Invited to take communion at service

[Contarini]

I was answering a question regarding Christian churches.

Orthodox churches aren’t Christian?

I know this is just an issue of terminology, but I think it’s important. Catholics should not forget about the Orthodox. Why not just say “Protestant churches” instead of “other churches”?

 

[PeopleB4Things]

I always saw fliers inviting everyone to take Communion at Episcopalian service. One member invited me but I politely declined because to me it is not “true” communion.

I had trouble explaining this to the woman who invited me.

1 - is it wrong to take non-catholic communion?
2 - How do you explain this to someone when they invite you?

We’re Catholic but our three kids went to a Methodist preschool/day care center. We attended many services over those years as our kids sang in the preschool choir. I took communion there. I figured 1)they invited me 2)sharing in their celebration of Jesus couldn’t hurt. When I asked our RE director about it, she said as long as I didn’t go to Methodist services in place of Catholic services, all was good. The Methodist service including its communion didn’t satisfy my Sunday obligation.

Sharing in the Methodist services was really nice. They focused a lot on music and there was much interaction between the attendees as part of the service. The minister often spoke of family (since the preschool parents were there), and had real world examples of her successes and failures as a parent trying to live her faith. We could all relate. The Methodist services we attended twice a year were new enough and interesting enough, that my entire focus was on the joyful celebration of Christ. It was a nice way to refresh my faith and renew my focus on living my faith within my family. I’ll accept God any way and any where he chooses to speaks to me, whether it’s at my home, in my car, at my parish church or in a Methodist house of God. These experiences have left me with a positive feeling about ecumenism. Much good can come from mixing it up with people of other faiths.

 

[PeopleB4Things]

I, a Catholic, received communion in a Methodist church. If we can agree that the communion I shared with my Methodist friends in their celebration of Christ does not constitute the sacrament of communion in the Catholic faith, the only thing I did was share bread and juice with my friends. It does not diminish in anyway the Catholic host nor does it soil my ability to receive it. I believe the RE director was correct in her advice.

 

[Peter_J]

We’re Catholic but our three kids went to a Methodist preschool/day care center. We attended many services over those years as our kids sang in the preschool choir. I took communion there. I figured 1)they invited me 2)sharing in their celebration of Jesus couldn’t hurt. When I asked our RE director about it, she said as long as I didn’t go to Methodist services in place of Catholic services, all was good. The Methodist service including its communion didn’t satisfy my Sunday obligation.

Sharing in the Methodist services was really nice. They focused a lot on music and there was much interaction between the attendees as part of the service. The minister often spoke of family (since the preschool parents were there), and had real world examples of her successes and failures as a parent trying to live her faith. We could all relate. The Methodist services we attended twice a year were new enough and interesting enough, that my entire focus was on the joyful celebration of Christ. It was a nice way to refresh my faith and renew my focus on living my faith within my family. I’ll accept God any way and any where he chooses to speaks to me, whether it’s at my home, in my car, at my parish church or in a Methodist house of God. These experiences have left me with a positive feeling about ecumenism. Much good can come from mixing it up with people of other faiths.

Hi PeopleB4Things. I’m glad ecumenism has been a good experience for you, but I would advise not receiving communion there any more.

Intercommunion requires consent from both sides. For example, with regard to the question of Eastern Orthodox receiving communion from a Roman Catholic priest, Catholics don’t object but Orthodox do. Likewise, with regard to the question of Roman Catholics receiving communion from a Methodist minister, Methodists don’t object but Catholics do.

 

[Peter_J]

If we can agree that the communion I shared with my Methodist friends in their celebration of Christ does not constitute the sacrament of communion in the Catholic faith, the only thing I did was share bread and juice with my friends.

Just imagine if you, a Roman Catholic, heard someone say “I don’t believe that Roman Catholics have valid sacraments, so I can take your Eucharist and treat it like ordinary bread and wine.”

