Protestant/Ecumenical service

[Kathrin]

Once again my parish is holding an ecumenical service together with the Portestant community in town. I know this doesn’t fulfill the Catholic Sunday obligation, so if I go there on Sunday morning, I am also planning on going to mass tonight.

Still a question though: This time the service will be held after the Protestant manner, inlcuding breaking the bread after their manner.
But I think everybody participates, the Catholics too? So… if I go to that service as a Catholic, is there anything wrong about participating in that?
Intuitively I think I would say no, because for Protestants this is just symbolic, right? So it’s not like the other way around (Protestants not being allowed to receive the Eucharist). I am not sure though. But it would feel wrong to go there and not participate.

(And generally, I think ecumenical services are a good thing, because we’re all Christians… and I think it’s beautiful we can celebrate together. But if there are insecuriities like that it’s not the same good feeling.)

Kathrin

 

[bpbasilphx]

Why?

If the priest wants to be a Protestant, why doesn’t he just leave?

 

[Lux_et_Tenebrae]

HI,

There are guidelines for Ecumenical service, and I’m sure this is not allowed.

Are you saying that a Protestant Minister is celebrating the Communion service in a Catholic Church or the Catholic Priest will be present in the Protestant service?

It may be OK, if the priest is just in the congregation in the Protestant Church, but as a general rule ecumenical services are to be prayer services only, since the Communion which is to stress unity will only cause division. (If there were no Communion, you would not be faced with this problem)

I do see the fellowship in ecumenical prayer service, but I am not comfortable receiving Communion at a non-Catholic service. We are advised against it, since it is not what Catholics believe.

Lux

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Once again my parish is holding an ecumenical service together with the Portestant community in town. I know this doesn’t fulfill the Catholic Sunday obligation, so if I go there on Sunday morning, I am also planning on going to mass tonight.

Still a question though: This time the service will be held after the Protestant manner, inlcuding breaking the bread after their manner.
But I think everybody participates, the Catholics too? So… if I go to that service as a Catholic, is there anything wrong about participating in that?
Intuitively I think I would say no, because for Protestants this is just symbolic, right? So it’s not like the other way around (Protestants not being allowed to receive the Eucharist). I am not sure though. But it would feel wrong to go there and not participate.

(And generally, I think ecumenical services are a good thing, because we’re all Christians… and I think it’s beautiful we can celebrate together. But if there are insecuriities like that it’s not the same good feeling.)

Kathrin

An Ecumenical service is only supposed to be a prayer service praying for Christian unity some day.

A Catholic is **NOT, NOT, NOT, **permitted to participate in a Protestant communion service. It is recomended that a Catholic NOT attend a Protestant worship service unless there is some serious reason for being there.

Your parish must also have it’s regular Sunday Mass.

 

[Kathrin]

The ecumenical service takes place at the time when the regular Sunday mass usually takes place.

I am in Switzerland and have often noticed that things are handled more liberally here than in the US (where I have also spent a significant amount of time. I also went through RCIA in the US when I decided to be confirmed).

This is an issue I am really torn about!!!

On the one hand, the catholic faith is so beautiful and I understand that for a large community like that there must be some rules… on the other hand, I do not want to “put down” other Christians either, it feels wrong… and I have been reading Paul and how he said we are not under the law… but Catholcism sometimes seems so muchabout laws… Sorry I do not mean to say anything negative about our wonderful church, I am just confused sometimes!!

Why is it wrong for a Catholic to participate in a Protestant communion service? The Protestant communion service is just SYMBOLIC, right? Breaking of the bread as a community…

I think for now, I mean this weekend, I will just go to a different church on Sunday morning, in another town. Where they have their regular mass. Instead of going to mass tonight.
§
Even though a part of me feels kind of sad/bad about this too… because community is something beautiful. And wouldn’t it be wonderful if all Christians could celebrate together?


Kathrin

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

The ecumenical service takes place at the time when the regular Sunday mass usually takes place.

I am in Switzerland and have often noticed that things are handled more liberally here than in the US (where I have also spent a significant amount of time. I also went through RCIA in the US when I decided to be confirmed).

This is an issue I am really torn about!!!

On the one hand, the catholic faith is so beautiful and I understand that for a large community like that there must be some rules… on the other hand, I do not want to “put down” other Christians either, it feels wrong… and I have been reading Paul and how he said we are not under the law… but Catholcism sometimes seems so muchabout laws… Sorry I do not mean to say anything negative about our wonderful church, I am just confused sometimes!!

Why is it wrong for a Catholic to participate in a Protestant communion service? The Protestant communion service is just SYMBOLIC, right? Breaking of the bread as a community…

I think for now, I mean this weekend, I will just go to a different church on Sunday morning, in another town. Where they have their regular mass. Instead of going to mass tonight.
§
Even though a part of me feels kind of sad/bad about this too… because community is something beautiful. And wouldn’t it be wonderful if all Christians could celebrate together?


Kathrin

I am speaking with a U.S. bias. But the Ecumenical Directory is a Catholic Church wide document. I’m reasonably certain that Cardinal Arinze when he was head of the Congregration in charge of Ecumenism and his successor have allowed much leeway. All seperated Christians are always invited to return to Catholic unity.

 

[Tietjen]

Still a question though: This time the service will be held after the Protestant manner, inlcuding breaking the bread after their manner.
But I think everybody participates, the Catholics too? So… if I go to that service as a Catholic, is there anything wrong about participating in that?

Yes, this would be a wrong thing to do.

 

[Lux_et_Tenebrae]

I think for now, I mean this weekend, I will just go to a different church on Sunday morning, in another town. Where they have their regular mass. Instead of going to mass tonight.
§
Even though a part of me feels kind of sad/bad about this too… because community is something beautiful. And wouldn’t it be wonderful if all Christians could celebrate together?


Kathrin

I think this is the best option. All Christians can pray together and have good fellowship, but since our understanding of Holy Communion is different, it is best to keep this separate.

It is best to focus on common ground, rather than do something contrary to the teachings of either Religion.

Perhaps you could suggest an Ecumenical prayer service?

Lux