Extremely upset about watching the Holy Roman Catholic sacraments! :(

[VikingGirlTBird]

Greetings my Christian Brothers and Sisters!

My user name is VikingGirlTBird and it is extremely nice to meet all of you! How are all of you? I am a non-denominational Christian who has many Roman Catholic extended family members and relatives. My family, some of my non-Catholic extended family members and relatives, and myself have been invited to and have gone to most of my cousins’ christenings, first communions, and confirmations. Most of the times when my family, my extended family members and relatives, and myself would go to these sacraments, I would get and I felt extremely sad, offended, angry, unloved, rejected, jealous, and would cry (I am extremely emotionally sensitive person.) because of the Catholic Church’s rules, regulations, beliefs, and practices about who could participate in, what spiritually happens to the participants, and the special relationship between the participants and God, Jesus, and etc that does not extend to non-catholics/non-participants. Now that I am alot older, more mature, can handle my emotions better, and have learned a little bit more about and understand the Catholic Church and etc a little bit better, I am alot more emotionally/mentally prepared. But, I can still get extremely emotionally upset at times if I am not extremely carefull. Has this happened to anybody before? Is this all “Some what.” normal? How can I better handle my emotions and mentally/emotionally prepare myself in the future? Thanks so much! Peace!

Love,

VikingGirlTBird!

 

[Lapey]

Greetings my Christian Brothers and Sisters!

My user name is VikingGirlTBird and it is extremely nice to meet all of you! How are all of you? I am a non-denominational Christian who has many Roman Catholic extended family members and relatives. My family, some of my non-Catholic extended family members and relatives, and myself have been invited to and have gone to most of my cousins’ christenings, first communions, and confirmations. Most of the times when my family, my extended family members and relatives, and myself would go to these sacraments, I would get and I felt extremely sad, offended, angry, unloved, rejected, jealous, and would cry (I am extremely emotionally sensitive person.) because of the Catholic Church’s rules, regulations, beliefs, and practices about who could participate in, what spiritually happens to the participants, and the special relationship between the participants and God, Jesus, and etc that does not extend to non-catholics/non-participants. Now that I am alot older, more mature, can handle my emotions better, and have learned a little bit more about and understand the Catholic Church and etc a little bit better, I am alot more emotionally/mentally prepared. But, I can still get extremely emotionally upset at times if I am not extremely carefull. Has this happened to anybody before? Is this all “Some what.” normal? How can I better handle my emotions and mentally/emotionally prepare myself in the future? Thanks so much! Peace!

Love,

VikingGirlTBird!

First off, welcome!

I know this is not the question you are asking, but you are invited to participate as well. You can by commiting to Jesus in His Church and therefore come into full communion with Him. All are invited. With that said, if one chooses to not be a part of something, why would you feel cheated by not being allowed to participate as an outsider?

I pray you see the charity in which I make these comments.

 

[Dorothy]

Is it because you are not to receive the Eucharist during these Catholic events that you attend?

If that is the case, the reason non-Catholics are not permitted to receive is because when one receives the Eucharist (Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ our Lord), one is saying that they believe everything the Catholic Church teaches.

We Catholics are saddened by the divisions between Christians, and hope and pray that Jesus will make us all one.

Welcome to our forum, and feel free to discuss various topics!

 

[Michael_Clemons]

VikingGirl, welcome. I am a convert of many years now. I studied and studied till I was certain that to be in FULL communion with Christ, I needed to convert to the Catholic Faith. This was not only in my mind, but a pull from the Holy Spirit in my heart also. Please do not feel slighted…and I would joyfully ask you to consider conversion. It’s the happiest journey I have ever taken, and I feel so much more close to God now for it.

God bless you,

Michael

 

[VikingGirlTBird]

Hi Deacon Lapey!

It is extremely nice to meet you! How are you? Thanks so much for answering my questions!

