Not believing in God = Not able to receive Eucharist?

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pcg2

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My brother got in a huge argument with my mom the other day, where he revealed that he doesn’t believe in God. This didn’t come as a huge shock to me. My mom has to force him to go to mass (he is still a minor) every Sunday.

If you don’t believe in God, that must naturally mean you don’t think the Eucharist is God.

So do I have a moral obligation to tell my brother not to receive the Eucharist today when we go to mass, seeing as how it would be sacrilege for him to receive without believing that it is the body and blood of Christ?

Thanks
 
pcg2 said:
My brother got in a huge argument with my mom the other day, where he revealed that he doesn’t believe in God. This didn’t come as a huge shock to me. My mom has to force him to go to mass (he is still a minor) every Sunday.

If you don’t believe in God, that must naturally mean you don’t think the Eucharist is God.

So do I have a moral obligation to tell my brother not to receive the Eucharist today when we go to mass, seeing as how it would be sacrilege for him to receive without believing that it is the body and blood of Christ?

Thanks
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You should talk this over with your mom. Tell her the church teachings on the issue, ask her what she thinks, and respect her wishes.
 
bingbang said:
You should talk this over with your mom. Tell her the church teachings on the issue, ask her what she thinks, and respect her wishes.
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to be honest, my mom probably doesn’t even know about this teaching. so it’s pretty much my responsibility if anything is to be done about it…
 
I think you need to have a heart to heart talk with your brother. He may have said some things in anger in the discussion with your mom that he may regret. He may not even know what he really believes or wants. If you listen more than discipline him, maybe it will do more good.
 
pcg2 said:
to be honest, my mom probably doesn’t even know about this teaching. so it’s pretty much my responsibility if anything is to be done about it…
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Well you should explain it to her and tell her that you think that your brother shouldn’t receive the Eucharist. Then I would leave the decision up to her and your brother. Other than informing your mom on your beliefs on the subject, I don’t think there is anything else you should do.
 
Have a talk with your brother about not receiving the Eucharist but also, you would be benefited by bringing this controversy to the attention of your priest. He can advise you.

I am a revert and it was very helpful for me to attend RCIA . I’d suggest that your Mom sit in on those meetings.
 
I talked to my brother about it. I basically told him that, if he really truly doesn’t believe that the Eucharist is God, and if he’s not willing to try to pray about it and ask God to help him believe, then he shouldn’t receive. But I told him that if he’s just struggling and having doubts about whether or not God exists (and therefore, that the Eucharist is God), and if he asks God to help him believe and have faith, then he should receive. Basically, I made him aware of the Church’s teachings and left it up to him to make a decision (since only he knows what he really believes or not).

I know that even the most faithful of us have doubts that pop up sometimes, especially concerning the Eucharist, so I just told him what I thought was best and what is right.

Did I handle this situation appropriately, and give him sound, orthodox advice? I sure hope so :confused:
 
You most certainly did handle the situation well, by your report. Pray for him, and ask others to do so as well. See if you can find out what he might have doubts about, and then steer him toward appropriate resources (both people and written ones).

-ACEGC
 
So we went to masa and he didn’t receive 😦

And now there’s a part of me that feels guilty because I feel like I might have said something wrong or not have explained it in an adequate enough way, and it was because of my incompetency that he didn’t go up to receive. I guess I should just let it go and pray for him.
 
pcg2 said:
So we went to masa and he didn’t receive 😦

And now there’s a part of me that feels guilty because I feel like I might have said something wrong or not have explained it in an adequate enough way, and it was because of my incompetency that he didn’t go up to receive. I guess I should just let it go and pray for him.
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Pray for him, but give it some time, and maybe you can talk to him about it. Ask him why he doesn’t believe in God. Familiarize yourself with the arguments for God’s existence–check out Peter Kreeft’s website (peterkreeft.com/home.htm) as well as St. Thomas Aquinas’ Five Ways. Then when the time is right, you’ll know what to say.

-ACEGC
 
pcg2 said:
So we went to masa and he didn’t receive 😦

And now there’s a part of me that feels guilty because I feel like I might have said something wrong or not have explained it in an adequate enough way, and it was because of my incompetency that he didn’t go up to receive. I guess I should just let it go and pray for him.
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Remember we only have an obligation to receive once a year at Easter - by attending he is fulfilling his obligation; by not receiving he may be avoiding mortal sin. If you’re brother is strongly questioning/doubting his Faith then he is actually being very respectful by not receiving. He is willing to behave appropriately according to a faith he may not hold.

I sort of know where you are coming from - my adult non-Catholic brother received when he attended Mass with my Dad and I once. Before Mass we explained that Catholics have “closed Communion’” and he should not go forward. He didn’t go forward with us but then joined the end of the line. I struggled with feeling like I messed up somehow (I should have explained better, should have told my Dad when I thought I saw my brother in line or even shouted out when I was sure it was my brother in line) and so it was my fault the Eucharist was desecrated/received improperly. My priest advised I prayer the Serenity Prayer:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Christ’s peace be with you.
 
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