Experiance at a Catholic Funeral - Communion

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RTully

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Interested in members opinions on a situation that happened to me yesterday at my Grandfathers funeral. First off I was raised in a Lutheran church but my Dad was raised Catholic and my mom Lutheran.

Anyway before the service my mom tells me the pastor is not to give non Catholics communion. In which my response is I do not need his permission I already have permission from Christ. The idea that man, not christ could deny me Communion seems perverse. Long story short when my row was called I went and accepted the Communion.

What are some opinions on this?
 
Your Mom was correct. The Catholic Church does not have open communion. Catholics are required to go through a two year program before they are allowed to receive communion. Since you knew that receiving communion was not allowed, at the very least you showed disrespect and bad manners in your father’s church.
 
Yes, you were wrong after being told not to receive the Eucharist.
The “I’s” show it was all about what you wanted, and not the respectful thing to do.
 
Yours is a typical attitude in America today. Me. My rights. To hell with everybody else.

The catholic church holds very specific beliefs about what Church is, what the Eucharist is, what sacraments are, what sin and salvation are, and what the communion of saints really is.

What you have done is to tell a lie with your actions. You’ve professed unity with the catholics in that congregation that union demonstrably does not exist (you believe contradictory things!). You were dishonest and dishonarable in entering into a faith community that was not your own, spitting on their values and disregarding their traditions in favor of your own personal opinion. Nice.

I guess I have the right to go to a Lutheran parish this Sunday, stand up in the middle of things and announce that it is all a farce and that their bread and wine are nothing but bread and wine. Basically, that’s what you did to them, if slightly less noisily.

No, I’m not going to do that. Unlike you, I respect the people there, if not their opinions.
 
RTully said:
Interested in members opinions on a situation that happened to me yesterday at my Grandfathers funeral. First off I was raised in a Lutheran church but my Dad was raised Catholic and my mom Lutheran.

Anyway before the service my mom tells me the pastor is not to give non Catholics communion. In which my response is I do not need his permission I already have permission from Christ. The idea that man, not christ could deny me Communion seems perverse. Long story short when my row was called I went and accepted the Communion.

What are some opinions on this?
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We believe the Catholic Church is Christ’s Body on earth, and non Catholic Christians are imperfectly united to it, but not perfectly. We need to be Catholic to receive Communion in the Church, otherwise it’s like we’re dividing His Body. 😦 Furthermore, we believe that the Eucharist (Communion) is literally Jesus, and so it’s important for everyone who receives to believe this too, otherwise they would offend Jesus greatly. Furthermore, before we receive Communion, we go to Confession so that we’re in a state of grace, and Protestant Christians don’t have Confession… so if they were to receive Communion, that would be unworthily and also offend Our Lord. Finally, we fast before Communion.

So with this preparation, it makes sense that non Catholics should not receive.

This was the custom of the very early Church. Here’s a quote from St Justin Martyr, from around 150 AD!

"This food we call the Eucharist, of which no one is allowed to partake except one who believes that the things we teach are true, and has received the washing for forgiveness of sins and for rebirth, and who lives as Christ handed down to us. For we do not receive these things as common bread or common drink; but as Jesus Christ our Savior being incarnate by God’s Word took flesh and blood for our salvation, so also we have been taught that the food consecrated by the Word of prayer which comes from him, from which our flesh and blood are nourished by transformation, is the flesh and blood of that incarnate Jesus."- St. Justin Martyr, 2nd Century.

St Justin Martyr was writing this when there was only one church, the Catholic Church… no Protestant denominations or anyone who split off it… those who split, were heretics outside the Church! And he says, no one should receive the Eucharist except one who is baptized, lives as Christ has taught, and believes what the Church teaches is true. So unless you believe in Catholic teachings, it would be wrong to receive Communion.

You said that Jesus gave you permission to receive, but He speaks through the Church primarily. He in fact did not give permission to receive Communion to anyone except worthily. This means, with Confession, etc.

I know this may sound harsh but the reason Catholics don’t allow anyone else to receive Communion is for their own (the non Catholic person’s) protection… if they were to receive, they would eat and drink judgement on themselves… it would be for their condemnation, not salvation. We wouldn’t want that to happen to anyone.

God bless
 
rtully said:
interested in members opinions on a situation that happened to me yesterday at my grandfathers funeral. First off i was raised in a lutheran church but my dad was raised catholic and my mom lutheran.

Anyway before the service my mom tells me the pastor is not to give non catholics communion. In which my response is i do not need his permission i already have permission from christ. The idea that man, not christ could deny me communion seems perverse. Long story short when my row was called i went and accepted the communion.

What are some opinions on this?
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Sounds just a bit like B A I T to me.

Just an opinion. No disrespect intended
 
RTully said:
Interested in members opinions on a situation that happened to me yesterday at my Grandfathers funeral. First off I was raised in a Lutheran church but my Dad was raised Catholic and my mom Lutheran.

Anyway before the service my mom tells me the pastor is not to give non Catholics communion. In which my response is I do not need his permission I already have permission from Christ. The idea that man, not christ could deny me Communion seems perverse. Long story short when my row was called I went and accepted the Communion.

What are some opinions on this?
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Just curious, do Catholics receive at Lutheran services?
 
RTully said:
Interested in members opinions on a situation that happened to me yesterday at my Grandfathers funeral. First off I was raised in a Lutheran church but my Dad was raised Catholic and my mom Lutheran.

