Lutherans don't have the Real Presence, do they?

[JeanneH]

Hi,
Can you explain this to me?

“Even a theology oriented to the concept of succession, such as that which holds in the Catholic and in the Orthodox church, need not in any way deny the salvation-granting presence of the Lord in a Lutheran Lord’s Supper.”
-Cardinal Ratzinger

Am I to understand that the Lutheran’s Lord’s Supper contains the Real Presence as Catholics believe it to be even though they do not believe in the concept of succession? How can they experience the Real Presence when the bread and wine are not consecrated by a catholic priest?

I find this confusing. What advantage is there to being a Catholic if the Lutherans have the same Real Presence as the Catholics?

Thank you
Jeanne

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi Jeanne,

You don’t state the origin of that sentence and so I have no idea what the context was or where it was stated—or even if it is factual. But if is it factual, it is entirely possible that the pope was simply speaking of the presence of the Lord whenever two or more people are gathered in His name. This would be a “presence,” but not the same as the “Real Presence” of the Lord in the Eucharist.

All of the main-line Protestant churches lack the Real Presence because they lack valid ordinations. They do not teach the Mass as sacrifice. This is essential to the understanding of what the liturgy of the Eucharist is.

But even if Lutherans did have the Real Presence, there would be an advantage to being a Catholic. First of all it was only the Catholic Church that Jesus founded and it is therefore the only Church that teaches with His authority. It s also the only Church that He promised to remain with until the end of time.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.