No communion for a year is rough

[HeadingBackHome]

Hi, I am converting to the Catholic faith next spring and Im looking so much forward to it, I simply cant wait .

The biggest issue attached to my converting prosess at the moment seems to be the fact that Im not allowed to recieve communion at mass and I feel that it would be wrong to attend a Protestant service just to recieve a communion as Im NOT agree With theyre view on the Eucharist and it would generaly just feel like a betrayale to my faith to do so.

I know its possible to pray for a spiritual communion when one are prevented from recieve the Eucharist, but its nowhere near the same feeling of acutally recieving communion.

Does any of you know if theres possible to recieve communion before convertion? I havent brought up the subject With the priest at my Church. Im just wondering if it could be arranged as Im 100 per cent sure I will convert.

Thanks for any answers

 

[Joe_5859]

No, you cannot receive the Eucharist (the sacrament which completes Christian initiation) before being initiatied.

Definitely talk to your priest, though. He will likely be a good source for advice for how to deal with the waiting.

It’s good that you are enthusiastic about receiving the Lord in the Eucharist. It does make it hard to wait. But it is certainly a chance to practice the virtue of patience.

 

[3DOCTORS]

There is a Catholic practice known as making a spiritual communion. This link

ourcatholicprayers.com/spiritual-communion.html

describes it in detail and gives the prayer that is used. Often if a Catholic parish has missalettes that prayer will be available in the prayers on the back cover or wherever there’s a prayer page. If not, you can purchase a holy card with it to carry in your wallet.

 

[Vegasdee1]

Receiving Communion before your conversion is a grave mistake. The gift of the Holy Eucharist is a major event in a Catholic person’s life. In our priests studies they spend at least 2years on the subject. The more you learn about it the more you will realize it’s power & need in your life. It has been given the honor of a Sacrament & is the climax of the Holy Mass.( our highest prayer of the church) Preparing for receiving is also a major part of the Sacrament. May God bless you & welcome to His Holy Church:thumbsup:
Vegasdee1

 

[Convert2013]

That’s so awesome that you are looking forward to it, and welcome home! It seems like a long and anguishing road to desire the Eucharist and not be able to receive it. At the same time it is wonderful as the power of the Holy Spirit is working in you. I know it seems like forever …I spent 20+ years in the Church before having the courage to go to RCIA. All that time I watched my wife and everyone else receive. It only made Easter Vigil and my first Holy Communion that much sweeter. It will cleanse your soul for sure and you will be forever changed.

Hang in there! I will pray for you! As another poster suggested, spiritual communion is also very powerful. I highly recommend it as well as Eucharistic Adoration if that is available. Look for a nearby Adoration Chapel or a Parish that has set aside a time for it to spend time with the Blessed Sacrament.

 

[HeadingBackHome]

Thanks for all answers

I Guess I have to wait then, but at the other hand as mentioned abow it makes recieving the Eucharist even bigger.

Ive tried to pray for spiritual Communion, but its not the same at all.
I pray the “Anima Christi” from time to time and think its one of the most beautiful prayers in the world, I Guess I can pray it when Im seeking spiritual communion.

Thanks for very positiv reply Convert2013, Yes, please pray for me

 

[WaitingForJesus]

Andreas, I just say this and wanted to comment.

I understand how this feels. I had to wait 3 and a half years to receive communion due to some things going on in my life at the time. During my wait (which incidentally precipitated my CAF name), I read somewhere that making an act of spiritual communion can bring one many graces. My pastor encouraged me to pray a very simple prayer while everyone else was going to communion. I also began to ask the Lord to give me these graces in other ways since I could not receive him physically. Still I was in a lot of pain, and my sponsor suggested that I offer up my suffering as reparation for those who do not believe in the real presence. That helped me a lot.

Our Lord comforted me greatly during that time, and I can see now how that waiting made me so much closer to him. Although it was very difficult, I see now that the wait was really a blessing.

Your first communion is going to be so beautiful.

 

[crenfro]

Hi, I am converting to the Catholic faith next spring and Im looking so much forward to it, I simply cant wait .

