First communion question (not catholic)

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I am wondering what the view is about going to a friends child’s Lutheran first communion service and party. I am also concerned about my children getting the wrong idea about the real presence in the Eucharist.
 
Kirk_O said:
I am wondering what the view is about going to a friends child’s Lutheran first communion service and party. I am also concerned about my children getting the wrong idea about the real presence in the Eucharist.
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Why would they get the wrong idea? Lutherans believe in the real presence.
 
Kirk_O said:
I am wondering what the view is about going to a friends child’s Lutheran first communion service and party. I am also concerned about my children getting the wrong idea about the real presence in the Eucharist.
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Don’t receive communion if it’s offered. Don’t let your kids, either.
 
YoungTradCath said:
Don’t receive communion if it’s offered. Don’t let your kids, either.
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Exactly. Teach your children ahead of time that you go to honor their commitment, even though you don’t agree that they have the Real Presence in their communion. Then explain that we don’t do anything which would APPEAR to others that we equate their communion with our own, so we do not partake of anyone else’s “communion” services.

Basically you can teach them the rule of thumb “observe but don’t participate” for these kinds of things (and why)
 
Looks like a good opportunity to catechize your kids.

Take them, do not participate in the Lutheran Communion Rite, enjoy the party. Then when you get home: Here’s why we did not go to Communion with ________ and _______.

Read up on the reasons first, so you can answer your kids’ questions. We are Catholic because…

God bless you for being your children’s teacher in the Church of the Family.
 
Should I tell the kids to not engage in the issue (they are 6 and 10 years old) of it not really being Jesus and just keep it to themselves? I would hate for them to get an argument but at the same time I want them to stand up for the Truth.
 
You know, communicating in another church is not disallowed so much because of whether they have the Real Presence or not. It has to do with being in Communion with them. That’s why Catholics do not communicate in OO or EO churches, even though they believe they have the real presence.

In any case, it may not come up and many Lutherans have closed communion.
 
Kirk_O said:
Should I tell the kids to not engage in the issue (they are 6 and 10 years old) of it not really being Jesus and just keep it to themselves? I would hate for them to get an argument but at the same time I want them to stand up for the Truth.
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Yes, you should tell them to simply say “Catholics are taught we are allowed to observe but not participate in others’ worship”. There is no need for them to discuss this with them because they are not going to make any headway in an apologetics discussion centered around “why catholics don’t take protestant communion” without first engaging in a LOOOONG discussion of apostolic succession and authority.

Less is more. Tell them to just say the minimum and leave it at that. They should keep the specific reasoning to themselves.
 
promethius said:
Yes, you should tell them to simply say “Catholics are taught we are allowed to observe but not participate in others’ worship”. There is no need for them to discuss this with them because they are not going to make any headway in an apologetics discussion centered around “why catholics don’t take protestant communion” without first engaging in a LOOOONG discussion of apostolic succession and authority.

Less is more. Tell them to just say the minimum and leave it at that. They should keep the specific reasoning to themselves.
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Thanks, simple and short sounds perfect.
 
liturgyluver said:
Why would they get the wrong idea? Lutherans believe in the real presence.
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The wrong idea is that Christ is actually present in Lutheran communion.

The Lutheran priest can stand there all day saying “This is my body… This is my body… This is my body…” and it doesn’t make it so.

Only a Preist of the one, holy, universal and apostolic Catholic Church is able to make Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament.

-Tim-
 
promethius said:
Yes, you should tell them to simply say “Catholics are taught we are allowed to observe but not participate in others’ worship”. There is no need for them to discuss this with them because they are not going to make any headway in an apologetics discussion centered around “why catholics don’t take protestant communion” without first engaging in a LOOOONG discussion of apostolic succession and authority.

Less is more. Tell them to just say the minimum and leave it at that. They should keep the specific reasoning to themselves.
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It is important that the children understand why they don’t take communion in any Church other than a Catholic Church in age appropraite ways. The kids see the priest, see the liturgy, and assume it is the same. But it is not, and it is important that they understand that it is not the same.