Anyway before the service my mom tells me the pastor is not to give non Catholics communion. In which my response is I do not need his permission I already have permission from Christ. The idea that man, not christ could deny me Communion seems perverse. Long story short when my row was called I went and accepted the Communion.

What are some opinions on this?
Click to expand...
Condolences on the loss of your grandfather. However, I am confused as to why you would chose the funeral of a loved one as a venue for a protest against the Catholic Church. I’m sorry your mother had to see that.
 
I also went through a 2 year Communion and accept the bread and wine as the body and blood. I guess I have a hard time thinking Jesus would not want a true believer in him not to share in the body and blood at his family funeral because of Denomination disputes. It’s not like I just wanted to go to a Catholic church on a Sunday to test them if they will give it to me just to show them I could get it. It was my Grandfathers funeral.
 
OK - try this rather more down to earth explanation.

If you are a member of a club you have to obey its rules

Agree ?

Now the club admits visitors - but some things are reserved for members only

Agree ?

The RC Church has its rules and admits visitors to its Services - BUT some things are restricted to those who belong to the Church ?

Do you belong to the Church ?

Was it correct for you to say " OK You say I can’t have Communion here even though I do in my Lutheran/ Baptist, Episcopal Church but I don’t care about your Rules. I WANT to so I WILL . If you don’t like it you know what to do "

Is this polite to your hosts ?

you said
It was my Grandfathers funeral.
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Sorry - what has that got to do with it - you were downright rude , there’s no other way to describe your action.

I have seen a Non-Catholic father of a little girl , carry her small white coffin into Church , he did not go forward for Communion - he had enough respect to stay in his pew. It was one of the saddest things I’ve ever seen
 
The_Idiot said:
I have seen a Non-Catholic father of a little girl , carry her small white coffin into Church , he did not go forward for Communion - he had enough respect to stay in his pew. It was one of the saddest things I’ve ever seen
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It is sad that Catholics believe it goes against Gods will not to share the body and blood of Christ with the father of a deceased young girl {Assuming he was a believer}.
 
RTully said:
I also went through a 2 year Communion and accept the bread and wine as the body and blood. I guess I have a hard time thinking Jesus would not want a true believer in him not to share in the body and blood at his family funeral because of Denomination disputes. It’s not like I just wanted to go to a Catholic church on a Sunday to test them if they will give it to me just to show them I could get it. It was my Grandfathers funeral.
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Yes, it was your grandfather’s funeral Mass. But why would this in itself entitle you to knowingly take communion when you knew that it was not allowed? The Church does not make this type of allowance for non-Catholic family members.

Did you ask your mother about why it is that non-Catholics cannot take communion?
And is this something that your grandfather would have approved of?

Also, you mentioned in your first post that you want opinions on this issue. Except that this is one issue, according to the Church, that is not a matter of opinion. It is a rule that non-Catholics cannot take communion. Sometimes it’s difficult for non-Catholics to understand that there are rules that must be abided by in the Catholic Church.
 
RTully said:
It is sad that Catholics believe it goes against Gods will not to share the body and blood of Christ with the father of a deceased young girl {Assuming he was a believer}.
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I guess I was right after all.👍
 
RTully said:
I also went through a 2 year Communion and accept the bread and wine as the body and blood. I guess I have a hard time thinking Jesus would not want a true believer in him not to share in the body and blood at his family funeral because of Denomination disputes. It’s not like I just wanted to go to a Catholic church on a Sunday to test them if they will give it to me just to show them I could get it. It was my Grandfathers funeral.
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First, condolences on the loss of your grandfather.

The problem here is that you are applying your understanding of communion to something that is not your communion. It is, in addition to being the body and blood of Christ, a sign that you are in full and visible communion with the Church Christ founded.

You are not in full and visible communion with the Church Christ founded. I could put the “Catholics believe” in front of that to make it sound less harsh, but doing so would undermine the seriousness of what you did. You received the body and blood of Christ in a manner that made a statement that is false. The false statement would be bad enough, but combining it with act of receiving our lord is… troubling.

Your church is not fully united with our church. You don’t think it is. We don’t think it is. So we shouldn’t pretend that it is, especially not during such a serious thing as receiving our Lord.

That’s not to say that Catholics want to deny you communion. We would very much like for you to be able to receive communion with us. But a perquisite for that is being in communion with us. The Eucharist is so much more than a symbol of unity. But it is also that, and to take it without that unity being present is to lie.

Of course, as a non-Catholic, you may not believe any of that. But we would hope that you would show respect for the faiths of your mother and grandfather when you go to their church.
 
What do you honestly think your grndfather would say? Be honest with yourself now. God knows your honest feelings He is your judge. As a catholic I have to say you were wrong not showing your grandfather’s beliefs respect. Pray about it, if you are a sincere christian you will be enlightened. God is merciful and we should be too.

fixxer
 
Iron_Donkey said:
Of course, as a non-Catholic, you may not believe any of that. But we would hope that you would show respect for the faiths of your mother and grandfather when you go to their church.
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Thanks for yours and many other responses. Most were pretty respectful. I never thought about it till the funeral and it got me thinking so much I signed up here so I could hear explanations from Catholics. At this point I won’t take Communion if I go to a Catholic church again but do not believe it is the will of God for Catholics not to let me recieve it.
 
I think that the OP believes that he has every right to obey only a part of what God wants and to forget the rest because it is not convenient, while the Catholic Church is a nasty institution because she reminds people that we have to obey at all times. I guess that the OP thinks that he has more power than God.
 
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