Question of sin attending other churches

[Sandra_Teresa]

I posted this in the ask an apologist section, but haven’t received an answer yet. My friend was baptized and raised Catholic, considers herself Catholic and says she’ll never be anything but Catholic. I’m concerned for her because she is looking around for a new church. She’s gone to many different churches of different denominations (not Catholic) including nondenominational, looking for where she feels comfortable. She is participating in these worship services on Sunday instead of going to Mass. Is what she is doing a mortal sin?

 

[MrIrish]

Sandra Teresa:

I posted this in the ask an apologist section, but haven’t received an answer yet. My friend was baptized and raised Catholic, considers herself Catholic and says she’ll never be anything but Catholic. I’m concerned for her because she is looking around for a new church. She’s gone to many different churches of different denominations (not Catholic) including nondenominational, looking for where she feels comfortable. She is participating in these worship services on Sunday instead of going to Mass. Is what she is doing a mortal sin?

If she is still a Catholic (i.e., has not joined another religion) and is missing Mass deliberately and knows that is sinful to do so, then yes, she is committing a mortal sin. Incidentally, I don’t know how someone who claims to be a Catholic could go shopping around for a protestant church to attend. That just doesn’t make sense to me.

 

[trumpet152]

MrIrish:

If she is still a Catholic (i.e., has not joined another religion) and is missing Mass deliberately and knows that is sinful to do so, then yes, she is committing a mortal sin. Incidentally, I don’t know how someone who claims to be a Catholic could go shopping around for a protestant church to attend. That just doesn’t make sense to me.

Exactly.

If she still knows Catholicism to be true and is simply doing this in rebellion to her and God, than yes, it is mortal sin.

If she does not know Catholicism to be true (she honestly believes it has problems and is not the true Church) than what she is doing is not sin (at least not mortal).

Motives play a very important role here. Perhaps you could suggest to your friend that she join this forum? We would gladly answer any questions presented.

 

[Sandra_Teresa]

Thank you both for your answers. Now if it is a sin to attend and participate in worship services outside Catholicism, this begs the question why is it that John Paul II and our present pope have no qualms about praying and worshiping with pagans and in Jewish temples? Perhaps this is where many, many Catholics get the idea it’s okay to go to different Churches and pray with those outside Catholicism? We should be trying to convert these misguided persons not accepting their wrong beliefs by praying with them.

 

[BlestOne]

Sandra Teresa:

Thank you both for your answers. Now if it is a sin to attend and participate in worship services outside Catholicism, this begs the question why is it that John Paul II and our present pope have no qualms about praying and worshiping with pagans and in Jewish temples? Perhaps this is where many, many Catholics get the idea it’s okay to go to different Churches and pray with those outside Catholicism? We should be trying to convert these misguided persons not accepting their wrong beliefs by praying with them.

Sandra Theresa,
It is not a sin to attend services at other churches or temples, it is a sin to commune at these places. Because we believe in the true presence of our Lord in the Eucharist and when we go up to communion we are saying, "Amen(Yes I believe) in the doctrine of this faith, and I believe in the true pesence of Christ in the eucharist. As Catholicics we believe in the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus at the Eucharistic celebration which is why we cannot water down our faith beliefs by communing with others that don’t believe as we do.