Should catholics who disagree with Church teaching receive the Eucharist?

[PennyinCanada]

It all depends. First, what does “supports” mean?

If a Catholic was struggling internally with their belief in “gay marriage, a woman’s right to choose and other hot button issues” and doing their best to reject such matters, I don’t see a problem with them receiving communion based specifically on these beliefs. There is no mortal sin that I can see.

On the other hand if they take part in homosexual marriages, donate $ and time to Planned Parenthood, etc. then no, they should not.

I just want the readers to note that you are not a Catholic.

Scripture is clear, if a person receives the Body and Blood of Christ unworthily, he brings condemnation upon himself. These issues involve a grave matter, and until the person can bring themselves in line with Church teaching, they should not receive communion. They would only bring another grave sin on top of the others. It is a kindness to encourage them to refrain, just as it is to teach a child not to touch a hot stove.

 

[IrishAm]

In short, it’s complicated.

Amen.

 

[HelenRose]

I wouldn’t want to be in the position of judging where people are in their growth as a Catholic.

When I became a Catholic I did not fully understand the Church’s position of birth control. It has taken me years to understand the wisdom of this teaching. I am glad that I wasn’t denied the Body and Blood of Christ as I worked this problem out in my mind.

In my defense I was not vocal about the teaching but I puzzled over it. It isn’t an easy teaching to understand.

Now if someone was loudly condemning the Church’s teaching about birth control and the Church’s opposition of abortion, it may be a different question all together.

Fortunately God is the Judge of the human heart and I am not.

 

[HelenRose]

I just want the readers to note that you are not a Catholic.

Scripture is clear, if a person receives the Body and Blood of Christ unworthily, he brings condemnation upon himself. These issues involve a grave matter, and until the person can bring themselves in line with Church teaching, they should not receive communion. They would only bring another grave sin on top of the others. It is a kindness to encourage them to refrain, just as it is to teach a child not to touch a hot stove.

Let me add: In my first response I am talking about people who are sincerely trying to understand difficult questions and not defying the teachings.

I agree with PennyinCanada. It is not good to trifle with the Body and Blood of Christ. To deliberately present oneself before Christ in defiance of His Church is a grave matter in deed.

 

[clem456]

Honest question:
Why would a person who does not agree with core Church teachings want to take communion with the Church whose beliefs he/she is not in union with? Makes no sense.

That being said, it is none of our business if any particular person is worthy to receive communion. The state of an individual’s soul is between them and God.
Those with authority can make a determination that someone is publicly disputing Church teaching and refuse communion, but it’s none of my business.

 

[HelenRose]

I agree with you. I loved this beautiful Catholic Church from the beginning of my journey but did not and still do not fully understand the “whys”. I think that teaching the “whys” of doctrine is as necessary as the teachings themselves.

I knew from the beginning that there were reasons because I know that God does not set up rules in order to make one trip and fall but to live fuller and richer lives.

This is why we can not judge. We simply can not know what another person’s journey is.

 

[MorEphrem]

As St. Jacob of Sarug says, the Eucharist is the medicine for our wounds and we come to it in our broken nature. If we withhold ourselves from God’s ultimate mercy we’re essentially voluntarily not taking the medicine for our wounds.

 

[edwest2]

We must confess our sins to the priest before taking the Eucharist and we must believe and understand Church teaching. Talk to a priest. Ask your questions.

Peace,
Ed

 

[MorEphrem]

We must confess our sins to the priest before taking the Eucharist and we must believe and understand Church teaching. Talk to a priest. Ask your questions.

Peace,
Ed

External obedience is different from inward belief. It’s also a very weak (and, quite frankly, Latin) understanding of Eucharistic theology to suggest that because we lack some kind of understanding that puts us in a disposition to not receive. The entire notion of the medicinal mercy of the Eucharist is to bring us into fuller union with God through theosis despite our imperfect natures, i.e. part of that is learning God’s will despite the fact our knowledge is imperfect. The idea of staying away from the Body and Blood because we have imperfections is a ridiculous notion; as I said, it’s the same logic of withholding medicine because your wounds are too great.

