protestant communion

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Quidam

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Hello! I’m a Protestant (supposedly), but at this point I pretty much think and believe like a Catholic… but I’m 17 and living at home, so I still attend an indepedent Christian church with my parents. (They don’t know that I’m thinking about becoming a Catholic yet)
I’ve been learning a lot about the Eucharist, and I believe that (at least in a place with legit. holy orders) Christ is present. But now I’m wondering whether I should coninue to participate in communion at the protestant church or not. They preface it with the typical “and we take this symbol” remarks, and it just hurts. They’ve taken the soul out of the most beautiful sacrament, but still play at ‘celebrating’ it. This said though, I know that the pastor and congregation have no evil intentions (obviously). I’m still wondering whether I should continue to participate or not, given the nature of their Lord’s Supper. At the moment I’m afraid that if I dont, it will open up a discussion with my parents that I’m not quite ready to have. Probably not a good reason. Some thoughts would be welcome!

Also, if I do become a Catholic (I probably will when I go to college in the fall) I know I’ll have to make a first confession. Will I have to confess sins that I struggled with in the past, but haven’t committed in a very long time? I believe that I have been forgiven for those sins because at the time I hadn’t the slightest clue that I should have gone to confession. Not to mention the fact that God has given me the grace to leave them behind. (Glory be to God!) Just wondering if I would have to confess those sins or not.

Sorry to ask two questions at once! God bless!
 
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Quidam:
Hello! I’m a Protestant (supposedly), but at this point I pretty much think and believe like a Catholic… but I’m 17 and living at home, so I still attend an indepedent Christian church with my parents. (They don’t know that I’m thinking about becoming a Catholic yet)
I’ve been learning a lot about the Eucharist, and I believe that (at least in a place with legit. holy orders) Christ is present. But now I’m wondering whether I should coninue to participate in communion at the protestant church or not. They preface it with the typical “and we take this symbol” remarks, and it just hurts. They’ve taken the soul out of the most beautiful sacrament, but still play at ‘celebrating’ it. This said though, I know that the pastor and congregation have no evil intentions (obviously). I’m still wondering whether I should continue to participate or not, given the nature of their Lord’s Supper. At the moment I’m afraid that if I dont, it will open up a discussion with my parents that I’m not quite ready to have. Probably not a good reason. Some thoughts would be welcome!

Also, if I do become a Catholic (I probably will when I go to college in the fall) I know I’ll have to make a first confession. Will I have to confess sins that I struggled with in the past, but haven’t committed in a very long time? I believe that I have been forgiven for those sins because at the time I hadn’t the slightest clue that I should have gone to confession. Not to mention the fact that God has given me the grace to leave them behind. (Glory be to God!) Just wondering if I would have to confess those sins or not.

Sorry to ask two questions at once! God bless!
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I can really relate to you. My story is almost identical, but my parents I have already told.
I have refrained from partisipating in the protestant Eucharist and await for the time when I can do so in a Catholic Church. I can’t reference were, but I read that the Eucharist should be taken only in the Catholic Church and after confermation and what not.
I have mostly the same questions I think, I have done a lot of reading and studying on the CC and have tried to become familiar as I can with it’s teaching.
 
Welcome, Quidam! 🙂 I hope you don’t mind a few thoughts from an “older” lady? 😉
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Quidam:
Hello! I’m a Protestant (supposedly), but at this point I pretty much think and believe like a Catholic… but I’m 17 and living at home, so I still attend an indepedent Christian church with my parents. (They don’t know that I’m thinking about becoming a Catholic yet)
I’ve been learning a lot about the Eucharist, and I believe that (at least in a place with legit. holy orders) Christ is present. But now I’m wondering whether I should coninue to participate in communion at the protestant church or not. They preface it with the typical “and we take this symbol” remarks, and it just hurts. They’ve taken the soul out of the most beautiful sacrament, but still play at ‘celebrating’ it. This said though, I know that the pastor and congregation have no evil intentions (obviously). I’m still wondering whether I should continue to participate or not, given the nature of their Lord’s Supper. At the moment I’m afraid that if I dont, it will open up a discussion with my parents that I’m not quite ready to have. Probably not a good reason. Some thoughts would be welcome!
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Because your independent Christian church doesn’t have a valid priesthood, as you said, it’s communion isn’t the Eucharist. It’s a pale imitation, but it can be spiritually nourishing as any other form of prayer can be. You don’t have to participate if you don’t want to, but since you are not yet Catholic and already understand that what your church is doing is merely remembering Jesus not re-presenting his one sacrifice, I don’t think you have to stop receiving it. Once you have been received into the Catholic Church you wouldn’t receive such a communion, but for now, I don’t think it would do any harm. I think it’s really up to you and how you perceive it at this point.
Also, if I do become a Catholic (I probably will when I go to college in the fall) I know I’ll have to make a first confession. Will I have to confess sins that I struggled with in the past, but haven’t committed in a very long time? I believe that I have been forgiven for those sins because at the time I hadn’t the slightest clue that I should have gone to confession. Not to mention the fact that God has given me the grace to leave them behind. (Glory be to God!) Just wondering if I would have to confess those sins or not.
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Even if you feel you’ve been forgiven, it can do no harm to confess them, anyway. You see, confession isn’t just about receiving absolution, it’s also about letting your confessor advise you and give you spiritual direction. After you have confessed all you can remember, and have received absolution, you will be surprised how light your soul will feel just knowing that all has been brought out into the open and been dealt with. Anyway, when you go through RCIA you should be catechized about confession so that you will understand all it means and what to do in confession.
Sorry to ask two questions at once! God bless!
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No problem. You don’t need long explanations nor are you here to shoot down Catholic teaching, so it’s perfectly all right.

