How do I explain something (concerning The Eucharist)?

[Karen1996]

A friend of my family’s told me something that really shocked me, especially as she taught catechism for 25 years. She said she was watching a Methodist service on TV and at their communion service the preacher said “this is my body” when he was blessing the bread and he stressed that it was not a symbol, but really Jesus’s Body and by his stating this he was in full communion with the Catholic church and the pope, etc. She said had we have been at this service, as Catholics we could have participated and would have really been receiving The Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, same as if we had been in a Catholic church. I told her no, we would not have been, because whether the preacher believed this was true Body of Christ or not, it still was not, because he was not an ordained priest in the apostolic succession of Jesus.

Did I explain right? What more could I say to make her understand?

Thanks!
Karen

 

[tkdnick]

Yes, that preacher and church are in communion with Rome IN THAT they believe the bread and wine to be the body and blood of Jesus. HOWEVER, they are not in communion with Rome in that they do not have proper priesthood authority.

 

[JimG]

Yes, you explained it correctly. If the priest does not have a valid ordination conferred by a Catholic bishop with true apolostic succession, he cannot confect the Eucharist. His words have no more effect than if you or I said them, and we, after all, also believe in the real presence!