R
Righteousone
Guest
Why don’t you just convert? You’d need to take classes in the Catholic faith.
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H
Huguenot
Guest
Why should I convert ? There are things I don’t agree with in the Catholic Church, that’s why I don’t consider conversion as a possible option for me …
But I don’t reject everything in the Catholic Church either, that is why, when I attend Mass, I can associate myself with quite a lot of things, you have precise examples since I made a list …
But you still don’t answer the question that would help me decide if I can go on attending Masses from time to time ; is it forbidden for a Protestant to attend Mass ( if she / he doesn’t intend to convert, but, at the same time, wants to know Catholics better and have fellowship with them in spite of the doctrinal differences ? )
M
mercygate
Guest
The two working languages of the UN Secretariat are British English & French.Well I suppose I do make some mistakes in English, but … native speakers do too … ( French native speakers also make some mistakes in French … )
I know the pope speaks English, that’s why I was surprised, watching the news, to hear that at the UNO he spoke in …French !!! Is there a special reason for that ? ( UNO rules or something of that kind ??? or was it a choice of his but I don’t understand why he would have chosen to speak in French … )
“cute cute cute”, be careful not to fall in love with him, must I remind you that he can’t marry ?
M
mercygate
Guest
Good grief! I attended weekday Masses for many years before I converted. NO. It is not “forbidden” for non-Catholics to attend Mass. Definitely not. All are welcome, who come in a spirit of good will and who join their prayers with those of the Church for the salvation of the world.
God love you!
R
Righteousone
Guest
Well, I understand it is forbidden to receive the Eucharist if you are not Catholic and especially if you disagree with the Catholic churches teachings. You must also go to confession.
H
Huguenot
Guest
Thanks for your answer ; I already knew it is forbidden to take the Eucharist if you’re not a Catholic, and to respect the “rules” of your church, I don’t receive ( take ) it when I attend Mass, but since I know that Catholics also commemorate Christ’s atoning death, and since we do the same when we take the Lord’s Supper, I feel in fellowship with the Catholics around me during the Eucharist…
What I was asking is if the fact of attending Mass ( without taking the Eucharist ) is wrong ( forbidden ) if you are not a Catholic ; in fact I’ve never asked myself the question because most people in France are Catholics, so we always have a neighbour, a friend, a colleague, sometimes a relative ( there are many mixed Catholic-Protestant families ; a recent survey showed there are even more mixed Protestant-Catholic couples than … Protestant-Protestant couples !!!
) who invites us for a wedding, for midnight Mass, and so on …so from this I inferred that it was all right if I go there on my own whenever I want to … but maybe I inferred something wrong, maybe it’s OK to be present on a special occasion like a wedding, but for a “usual” Mass …
If it is forbidden well in France nobody told us and a lot of Protestants sometimes go to Masses … just to “visit” you …
R
Righteousone
Guest
I feel it is alright for a non-Catholic Christian to attend Mass without receiving the Eucharist. Why not? If you want to hear the Gospel, you should have every right to. But how would you know when to kneel, stand etc…? The whole experience of the Mass? Do you look at others and decide what to do? Hey I even know a few Catholics who do that! 
But anyway, see, I yearn for the Eucharist. I cannot attend without that. I cannot see others receiving and me not.
I love Christ to much.
But anyway, see, I yearn for the Eucharist. I cannot attend without that. I cannot see others receiving and me not.I love Christ to much.
H
Huguenot
Guest
I love Christ too !!! thanks for your answer as far as attending Mass ( without receiving the Eucharist ) is concerned ; so I think I’m not doing anything wrong …I feel it is alright for a non-Catholic Christian to attend Mass without receiving the Eucharist. Why not? If you want to hear the Gospel, you should have every right to. But how would you know when to kneel, stand etc…? The whole experience of the Mass? Do you look at others and decide what to do? Hey I even know a few Catholics who do that!
I love Christ to much.
As far as standing and sitting is concerned ( I don’t remember people having knelt in the churches I’ve been to ), I do exactly as you say : I stand when the others stand and so on, as you say some Catholics do the same !
In my church there is no “set ritual” as far as standing or sitting is concerned, so the minister tells us, for example, that to sing this or that hymn we will stand, when we can sit down he tells us too, and it can be different in each service …
I also hear the Gospel in my church, but in a Catholic church too, since there are three Bible readings, and in a previous message I said that just before I pray God to open my heart…
As far as seeing others receiving the Eucharist and not receiving it, well since I know I would do something forbidden I don’t , but as I have said several times, I associate myself ( by my prayers, in my mind … ) with those who receive it …
Anyway when I attend a Mass I sort of know the “rules”, so I accept them “beforehand” … so why should I be sad ?
but I don’t want to be hypocritical, I know that some Catholics don’t agree with all the teachings of their church but they are inside it ; for me it would be hypocritical to convert if I’m not convinced …
M
mercygate
Guest
Heh, heh. That’s why converts are so frightening! Someone born into the Church may harbor views contrary to the true teaching of the Church because they were born in the Church and are not moving. But we converts – another matter entirely. We have to get up in front of a thousand people and declare that we believe and profess all that the Catholic Church proposes as necessary for our salvation . . . That is not something we do lightly. And it requires a good deal of study and spiritual discernment.but I don’t want to be hypocritical, I know that some Catholics don’t agree with all the teachings of their church but they are inside it ; for me it would be hypocritical to convert if I’m not convinced …
O
oneGODoneCHURCH
Guest
Huguenot,
It is not forbidden at all for you to attend the Mass. You would not have to agree with anything that you here or see to attend as often as you want. I am a cradle Catholic revert. I was baptized as a infant my parents divorced when i was a small child my grandmother was protestant and i joined her church at the age of about 8 or 9. then at 12 in reverted back to the Catholic church from going with my mom on weekends spent with her.
Anyway I don’t know that total agreement with everything is required, there are thing is do not agree, but I except them and do my best to come to agreement in understanding.
My God’s Peace and blessing be with you.
It is not forbidden at all for you to attend the Mass. You would not have to agree with anything that you here or see to attend as often as you want. I am a cradle Catholic revert. I was baptized as a infant my parents divorced when i was a small child my grandmother was protestant and i joined her church at the age of about 8 or 9. then at 12 in reverted back to the Catholic church from going with my mom on weekends spent with her.
Anyway I don’t know that total agreement with everything is required, there are thing is do not agree, but I except them and do my best to come to agreement in understanding.
My God’s Peace and blessing be with you.
H
Huguenot
Guest
I agree : that’s something nobody can do lightly …
but you know, I also had to explain in front of my church how I became a Christian before being baptized, in France it’s what all Evangelical churches do …
so it wasn’t so easy either ( moreover I hate having my head under the water
)
H
Huguenot
Guest
Thanks, it confirms the answers I’ve received from other Catholics …
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