SPLIT: Attending Protestant services wrong?

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agnes_therese said:
I’d be interested in seeing how this meets the requirements for mortal sin.
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Because a statement like that shows an attitude or propensity leaning toward religious experimentation, which is of course mortally sinful.

If a Catholic has a reason–wedding, funeral, family expectation, “ecumenical” activity–to attend a non-Catholic worship service, then that is normal and fine. But if one has an internal “urge” to attend one without any outward obligation or expectation or need, then that is not fine. Catholics should not positively want to attend non-Catholic worship services for the worship action itself.
 
CCC, para. 1857 on the requirements for a sin to be mortal. Please show where the Church teaches that merely attending a Protestant service is “grave matter.”
YoungTradCath said:
Because a statement like that shows an attitude or propensity leaning toward religious experimentation, which is of course mortally sinful.

If a Catholic has a reason–wedding, funeral, family expectation, “ecumenical” activity–to attend a non-Catholic worship service, then that is normal and fine. But if one has an internal “urge” to attend one without any outward obligation or expectation or need, then that is not fine. Catholics should not positively want to attend non-Catholic worship services for the worship action itself.
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Of course there is MUCH more to the Catholic/Protestant divide than just music, but it is a shame that many Catholic churches have abandoned high quality sacred music, effectively surrendering their rich legacy to Protestant churches. If Catholic churches were providing it, maybe those seeking such an experience would not feel the need to go elsewhere. I might even suggest that a regular display of the incredible tradition of glorious Catholic sacred music could be a way to bring new members over from the Protestant side.
 
TrueLight said:
You’re right. New ecumenism.

It sure would be good to have some consistent guidelines.
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YoungTradCath said:
Because a statement like that shows an attitude or propensity leaning toward religious experimentation, which is **of course **mortally sinful.

If a Catholic has a reason–wedding, funeral, family expectation, “ecumenical” activity–to attend a non-Catholic worship service, then that is normal and fine. But if one has an internal “urge” to attend one without any outward obligation or expectation or need, then that is not fine. Catholics should not positively want to attend non-Catholic worship services for the worship action itself.
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PONTIFICIUM CONSILIUM AD CHRISTIANORUM UNITATEM FOVENDAM

DIRECTORY FOR THE APPLICATION OF
PRINCIPLES AND NORMS ON ECUMENISM

vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/general-docs/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_19930325_directory_en.html

Sharing in Non-Sacramental Liturgical Worship

""116. By liturgical worship is meant worship carried out according to books, prescriptions and customs of a Church or ecclesial Community, presided over by a minister or delegate of that Church or Community. This liturgical worship may be of a non-sacramental kind, or may be the celebration of one or more of the Christian sacraments. The concern here is non-sacramental worship.
  1. In some situations, the official prayer of a Church may be preferred to ecumenical services specially prepared for the occasion. Participation in such celebrations as Morning or Evening Prayer, special vigils, etc., will enable people of different liturgical traditions—Catholic, Eastern, Anglican and Protestant—to understand each other’s community prayer better and to share more deeply in traditions which often have developed from common roots.
118. In liturgical celebrations taking place in other Churches and ecclesial Communities, Catholics are encouraged to take part in the psalms, responses, hymns and common actions of the Church in which they are guests. If invited by their hosts, they may read a lesson or preach.
  1. Regarding assistance at liturgical worship of this type, there should be a meticulous regard for the sensibilities of the clergy and people of all the Christian Communities concerned, as well as for local customs which may vary according to time, place, persons and circumstances. In a Catholic liturgical celebration, ministers of other Churches and ecclesial Communities may have the place and liturgical honors proper to their rank and their role, if this is judged desirable. Catholic clergy invited to be present at a celebration of another Church or ecclesial Community may wear the appropriate dress or insignia of their ecclesiastical office, if it is agreeable to their…etc""
I wish Catholics would not throw around terms like “mortal sin” where it does not remotely apply, especially when it concerns relations with our separated brothers.
 
clem456 said:
118. In liturgical celebrations taking place in other Churches and ecclesial Communities, Catholics are encouraged to take part in the psalms, responses, hymns and common actions of the Church in which they are guests. If invited by their hosts, they may read a lesson or preach.
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Unfortunately this does not nullify my argument. This just says what to do if one attends such a service. It does not lay out what qualifies as a reason to attend one.
 
clem456 said:
PONTIFICIUM CONSILIUM AD CHRISTIANORUM UNITATEM FOVENDAM

DIRECTORY FOR THE APPLICATION OF
PRINCIPLES AND NORMS ON ECUMENISM

vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/general-docs/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_19930325_directory_en.html

Sharing in Non-Sacramental Liturgical Worship

""116. By liturgical worship is meant worship carried out according to books, prescriptions and customs of a Church or ecclesial Community, presided over by a minister or delegate of that Church or Community. This liturgical worship may be of a non-sacramental kind, or may be the celebration of one or more of the Christian sacraments. The concern here is non-sacramental worship.
  1. In some situations, the official prayer of a Church may be preferred to ecumenical services specially prepared for the occasion. Participation in such celebrations as Morning or Evening Prayer, special vigils, etc., will enable people of different liturgical traditions—Catholic, Eastern, Anglican and Protestant—to understand each other’s community prayer better and to share more deeply in traditions which often have developed from common roots.
118. In liturgical celebrations taking place in other Churches and ecclesial Communities, Catholics are encouraged to take part in the psalms, responses, hymns and common actions of the Church in which they are guests. If invited by their hosts, they may read a lesson or preach.
  1. Regarding assistance at liturgical worship of this type, there should be a meticulous regard for the sensibilities of the clergy and people of all the Christian Communities concerned, as well as for local customs which may vary according to time, place, persons and circumstances. In a Catholic liturgical celebration, ministers of other Churches and ecclesial Communities may have the place and liturgical honors proper to their rank and their role, if this is judged desirable. Catholic clergy invited to be present at a celebration of another Church or ecclesial Community may wear the appropriate dress or insignia of their ecclesiastical office, if it is agreeable to their…etc""
I wish Catholics would not throw around terms like “mortal sin” where it does not remotely apply, especially when it concerns relations with our separated brothers.
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Thank you.

