Is there any reason for a Protestant to attend Mass?

[Bob_Crowley]

Maybe I have been unlucky, but the few times I have been to Mass, I have felt that there was no reason for me to have been there. There was no preaching (this might have been the unluckiness of which I spoke); everything seemed focused on the celebration of the Eucharist, which is wonderful. But there is just one problem; as a Protestant I cannot receive Communion. I wonder why then a Protestant who is exploring Catholicism should attend Mass if they cannot receive? I could go to my Nazarene church and receive both preaching and Communion there. But as a spiritual seeker, I really desire there to be meaning when I visit a Mass. Any ideas?

The reason non-Catholics cannot receive the Eucharist is that it is a reminder that the body of Christ is divided.

"Because Catholics believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life, and worship, members of those churches with whom we are not yet fully united are ordinarily not admitted to Holy Communion. Eucharistic sharing in exceptional circumstances by other Christians requires permission according to the directives of the diocesan bishop and the provisions of canon law (canon 844 § 4). Members of the Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Polish National Catholic Church are urged to respect the discipline of their own Churches. According to Roman Catholic discipline, the Code of Canon Law does not object to the reception of communion by Christians of these Churches (canon 844 § 3).

“As a spiritual seeker”, you need to investigate the reasons for this ruling. The church is divided. That division originally took place in circumstances of immense violence, and it remains divided by the will of men.

However, as a former Protestant myself, I can sympathise with you on the lack of a homily, or an inadequate homily. I think the Catholic Church could do a much better job in it’s preaching. In fact, I’m convinced it’s one of the reasons it struggles in the evangelical field. When I compare the standard of the homilies with the standard of the sermons I used to receive from my first pastor in particular, there’s a big gap. And that’s not to criticise any particular priest. In fact, one priest I spoke to admitted “The Church has struggled with that for a very long time.”

I’d prefer to see the best of both worlds - the Catholic eucharist and a much stronger preaching presence.

 

[Patavium]

I did in my previous post, he mentioned it in ut unum sint, if you had cared to read my post you would have seen it

For the sake of not arguing in this thread, I looked at it, but there has been no official approval as part of the liturgy. It is more of a personal decision, but then again isn’t the liturgy not supposed to be contradicted across Catholic Churches?.

Thus, I wouldn’t recommend this to a fellow friend considering attending Mass. Let’s stick to the official.

Be Blessed.

 

[benjohnson]

I go to mass now and then to encourage my Catholic friend and his family to go to mass. As a Lutheran, I think it’s very wise to take special notice on how reverently and deliberately our Catholic friends treat the Body and Blood of Chirst. Also, spending some time in Adoration is a good thing too.

T I think the Catholic Church could do a much better job in it’s preaching. In fact, I’m convinced it’s one of the reasons it struggles in the evangelical field.

In my limited experience I’d concur - Encourage your catholic priest to get some fire in the belly for the lord!

 

[57Bill]

Maybe I have been unlucky, but the few times I have been to Mass, I have felt that there was no reason for me to have been there. There was no preaching (this might have been the unluckiness of which I spoke); everything seemed focused on the celebration of the Eucharist, which is wonderful. But there is just one problem; as a Protestant I cannot receive Communion. I wonder why then a Protestant who is exploring Catholicism should attend Mass if they cannot receive? I could go to my Nazarene church and receive both preaching and Communion there. But as a spiritual seeker, I really desire there to be meaning when I visit a Mass. Any ideas?

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is wrapped up in wonderful “package”.

Once you have a feel for what is happening and why (by previous suggestions) you will be able to get a ton more out of your experience. Also just a gentle comment, that the homily is not meant to be a “Bible study”

 

[PJM]

=Taestron;9379638]Maybe I have been unlucky, but the few times I have been to Mass, I have felt that there was no reason for me to have been there. There was no preaching (this might have been the unluckiness of which I spoke); everything seemed focused on the celebration of the Eucharist, which is wonderful. But there is just one problem; as a Protestant I cannot receive Communion. I wonder why then a Protestant who is exploring Catholicism should attend Mass if they cannot receive? I could go to my Nazarene church and receive both preaching and Communion there. But as a spiritual seeker, I really desire there to be meaning when I visit a Mass. Any ideas?

***For ALL of the following reasons

That’s the Home of the singular TRUTHS of God’s own Faith

Jesus Christ IS “Really; Truly and Substanually Present there”

God Died so that you COULD!