I was always taught by my Roman Catholic extended family and relatives when I was a child that I was not allowed to participtate in Holy Communion because I was not a Roman Catholic and I was not christened or baptised as a Catholic (Even though my Catholic Nana once gave a host and my Catholic cousins even gave me a unbaked host once when I was little even though all of them were not supposed to do that because of what I just said above (Plus extra reasons that I didn’t know about and plus didn’t understand as a child.) and I didn’t know any better at the time. Yes…I very unfornitely ate both of them. LOL!) As a child I was taught that God and Jesus were for everyone, loved everyone, and that going to church was supposed to be a extremely happy, uplifting, and spiritual experiance for everyone at the same time. You can only imagine that as a child that no wonder I felt all of those extremely negative feelings plus, alot of confusion and that I didn’t knew much about Catholicism and etc at that time. But now, sense I educated myself about alot of these things, I somewhat understand what and why things happen a certain way in the Catholic Church.

PS: I know some churches of different denomenations do open communion and closed communion. What does your church practice? Are they Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, or other? Just wondering!

Love,
Thea!

 

[suissemissed]

Greetings my Christian Brothers and Sisters!

My user name is VikingGirlTBird and it is extremely nice to meet all of you! How are all of you? I am a non-denominational Christian who has many Roman Catholic extended family members and relatives. My family, some of my non-Catholic extended family members and relatives, and myself have been invited to and have gone to most of my cousins’ christenings, first communions, and confirmations. Most of the times when my family, my extended family members and relatives, and myself would go to these sacraments, I would get and I felt extremely sad, offended, angry, unloved, rejected, jealous, and would cry (I am extremely emotionally sensitive person.) because of the Catholic Church’s rules, regulations, beliefs, and practices about who could participate in, what spiritually happens to the participants, and the special relationship between the participants and God, Jesus, and etc that does not extend to non-catholics/non-participants. Now that I am alot older, more mature, can handle my emotions better, and have learned a little bit more about and understand the Catholic Church and etc a little bit better, I am alot more emotionally/mentally prepared. But, I can still get extremely emotionally upset at times if I am not extremely carefull. Has this happened to anybody before? Is this all “Some what.” normal? How can I better handle my emotions and mentally/emotionally prepare myself in the future? Thanks so much! Peace!

Love,

VikingGirlTBird!

I understand how you feel. I used to be a non-denominational Christian like you, and when I decided that God was calling me to become Catholic, I had to spend quite a while waiting before I was received into the Church. So Sunday after Sunday, I had to get used to practically everyone going to Communion except me. It was hard, and yes, I did get upset and even angry at times. But it has been VERY worth it!

Try not to see it as the Church saying you are “unworthy” or something like that. That’s not it at all. Rather, the Church believes that Communion is exactly that: common-union. People who receive the Eucharist must profess the same faith as the Church, and must be in “common-union” with Her. I think this is also a biblical requirement. In St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians he says, “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” (ch. 1) Later on in that same letter, he says, *“Because there is one loaf , we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf” (ch. 10). And in his letter to the Ephesians he says there is “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5). Do you see the strong emphasis on unity and oneness? It’s not at all like the Protestantism I was brought up in and which I myself adhered to for many years - what we believe is not up to the individual Christian, but rather it’s the Church as a whole (in particular, the overseers or “bishops”) who hands on the Faith of the apostles. In Paul’s letter to Titus, he tells Titus to appoint presbyters in every city and to “Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.” Again, it’s not every Christian for themselves. It’s every Christian, united to and obeying their bishop, sharing in the one Loaf and the one Faith.

That’s why St. Ignatius of Antioch, who himself was a disciple of St. John the Apostle, could say boldly, “Do not err, my brethren. If any man follows him that makes a schism in the Church, he shall not inherit the kingdom of God. If any one walks according to a strange opinion, he agrees not with the passion [of Christ]. Take heed, then, to have but one Eucharist. For there is one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup to [show forth] the unity of His blood; one altar; as there is one bishop, along with the presbytery and deacons, my fellow-servants: that so, whatsoever you do, you may do it according to [the will of] God.”

In another place, Ignatius writes: “Especially [will I do this] if the Lord make known to me that you come together man by man in common through grace, individually, in one faith, and in Jesus Christ, who was of the seed of David according to the flesh, being both the Son of man and the Son of God, so that you obey the bishop and the presbytery with an undivided mind, breaking one and the same bread, which is the medicine of immortality, and the antidote to prevent us from dying, but [which causes] that we should live for ever in Jesus Christ.”