How wonderful and refreshing to hear your reverence in regard to the Eucharist! It’s worth the wait. So many of us take receiving the Eucharist for granted, I’m so delighted with your attitude. God bless you. You are on your way to being a great Catholic.

… I feel that it would be wrong to attend a Protestant service just to recieve a communion as Im NOT agree With theyre view on the Eucharist and it would generaly just feel like a betrayale to my faith to do so. …

Good for you. Please keep us updated with your journey.

 

[bben15]

Sorry, you can’t receive it unless it’s Viaticum. It won’t be long until you receive it. I have to wait 3 years to receive it. You may only have to wait until Easter.

Note that it is wrong for someone in RCIA to receive at a Protestant service. You would still have that void in you even if you received. You would just be receiving bread and wine instead of the Body and Blood of Christ.

 

[HeadingBackHome]

Thanks for all replies

yes it will be long time to wait, but it will be Worth it
Also I havent prossesed every aspect of the faith yet either so its acctualy a good thing that I am not about to convert tomorrow.

I have some important issues I have to talk to my priest about too before I can be 100 per cent sure that catholicism is right for me.

I will continue to pray the Anima Christi as a part of my spiritual communion.

Why do you have to wait 3 years? thats so long, is it frustrating?

God Bless you all !

 

[bben15]

Thanks for all replies

yes it will be long time to wait, but it will be Worth it
Also I havent prossesed every aspect of the faith yet either so its acctualy a good thing that I am not about to convert tomorrow.

I have some important issues I have to talk to my priest about too before I can be 100 per cent sure that catholicism is right for me.

I will continue to pray the Anima Christi as a part of my spiritual communion.

Why do you have to wait 3 years? thats so long, is it frustrating?

God Bless you all !

It is frustrating. I have a deep spiritual void in me.

 

[adawgj]

I had to wait seven years for my first communion. If you wait the more special it will be.

 

[PJM]

=HeadingBackHome;11186248]Hi, I am converting to the Catholic faith next spring and Im looking so much forward to it, I simply cant wait .

The biggest issue attached to my converting prosess at the moment seems to be the fact that Im not allowed to recieve communion at mass and I feel that it would be wrong to attend a Protestant service just to recieve a communion as Im NOT agree With theyre view on the Eucharist and it would generaly just feel like a betrayale to my faith to do so.

I know its possible to pray for a spiritual communion when one are prevented from recieve the Eucharist, but its nowhere near the same feeling of acutally recieving communion.

Does any of you know if theres possible to recieve communion before convertion? I havent brought up the subject With the priest at my Church. Im just wondering if it could be arranged as Im 100 per cent sure I will convert.

Thanks for any answers

NO it is not.

That said; because communion is only “Holy Communion”[THE Eucharist] within the Catholic Church [and some Eastern churches]; there is NO benefit to simply participatong in "signs, symobls, and pretend to be’s of the various Protestant faiths.

Far better to attend Mass and receive Christ Spiritually, than not at all:thumbsup:

God Bless you and thanks for asking,
PJM

 

[Casilda]

Andreas, I just say this and wanted to comment.

I understand how this feels. I had to wait 3 and a half years to receive communion due to some things going on in my life at the time. During my wait (which incidentally precipitated my CAF name), I read somewhere that making an act of spiritual communion can bring one many graces. My pastor encouraged me to pray a very simple prayer while everyone else was going to communion. I also began to ask the Lord to give me these graces in other ways since I could not receive him physically. Still I was in a lot of pain, and my sponsor suggested that I offer up my suffering as reparation for those who do not believe in the real presence. That helped me a lot.

Our Lord comforted me greatly during that time, and I can see now how that waiting made me so much closer to him. Although it was very difficult, I see now that the wait was really a blessing.

Your first communion is going to be so beautiful.

Thank you for sharing this. I am a reverting Catholic after 44 yrs away from the church and have spent 3yrs attempting conversion in an eastern orthodox church, but suffering spiritually. When I visit a Catholic church I am not agonizing, so I decided to go back home and my heart feels hopeful. I guess I need to find a sponsor/mentor/ and still have to talk to a priest.

 

[jmcrae]

Hi, I am converting to the Catholic faith next spring and Im looking so much forward to it, I simply cant wait .