We want to meet you!***

Let ME know if you have questions? Send me a private message;

God Bless you,

pat /PJM here on the FORUM

 

[po18guy]

I go to mass now and then to encourage my Catholic friend and his family to go to mass. As a Lutheran, I think it’s very wise to take special notice on how reverently and deliberately our Catholic friends treat the Body and Blood of Chirst. Also, spending some time in Adoration is a good thing too.

We can all circle around and shout to the OP that Christ is present. Yet, it will be heard only in the silence of his heart, and in the presence of the Lord.

 

[Taestron]

At your Nazarene church you might receive communion meal but you won’t receive Holy Communion which is Eucharist which is Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Lord Jesus Christ.
*Snip
Just ask yourself questions:
Do you believe in the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist?
Do you believe you must confess your sins to Jesus through His appointee, the priest?

I pray for you.

Anna

Thank-you for your prayers. I do respect the Catholic teaching on the Eucharist (which is why I do not go up to partake when attending Mass), but I must believe (along with my denomination) that when we partake of communion we are really partaking of Holy Communion. And so, it seems that if I can’t partake of Communion during Mass, it would be better for me to go where I can partake.

Are you familiar at all with the Catholic practice of Eucharistic Adoration?

Since we believe in the Real Presence, and moreover a presence that doesn’t require consuming the Host or Chalice to be real for each of us, we believe just being in church together with Our Eucharistic Lord gives is special graces even without receiving Him in Communion.

Kinda like just being in the same room with your spouse is special, compared to when they’re not there, even if you don’t physically touch.

I was not familiar with this belief. What kind of graces are present at the time of the Eucharist?

Amen!

OP: Try to imagine that you are in the upper room at the last supper - which you are. Imagine the entire host of heaven hovering overhead when the “Holy, Holy, Holy” is sung - which they are. Place yourself at the foot of the cross - where you spiritually are. It is for a Divine and eternal reason that it is called the sacrifice of the mass. It’s main intent is not to preach, although you hear that as well. At the mass, which has never ended once Christ began it, time stands still. Time is made irrelevant, as the One Mass is made present to us. Since you cannot yet receive, place yourself in the person of the centurion who exclaimed “Surely, this man was the Son of God!” Talk - even preaching - is cheap, but being in the physical presence of Christ is priceless. It does not matter which Priest is there. He can be a lifelong friend, or one whom you have never seen before. What matters is that Christ is made present to us. When we see Him returning on the clouds of heaven, will all the preaching in the world even matter to us?

Another thought: The Lord did not speak to Elijah from the driving wind, or from the earthquake, or from the fire, but rather in the whisper of a soft breeze. 1 Kings 19:9-12. If you are seeking, the person you are seeking is Jesus Christ. Rather than attending a mass, call the parish and ask when they offer adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Then go, and sit in silence in the presence of our Lord. Ask Him to reveal His presence to you. You might be amazed sooner, or you might be amazed later, but you will be amazed. You will be a changed person once you know He is there. Then, you will desire the mass like nothing else. Just don’t expect Him to reveal His presence at your command. He waits until your heart is fully opened to Him.

I guess I am exploring whether or not I believe all this. At the present, I believe everything that (truly) happens at Mass, happens in during the communion meal at my Protestant church. So I guess my question is while I am deciding whether or not my belief is true, would it be better for me to receive communion at my Protestant church rather than not receiving at Mass? But thank-you for your suggestion about prayer during adoration.

 

[Contarini]

Maybe I have been unlucky, but the few times I have been to Mass, I have felt that there was no reason for me to have been there. There was no preaching (this might have been the unluckiness of which I spoke); everything seemed focused on the celebration of the Eucharist, which is wonderful. But there is just one problem; as a Protestant I cannot receive Communion. I wonder why then a Protestant who is exploring Catholicism should attend Mass if they cannot receive? I could go to my Nazarene church and receive both preaching and Communion there. But as a spiritual
seeker, I really desire there to be meaning when I visit a Mass. Any ideas?

You can adore Christ in the Eucharist, if your beliefs allow you to do so.

Medieval lay Catholics received communion one to three times per year for the most part. Yet the devout ones went to Mass every day.

And then there are the prayers and Scripture readings.

I go to weekday Mass sporadically–I would like to do it more often (there are two Catholic churches just down the road from my house so I have no excuse).