Ignatius wrote his letters around AD 110, about ten years after the death of the last apostle (St. John). His letters - along with those of St. Clement of Rome, St. Irenaeus of Lyons, and St. Justin the Martyr - greatly influenced my decision to become Catholic. Many of the things they believed (the Church, the Papacy, the Eucharist, baptism, etc.) were vastly different from what I believed as a Protestant. If you’d like to read them all, see this link. Also, Catholic Bridge is excellent for non-Catholics who want to learn more about the Church.

God bless you on your journey with Christ! *

 

[Gabriel_Serafin]

I would get and I felt extremely sad, offended, angry, unloved, rejected, jealous, and would cry (I am extremely emotionally sensitive person.) because of the Catholic Church’s rules, regulations, beliefs, and practices about who could participate in, what spiritually happens to the participants, and the special relationship between the participants and God, Jesus, and etc that does not extend to non-catholics/non-participants.

So what’s the problem? Why don’t you just become Catholic? Every single person on this planet is invited to become Catholic. What are you waiting for? On the other hand, if you don’t believe in the teachings of Catholicism, it would be a contradiction to demand to have the sacraments while at the same time rejecting the teachings of the Catholic Church…

 

[VikingGirlTBird]

Hi Dorothy!

How are you? Thanks so much for answering my questions!

Is it because you are not to receive the Eucharist during these Catholic events that you attend?

Yes, very sadly it was.

If that is the case, the reason non-Catholics are not permitted to receive is because when one receives the Eucharist (Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ our Lord), one is saying that they believe everything the Catholic Church teaches.

When I got older, that was one of the many reasons that I learned about why non-Catholics are permitted to receive the Eucharist. One of my cousins said that the Catholic Church was kind of like a club, “If you are not part of it, then you are not allowed to participate in it.”. But, she never mentioned to me that specific reason that you just mentioned above.

We Catholics are saddened by the divisions between Christians, and hope and pray that Jesus will make us all one.

Same here, although I think we will never be truly united as one because of all our differences. I can only hope that we can truly understand, respect, see, and love eachother as truely Christians though!

Welcome to our forum, and feel free to discuss various topics!

Thanks so much for the extremely warm welcome! Peace and God bless you always! Amen!

Love,
Thea!

 

[ExGratia]

Hi Deacon Lapey!

It is extremely nice to meet you! How are you? Thanks so much for answering my questions!

I was always taught by my Roman Catholic extended family and relatives when I was a child that I was not allowed to participtate in Holy Communion because I was not a Roman Catholic and I was not christened or baptised as a Catholic (Even though my Catholic Nana once gave a host and my Catholic cousins even gave me a unbaked host once when I was little even though all of them were not supposed to do that because of what I just said above (Plus extra reasons that I didn’t know about and plus didn’t understand as a child.) and I didn’t know any better at the time. Yes…I very unfornitely ate both of them. LOL!) As a child I was taught that God and Jesus were for everyone, loved everyone, and that going to church was supposed to be a extremely happy, uplifting, and spiritual experiance for everyone at the same time. You can only imagine that as a child that no wonder I felt all of those extremely negative feelings plus, alot of confusion and that I didn’t knew much about Catholicism and etc at that time. But now, sense I educated myself about alot of these things, I somewhat understand what and why things happen a certain way in the Catholic Church.

PS: I know some churches of different denomenations do open communion and closed communion. What does your church practice? Are they Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, or other? Just wondering!

Love,
Thea!

Sacrilege is not an “LOL” subject. Although you didn’t realize the gravity of the situation as a small child, it is still a serious matter. One should not take a tenet of another’s faith so lightly.

And I suppose you didn’t mean “unbaked” but “unconsecrated” for the second host. That is not what we Catholics recognize as the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. But you imply the first was consecrated and that is certainly not a laughing matter.

It is understandable that you feel sad when in the Real Presence of Christ and cannot fully partake. That is a natural response to a supernatural emptiness that can only be fulfilled in the Eucharist. See the Gospel of John 6:53-56

This longing is a gift. I am confident that it is bringing you closer to the truth. Keep learning and reading about the Catholic faith. A copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church could answer many questions. Welcome and God bless you!

