Receiving communion at Protestant services

[Gorgias]

And why do you say that those Eucharistic (Thanksgiving) rituals are trying to be something they are not? They are exactly what they should be, as are yours. How can they be rooted in the Gospel and not be what Christ intends them to be?

Wait… seriously? If you were defending the Corinthian meals and made that appeal to Paul, what do you think his response would be? “Yeah, I guess you’re right – the Corinthians are trying their best to follow their understanding of Christ’s commands”…? No – Paul stood up for what the Eucharist is, rather than what a particular community thinks it “should be”.

Regardless of all this, I do understand and respect that your tradition teaches that you cannot participate in any rites outside your own. It is very sad.

It’s not the “participation in the rite” so much as it is “taking communion” that is not actually “in union”.

After all… is it the lack of participation that’s sad, or the lack of union?

 

[kjack2222]

Hi Maximillian75 - why can they receive at our services but we cannot at theirs if their sacraments are valid? I know very little on this as I just stumbled across this whole thing very recently.

 

[Maximilian75]

Because they don’t want us to.

We allowed them to only after V2, I think

 

[MaryClare]

Actually it is entirely accurate. Let me draw a parallel for you.

You must be properly disposed to go to any sacrament.

If I were to make vows to marry, but never intended to actually be faithful to my spouse until the day I died, I am not properly disposed for the sacrament.

To be properly disposed to receive Holy Communion, you must have an understanding of what it is you are doing, what it is you are receiving, and you must treat it with reverence and respect. Making the extraordinary Holy Eucharist into something Ordinary is a huge sign of disrespect, a sin and you are not properly disposed to receive Communion in this state if you are fully aware of this.

 

[MaryClare]

I also must add, respectfully, that I see you are Anglican. It doesn’t matter if the Church in question still believes in the true Presence of Jesus Christ. Even if they do, if the Church is not in full communion with the individuals home Church, its like having sex with someone you are not married to. Its sinful to know this and do it anyway.

 

[ComplineSanFran]

if the Church is not in full communion with the individuals home Church, its like having sex with someone you are not married to. Its sinful to know this and do it anyway.

So visiting a non-Roman church and participating in any of their rites is the same as having a sexual affair? Really?

 

[JimG]

It’s a pretty good analogy. Catholics must be faithful to the Church and to Jesus Christ. Jesus is only present in the Eucharist in a Catholic Church. Treating something else as a valid substitute for Him is a breach of fidelity.

 

[stpurl]

Well, yes, she is right. In denying the decisions of the Church–decisions made through the Holy Spirit and given authority through Christ, the Bridegroom, one is indeed rejecting that Bridegroom and committing adultery.

Again, IF all the Eucharist consisted of was a symbolic meal, any Christian anywhere could partake. Catholics believe the Eucharist is the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, of God Himself.

If we, knowing such, go into a non-Catholic Church and receive their bread and wine (or grape juice) in the same way, in many churches with practically the same words leading up and around, we’re presenting ourselves as agreeing not with the Eucharist of the Catholic Church, but in union with a meal which we see as equivalent to our own Eucharist.

And it is not. For the last 400 years and more in the Anglican Church, it hasn’t been, and it will not be again until the Anglicans once more embrace the True Church, are reconciled, her priests are ordained in true apostolic succession, and they once more as full Catholics can confect the True Eucharist.

 

[thistle]

So visiting a non-Roman church and participating in any of their rites is the same as having a sexual affair? Really?

You know very well she is just making the point that both are sins! Both ARE sins.

 

[taribo]

good post. I went to Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) service but didn’t take communion.

 

[MaryClare]

Yes I was very well making the point that both are sins. I believe both to be grave sins if you do it and you know it is.

 

[Gorgias]

So visiting a non-Roman church and participating in any of their rites is the same as having a sexual affair? Really?

Nope. Coming to Mass and praying with us is like visiting your friend’s place for fellowship. Taking Eucharist at a Catholic Mass is like jumping into bed with your friend’s spouse at the conclusion of the gathering.

 

[Eric_Hyom]

Nope. Coming to Mass and praying with us is like visiting your friend’s place for fellowship. Taking Eucharist at a Catholic Mass is like jumping into bed with your friend’s spouse at the conclusion of the gathering

I am not sure this is a good analogy, This sounds very much like Jesus is only faithful to Catholics, and that Jesus only died for Catholics.

 

[thistle]

I am not sure this is a good analogy, This sounds very much like Jesus is only faithful to Catholics, and that Jesus only died for Catholics.

He died for everyone but not everyone is faithful to him.

