If I'm Baptized, Shouldn't I Have The Right To Communion Too?

[AntalKalnoky]

I think it’s subversion and desecration of the sacraments, myself. Done out of spite and/or bitterness. Defiance in spitting at God and saying, “There, I did it, now strike me down!” Or spitting at the Church, “See, you can’t stop me from taking the Eucharist, so there!” That’s the attitude of belligerence I pick up.

Wasn’t the OP just a good Question? No defiance, no bitterness? I worry about the defiance/bitterness in some of our answers, to a good basic question.

 

[AntalKalnoky]

Hello, everyone,

Sorry if I repeat what’s been said- Haven’t read the thread.

If you’re in a regular protestant church (meaning, not the LDS, Jehovah’s witnesses, Unitarians etc)- Basically you don’t deny the catholic teachings on the Blessed Trinity and Divinity of Christ etc- These are basic in all Christianity and denied only by fringe groups like the above examples. This is important because otherwise, your baptism would not be regarded as valid by the catholic Church. However, most Protestants are “good” on this issue in the eyes of the church, and virtually all baptisms involve water and the invocation of the Blessed Trinity, In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, so valid.

If you’re ok on that point, my understanding is that it’s possible to partake of the blessed sacrament provided:
a) You must express desire for the sacraments (obviously).
b) You must also express the faith of the church with regard to that sacrament- You must believe that it is the actual body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and not just symbolic.
c) You must go to confession beforehand, as a catholic does during first holy communion, or after committing a mortal sin. This is because we do not believe that a simple 'Jesus forgive me" of the heart guarantees cleansing of the soul for that sin if it’s mortal. Since protestants have no valid priesthood or confession, you must go to confession to a Catholic priest first, to avoid desecrating the sacrament/sacrilage.

Someone correct me if i’m wrong. But I believe that the Church allows individual members of protestant churches with valid faith (in a basic sense- Belief in Trinity, Jesus is God and man, was born of a virgin, crucified, died, resurrected, ascended will come again etc), and have been validly baptized with water and the name of the Blessed Trinity, can approach the church as individuals for the sacraments, if they satisfy the given requirements. I believe individual Orthodox can receive much easier because they have most requirements, short of being catholic, if they cannot access their own church for the same and the church is available to them.

Sorry; The Catholic Church never allows a non-Catholic to the Sacred Eucharist, since the first Centuries. In the Catacombs of the Early Centuries, Catechumens even had to leave for the Sacred Consecration. We have the Real Presence Eucharist, not a remembrance or symbol. God Bless you in South Africa!

 

[Marybeloved]

Sorry; The Catholic Church never allows a non-Catholic to the Sacred Eucharist, since the first Centuries. In the Catacombs of the Early Centuries, Catechumens even had to leave for the Sacred Consecration. We have the Real Presence Eucharist, not a remembrance or symbol. God Bless you in South Africa!

You’re right, I found an explanation for the right circumstances when a Protestant can validly receive the sacrament from Catholic Ministers at Catholic.com. I reproduce it below. Sorry for the confusion

***The circumstances in which Protestants are permitted to receive Communion are more limited, though it is still possible for them to do so under certain specifically defined circumstances.

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***Canon law explains the parameters: “If the danger of death is present or other grave necessity, in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or the conference of bishops, Catholic ministers may licitly administer these sacraments to other Christians who do not have full Communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and on their own ask for it, provided they manifest Catholic faith in these sacraments and are properly disposed” (CIC 844 § 4).

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***It is important to remember that, under the rubrics specified above, even in those rare circumstances when non-Catholics are able to receive Communion, the same requirements apply to them as to Catholics. ***

Peace.

 

[Marybeloved]

I believe I was confusing the guidelines for the Orthodox and Protestants reagrding this issue. For the Orthodox that Article says:

***However, there are circumstances when non-Catholics may receive Communion from a Catholic priest. This is especially the case when it comes to Eastern Orthodox Christians, who share the same faith concerning the nature of the sacraments:

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***“Catholic ministers may licitly administer the sacraments of penance, Eucharist and anointing of the sick to members of the oriental churches which do not have full Communion with the Catholic Church, if they ask on their own for the sacraments and are properly disposed. This holds also for members of other churches, which in the judgment of the Apostolic See are in the same condition as the oriental churches as far as these sacraments are concerned” (CIC 844 § 3). ***

Peace!

 

[liturgyluver]

Sorry; The Catholic Church never allows a non-Catholic to the Sacred Eucharist, since the first Centuries. In the Catacombs of the Early Centuries, Catechumens even had to leave for the Sacred Consecration. We have the Real Presence Eucharist, not a remembrance or symbol. God Bless you in South Africa!

Never say never as they say! In France the Catholic church allows Anglicans to receive Holy Communion, if for practical reasons (eg distance) they cannot receive communion in their own church.

And it’s important to make the distinction between the real presence and transubstantiation. Most protestants (apart from a few high Anglicans) do not believe in the latter - but the mainstream protestant denominations do believe in the real presence, and this is reflected in the wording of their liturgy.

 

[liturgyluver]

It’s not an abuse…it’s been allowed officially by the French Catholic Church for 35 years.

 

[liturgyluver]

I don’t have the documents of course but here is the text:

The Episcopal Conference of the Roman Catholic Church in France gave official permission for Anglicans living in France to be able to avail themselves of any of the sacraments, should they be geographically far from an Anglican chaplaincy. This was a radical and unique gesture of ecumenical goodwill. It means, in Eucharistic terms, that Anglicans have permission to receive Holy Communion in Roman Catholic Churches should they be unable to attend an Anglican Eucharist; those wishing to avail themselves of this privilege should introduce themselves to the local curé.

I was as surprised as you are when I found out about it. About 8 years ago I was in France with an Anglican friend and we stumbled across a very beautiful and small church near Badens. We chatted to the parish priest who asked if we would be coming to mass the later. The priest explained that the French Bishops had for many years allowed English Anglicans to receive communion in Catholic churches - and he said my friend was welcome to receive if he wished.

This agreement certainly seems to be unique in the world. It would not apply in the big French cities where there are plenty of Anglican chaplains, and in fact there are a growing number of Anglican services using some of the deserted or little-used churches in the countryside.

 

[Telstar]

I don’t have the documents of course but here is the text:

The Episcopal Conference of the Roman Catholic Church in France gave official permission for Anglicans living in France to be able to avail themselves of any of the sacraments, should they be geographically far from an Anglican chaplaincy. This was a radical and unique gesture of ecumenical goodwill. It means, in Eucharistic terms, that Anglicans have permission to receive Holy Communion in Roman Catholic Churches should they be unable to attend an Anglican Eucharist; those wishing to avail themselves of this privilege should introduce themselves to the local curé.

I was as surprised as you are when I found out about it. About 8 years ago I was in France with an Anglican friend and we stumbled across a very beautiful and small church near Badens. We chatted to the parish priest who asked if we would be coming to mass the later. The priest explained that the French Bishops had for many years allowed English Anglicans to receive communion in Catholic churches - and he said my friend was welcome to receive if he wished.

This agreement certainly seems to be unique in the world. It would not apply in the big French cities where there are plenty of Anglican chaplains, and in fact there are a growing number of Anglican services using some of the deserted or little-used churches in the countryside.

I’d be interested to know if this is something that the local French Bishops did on their own (in error) and whether it’s fully approved by Rome. It seems more than a little questionable to me.