Is it a sin to attend/celebrate the Passover Seder?

[baylee]

From my reading of the 1917 CIC (and I am far from being a canon lawyer), that would be correct since you would have a grave moral obligation to attend your own mother’s funeral but it is not necessary to attend your family’s seder.

The 1983 CIC does not contain the same law. However, you really should consider the historical teachings of the Church in regards to Judaizing. It’s kind of like veiling. The 1983 CIC doesn’t mention it but it’s the historical custom of the Church so thus it should be done (plus, it’s in Scripture).

The general rule is that Catholics cannot participate in the rites of false religions. This would include everything from Protestants to Jews to Hindus. There are, however, exceptions based on the idea of passive participation for a grave reason.

As with all things, a good priest/spiritual director/bishop can help you make the correct decision.

Pilgrim, how do you respond to this (a portion of a response by a moderator in an old thread):

*You may be interested to know that St. Edith Stein, after she converted to Catholicism, chose to attend Jewish worship services at the synagogue with her elderly mother in a time when the Church was far more strict about Catholics attending non-Catholic worship services. During the Jewish services she attended, St. Edith prayed the psalms out of her Catholic breviary. *

 

[Alexander_Roman]

Interesting point (hopefully, no one here will say that St Edith should have her canonization revoked for that! ).

A friend of mine who is a Russian Orthodox priest tells me that he has a whole group of Jewish converts to Orthodoxy in his parish - and the number is getting larger.

What he finds interesting is that the Jewish converts tend to stay together as a community and that they aren’t always, shal we say, appreciated by the other members of the parish . . . One parishioner once told him, “Our Church is being taken over by the Jews!”

And these Jewish Converts tend to observe the Orthodox Christian fasts most zealously etc.

Fr. Alexander Men was a Jewish convert to Russian Orthodoxy who included a number of items of his Jewish heritage in his personal Christian life of devotion (e.g. the Menorah in his icon corner).

A great intellectual, he helped many friends and others into the Orthodox Church (no small feat against the backdrop of the culture of atheism in Soviet Russia and post-Soviet Russia).

He was axed to death at a train station waiting to travel to Moscow to his parish church and icons have been written of him as there is a strong veneration of him.

The Church of Santa Croce in Florence is adorned with large Stars of David on its outside facade - the artist who did that was likewise a Jewish convert to Catholicism and kept his heritage as such.

Again, there is nothing wrong with any of these traditions.

Alex

 

[PilgrimToChrist]

Pilgrim, how do you respond to this (a portion of a response by a moderator in an old thread):

You may be interested to know that St. Edith Stein, after she converted to Catholicism, chose to attend Jewish worship services at the synagogue with her elderly mother in a time when the Church was far more strict about Catholics attending non-Catholic worship services. During the Jewish services she attended, St. Edith prayed the psalms out of her Catholic breviary.

I don’t think the actions of one person, even a saint, make that action necessarily licit – especially when that action contradicts historic Church teaching.

 

[baylee]

From my reading of the 1917 CIC (and I am far from being a canon lawyer), that would be correct since you would have a grave moral obligation to attend your own mother’s funeral but it is not necessary to attend your family’s seder.

The 1983 CIC does not contain the same law. However, you really should consider the historical teachings of the Church in regards to Judaizing. It’s kind of like veiling. The 1983 CIC doesn’t mention it but it’s the historical custom of the Church so thus it should be done (plus, it’s in Scripture).

The general rule is that Catholics cannot participate in the rites of false religions. This would include everything from Protestants to Jews to Hindus. There are, however, exceptions based on the idea of passive participation for a grave reason.

As with all things, a good priest/spiritual director/bishop can help you make the correct decision.

(1) With respect to the bolded part, this is canon law, not dogma or doctrine. Doesn’t that/Shouldn’t that make a difference? I don’t know if I agree that we have to follow “historical custom”/older versions of canon law.

(2) I’m also wondering how a seder fits into all of this. A seder, although a Jewish celebration, is not a service held in a synagogue. Whenever I read about Catholics not attending “non-Catholic services” it seems as if the documents/canon law are referring to services in houses of worship specifically.

 

[baylee]

I don’t think the actions of one person, even a saint, make that action necessarily licit – especially when that action contradicts historic Church teaching.

But, again, is this Church teaching…or canon law? Those aren’t the same things.

I would also imagine that St Edith Stein didn’t attend services with her mother without asking a good priest/spiritual director for guidance. I suspect she also had similar concerns knowing what canon law stated at that time.

 

[PilgrimToChrist]

(1) With respect to the bolded part, this is canon law, not dogma or doctrine. Doesn’t that/Shouldn’t that make a difference? I don’t know if I agree that we have to follow “historical custom”/older versions of canon law.

First off, custom has force of law. (Summa, I-II, Q. 97, a. 3) Secondly, it has been debated in modern times whether “communicatio in sacris” is prohibited by Natural or Divine Positive Law or merely Ecclesiastical Law. The general opinion is that it is prohibited by Divine Law. (See The Holy Office on Worship with Non-Catholics from 1622 to 1939).