 

[JRKH]

Hi Deacon Lapey!

It is extremely nice to meet you! How are you? Thanks so much for answering my questions!

I’m not deacon Lapey but want to welcome you to CAF…You will learn much here…many many wonderful folks here.

I was always taught by my Roman Catholic extended family and relatives when I was a child that I was not allowed to participtate in Holy Communion because I was not a Roman Catholic and I was not christened or baptised as a Catholic

Yes - this is correct and as others have mentioned this is quite biblical and is a protection of both the host and those receiving for St Paul warns against receiving without a proper understanding. The Church rightly supposes that those who are not in full communion with the Church do not have this proper understanding…(or else the would BE Catholic).

(Even though my Catholic Nana once gave a host and my Catholic cousins even gave me a unbaked host once when I was little even though all of them were not supposed to do that because of what I just said above (Plus extra reasons that I didn’t know about and plus didn’t understand as a child.) and I didn’t know any better at the time. Yes…I very unfortunately ate both of them. LOL!)

Those who did this sinned in doing so…However you did not since you did not know…

As a child I was taught that God and Jesus were for everyone, loved everyone, and that going to church was supposed to be a extremely happy, uplifting, and spiritual experience for everyone at the same time.

A right and good teaching.

You can only imagine that as a child that no wonder I felt all of those extremely negative feelings plus, a lot of confusion and that I didn’t knew much about Catholicism and etc at that time. But now, since I educated myself about a lot of these things, I somewhat understand what and why things happen a certain way in the Catholic Church.

Yes - such things can be difficult for children and even for some adults. I’m glad to hear that you have come to a better understanding.

Now to address your OP questions…

Has this happened to anybody before? Is this all “Some what.” normal?

I’m sure it has among various non-Catholics…There are so many “flavors” of protestants out there - some quite anti-Catholic - that such things are going to be unavoidable. Can’t say it happened to me though since I was raised Catholic - then left the Church for 35 years before returning…

How can I better handle my emotions and mentally/emotionally prepare myself in the future?

Maybe the easiest way is to become Catholic…
What prevents you from coming into the Church?

Seriously - I think that you should keep doing what you are doing. Study, learn, visit and participate in Mass (except communion of course) and ask questions. Once you come to understand how biblical, how beautiful, how spiritually rich and diverse the Church is, I’m sure that you will never feel angry or hurt again - - - whether you actually convert or not.

Thanks so much! Peace!

YOU are welcome

Peace
James

 

[VikingGirlTBird]

VikingGirl, welcome. I am a convert of many years now. I studied and studied till I was certain that to be in FULL communion with Christ, I needed to convert to the Catholic Faith. This was not only in my mind, but a pull from the Holy Spirit in my heart also. Please do not feel slighted…and I would joyfully ask you to consider conversion. It’s the happiest journey I have ever taken, and I feel so much more close to God now for it.

God bless you,

Michael

Hi Michael!

How are you? Thanks so much for answering my questions!

I will definently try my very best not to feel slighted in anyway! Thanks so much for your extremely kind invitation to Catholicism though but, I do respectfully agree and as well as disagree with alot about what the Catholic Church believes, practices, and etc. By the way, I am very happy for you though! Best of wishes, good luck, God bless you always for the wonderful life changing decission that you personially made! Peace!

Love,
Thea!

 

[Gabriel_Serafin]

I do respectfully agree and as well as disagree with alot about what the Catholic Church believes, practices, and etc.

Maybe if you shared some of the problems you have with Catholic teaching we can help you understand why the Church teaches what it does. I find that there are many non-Catholics who have many misconceptions about Catholic teaching, based on what other non-Catholics teach about the Catholic Church.

 

[Allegra]

I think I understand how you feel exactly. When I was little and my parents were together, my family was active in the Church. We went to Mass all the time. My father prayed with us and my grandmother taught us the rosary. When I was six, my parents seperated and around the same time my father quit attending church faithfully and my mother quit attending at all. It was like in addition to losing my family, I also lost my “Catholic card”. I was taken out of the parish school I had attended. (due to a move) I went weeks without going to church because I only went with my father and I didn’t see him every weekend. When I did go to Mass it was for special occasions like sacraments and feast days. I remember the same sort of feeling you described.

