Is it okay for Catholics to attend Protestant services?

[DIERM]

43 years ago is after Vatican II. I’m not seeing a problem, especially considering the outcome.

Thank you Tis_B…had it not been for Vatican II, I may never have been blessed with coming into full communion with the Church.

 

[Fauken]

But the Church once believed that the earth not the sun was the center for the universe

So did everyone else at the time. But that’s science. This is canon law. Law is not the same as science. Unlike science, where the laws of physics remain as such whether discovered or not, law is in force until it is overturned. And at the time you mentioned, the 1917 code was in force and was not overturned until 1983.

Also: modern science does not believe the sun is the center of the universe.

 

[ProVobis]

As far as I know “mixed” marriages were allowed before V2, on the stipulation that children raised be indoctrinated into the Catholic Church.

 

[Prodigal1984]

But the Church once believed that the earth not the sun was the center for the universe…they know better now…

First, the Catholic Church did not condemn the heliocentric view of the universe. Copernicus’s major work defending heliocentrism, On the Revolution of the Celestial Orbs, was published ninety years before Galileo’s trial and was even dedicated to Pope Paul III. Second, geocentrism was not the default view among theologians simply because it was a revealed truth found in Scripture. They accepted it because it was also the default view among scientists at the time. They simply accepted the arguments Aristotle had previously made against the heliocentric theory 2,000 years earlier.

 

[DIERM]

This is canon law

Your interpretation of canon law makes entry into the Church exclusive rather than inclusive at God intended…Sometimes I think if Pius X was alive today, he might not be so keen on The Society of Pius X as some followers may think.

 

[Fauken]

Your interpretation of canon law makes entry into the Church exclusive rather than inclusive at God intended

My interpretation has nothing to do with it. This is how law works. This is how canon law works. This is not science nor theology. This is canon law, and laws, canonical and civil, remain in force until legislation comes out overturning them. It is a fact that 1976 was before 1983, and it is a fact that the law which would have been in force at the time was the 1917 code. There is nothing to interpret, unless you’re accusing me of saying the 1917 code is in force, which is something I’ve never said (quite the opposite actually).

Sometimes I think if Pius X was alive today, he might not be so keen on The Society of Pius X as some followers may think.

And you may be keen to know that I have never stepped foot in an SSPX church. I’m not a part of the SSPX, and while I sympathize with their concerns, I take issue with their methods. I wouldn’t go to their services unless they were the only church in town. I prefer the FSSP and the ICKSP personally.

 

[DIERM]

My interpretation has nothing to do with it. This is how law works.

So my spouse and I are doomed to hell…thank you for your judgment.

 

[MagdalenaRita]

Well, by reading the posts it appears this thread didn’t get off to a very good start.

My response to the OP, is no, unless it is something such as a funeral, baptism or a wedding.

Otherwise it can very easily be a danger to your faith as you will be hearing two different messages. Some here have said that things have changed since Vatican II, yes they have, but we can also see there are more people losing their faith today, leaving the Church and leaving God altogether.

Also, not everything has changed since Vatican II. People just think things have changed. It is still wrong to participate in activities that are prohibited. Most people equate that with communion but it can mean a lot more, such as listening to messages that contradict Catholic teaching, singing songs that contradict Church teaching, re-baptisms, Catholics marrying in a protestant church without permission, etc. Such as those would also be participating in something prohibited.

I married that person, and entered into full communion with the Catholic Church.

I like that. It is very good to hear. Unfortunately, though, many times it doesn’t work out that way.

 

[Fauken]

So my spouse and I are doomed to hell…thank you for your judgment.

I said nothing of the sort. You are reading too deeply into my comments. Literally the only point I tried to make was that the 1917 code was in force at the time you mention and so @Prodigal1984’s citation wasn’t out of place.

 

[Thom18]

To answer the OP, I can’t see much, if any, good coming from it. We have the fullness of truth, so we have no need to do so. Without good reason (funerals, etc.) it puts us at spiritual risk.

 

[ProVobis]

So my spouse and I are doomed to hell…

No one can make such judgments.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Thank you Tis_B…had it not been for Vatican II, I may never have been blessed with coming into full communion with the Church.