 

[PeopleB4Things]

Just imagine if you, a Roman Catholic, heard someone say “I don’t believe that Roman Catholics have valid sacraments, so I can take your Eucharist and treat it like ordinary bread and wine.”

The difference is that I was invited to take the bread and juice even though they knew I did not believe it to be truly the body and blood. If they had no problem with it, then why should I? If I was not invited as a non-Methodist, it would be wrong. But that’s not the case here.

One thing I really liked about their service was that they used real loaves of bread. It made me think back to all those somber movies of the last supper I saw growing up in Catholic school. Jesus shared a loaf of bread. I’ve been to Catholic services where loaves were used, but it’s certainly not the norm. I wish we did it every week. It certainly gives the impression at that we are sharing in a communal meal, a communal celebration. And it supports our local bakeries.

 

[Stilldreamn]

It would seem that crumbs would be a problem with using bread like that.

 

[PeopleB4Things]

It would seem that crumbs would be a problem with using bread like that.

haha. Our parish priest is constantly scolding parents about cheerios in the pews during his homilies. Can you imagine how he’d be with consecrated crumbs?! When I received from loaves, the priest broke off the pieces (a couple of class masses where someone’s mom made the bread). I don’t remember it being crumbly though. It remember it as being flat and chewy. It reminded me of pita. Certainly not the melt in your mouth type unless you left it there all day. I was at a first communion mass in someone’s private home a few years ago where we used a loaf that looked like a typical round loaf. It was baked by the little girl’s mom. It a small crowd. I don’t recall it as crumbly either. But again, my experiences have been few, so I’m certainly no expert. The Archdiocese of Davenport has put together a series of recipes for Eucharistic bread. Very cool stuff. Some suggest pre-cutting. I’m sure any local bakery could handle the very simple recipes.

 

[PeopleB4Things]

Not always. It depends on the condition of your heart. I felt my experiences at the Methodist services brought me closer to God. Here’s a snippet from an article “Can a Catholic receive communion in a Protestant church?” uscatholic.org/church/2011/08/can-catholic-receive-communion-protestant-church#sthash.ySuKkCrl.dpuf

"The Second Vatican Council’s Decree on Ecumenism said that, as a general rule, common worship and eucharistic and other sacramental sharing should “signify the unity of the church.” But it acknowledges that such sharing can also be seen as advancing unity. In fact, according to the decree, “the gaining of a needed grace sometimes commends” it.

Still, within the confines of canon law, the exceptions to the rule are rather limited, and receiving communion from a Lutheran pastor during a wedding would normally be seen as “illicit” for Catholic wedding guests. At the same time, some Catholics would like to, and do, receive communion on these rare occasions.

These Catholics, after a careful examination of their conscience, find compelling reasons to “gain a needed grace” by receiving communion in a Protestant church. And it is also true that eucharistic sharing has occurred at the highest levels of the church. Even Jesus occasionally broke the religious law of his day, though he did so to fulfill the “spirit” of the law."

 

[TRH1292]

I, a Catholic, received communion in a Methodist church. If we can agree that the communion I shared with my Methodist friends in their celebration of Christ does not constitute the sacrament of communion in the Catholic faith, the only thing I did was share bread and juice with my friends. It does not diminish in anyway the Catholic host nor does it soil my ability to receive it. I believe the RE director was correct in her advice.

What you did is a violation of Catholic Church teaching that is serious, and I believe it also was a disrespect to the Methodist Church.

 

[Rdunbar123]

I have always thought that taking communion was also a statement that you were “in communion” as far as accepting the teaching of the church you were taking communion in. That you accept their beliefs.

 

[PeopleB4Things]

What you did is a violation of Catholic Church teaching that is serious, and I believe it also was a disrespect to the Methodist Church.

