Lutheran Service

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JLynn2009

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Is it so horrible to go to a Lutheran service? We live in a poor area so our dioceses only sends priests who deliver mass in Spanish. This is distressing to me, a cradle Catholic because I get nothing out of the service, and my husband refuses to go to church with me now (baptist) because the church is over crowded and nothing is in English. We would have to drive 30 miles to get to a church where Mass is given in broken English, and no AC. If Lutherans can take common via pope Francis, can Catholics go to a Lutheran service?
 
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No, you can’t. Lutherans do not have the Eucharist because they do not have valid apostolic succession. 30 miles and no air conditioning and “broken English” are not reasons to not go to Mass each Sunday. Lots of people in lots of countries make far greater sacrifices to attend Mass. On the other hand, why not learn Spanish and participate in the local Spanish Mass? You say you “get nothing” out of it, but it is not what you “get out of” but what you bring to Mass that is the issue here. The Mass is the same all over the world. Get a bi-lingual guide to the Mass in Spanish/English and follow along. Attending Mass every Sunday is a moral obligation.
May I add with all due respect: you don’t seem to know a lot about the Catholic faith. I’d suggest you study up on why the Mass is important and the history and significance of each part. Scott Hahn’s The Supper of the Lamb is a good resource.
 
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Catholics can go to a Lutheran service, but are also obligated to go to a Catholic service on Sundays/Saturday evenings. Catholics aren’t allowed to take communion at other churches, and non-Catholics should not take communion of Catholics.

I agree with the above - why not try and pick up the Spanish? You’d be surprised how quickly you can understand what’s being said.
 
We are not permitted to go to Lutheran services in place of Mass. Their “masses” are not valid, as their ministers are not validly ordained. Even if you can’t understand the priests being sent to you, you’re much better off with them than you would be in a Lutheran church. Your priest can still consecrate the Eucharist, and this is far more important for us than having a native speaker.

You should contact your bishop and inform him of the problems your area is facing.

Is there a college near you? If so, you might want to see if they have a “better equipped” priest who celebrates Mass with them. You could attend there and at least have a solution while classes are in session.
 
You can but shouldn’t. Lutherans don’t have the Eucharist and many other things Catholics have. Attending mass is an obligation on Sundays.You need to contact the Diocese and tell them about your problem. I would get a bilingual guide or try to learn Spanish. Good luck and happy Easter!
 
Is it not a moral obligation for every Christian to go to church on a Sunday? Is communion the only reason to not go to a Lutheran service? The church here is wildly clickish. I have been made to move seats multiple times by parotioners, and I do know Spanish. A white person speaking Spanish here makes them angry, been there done that. I’ve been ostracized for being Catholic, now I’m being ostracized from my own church for being white. I have made complaints to the diocese and never get a response. I’m tired of sitting in the foyer like a red headed step child and want to feel part of a congregation again.
 
JLynn2009 said:
Is it not a moral obligation for every Christian to go to church on a Sunday? Is communion the only reason to not go to a Lutheran service?
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It’s the obligation of Catholics to go to Mass, not just any church service. You can attend Mass close to you or a 30 minute drive away, your choice, so you have no excuse to attend a non-Catholic service instead.
The church here is wildly clickish. I have been made to move seats multiple times by parotioners, and I do know Spanish. A white person speaking Spanish here makes them angry, been there done that. I’ve been ostracized for being Catholic, now I’m being ostracized from my own church for being white. I have made complaints to the diocese and never get a response. I’m tired of sitting in the foyer like a red headed step child and want to feel part of a congregation again.
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You don’t solve those problems by attending a Lutheran service.

I had a similar problem 22 years ago when I first came to this parish. The old guard was used to a very transient military population who came and went within a 2-3 year period so they didn’t get involved with newcomers much. I was a military dependent so they didn’t expect much of me.

I jumped in with both feet and signed up to be a reader and EMHC (things I’d done in all my previous parishes) and started volunteering at the parish office within the first 6 weeks. It raised some eyebrows but I eventually became parish secretary, a job I held for almost 13 years. It took a while but eventually I became part of the group. It’s worth the effort.
 
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We have a Sunday obligation to attend Mass, not just any church service. Lutheran services don’t cut it. The Sunday obligation isn’t eliminated even if you don’t plan on receiving the Eucharist.

If you are having these problems with the parish community, you need to stand up for yourself. The way they are treating you is wrong, and they should know better. Give them a chance to correct themselves. If they keep it up, speak to the priest after Mass and tell him what’s happening. If he’s worth his salt, he’ll speak to them. If it continues, go straight to the bishop. He will sort it all out.
 
JLynn2009 said:
Is it so horrible to go to a Lutheran service?
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How much do you love God? Is God the center of your life? How much blood did Jesus shed for you? Enough that you would drive a half-hour to be in His true presence? English or not? Not putting any particular denomination down, but a trip to Wal Mart counts as much as consciously missing mass and attending a non-Catholic “service.”

Christ commanded us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We are living, breathing parts of His Body. You cannot do that anywhere but a Catholic mass (or under certain circumstances an Orthodox Divine Liturgy).

Primarily, we do not attend mass for fellowship.
We do not attend for the beauty of the “service.”
We do not attend for stirring homilies.
We do not attend for uplifting choir music.
We do not necessarily attend to receive the Eucharist.
(CRITICS, please note the qualifiers).

We attend out of obedience to Christ and to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

Lutherans do not - do not - gather for that purpose. Their founder specifically rejected the mass as any form of sacrifice.

Since you are dealing with multiple problems, I urge you to contact your archdiocese regarding the apparently untenable situation.

F.Y.I. For 2-3 years, we drove 45 minutes to mass. Was it a bit of a hassle? Of course? But, God took note of it.
 
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We drive (easily 30 minutes each was) to Mass each week. Does this cause you a real financial hardship due to the cost of fuel? Attending a Lutheran service might be OK once in a while if you are strong enough in your faith AND you are doing it to support a spouse who regularly attends a specific church. It, in no way, is a substitute for attending Mass on Sundays and Days of obligation.
 
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