I wouldn’t get into it with the Lutherans but it is important that the OP’s kids understand if he should choose to go.

-Tim-
 
TimothyH said:
It is important that the children understand why they don’t take communion in any Church other than a Catholic Church in age appropraite ways. The kids see the priest, see the liturgy, and assume it is the same. But it is not, and it is important that they understand that it is not the same.

I wouldn’t get into it with the Lutherans but it is important that the OP’s kids understand if he should choose to go.

-Tim-
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Agreed, but even a seasoned apologist should be advised that while it is important to KNOW why you don’t take others’ communion, that it is generally advisable not to SAY why. The kids, if asked, should just keep their responses simple and basic (while knowing the explanation behind that response inside their heads and hearts).

It’s merely a question of what platforms are good “jumping off” points for apologetics discussions. “Why can’t you take our communion?” is one of those platforms that I’ve RARELY seen go well for adult apologists, and children trying to explain it to lutherans are even more apt to accidently offend…
 
Marriages and baptisms are valid sacraments, no problem.

Funerals are not sacraments, no problem.

Eucharist, Confirmation, Ordination-- those are not valid sacraments and therefore, yes, it could be problematic.

Perhaps an adult who could discriminate and attend only as a social obligation would be fine, but a child who could easily be confused? Not prudent.

Skip the service, attend the party or send a gift/card.
 
As a Lutheran vicar, I would advise you to not commune with the Lutherans you are going to visit, even if they insist that they have “open” communion. In Lutheran theology, the Lord’s Supper is not only a communion with the Lord’s very Body and Blood, but also confesses unity of doctrine with those who come to the same Supper. It is clear that you are well aware that you do not share Lutheran beliefs. Therefore, respectfully decline and, if you desire, receive a blessing from the Pastor instead.
As a second point, I would advise against telling these Lutherans that they do not have Real Presence or, worse, that they do not believe in it. This would be seen as offensive by many Lutherans. Find some other way to explain to them your non-participation. Remember, you are in their house of worship, please be respectful.

In Christ,
Ndismyhome
 
If you decide to go I suggest you explain to the children beforehand why the service in that church will be different and that we don’t believe as they do. This could be a good opportunity for them to learn that as Catholics we can respectfully observe other religious ceremonies but not participate in them.
 
Kirk_O said:
I am wondering what the view is about going to a friends child’s Lutheran first communion service and party. I am also concerned about my children getting the wrong idea about the real presence in the Eucharist.
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if your children are attending religious education and have been, or are being, properly prepared for first communion there should be no confusion. You simply explain beforehand that Lutherans have a very similar view of the Eucharist as Catholics, but there are differences, but we are attending to show our support of Miss Friend on her special day. Encourage them to notice similarities and differences in the service and discuss them at home afterward (not during the party).

I doubt very much if children at the party afterward are going to engage in apologetics debate.
 
Bluegoat said:
That would be some kid`s party!
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thats how it is at my kids friends birthday parties. discussions range from LOTH, to “is it illicit or invalid” in certan fictional sacramental circumstances, to actually praying loth as a group. and dont forget the obligatory gituar at mass rant. and of course, theres also, more “regular” conversation too.
 
puzzleannie said:
I doubt very much if children at the party afterward are going to engage in apologetics debate.
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Actually, some time I might go through my whole conversion story here on CAF… but at the age of 10-16 I was made to go to a non-denominational church every other weekend (dad became catholic after the divorce, mom became whatever was as anti-catholic as possible). This place HATED catholics. Their liturgy was “personal relationship and we’re not catholic”.

So basically every week after the “service” I would have protracted “discussions” on apologetics with the youth ministers about what they were saying, how most of it were lies, the biblical sources of catholicism, etc.

😛 Get a kid on the defensive about his faith and see what happens… you might end up with more of a crusade than apologetics debate if you’re not careful!
 
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