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Zenkai
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That quote is not talking about Protestants, obviously. Protestants are Christians and so are Catholics. Neither are “enemies of Christ”.
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Zenkai
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Oh, and you might want to read that verse in context:
“If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.” Matthew 18:15-17
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ConstantineTG
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I do know the full context. And aren’t Protestants that way? They refuse the authority of the Church? They are told they are in error, from Martin Luther to today, yet they defy the Church’s correction.
Anyway, if you wish to pursue this topic please start a new thread. Let us be respectful to the OP and her question. Our discussion has nothing to do with the topic at hand.
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Zenkai
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Protestants don’t consider the Roman Catholic Church to be “The Church”.
EDIT: Ok, new thread here: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=8855564#post8855564
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RyanBlack
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You really ought to re-think this one. Shunning will never bring Protestants to the Church. I for one am very thankful that my son’s godfather, who has been my friend since we were very young, never chose to shun me because I was Protestant. Had he chosen that approach, I’m quite sure I would still be Protestant today.
Consider what the CCC says.
817 In fact, “in this one and only Church of God from its very beginnings there arose certain rifts, which the Apostle strongly censures as damnable. But in subsequent centuries much more serious dissensions appeared and large communities became separated from full communion with the Catholic Church - for which, often enough, men of both sides were to blame.” The ruptures that wound the unity of Christ’s Body - here we must distinguish heresy, apostasy, and schism - do not occur without human sin:
Where there are sins, there are also divisions, schisms, heresies, and disputes. Where there is virtue, however, there also are harmony and unity, from which arise the one heart and one soul of all believers.
818 “However, one cannot charge with the sin of the separation those who at present are born into these communities [that resulted from such separation] and in them are brought up in the faith of Christ, and the Catholic Church accepts them with respect and affection as brothers … All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church.”
819 “Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth” are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: “the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements.” Christ’s Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him, and are in themselves calls to “Catholic unity.”
I’m not really sure how we ought to shun those whom the “Catholic Church accepts with respect and affection as brothers.”
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thistle
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Didn’t you read the earlier post?
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**In the first place a Catholic has no business attending Protestant church services even occasionally. To participate in a heretical worship service and especially a communion service can be sinful for a Catholic because such an act is an affirmation of what we believe to be untrue. **
To attend an ecumenical service or a wedding or baptism is allowed, but Catholics are not allowed to attend such churches for the main reason of worship.
Now if there are no Catholic churches in the vicinity on a Sunday, Catholics are allowed to participate in the Liturgy of Churches whose clergy are validly ordained such as the Eastern Orthodox Churches—including the reception of the Eucharist.
Although we consider them to be in schism (not in union with the Pope) with the Catholic Church, such Churches are not heretical and share our basic beliefs.
Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.
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PhilOSophia
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I’m actually suprised this discussion is occuring. Catholics can’t attend Protestant services, except for wedding or funerals and even then, you can’t take an active part. We are not in communion with them. Their churches broke with Rome and are the product of rebellion and enmity. Their orders are invalid. It’s not allowed by the Roman Catholic church. That’s it.
You don’t bow to their altars or tabernacle. There’s no one there.
You don’t bow to their altars or tabernacle. There’s no one there.
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TrueLight
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Well thank you Constantine for helping to keep the topic from being derailed. 
I think my questions have been answered.
As I said, I don’t have an immediate plan to visit an Episcopalian church, as I am very busy as it is, but I will eventually.
I shall be sure to report when I do.
Now, I’m going to pop in on that other thread.
I think my questions have been answered.
As I said, I don’t have an immediate plan to visit an Episcopalian church, as I am very busy as it is, but I will eventually.
I shall be sure to report when I do.
Now, I’m going to pop in on that other thread.
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ConstantineTG
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I tried didn’t I?Well thank you Constantine for helping to keep the topic from being derailed.
I think my questions have been answered.
As I said, I don’t have an immediate plan to visit an Episcopalian church, as I am very busy as it is, but I will eventually.
I shall be sure to report when I do.
Now, I’m going to pop in on that other thread.
I don’t mind if threads evolve into a different topic altogether as the conversation goes. But at least give the first 2-3 pages dedicated solely to the original question and give the OP a chance to get an answer. You never asked whether you should go to an Anglican service or not, yet more than half of the replies have been specifically on that matter. Its like you were asking if you should have corn soup or clam chowder with your steak, and everyone just started telling you how healthier a salad would be instead of soup. Yes it might be true, but that is besides the point and was never part of the original question anyway.
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AJV
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When I attend the local Anglo-Catholic church, which is very “high”, being one of the flagship churches for the movement, I sit at the back, usually near a pillar. I stand when everyone else does, I sit when everyone else does, I sit when everyone else kneels. I don’t genuflect (and so make sure that I am completely out of the way when they have processions with the monstrance instead of plonking myself smack in the center aisle). As Anglicans, they are quite at ease with the fact that even their own church members may not share their beliefs, and so although I’ve gotten a curious glance or two (or twenty), no one really says anything.
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liturgyluver
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I wonder then what we will be doing next Friday at Westminster Cathedral when the choir of St Paul’s Cathedral will sing the Anglican office of Evensong - aprotestant service which we Catholics have been invited to attend and participate in. Perhaps you should read what the Church says about attendance at non-Catholic services before making such sweeping, rash, ill-advised and inaccurate statements!
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TarkanAttila
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There’s a whole list of threads on this subject in the Ask an Apologist section, too.
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nickybr38
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I’m not the OP but I’d assume it’s for the same reason no genuflection or bowing is happening.
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AJV
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Well most of the kneeling is connected with the Eucharistic Prayer, and while I don’t believe that there an ex opera operato grace involved, I do want to be respectful of what is, after all, intended as an act of worship to the Trinity. I don’t have any real objection to kneeling at the Confession, etc. but I like to be consistent and I think it would be a very overt statement if I knelt for the Confession and refused to kneel at the Eucharistic Prayer, etc.
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Zenkai
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Again, there is nothing wrong with a Catholic attending a Protestant service. It’s always beneficial to learn more about the Lord and Scripture. Also, Protestant services are NOT heretical.
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TrueLight
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See, I got two different answers for that. Some said, bow, but don’t kneel and some said do neither.
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Tridentinum
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Yes, they are heretical. If they weren’t heretical they would be Catholic.
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