Reception of communion at other protestant churches

[murphdog261]

Thanks for looking at this:

I am trying to explain to my friend how Catholics should not receive any form or symbol of Holy Communion at a non-Catholic church.

When I said this he became distressed and asked whether or not it would be alright to receive if the leading pastor was saying it was just a “symbolic act” that was in no way attempting to imitate or associate itself with the act of transubstantiation - the idea was to not even answer the question as to whether the bread was a symbol or real and to have a shared meal that brings people closer together.

My friend told me that he does not see the difference between breaking bread at dinner and breaking bread at a symbolic communion service (since both clearly are not the real presence of Christ - which he believes is only found at the Catholic Church).

Since he does not see any real presence in non-Catholic churches, he sees no problem with “breaking bread” with non-Catholics.

I replied to him that receiving any form of communion at another church besides a Catholic Church would be saying that we were in full communion with that church and therefore ought not to receive - the same reason why we do not allow non-catholics to receive the Eucharist at mass.

However, my friend is still not completely satisfied with my reply. Is there any piece of information that I am missing? Please feel free to respond!

God Bless!

Murph

 

[lizaanne]

Tell your friend that he is openly defying the Church when he does this. That is not the way any Catholic is to behave. HIS ideas and what HE thinks about this matter are totally irrelevant. We re not to participate in the communion ceremonies of any other faith. Period. His act of defiance in this matter is prideful and sinful. He’s been told why we should not be doing this and that should be sufficient for him. He may continue to try to understand why and to have his questions answered, but he must stop participating in these services.

Sometimes the Truth is difficult to hear - that does not make it any less Truthful.

~Liza

 

[1ke]

Canon Law:

Can. 844 §1. Catholic ministers administer the sacraments licitly to Catholic members of the Christian faithful alone, who likewise receive them licitly from Catholic ministers alone, without prejudice to the prescripts of §§2, 3, and 4 of this canon, and ⇒ can. 861, §2.

Ecclesia de Eucharistia, paragraph 30:

**The Catholic faithful, therefore, while respecting the religious convictions of these separated brethren, must refrain from receiving the communion distributed in their celebrations, so as not to condone an ambiguity about the nature of the Eucharist and, consequently, to fail in their duty to bear clear witness to the truth. **This would result in slowing the progress being made towards full visible unity. Similarly, it is unthinkable to substitute for Sunday Mass ecumenical celebrations of the word or services of common prayer with Christians from the aforementioned Ecclesial Communities, or even participation in their own liturgical services. Such celebrations and services, however praiseworthy in certain situations, prepare for the goal of full communion, including Eucharistic communion, but they cannot replace it.

 

[japhy]

Is your friend in communion with these Protestant communities? That’s what receiving communion implies.

 

[Andy_Corder]

I am trying to explain to my friend how Catholics should not receive any form or symbol of Holy Communion at a non-Catholic church.

When I said this he became distressed and asked whether or not it would be alright to receive if the leading pastor was saying it was just a “symbolic act” that was in no way attempting to imitate or associate itself with the act of transubstantiation - the idea was to not even answer the question as to whether the bread was a symbol or real and to have a shared meal that brings people closer together.

My friend told me that he does not see the difference between breaking bread at dinner and breaking bread at a symbolic communion service (since both clearly are not the real presence of Christ - which he believes is only found at the Catholic Church).

Since he does not see any real presence in non-Catholic churches, he sees no problem with “breaking bread” with non-Catholics.

I replied to him that receiving any form of communion at another church besides a Catholic Church would be saying that we were in full communion with that church and therefore ought not to receive - the same reason why we do not allow non-catholics to receive the Eucharist at mass.

You have recieved some excellent responses to your question here, and certainly authoritative in nature. I recently had this discussion with some friends. They had been invited to attend a church for a special celebration with a non Cathoic friend and the subject came up. After reviewing all the documentation already referenced, they had a similar response as your friend, “but I know it is not the body of Christ.” I pointed out to them that their actions were a public testimony of their faith, and they could inadvertently lead some other person to believe that they were recognizing the Protestant communion service as equal in status and nature as the Catholic Sacrament of Holy Communion.

We are called to live our faith out in public. That means we must be aware of the statements our actions make to others around us that we may not even be aware of who are watching. Continue to encourage your friend to not particiapate in the communion rememberance. There are a myriad of ways he can explain his refusal to particiapte, if it even becomes an issue, without becoming disrespectful or offensive to the congreation.