The biggest issue attached to my converting prosess at the moment seems to be the fact that Im not allowed to recieve communion at mass and I feel that it would be wrong to attend a Protestant service just to recieve a communion as Im NOT agree With theyre view on the Eucharist and it would generaly just feel like a betrayale to my faith to do so.

I know its possible to pray for a spiritual communion when one are prevented from recieve the Eucharist, but its nowhere near the same feeling of acutally recieving communion.

Does any of you know if theres possible to recieve communion before convertion? I havent brought up the subject With the priest at my Church. Im just wondering if it could be arranged as Im 100 per cent sure I will convert.

Thanks for any answers

Don’t rush - the more you learn about First Holy Communion, the better it will be.

 

[WaitingForJesus]

Thank you for sharing this. I am a reverting Catholic after 44 yrs away from the church and have spent 3yrs attempting conversion in an eastern orthodox church, but suffering spiritually. When I visit a Catholic church I am not agonizing, so I decided to go back home and my heart feels hopeful. I guess I need to find a sponsor/mentor/ and still have to talk to a priest.

Casilda, so glad to hear that you are heading back home! Yes do talk to a priest as soon as you can. I will be praying that all goes well for you! May the LORD bless you and keep you! May the LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! May the LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!

 

[QNDNNDQDCE]

Are you a baptized Protestant? If so, you probably could receive it after making a confession. There were people in RCIA with me who were receiving communion well before Easter. Why don’t you talk to your priest?

 

[HeadingBackHome]

Are you a baptized Protestant? If so, you probably could receive it after making a confession. There were people in RCIA with me who were receiving communion well before Easter. Why don’t you talk to your priest?

Yes I’m a baptized Protestant (for now) and I have been talking to my priest about it, but I’m not allowed to go to confession before I’m in ful communion with the church.
Where I’m from its like the confession is the last thing you do before you enter the church. I would like so much to confess regardless of communion as well.
I have mortal sins of a lifetime hanging on my shoulders
It’s a heavy burden to bear until April

Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut on the matter my friend
God Bless you!

 

[Casilda]

Yes, its an odd place to be spiritually. Never having denied Christ and always looking to my Catholic formation as what instilled that faith, yet not accepted as a Catholic. It makes you doubt who or what you are. Its very depressing. In the eastern orthodox, infants can commune and I grew envious of them. What do they know of the faith? This waiting time is very hard, I feel I die a little each day and will not survive to the end.

eta. It was not my choice in leaving the church in the first place, my parents kept me and my sister away when they decided to leave it. It took years to find out why. It had to do with ‘rules’ yet I know this is THE church. But THE church doesnt seem to recognize me anymore. Rules.

 

[HeadingBackHome]

Yes, its an odd place to be spiritually. Never having denied Christ and always looking to my Catholic formation as what instilled that faith, yet not accepted as a Catholic. It makes you doubt who or what you are. Its very depressing. In the eastern orthodox, infants can commune and I grew envious of them. What do they know of the faith? This waiting time is very hard, I feel I die a little each day and will not survive to the end.

I feel for you my friend, I feel it the same way. Even though you may have bit hit harder than I have. It is since I dont know maybe 1st of september or so that Ive been having this painful feeling. Im not a Lutheran anymore, I Feel like a catholic I pray and worship God as an Catholic and I honor Mary like a Catholic, but I cant recieve the holy Eucharist and feel like an outsider. I cant confess an its as mentioned earlier so painful to not recieve a absoultation.
But God know Im sorry for my mistakes and its not my fault that Im not allowed to confess sacramentaly yet. Its like Im homeless at the moment. Not Lutheran nor Catholic in the Church eyes
Time will pass and easter will come, then I can recieve the Lord in the holy Eucharist and confess my sins. I hope time goes fast…

eta. It was not my choice in leaving the church in the first place, my parents kept me and my sister away when they decided to leave it. It took years to find out why. It had to do with ‘rules’ yet I know this is THE church. But THE church doesnt seem to recognize me anymore. Rules.

If you need someone to talk to just send me private Messages and I will listen
God Bless you for sharing your feelings With me We are in the same boat.