I felt jealous of all the others who got to go to communion and sad as if I was no longer a child of God, or maybe more like God was a divorced father that I only got to be with on varying weekends and Christmas vacation while His “real children” got to be with him all the time. The most devasting experience was attending my step-sister’s first Communion. She was in the same grade as I was. Many of my school mates were allowed to take first communion that day as well. I was heartbroken that I was not among them and I felt like I was permanantly seperated from God because I wasn’t “really Catholic”.

I began to hate the Church and convinced myself that God wasn’t real. This went on until I was in college. I began to feel a real desire to be part of the Church again. My roommate encouraged me to go to Mass and I began to attend regularly, but my heart ached every time the Eucharist came because I was not able to take part in it.

One week I saw an “Interested in becoming Catholic?” ad in the bullitin and I decided to call the number. I was so terrified to meet the woman in charge of adult faith formation because I had to explain the embarassing story of why I never recieved First Communion or Confirmation and I knew eventually I would have to confess all the horrible things I had thought and said when I went through my “atheist” stage.

Anyway, I explained to the lady my situation and told her that I wanted to be a Catholic again. She gave me the most bizarre, watered-down abridged Catechism you ever saw in your life and instructed me to read it and call her if I wanted to continue in my spiritual journey. (This Church was at a Jesuit college campus. Please do not take any of this story as my endorsement of their rather laid back adult faith formation process.)

I went home and read the whole thing and called her back the next day. She gave me another appointment and I went back to discuss what needed to be done. She asked me if I’d understood what I’d read and I said yes. She asked me if I had any questions or if there were any teachings I was concerned about. I said no, even so I got sick to my stomach over the thought of having to confess to a priest, particularly given the fact that I had completely disowned God and denied his existance. She told me that she saw no reason why I could not receive the Eucharist the following Sunday at Mass. I couldn’t believe my ears. I almost burst into tears as she led me to the door.

Just as I was leaving I said, “Wait. Don’t I have to go to confession first?” She told me that I could go if I needed to and told me when it was. So two days later I was in the confession line for the first time in my life. I was nervous beyond belief not only because of what I had to tell the priest, but because the line was really long and I was afraid I would run out of time and I didn’t think I could recieve the next day if I didn’t do my confession. Fortunatly, the line sped up and I made my confession and the next day I recieved the Eucharist for the first time. I had to wait until the summer for my Confirmation which was a lovely experience, no doubt. But it was nothing like the first time I was able to recieve the Body and Blood of Christ.

 

[VikingGirlTBird]

Sacrilege is not an “LOL” subject. Although you didn’t realize the gravity of the situation as a small child, it is still a serious matter. One should not take a tenet of another’s faith so lightly.

And I suppose you didn’t mean “unbaked” but “unconsecrated” for the second host. That is not what we Catholics recognize as the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. But you imply the first was consecrated and that is certainly not a laughing matter.

It is understandable that you feel sad when in the Real Presence of Christ and cannot fully partake. That is a natural response to a supernatural emptiness that can only be fulfilled in the Eucharist. See the Gospel of John 6:53-56

This longing is a gift. I am confident that it is bringing you closer to the truth. Keep learning and reading about the Catholic faith. A copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church could answer many questions. Welcome and God bless you!

Hi ExGratia!

It is extremely nice to meet you! Thanks for answering my questions and for correcting me at some points. I am extremely sorry that I said “LOL!” and that I didn’t take Catholic Sacrilege/tenets very seriously by saying that. I never really meant to really offend anyone (Especially Catholics.) and I really do hate it when I accidently offend anyone. Once again I am very sorry! Please forgive me. Thanks!

You are right that sometimes gifts come it spinny packages though. And I will definently keep on learning and reading about the Catholic faith. Thanks for suggesting that book for me! Thanks so much for your warm welcome and may God bless you to always! Peace!

Love,
VikingGirlTBird!