Edwin

 

[po18guy]

I guess I am exploring whether or not I believe all this. At the present, I believe everything that (truly) happens at Mass, happens in during the communion meal at my Protestant church. So I guess my question is while I am deciding whether or not my belief is true, would it be better for me to receive communion at my Protestant church rather than not receiving at Mass? But thank-you for your suggestion about prayer during adoration.

Exploring is very good, as it tells God that your heart is open. His graces will lead you to the fulness of truth. Since you remain protestant, you should honor those beliefs until and unless your heart is convicted otherwise. Yet, I had no devotion to Christ in the Eucharist (or to many other things) until a Priest laid hands on me and prayed over me. I experienced a most profound conversion after that experience of the Holy Spirit. Since then, I have experienced minor miracles, true supernatural experiences during prayer before our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. The sense of peace is amazing.

 

[annaevers]

Thank-you for your prayers. I do respect the Catholic teaching on the Eucharist (which is why I do not go up to partake when attending Mass), but I must believe (along with my denomination) that when we partake of communion we are really partaking of Holy Communion. And so, it seems that if I can’t partake of Communion during Mass, it would be better for me to go where I can partake.

Taestron, but when you take communion at your church and are consuming the bread and wine, do you believe that you are eating Body and drinking Blood of Christ? Or is it only a symbol?

During the Holy Sacrifice of Mass I know I am eating His Body and Drinking His Blood because He said so.

If you want to understand the mystery of the Holy Eucharist, I would strongly recommend to read Scott Hahn’s: The Lamb’s Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth. It is written in very simple and understanding language.

Even better, you might want to visit The Lamb’s Supper: The Bible and the Mass. It is a short online Bible study based on the book based on the book and you can buy the book through their link on the bottom of the page.

Peace in Christ.

 

[JonNC]

I go to mass now and then to encourage my Catholic friend and his family to go to mass. As a Lutheran, I think it’s very wise to take special notice on how reverently and deliberately our Catholic friends treat the Body and Blood of Chirst. Also, spending some time in Adoration is a good thing too.

In my limited experience I’d concur - Encourage your catholic priest to get some fire in the belly for the lord!

OTOH, Ben, we’ve been encouraging our pastor to practice a bit more brevity.

Jon

 

[po18guy]

OTOH, Ben, we’ve been encouraging our pastor to practice a bit more brevity.

Jon

We don’t want a repeat of this:

Acts 20:9

And a certain young man named Eutychus, sitting on the window, being oppressed with a deep sleep, (as Paul was long preaching,) by occasion of his sleep fell from the third loft down, and was taken up dead.

Unless we can expect this:

Acts 20:10-12

To whom, when Paul had gone down, he laid himself upon him, and embracing him, said: Be not troubled, for his soul is in him. Then going up, and breaking bread and tasting, and having talked a long time to them, until daylight, so he departed. And they brought the youth alive, and were not a little comforted.

 

[plainatheart71]

The best reason my husband and I found to continue attending Mass even though we are Protestant is that we had been so hurt in our former church, and over the months of attending Mass the real presence has healed us. Now we can’t partake of the Eucharist but Christ’s presence is real in the Eucharist and being in Mass you are in the presence of the Eucharist and therefore He can heal you. I am living proof of it. I had made the claim that I was never stepping foot in another church unless it was just to visit with our parents, and that I was never going to sit under another pastor. Thank God He didn’t leave me in that place and thank God He drew us into the Catholic Church.
Each week we present ourselves as a living sacrifice before the Eucharist & receive a blessing. We are blessed that our priest believes in coming forward every week for this. We are also blessed to have a priest who was understanding of our situation and has been very committed to us and helping us understand the faith, working with us to get our previous marriages annulled before entering the Church so that when we do we can do so fully.
We have also found, even though we haven’t converted yet, that when we enter the church we are convicted to pray. Every week we are blown away by the homilies & the music & the readings. Just all of it.
We are longing to join, longing to get these annullments done & go through RCIA. We still have the problem of our Protestant minister dads and them being totally against this. Another thing our priest has been so good about. Reassuring us that we need to honor them and not cause division. We know the time is coming and maybe sooner than we think that we are going to tell them and pray they are receptive. My dad is 78 & his dad is 82 so we don’t want division with them at all.
Overall I can’t emphasize enough just how precious, how special, how beautiful, how healing, how majestic the Mass has been to us. We have seen a consistency from week to week that we hadn’t found in the Protestant churches. And the Mass has, for us, been the perfect fit. Oh, and this is coming from 2 musicians who were heavily involved (4 worship teams) in music ministry. Yet the songs of the Mass have washed over us and helped in the healing process. God is so good!