 

[edwest2]

External obedience is different from inward belief. It’s also a very weak (and, quite frankly, Latin) understanding of Eucharistic theology to suggest that because we lack some kind of understanding that puts us in a disposition to not receive. The entire notion of the medicinal mercy of the Eucharist is to bring us into fuller union with God through theosis despite our imperfect natures, i.e. part of that is learning God’s will despite the fact our knowledge is imperfect. The idea of staying away from the Body and Blood because we have imperfections is a ridiculous notion; as I said, it’s the same logic of withholding medicine because your wounds are too great.

biblehub.com/1_corinthians/11-29.htm

Peace,
Ed

 

[VicFerrari]

My apologies. I just signed up for CA last night and now I cannot log into my account (my email has been hacked) so I had to create another account. I was formally “Immaculato.”

I just want the readers to note that you are not a Catholic.

Why would you post something like that? I entered “Christian” as my religion. That in no way precludes me from being a Catholic. You have absolutely no idea if I’m a Catholic Christian or not. If you are going to attack me, you are going to need to start thinking in a critical manner.

Scripture is clear, if a person receives the Body and Blood of Christ unworthily, he brings condemnation upon himself.

Stop right there. Struggling with a Church teaching in an internal/private manner does not necessarily make one “unworthy.” I sincerely hope you realize that.

These issues involve a grave matter, and until the person can bring themselves in line with Church teaching, they should not receive communion.

First, that’s (thankfully) not your decision to make. I’m not sure what you mean by “in line” but just because a person struggles as noted above does not mean they should necessarily not receive communion. The grace received by receiving communion might well be what it takes for them to begin to share the Church’s view on such matters.

They would only bring another grave sin on top of the others. It is a kindness to encourage them to refrain, just as it is to teach a child not to touch a hot stove.

You’re simply mistaken.

 

[dshix]

Stop right there. Struggling with a Church teaching in an internal/private manner does not necessarily make one “unworthy.” I sincerely hope you realize that.

Wait a minute. You are looking at this from the wrong angle.

No one on planet Earth is worthy of receiving Jesus Christ, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. No one. As a matter of fact, we are all ludicrously unworthy of such an honor, because we are all sinners.

God, in His generosity, goodness, and mercy, permits us to receive. This is a privilege. We do not deserve it, yet we are given it.

When a person directly disobeys and disagrees with the teaching of God’s Church, when that person says, “No.” to God in response to a command of morality, that person is rejecting Him. That person has forfeited the gift of grace that God has given him.

Such a person, by receiving communion, is lying to himself and to God. He is receiving the Eucharist, and is saying by his actions that he is in “communion” with God when he is actually disobeying God by not believing His Church on such a simple matter or morality.

That is a mortal sin on top of another mortal sin, and the reception of the Eucharist casts that person even closer to Hell than he was before.

 

[clem456]

Wait a minute. You are looking at this from the wrong angle.

No one on planet Earth is worthy of receiving Jesus Christ, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. No one. As a matter of fact, we are all ludicrously unworthy of such an honor, because we are all sinners.

God, in His generosity, goodness, and mercy, permits us to receive. This is a privilege. We do not deserve it, yet we are given it.

When a person directly disobeys and disagrees with the teaching of God’s Church, when that person says, “No.” to God in response to a command of morality, that person is rejecting Him. That person has forfeited the gift of grace that God has given him.

I understand what you are saying, but we do not know if a particular person “forfeits” grace. It is God’s gift, as you say. We cannot say that God has withdrawn grace from anyone because we don’t know. In principle, I agree with you 100%.As a practical matter, it’s none of my business what God gives to anyone else. He may give them 1000 more opportunities to repent than he gave me, that’s God’s prerogative. And we should hope God is forgiving those we think are in error, cause we prolly are in error as well in some matter.

Such a person, by receiving communion, is lying to himself and to God. He is receiving the Eucharist, and is saying by his actions that he is in “communion” with God when he is actually disobeying God by not believing His Church on such a simple matter or morality.

That is a mortal sin on top of another mortal sin, and the reception of the Eucharist casts that person even closer to Hell than he was before.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Scripture is clear, if a person receives the Body and Blood of Christ unworthily, he brings condemnation upon himself. These issues involve a grave matter, and until the person can bring themselves in line with Church teaching, they should not receive communion. They would only bring another grave sin on top of the others. It is a kindness to encourage them to refrain, just as it is to teach a child not to touch a hot stove.

This is true. However, the time to teach is not in the communion line, but outside of Mass completely.