I’ll stick with the two catholic faith educators with PhDs in theology on this one. Also, I’ve become friends with the Methodist minister as my kids spanned about a decade in her program. She’s cool with it. She knows that I don’t follow her faith but I have revealed to her that her sermons and her friendship have helped develop and strengthen my faith. Who can say how and why the Holy Spirit moves us? Who am I or anyone else to judge how God seeps into my heart? But thanks for sharing your opinion. Good journeys and happy holidays!

 

[Peter_J]

What you did is a violation of Catholic Church teaching that is serious, and I believe it also was a disrespect to the Methodist Church.

Well, I think that last part depends on whether PeopleB4Things believes the Methodists to have a real Eucharist or just bread and juice.

 

[Peter_J]

I’ll stick with the two catholic faith educators with PhDs in theology on this one. Also, I’ve become friends with the Methodist minister as my kids spanned about a decade in her program. She’s cool with it. She knows that I don’t follow her faith but I have revealed to her that her sermons and her friendship have help develop and strengthen my faith. Who can say how and why the Holy Spirit moves us? Who am I or anyone else to judge how God seeps into my heart? But thanks for sharing your opinion. Good journeys and happy holidays!

Alright. In any case, I feel like we’ve gotten to the point where we would just start repeating things we’ve already posted. Merry Christmas to you too!

 

[adf417]

1. To eat the body and blood of our Lord Jesus is to say to youreslf and to the world “I worship you, God, this much”.
2. To eat something that is anything but the body and blood of our Lord Jesus with same intent is to say to yourself and to the world “I worship you, X, this much”.
3. To eat something that is not the body and blood of our Lord Jesus for other intensions would be scandalous and confusing to the rest of the world at the vary least because of #1 above.

Peace!!!

 

[blaskoman]

Peopleb4things: you are making your own rules. What you feel is strengthening your spirituality is not based on sound theology but on emotion or feeling. I choose not to worship at any protestant denomination founded upon heresy.

 

[GaryTaylor]

I would suggest a visit with your Priest.

catholic.com/tracts/who-can-receive-communion

 

[concretecamper]

I would never base any decision on what a Religious Ed teacher says. I have know some really sound teachers and I have known some that would make you shake your head in disbelief.

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[Peter_J]

Peopleb4things: you are making your own rules. What you feel is strengthening your spirituality is not based on sound theology but on emotion or feeling. I choose not to worship at any protestant denomination founded upon heresy.

Since Peopleb4things has gracefully bowed out of the conversation (or, at least, that’s how I read her last post) it seems to me that we should be getting back to the earlier topic – not continuing to talk about her.

 

[aidanbradypop]

I always saw fliers inviting everyone to take Communion at Episcopalian service. One member invited me but I politely declined because to me it is not “true” communion.

Only those that are baptized can take Holy Eucharist. Also, I am sorry you feel that it is not the true Body and Blood of Christ.

I had trouble explaining this to the woman who invited me.

1 - is it wrong to take non-catholic communion?
2 - How do you explain this to someone when they invite you?

To someone that is used to open communion, they may find it hard for someone to refuse but I have noticed other Episcopalians not going up. If the person is offended by you stating that you are Catholic and your Church teaches against intercommunion then that is on them. I would not be offended if a Catholic did not take communion on Sunday. I would actually find it more disrespectfully if they did know that the CC teaches against such a thing.

I was an Episcopalian before I converted. My father is a Priest! [He gave me his blessings when I told him I was converting, he even wrote our Monsinger a note telling him he had baptised me!]

It was always my belief that the Host and Wine were the body and blood of Christ. When you are given communion the priest says “The body of Christ, the cup of salvation.”

What I thought the reason might be for Episcopalians not being able to take Catholic Communion was, 1. We must be in good standing with Rome. 2. Episcopalians don’t have the true sacrament of confession, so the likelihood of not being in a state of grace is higher.

Anybody with more definitive information is welcome to chime in.:christmastree1:

The Episcopal Church has the valid Sacrament of Holy Eucharist.