 

[Taestron]

Thank-you, Plainatheart. That story probably did more than all the reasoned arguments.

 

[Dhugz]

Maybe I have been unlucky, but the few times I have been to Mass, I have felt that there was no reason for me to have been there. There was no preaching (this might have been the unluckiness of which I spoke); everything seemed focused on the celebration of the Eucharist, which is wonderful. But there is just one problem; as a Protestant I cannot receive Communion. I wonder why then a Protestant who is exploring Catholicism should attend Mass if they cannot receive? I could go to my Nazarene church and receive both preaching and Communion there. But as a spiritual seeker, I really desire there to be meaning when I visit a Mass. Any ideas?

My humble opinion is that, you can recieve communion if you want, if that will satisfy you to enjoy the mass. The HOLY Spirit is trying to convert you to the true church of Christ which is the Catholic Church, but please before you recieve the real Body of Christ you must listen to your heart. Communion is not only recieving the real body of Christ but also it shows unity within the Church, if you want to unite with us why not be baptize and live as a catholic?

 

[po18guy]

My humble opinion is that, you can recieve communion if you want, if that will satisfy you to enjoy the mass. The HOLY Spirit is trying to convert you to the true church of Christ which is the Catholic Church, but please before you recieve the real Body of Christ you must listen to your heart. Communion is not only recieving the real body of Christ but also it shows unity within the Church, if you want to unite with us why not be baptize and live as a catholic?

However, receiving communion means that you are in full commUNION with the Church. If one does not grant assent to he teachings of the Church, they have no business communing with her. As well, if they do not examine their conscience before consuming, they might be eating damnation unto themselves.

Far better to watch, to learn, to desire, to join - first. Communion before union is like pre-marital sex. It cheapens the love that is intended between Christ, His Church, and the members of His Body.

 

[Dhugz]

However, receiving communion means that you are in full commUNION with the Church. If one does not grant assent to he teachings of the Church, they have no business communing with her. As well, if they do not examine their conscience before consuming, they might be eating damnation unto themselves.

Far better to watch, to learn, to desire, to join - first. Communion before union is like pre-marital sex. It cheapens the love that is intended between Christ, His Church, and the members of His Body.

Yes, but for them to feel completely the Mass, there is nothing wrong to them to recieve the communion once as long as they will accept that it is the real body and blood of Christ. If they think that they enjoy and believe to the Catholic Church then they will start to obey the Rules in receiving the communion that they must first be baptized or validated by the Church, confess and recieve communion and or receive the sacrament of confirmation. The Church is not much strict like other cults and religion. We should accept protestant brothers to receive Christ in our Communion as part of converting them to enter to the true Church. We should not barred them to receive Christ. They will have to obey our rules once they decided to enter the Church, or until they submit themselves to RCIA. We are Christians right? Therefore, treat any one as our brothers.

 

[po18guy]

Yes, but for them to feel completely the Mass, there is nothing wrong to them to recieve the communion once as long as they will accept that it is the real body and blood of Christ. If they think that they enjoy and believe to the Catholic Church then they will start to obey the Rules in receiving the communion that they must first be baptized or validated by the Church, confess and recieve communion and or receive the sacrament of confirmation. The Church is not much strict like other cults and religion. We should accept protestant brothers to receive Christ in our Communion as part of converting them to enter to the true Church. We should not barred them to receive Christ. They will have to obey our rules once they decided to enter the Church, or until they submit themselves to RCIA. We are Christians right? Therefore, treat any one as our brothers.

You differ with the Church on this.

 

[Dhugz]

You differ with the Church on this.

That is just my humble opinion though i know the Church teachings on this, i just want not to be rude to protestants who are reaaly want to feel the Holy Mass.

 

[po18guy]

That is just my humble opinion though i know the Church teachings on this, i just want not to be rude to protestants who are reaaly want to feel the Holy Mass.

I understand the sentiment. Yet Priests are taught to caution non-Catholics against reception. Although it seems exclusive, it is intended to prevent damage to those who are not in full communion, as well as to encourage unity. Consider: what if OP has a mortal sin on his soul, but does not believe that it is such. Do we want him or her to consume under those circumstances, or rather, to know the gravity of the situation beforehand?