I tell my crazy new-agey relatives (who are all baptised, confirmed Catholics) to not even get into the communion line, but if they do, I don’t yank them out of line or push them away from the person distributing. I tell them again after and say a few more prayers for their souls.

 

[kozlosap]

We must confess our sins to the priest before taking the Eucharist and we must believe and understand Church teaching. Talk to a priest. Ask your questions.

Peace,
Ed

Ed - if I do not believe that the ban on contraception is right, but I have never used it, then I’m still guilty of mortal sin?

 

[LiberalPrincess]

These individuals have been asked at least once by leading Catholic clergy to excuse themselves from Communion.

I find this ironic. How many Catholic lawmakers in the right wing who support unjust economic policies, cruel immigration proposals, and cuts to welfare have not been asked to excuse themselves.

 

[PennyinCanada]

Why would you post something like that? I entered “Christian” as my religion. That in no way precludes me from being a Catholic. You have absolutely no idea if I’m a Catholic Christian or not. If you are going to attack me, you are going to need to start thinking in a critical manner.

Thank you friend for your words. You were free to post as you wished, and you did not post Catholic or Catholic Christian. There are our brothers and sisters in Christ who do not have the Eucharist, they do not believe as we do, and so they would not understand that taking the Eucharist unworthily would bring condemnation upon themselves. As I said, it is a kindness to caution where necessary.

Stop right there. Struggling with a Church teaching in an internal/private manner does not necessarily make one “unworthy.” I sincerely hope you realize that.

I do realize that. We all find the teachings of the Church to be a challenge. However, saying that, if a person were to come to the conclusion that the Church was wrong on major issues as ‘the right for a woman to choose’, meaning they are pro-abortion, they should not go up. They have made a decision which puts them outside the ‘communion’ of the Church. Really, they know that. You are right, to struggle with a teaching is one matter, to say the Church is wrong is another. Thank you that I can clarify that, although I believe it was said already by other members on this thread.

First, that’s (thankfully) not your decision to make. I’m not sure what you mean by “in line” but just because a person struggles as noted above does not mean they should necessarily not receive communion. The grace received by receiving communion might well be what it takes for them to begin to share the Church’s view on such matters.

I’ve replied above. I agree, it’s not my decision to make, however, being on a Catholic forum, I can caution others to choose well according to what is going on internally.

You’re simply mistaken.

Thank you for these words. Feel free to correct a brother or sister in Christ when they come on a Catholic Forum and ask for a Catholic answer. That’s why we’re here after all.
God bless and keep you today.

 

[dshix]

I find this ironic. How many Catholic lawmakers in the right wing who support unjust economic policies, cruel immigration proposals, and cuts to welfare have not been asked to excuse themselves.

Because they have not voted for policies that are morally wrong. Whether these policies are “unjust” or not is your opinion, not that of the Church.

Those who vote for legalization of homosexual “marriage” who support abortion, who support euthanasia, they are the ones who have mortally sinned, and thus sin mortally again when they receive the Eucharist.

 

[dshix]

I understand what you are saying, but we do not know if a particular person “forfeits” grace. It is God’s gift, as you say. We cannot say that God has withdrawn grace from anyone because we don’t know. In principle, I agree with you 100%.As a practical matter, it’s none of my business what God gives to anyone else. He may give them 1000 more opportunities to repent than he gave me, that’s God’s prerogative. And we should hope God is forgiving those we think are in error, cause we prolly are in error as well in some matter.

Yes. I answered the question of the title, that is, “Should catholics who disagree with Church teaching receive the Eucharist?”

I said nothing about what we think of them, or how we judge them. I was speaking literally as to what is going on in the soul of a person who commits a mortal sin and then receives the Eucharist.

 

[LiberalPrincess]

Because they have not voted for policies that are morally wrong. Whether these policies are “unjust” or not is your opinion, not that of the Church.

Those who vote for legalization of homosexual “marriage” who support abortion, who support euthanasia, they are the ones who have mortally sinned, and thus sin mortally again when they receive the Eucharist.

So deporting immigrants, splitting families up in the process, and cutting food stamps that the most vulnerable in society depend on are in accord with Catholic social justice? :roll eyes:

What about those lawmakers who support disastrous environmental policies that promote anything but good stewardship of the Earth and our natural resources?