Non-Catholics attending Roman Catholic mass

[theistgal]

Oh well. Sucks for me, I guess.

LOL! It’s not that bad. There’s a nice little devotion called the “spiritual communion” which you could do. Basically, when you can’t receive the Eucharist, you say a little prayer along the lines of, “Jesus, since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, please come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as though You were already here.” Then just do the same prayers/meditation you’d do if you’d actually received Communion.

It’s a nice way to participate when you can’t participate.

 

[reteeks21]

LOL! It’s not that bad. There’s a nice little devotion called the “spiritual communion” which you could do. ***Basically, when you can’t receive the Eucharist, you say a little prayer along the lines of, “Jesus, since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, please come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as though You were already here.” *** Then just do the same prayers/meditation you’d do if you’d actually received Communion.

It’s a nice way to participate when you can’t participate.

That strangely similar to what we prots say in many instances anyway! I know, though, that it’s not necessarily in the same context. But hey, we found something that we have slightly in common.

 

[jmcrae]

Thanks for the encouragement! I’m still confused a bit, though. Help me out. Why is their a difference between a non-cath and a cath in receiving communion if neither accept all the teachings of the church? Maybe I need to stop analyzing it too much!

The reason is that the Catholic is already in unity with the Church at the spiritual and Sacramental level. Agreement with the teachings is part of that, but it’s not the only thing.

In fact, if you agreed with absolutely everything that the Church teaches, but were not yet a member of the Church, you would still not be able to receive Holy Communion, because it’s that spiritual and Sacramental union with the Church (membership, so to speak) that allows you to receive Holy Communion.

Agreeing with the teachings is also very important, but it’s not the deciding criteria.

It’s also very normal, as we journey through our faith lives, to have questions, misunderstandings, and difficulties. We don’t excommunicate people for that, although we certainly hope and pray that they will overcome these issues. If these things cause them to sin, then they have to go to Confession and be resolved to solve the problem.

 

[reteeks21]

The reason is that the Catholic is already in unity with the Church at the spiritual and Sacramental level. Agreement with the teachings is part of that, but it’s not the only thing.

In fact, if you agreed with absolutely everything that the Church teaches, but were not yet a member of the Church, you would still not be able to receive Holy Communion, because it’s that spiritual and Sacramental union with the Church (membership, so to speak) that allows you to receive Holy Communion.

Agreeing with the teachings is also very important, but it’s not the deciding criteria.

It’s also very normal, as we journey through our faith lives, to have questions, misunderstandings, and difficulties. We don’t excommunicate people for that, although we certainly hope and pray that they will overcome these issues. If these things cause them to sin, then they have to go to Confession and be resolved to solve the problem.

Thanks for taking the time to help me out with that one. I have just gotten the impression on here before that catholics who don’t go along with the church on eveything (kind of the protestant notion that catholics do the bidding of the evil pope!) are in danger on a eternal level. Thanks again.

 

[theistgal]

That strangely similar to what we prots say in many instances anyway! I know, though, that it’s not necessarily in the same context. But hey, we found something that we have slightly in common.

Sure. And I read a book by a convert named Caryll Houselander many years ago - letters she was writing to an Anglican friend who was in the process of converting. Caryll advised her friend to continue receiving communion at her Anglican church till she was formally received as a Roman Catholic, and just to thinking of it as a spiritual communion. Not sure if that would be “official” Catholic teaching but apparently it worked for them.

 

[OneTrueCathApos]

Oh well. Sucks for me, I guess.

Is that all you can say? It doesn’t have to suck…

 

[reteeks21]

Is that all you can say? It doesn’t have to suck…

Ahhhhhhhhh…I see where you are going with this (at least I think I do).

 

[JonNC]

The only unity we should seek is your conversion to the Roman Catholic Church.

Not quite the ecumenical position or approach that Rome takes, but I appreciate your seeking it.

Jon

 

[CWBetts]

Not quite the ecumenical position or approach that Rome takes, but I appreciate your seeking it.

Jon

Rome sees the good aspects of other faiths, but does not hold them as equals. Only the Roman Catholic Church has the fullness of truth.

 

[JonNC]

Rome sees the good aspects of other faiths, but does not hold them as equals. Only the Roman Catholic Church has the fullness of truth.

CW,
My point was that JP II spoke of the importance (I don’t recall if he used the term preference) for corporate reconciliation, else why would Rome be so invested in ecumenism?

As to your point, while I know that the Catholic Church believes it has the fullness of truth, to say that Rome does not view us as equals is not the impression I get from Ut unum sint, which seems to speak more in terms of partnership and dialogue. One who believes himself to be in a position of superiority ordinarily does not view others as “partners”, and usually feels no need for dialogue.

Jon

 

[DebChris]

Thanks for taking the time to help me out with that one. I have just gotten the impression on here before that catholics who don’t go along with the church on eveything (kind of the protestant notion that catholics do the bidding of the evil pope!) are in danger on a eternal level. Thanks again.

Each of us has free will. Free will is often stated in terms of the ability to choose to sin. It is free will that also allows us to choose right over wrong. In other words, we each make choices throughout life based on personal conscience. As scripture says, to act against conscience is to sin against God.
CCC1776…for man has in his heart a law inscribed by God…His conscience is man’s most secret core and his sanctuary. There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths.

Very often you will read/hear about the importance of a well formed conscience. This development of conscience is a lifelong process as we learn not only to listen but to respond to the voice of God. A person can, of course, become distracted by worldly concerns that lead to sin. The natural way to combat that distraction, the clouding of conscience, is through prayer and the intimate relationship with Jesus Christ to whom we each are called.

The basic point is that each person is responsible for his/her own actions. The Church is not comprised of puppets but of individuals with unique gifts and personality.
The general context in which we hear will used in a positive sense is when we talk about a person’s will to live. A strong will can stand against pressures to give up. I think it was in 1984 that Barbara Jordan was found lying face down in her swimming pool. A strong will that led this woman to congress made her survival possible in accordance with God’s Will.

 

[CWBetts]

CW,
My point was that JP II spoke of the importance (I don’t recall if he used the term preference) for corporate reconciliation, else why would Rome be so invested in ecumenism?

As to your point, while I know that the Catholic Church believes it has the fullness of truth, to say that Rome does not view us as equals is not the impression I get from Ut unum sint, which seems to speak more in terms of partnership and dialogue. One who believes himself to be in a position of superiority ordinarily does not view others as “partners”, and usually feels no need for dialogue.

Jon

It os no secret that the Church aggrees that Proteestants have some of the truth. But they cannat have the fullness of truth because then you end up with multiple truths. It is my desire that Protestants relize their error and come home to the Catholic Faith