(2) I’m also wondering how a seder fits into all of this. A seder, although a Jewish celebration, is not a service held in a synagogue. Whenever I read about Catholics not attending “non-Catholic services” it seems as if the documents/canon law are referring to services in houses of worship specifically.

The location of a non-Catholic rite has no bearing. There is no distinction between a synagogue, mosque, temple, private home or Druid grove.

Judaizing has been around as long as Christianity. This is not a new issue. Read the Fathers. Of course, the seder wasn’t invented until more recently, but the idea is still the same.

 

[AndyP2010]

Judaizing has been around as long as Christianity. This is not a new issue. Read the Fathers. Of course, the seder wasn’t invented until more recently, but the idea is still the same.

From the book of Acts Chapter 16 :1 - 3 the events here take place after the Counsel of Jerusalem

He reached (also) Derbe and Lystra where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek.
The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him,
and Paul wanted him to come along with him. On account of the Jews of that region, Paul had him circumcised, 1 for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

Acts Chapter 21 : 17 - 26

When we reached Jerusalem the brothers welcomed us warmly.
The next day, Paul accompanied us on a visit to James, and all the presbyters were present.
He greeted them, then proceeded to tell them in detail what God had accomplished among the Gentiles through his ministry.
They praised God when they heard it but said to him, “Brother, you see how many thousands of believers there are from among the Jews, and they are all zealous observers of the law.
They have been informed that you are teaching all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to abandon Moses and that you are telling them not to circumcise their children or to observe their customary practices.
What is to be done? They will surely hear that you have arrived.
7 So do what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow.
Take these men and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses 8 that they may have their heads shaved. In this way everyone will know that there is nothing to the reports they have been given about you but that you yourself live in observance of the law.
As for the Gentiles who have come to believe, we sent them our decision that they abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from unlawful marriage.” 9
So Paul took the men, and on the next day after purifying himself together with them entered the temple to give notice of the day when the purification would be completed and the offering made for each of them.

Baylee
I still say consult your priest also it might be a idea to consult with one of the apologist here at CA. I would say that if you attend your families seder you can’t without also witnessing to our Lord.

 

[wisdomseeker]

I found this, very interesting.

27 If any of them that believe not, invite you, and you be willing to go: eat of anything that is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. 28 But if any man say: This has been sacrificed to idols: do not eat of it, for his sake that told it and for conscience’ sake. 29 Conscience I say, not your own, but the other’s. For why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thanksgiving, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? 31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Be without offence to the Jew, and to the Gentiles and to the church of God: 33 As I also in all things please all men, not seeking that which is profitable to myself but to many: that they may be saved.

 

[veilofveronica]

No, it isn’t. The Catholic faithful can attend other ceremonies, as long as they are not anti-Catholic and they fulfill their Sunday and Holy Day obligations.

 

[Gregory_I]

Why would you want to? IS Christ not enough in his own house?

 

[Alexander_Roman]

For some Catholics, to celebrate a family or parish Passover Seder IS to celebrate Christ in His own (Judaic) House.

Alex

 

[Alexander_Roman]

No, it isn’t. The Catholic faithful can attend other ceremonies, as long as they are not anti-Catholic and they fulfill their Sunday and Holy Day obligations.

But I thought we were talking about a private, family Passover Seder rather than attending one elsewhere.

I know Hebrew Catholics and Ethiopian Orthodox as well as Latin Catholics who regularly hold Passover Seders in their homes and/or at their parish halls.

The Church authorities approve of these - no one has been excommunicated so far.

Alex

 

[ElizabethCorbel]

Back when I was first looking into the Catholic church, a Catholic priest invited me to a Seder meal that he was hosting. I don’t think he would have done so if it was sinful. So no, I don’t think it’s a sin. I also hold a Seder meal every year in my home and invite other Christian friends. I think the main emphasis is that it should be celebrated to honor Jesus, our Paschal Lamb.

 

[nordskoven]

Easter is Passover, the Eternal Ordinance given to us in the Old Testament. Celebrating pre-Messianic Passover can honor that foreshadowing of the Lamb of God, but pales in comparison to the Eucharist. Our “Easter Duty” commanding Communion at least once a year at this time is to obey God’s injunction giving Passover as an “Eternal Ordinance.” My priest suggests attending Passover services dishonors that greatest gift of Christ’s sacrifice. It’s not a sin unless one’s intent is to dishonor God. Don’t forget, God veils the hearts of the Jews until the time of the Gentiles is over. We must, of course, pray for the peace of Jerusalem, their and our Holy City as ingrafted, adopted Jews.

 

[PilgrimToChrist]

Fourth Council of the Lateran:

Some (Jews), we understand, who voluntarily approached the waters of holy baptism, do not entirely cast off the old man that they may more perfectly put on the new one, because, retaining remnants of the former rite, they obscure by such a mixture the beauty of the Christian religion. But since it is written: “Accursed is the man that goeth on the two ways” (Ecclus. 2:14), and “a garment that is woven together of woolen and linen” (Deut. 22: ii) ought not to be put on, we decree that such persons be in every way restrained b the prelates from the observance of the former rite, that, having given themselves of their own free will to the Christian religion, salutary coercive action may preserve them in its observance, since not to know the way of the Lord is a lesser evil than to retrace one’s steps after it is known.

.