It would have been a lot harder for me to have a 23-year happy marriage to a very good husband who also happened to be a stubborn Presbyterian who wouldn’t convert even though he only darkened the door of his own church like once every 5 years.

He probably did his Purgatory putting up with me though. I wasn’t an easy person to be in a relationship with or married to.

 

[DIERM]

I said nothing of the sort. You are reading too deeply into my comments.

Your implications are quite clear, and quite uncharitable.

 

[Fauken]

Your implications are quite clear, and quite uncharitable.

No they’re not. I’m being honest, that is the sole point I wanted to make. I only glanced over what you wrote and saw you said 43 years ago. That’s it. It is not uncharitable to state the fact that the 1917 code was in force at the time.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I would note that OP didn’t say why they were going to the Protestant church.
To me, the why is the most important thing.

A one-off visit to a Protestant church for a wedding or a funeral is likely not a problem.
Likewise, an occasional visit to accompany family when you’re visiting them once a year, or for ecumenical purposes, is also probably not a problem.

Attending regularly, especially with a spouse or a friend, in my mind could be a problem because it is creating some suggestion that you might potentially convert to that church. I know there are some mixed marriages where the couples agree that they will both go to each other’s church on a regular basis. I was never a fan of that and made sure my non-Catholic husband understood well before marriage that I wasn’t going to be going to his church. I also didn’t require him to come to mine, but occasionally he would end up doing so because we had plans after Mass or because we were traveling and he had to drive me to the church.

I would say DON’T go to the Protestant service if

• you’re a Catholic who’s struggling with faith
• the Protestants you know or meet at the church are making a push to convert you, including any love bombing activities
• the Protestant church in question is the type that expects you to be a member and doesn’t just welcome guests who drop in once in a while.

 

[Benjinho]

“It is unlawful for the faithful to assist in any active manner, or to take part in the sacred services of non-Catholics.” (1917 Code of Canon Law, Canon 1258, Paragraph 1

Gotta love how you either aren’t aware of or choose to ignore the most recent CCC/church teachings because of your personal beliefs and experience…

 

[Prodigal1984]

I mean I get it but I just am in the view that unless it is a close family member or friend wedding or funeral, we have no business in a Protestant or even an Orthodox Divine Liturgy for that matter, and their theology is nearly identical to ours. If you are Catholic I am in the opinion nothing good will come from going to worship with people who probably frankly have such negative views of us. It doesn’t make any sense to. I have plenty of friends who are Protestant, Jewish, Orthodox, even a Mormon. The day they asked me to go to their service though would be the day I straight up say that isn’t appropriate in my eyes and ask them if they would come to my Church, which their response is " no I can’t be around you’re engraven images and idolatry." If that is what they think, I think we are better off never stepping into their worship either. There is absolutely no justification for it.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

If you are Catholic I am in the opinion nothing good will come from going to worship with people who probably frankly have such negative views of us.

Considering that all of my family on my dad’s side except him were Protestants, and most of my family on my husband’s side including my husband were Protestants, I can testify that they don’t all go around having “negative views of us.” I’m sorry if you meet non-Catholics who are disrespectful.

It’s fine if you personally don’t want to attend Protestant services. I usually don’t want to go either. I’ve been to a couple weddings, a couple funerals, and a couple of churches that were unusual or had something else like a concert event going on, and that’s it. But the question is whether it is okay in the eyes of the Church to go. The answer is, within limits, yes.

 

[Prodigal1984]

Gotta love how you either aren’t aware of or choose to ignore the most recent CCC/church teachings because of your personal beliefs and experience…

The real tragedy here is not me, but how the second largest group of Americans affiliation are fallen away Catholics. And this indifference is the cause. You know, a lot of young adult Catholics want tradition. They want to know what the Church teaches. And right now it is confusing. I would much rather just say no I’m not going and cite the 1917 canon as opposed to “oh I can but I don’t know where the line is drawn with this” etc.

 

[Prodigal1984]

Okay I agree with you on that.