God bless you! I will pray for you, please pray for me, too. 👍
 
I have always heard that it is a sin if one take communion without for one truly understanding it’s importance, which you learn before confermation, and two that only communion acceptible is that of the Church, others are not pataking or preparing to present the Eucharist appropriately, so thus making it a sin as it is given out in ignorance of the true Eucharist. I don’t know maybe I’m wrong, but that is why I don’t don’t take the one at my parents’ church.
 
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Quidam:
Also, if I do become a Catholic (I probably will when I go to college in the fall) I know I’ll have to make a first confession. Will I have to confess sins that I struggled with in the past, but haven’t committed in a very long time? I believe that I have been forgiven for those sins because at the time I hadn’t the slightest clue that I should have gone to confession. Not to mention the fact that God has given me the grace to leave them behind. (Glory be to God!) Just wondering if I would have to confess those sins or not.
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If you have already been validly baptized, then yes, you will need to go to confession before confirmation and first Communion. If you were baptized as an infant, then you’ll have to confess all the sins you’ve committed since childhood. Don’t worry about it–the priest will help you when the time comes. Just keep in mind the truly grave, mortal sins you may have committed and be sure to confess those.

If you have never been baptized, or were not validly baptized using the trinitine formula (Father-Son-Holy Spirit), then you will be baptized before receiving confirmation. You get a clean slate, as this forgives all sins-original sin and actual sins-which occurred prior to baptism. You will not need to go to confession unless you sin again.

Hope that helps!
 
Thanks for the help everyone! (gotta love these moral dilemmas…) I’m still not exactly sure what I’ll do about communion, but you have certainly given me some good food for thought. loves message boards

as far as confession goes, I was validly baptised when I was about 7, so I know I’ll have to confess before confirmation… I know it’s a good thing, but it’s still sort of a scary thought. I’m sure people can relate!

Thanks
 
Just some personal experience on confession. Going in it is often scary (though more so the first time), but Absolution is worth it ;).

God bless,
k
 
Hi Quidam

I read your post with great interest! It is so awesome that you are being drawn to the Catholic Church. I would love to hear the background to this. I think it is so awesome that you believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

As for Confession, well they call it Reconciliation now. Because mortal sin separates us from God, Reconciliation reconciles us to God. Through it all our sins are forgiven, but it is mainly for mortal sins, those sins that are so big e.g. lust that they would separate us from God if we died.

Don’t be afraid of reconcilation, just tell the priest (if he doesn’t know) that it is your first confession and tell him if you are feeling afraid. Its wonderful the compassion and wisdom that comes from our priests.

As for confesses those sins of long ago, I would suggest you just confess the big ones - those on the forefront of your mind. You don’t have to list every sin you’ve ever done, just those that God puts on your heart.

I would love to hear from you so please message me.

God bless

Your brother in Christ

Brendan Roberts
 
" as far as confession goes, I was validly baptised when I was about 7, so I know I’ll have to confess before confirmation… I know it’s a good thing, but it’s still sort of a scary thought. I’m sure people can relate!"

Oh yes!!!

(But worth the humiliation, believe me…)
 
do a search on RCIA, or check CA homepage for tract on how do I join the Catholic church for a lot of your answers. welcome home. you will be prepared for sacramental confession as part of your preparation for confirmation and first communion, your initiation into the Catholic Church. (I assume from OP you are already baptized). You will make a general confessions of all the sins of your past life. Your confession is entirely confidential, and the priest would die rather than reveal what you say. To withhold any grave sin would invalidate the confession. you will get help in examining your conscience and determining what is a sin.
 
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Quidam:
Thanks for the help everyone! (gotta love these moral dilemmas…) I’m still not exactly sure what I’ll do about communion, but you have certainly given me some good food for thought. loves message boards

as far as confession goes, I was validly baptised when I was about 7, so I know I’ll have to confess before confirmation… I know it’s a good thing, but it’s still sort of a scary thought. I’m sure people can relate!

Thanks
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Going to confession for me is scary every time…the heart beats, anxiety, etc. But the relief afterwards is TREMENDOUS! 👍
 
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Quidam:
as far as confession goes, I was validly baptised when I was about 7, so I know I’ll have to confess before confirmation… I know it’s a good thing, but it’s still sort of a scary thought. I’m sure people can relate!

Thanks
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I was baptized as a baby, and converted at 25, so I had more sins to confess than you…! Yes, it was intimidating. But, our priest guided all the Candidates in RCIA through the process quite nicely. He basically told us not to make a huge long list, but just to confess the mortal/major sins and any areas of sinfulness that might be venial but habitual. No one was in the confessional for an hour so I guess everyone did as he said and he guided us through with questions.

It might help to get a good booklet on examination of conscience, available at Catholic bookstores or online.

But, to answer your question directly-- even the “old” sins (if serious/mortal) that you feel forgiven for would need to be confessed. A “feeling” of forgiveness, and the real, Sacramental grace of the Confessional are two different things. The Sacrament actually infuses sanctifying grace into your soul and wipes away the sin. You will also need to do the penance associated with your sorrow for these past sins.
 
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