 

[VikingGirlTBird]

I think I understand how you feel exactly. When I was little and my parents were together, my family was active in the Church. We went to Mass all the time. My father prayed with us and my grandmother taught us the rosary. When I was six, my parents seperated and around the same time my father quit attending church faithfully and my mother quit attending at all. It was like in addition to losing my family, I also lost my “Catholic card”. I was taken out of the parish school I had attended. (due to a move) I went weeks without going to church because I only went with my father and I didn’t see him every weekend. When I did go to Mass it was for special occasions like sacraments and feast days. I remember the same sort of feeling you described.

I felt jealous of all the others who got to go to communion and sad as if I was no longer a child of God, or maybe more like God was a divorced father that I only got to be with on varying weekends and Christmas vacation while His “real children” got to be with him all the time. The most devasting experience was attending my step-sister’s first Communion. She was in the same grade as I was. Many of my school mates were allowed to take first communion that day as well. I was heartbroken that I was not among them and I felt like I was permanantly seperated from God because I wasn’t “really Catholic”.

I began to hate the Church and convinced myself that God wasn’t real. This went on until I was in college. I began to feel a real desire to be part of the Church again. My roommate encouraged me to go to Mass and I began to attend regularly, but my heart ached every time the Eucharist came because I was not able to take part in it.

One week I saw an “Interested in becoming Catholic?” ad in the bullitin and I decided to call the number. I was so terrified to meet the woman in charge of adult faith formation because I had to explain the embarassing story of why I never recieved First Communion or Confirmation and I knew eventually I would have to confess all the horrible things I had thought and said when I went through my “atheist” stage.

Anyway, I explained to the lady my situation and told her that I wanted to be a Catholic again. She gave me the most bizarre, watered-down abridged Catechism you ever saw in your life and instructed me to read it and call her if I wanted to continue in my spiritual journey. (This Church was at a Jesuit college campus. Please do not take any of this story as my endorsement of their rather laid back adult faith formation process.)

I went home and read the whole thing and called her back the next day. She gave me another appointment and I went back to discuss what needed to be done. She asked me if I’d understood what I’d read and I said yes. She asked me if I had any questions or if there were any teachings I was concerned about. I said no, even so I got sick to my stomach over the thought of having to confess to a priest, particularly given the fact that I had completely disowned God and denied his existance. She told me that she saw no reason why I could not receive the Eucharist the following Sunday at Mass. I couldn’t believe my ears. I almost burst into tears as she led me to the door.

Just as I was leaving I said, “Wait. Don’t I have to go to confession first?” She told me that I could go if I needed to and told me when it was. So two days later I was in the confession line for the first time in my life. I was nervous beyond belief not only because of what I had to tell the priest, but because the line was really long and I was afraid I would run out of time and I didn’t think I could recieve the next day if I didn’t do my confession. Fortunatly, the line sped up and I made my confession and the next day I recieved the Eucharist for the first time. I had to wait until the summer for my Confirmation which was a lovely experience, no doubt. But it was nothing like the first time I was able to recieve the Body and Blood of Christ.

Hi Allegra!

How are you? Thanks so much for answering my questions and for your really inspiring and amazing story! May God bless you always! Amen! Peace!

Love,
Thea!

 

[VikingGirlTBird]

Maybe if you shared some of the problems you have with Catholic teaching we can help you understand why the Church teaches what it does. I find that there are many non-Catholics who have many misconceptions about Catholic teaching, based on what other non-Catholics teach about the Catholic Church.

Hi Gabriel!

How are you? Thanks so much for answering my questions. I will most definently ask alot of questions about Catholicism so I can have a better understanding and relationship with the Catholic Church. May God bless you always! Amen! Peace!

Love,
Thea!

 

[VikingGirlTBird]

I understand how you feel. I used to be a non-denominational Christian like you, and when I decided that God was calling me to become Catholic, I had to spend quite a while waiting before I was received into the Church. So Sunday after Sunday, I had to get used to practically everyone going to Communion except me. It was hard, and yes, I did get upset and even angry at times. But it has been VERY worth it!