Also, Jesus established the Catholic Church only, not any other Church and he wanted his house united. He did not want thousands of different Protestant denominations.
He entrusted the Deposit of Faith to the Church he founded, i.e. the Catholic Church.

 

[Gorgias]

Pretty picture of a communion service.

I am not sure this is a good analogy,

Actually, it’s an analogy that I’ve heard Dr Scott Hahn offer.

This sounds very much like Jesus is only faithful to Catholics, and that Jesus only died for Catholics.

In the Gospel of John, would you say that Jesus is in full communion with those who turn away from Him in the “Bread of Life discourse”? Oh, Jesus is faithful to them (as John’s letters assert) but He asks us to be faithful to Him and to the Church He founded…!

I wouldn’t say that “Jesus is only faithful to”, but rather “Jesus is only fully in communion with”…

 

[Eric_Hyom]

I wouldn’t say that “Jesus is only faithful to”, but rather “Jesus is only fully in communion with”…

As Catholics, we seem to isolate ourselves from other Christians because of these beliefs. We have a vibrant churches together fellowship in our town, and we as Catholics kind of sit as observers, very sad.

There are so many social actions in our town, that the churches can do better together than we can on our own. Tonight I will be going out with the Street Pastor team until about 4 am. I will be praying with Christians from other denominations and we go out together to spread the love of Christ.

We take some risks because we come into contact with drunken anger and violence. Whilst we can share these risks with other Christians, we cannot share communion together. I find this a great sadness. .

 

[thistle]

As Catholics, we seem to isolate ourselves from other Christians because of these beliefs. We have a vibrant churches together fellowship in our town, and we as Catholics kind of sit as observers, very sad.

There are so many social actions in our town, that the churches can do better together than we can on our own. Tonight I will be going out with the Street Pastor team until about 4 am. I will be praying with Christians from other denominations and we go out together to spread the love of Christ.

We take some risks because we come into contact with drunken anger and violence. Whilst we can share these risks with other Christians, we cannot share communion together. I find this a great sadness. .

We have not isolated ourselves. Jesus only established one Church and that is the Catholic Church. He did not want thousands of separate denominations. They are the ones who severed themselves and isolated themselves from the Catholic Church.

 

[Gorgias]

As Catholics, we seem to isolate ourselves from other Christians because of these beliefs. We have a vibrant churches together fellowship in our town, and we as Catholics kind of sit as observers, very sad.

@thistle beat me to it: we did have unity, and the Reformers isolated themselves by their desire to break that unity. The fact that they have fellowship among themselves makes sense – after all, they wanted separation from the Catholic Church, and they continue to want it. We aren’t ‘observers’, we’re honoring the separation they demanded (and continue to support).

There are so many social actions in our town, that the churches can do better together than we can on our own. Tonight I will be going out with the Street Pastor team until about 4 am. I will be praying with Christians from other denominations and we go out together to spread the love of Christ.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that!

Whilst we can share these risks with other Christians, we cannot share communion together. I find this a great sadness. .

“Sadness” is the appropriate response. Changing our stance to fit theirs isn’t. You might want to read the Church’s documents on ecumenism…

 

[Eric_Hyom]

We have not isolated ourselves. Jesus only established one Church and that is the Catholic Church. He did not want thousands of separate denominations. They are the ones who severed themselves and isolated themselves from the Catholic Church.

The parable of the Good Samaritan shows the priest and the Levite walking past the wounded man. Their religious duties seemed more important than social action.

This is almost how I see the religious duties of the Catholic Church in our town, we just seem to stand on the boundaries without wanting to get involved in social action with other churches.

Yesterday morning, I was out with Baptists and Anglicans in the Street Pastor team in our town until about 4 am. We spent about an hour with a drunk and distraught woman whose marriage had failed. She could not understand why four people would spend time with her, just to try and help, she said she was a failure.

As we walked over the railway bridge, she put her handbag on the ground, knelt down on it and prayed, she was not a church goer. She wanted to know which churches we went to, and last night she took the trouble to look us up and email us to say thank you. Evangelisation is about touching the hearts and minds of people, we sow lots of seeds over time.

 

[Gorgias]

The parable of the Good Samaritan shows the priest and the Levite walking past the wounded man. Their religious duties seemed more important than social action.

So, like was already mentioned, shared “social action” is just fine.

On the other hand, shared intercommunion is not, since it attempts to convey an untruth about the state of our communion.

After all, in the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus isn’t chiding the priest and the Levite for not sacrificing with the (pagan) Samaritan, is He?