part of it, no matter how beautiful it is to be able to receive it. The greater importance would be to attend the mass even if we cannot receive Communion.

If we look at the prayer that we say before Communion, “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you but say the word and I shall be healed”, it already implied that there are many in the congregation who cannot receive Communion at that mass. But because such is our love for it, surely we will work toward being able to receive it the next time – by going for confession or for pre-baptism candidates, they will look forward for baptism and thus be able to receive the Lord in Communion.

God bless you.