Try not to see it as the Church saying you are “unworthy” or something like that. That’s not it at all. Rather, the Church believes that Communion is exactly that: common-union. People who receive the Eucharist must profess the same faith as the Church, and must be in “common-union” with Her. I think this is also a biblical requirement. In St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians he says, “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” (ch. 1) Later on in that same letter, he says, "Because there is one loaf , we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf" (ch. 10). And in his letter to the Ephesians he says there is “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5). Do you see the strong emphasis on unity and oneness? It’s not at all like the Protestantism I was brought up in and which I myself adhered to for many years - what we believe is not up to the individual Christian, but rather it’s the Church as a whole (in particular, the overseers or “bishops”) who hands on the Faith of the apostles. In Paul’s letter to Titus, he tells Titus to appoint presbyters in every city and to “Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.” Again, it’s not every Christian for themselves. It’s every Christian, united to and obeying their bishop, sharing in the one Loaf and the one Faith.

That’s why St. Ignatius of Antioch, who himself was a disciple of St. John the Apostle, could say boldly, “Do not err, my brethren. If any man follows him that makes a schism in the Church, he shall not inherit the kingdom of God. If any one walks according to a strange opinion, he agrees not with the passion [of Christ]. Take heed, then, to have but one Eucharist. For there is one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup to [show forth] the unity of His blood; one altar; as there is one bishop, along with the presbytery and deacons, my fellow-servants: that so, whatsoever you do, you may do it according to [the will of] God.”

In another place, Ignatius writes: “Especially [will I do this] if the Lord make known to me that you come together man by man in common through grace, individually, in one faith, and in Jesus Christ, who was of the seed of David according to the flesh, being both the Son of man and the Son of God, so that you obey the bishop and the presbytery with an undivided mind, breaking one and the same bread, which is the medicine of immortality, and the antidote to prevent us from dying, but [which causes] that we should live for ever in Jesus Christ.”

Ignatius wrote his letters around AD 110, about ten years after the death of the last apostle (St. John). His letters - along with those of St. Clement of Rome, St. Irenaeus of Lyons, and St. Justin the Martyr - greatly influenced my decision to become Catholic. Many of the things they believed (the Church, the Papacy, the Eucharist, baptism, etc.) were vastly different from what I believed as a Protestant. If you’d like to read them all, see this link. Also, Catholic Bridge is excellent for non-Catholics who want to learn more about the Church.

God bless you on your journey with Christ!

Hi Suissemissed!

How are you? Thanks so much for answering my questions and also for the very interesting, informative, and helpful information about the Catholicism and Closed Communion. Thankyou also for you inspiring story also. Thanks so much! God bless you! Amen! Peace!

Love,
Thea!

 

[TEPO]

Maybe if you shared some of the problems you have with Catholic teaching we can help you understand why the Church teaches what it does. I find that there are many non-Catholics who have many misconceptions about Catholic teaching, based on what other non-Catholics teach about the Catholic Church.

^This is a great point…!

It’s okay to ask the Catholics here any question you’ve ever wondered about the Catholic Church, and nobody here will get upset with you, or criticize you in any way. I promise…! That is unless you ask that one certain question that nobody must ever speak of.!

Just kidding, you can ask anything.

 

[Vico]

VikingGirlTBird,

That is completely understandable. All the baptised are members of Christ’s Church, although the beliefs vary. The Lutheran, Anglican, Reformed, Moravian (Czechoslovak Hussite Church), and later churches that developed from those, have a different belief about how the Holy Spirit works in the faithful, and the meaning of a sacrament, and of the priesthood, than the Apostolic churches do.

Since Catholics believe that only two sacraments heal the repentent soul: baptism and confession. Also it is necessary to be in a charitible state with God, demonstrated through our confession to God and absolution through a priest after we have sinned gravely and before reception of the sacraments of Eucharist, Chrismation, Anointing of the Sick, or Holy Orders. So only those properly disposed should receive the sacraments from the Catholic Church.

 

[VikingGirlTBird]

^This is a great point…!

It’s okay to ask the Catholics here any question you’ve ever wondered about the Catholic Church, and nobody here will get upset with you, or criticize you in any way. I promise…! That is unless you ask that one certain question that nobody must ever speak of.!

Just kidding, you can ask anything.

Hi Tepo!

How are you? Thanks so much for suggesting this! God bless you always! Amen!

Love,
Thea!