By the way, when I said consistent teaching, I meant consistency over time.
 
This question seems to come up on a fairly regular basis on this forum, and I always go back to Fr. Serpa’s answer:

Hi,

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.

The Church’s teaching is the same as it has always been. To go to a Proestant service for a wedding, baptism, funeral, etc. is certainly allowable. But to go to worship with Protestants is a sin, whether it is in place of Sunday Mass or not. It always has been, it always will be. If we are there to worship with them, we are affirming that they are correct. Protestantism is a heresy, and we should never give the impression by our presence that we agree with them.
 
Neofight said:
I’m not throwing stones but just wondering. As Catholics when we visit Protestant churches for funeral wedding baptism or just worship and there is a cross without the corpus do we feel God is not present?
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I attend Mass every Sunday morning to fulfill my Sunday obligation and to be present at the sacrifice of Jesus to His Father.

Every Sunday evening I attend a Protestant fellowship. There is no tabernacle, no simulated communion, and there is nothing anti-Catholic about it – it’s very “Christian lite.” What it does offer is a chance to sing with others who also like to sing (and are good at it), to hear a pipe organ played well and it provides a weekly opportunity to partake in a potluck and good fellowship – all which are sorely missing from any Catholic parish around here and an added chance to pray in community with other Christians.

In no way does the Catholic Church prohibit me or any other Catholic from doing this. Until I can find a Catholic Church that offers this, I will continue to attend both.
 
Exorcist said:
I attend Mass every Sunday morning to fulfill my Sunday obligation and to be present at the sacrifice of Jesus to His Father.

Every Sunday evening I attend a Protestant fellowship. There is no tabernacle, no simulated communion, and there is nothing anti-Catholic about it – it’s very “Christian lite.” What it does offer is a chance to sing with others who also like to sing (and are good at it), to hear a pipe organ played well and it provides a weekly opportunity to partake in a potluck and good fellowship – all which are sorely missing from any Catholic parish around here and an added chance to pray in community with other Christians.

In no way does the Catholic Church prohibit me or any other Catholic from doing this. Until I can find a Catholic Church that offers this, I will continue to attend both.
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In the Protestant fellowship, you are worshipping with people who reject the Catholic Church as the one true church founded by Jesus Christ. They reject the Pope as the Vicar of Christ, they reject the Sacraments, the reject the Blessed Sacrament - Christ with us under the form of bread and wine. They reject the Mass, the re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice. They reject the communion of saints - the communion of the Church triumphant, suffering and militant. They more than likely believe that once saved, always saved. I can’t say for sure with the group you worship with, but many, many Protestatnt groups accept homosexuality and abortion. Only Evangelicals tend to stand strong on those issues.

I could go on and one, but I hope you get my point. By worshipping with these people, you are affirming their heretical beliefs. The Church most definitely prohibits that.
 
Brooklyn said:
In the Protestant fellowship, you are worshipping with people who reject the Catholic Church as the one true church founded by Jesus Christ. They reject the Pope as the Vicar of Christ, they reject the Sacraments, the reject the Blessed Sacrament - Christ with us under the form of bread and wine. They reject the Mass, the re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice. They reject the communion of saints - the communion of the Church triumphant, suffering and militant. They more than likely believe that once saved, always saved. I can’t say for sure with the group you worship with, but many, many Protestatnt groups accept homosexuality and abortion. Only Evangelicals tend to stand strong on those issues.

I could go on and one, but I hope you get my point. By worshipping with these people, you are affirming their heretical beliefs. The Church most definitely prohibits that.
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This is entirely false. Most Protestant churches for instance, have a valid baptism. Baptism is a sacrament. The Anglicans believe that the Eucharist is a sacrament. They have a Mass. There maybe serious errors in the way they believe it, and the sacrament itself may not be valid, but it they certainly believe it’s a sacrament. The Anglicans celebrate saints, they just stopped naming new ones after the Reformation.

You’re attempting to paint Protestantism with a very broad brush when in fact many Protestant churches do include some elements of Truth; it’s just that none of them have the complete picture.

When you do attend a Protestant service however, you can be sure you’re with people who love God, and love Christ in spite of the flaws of their particular church.

Only people insecure in their own faith should fear this. I have no problems attending a Protestant service with my Protestant wife from time to time as long as I don’t neglect my own obligation. She also reciprocates. It’s a matter of mutual respect and building our marriage on our common love of Christ.
 
Brooklyn said:
In the Protestant fellowship, you are worshipping with people who reject the Catholic Church as the one true church founded by Jesus Christ. They reject the Pope as the Vicar of Christ, they reject the Sacraments, the reject the Blessed Sacrament - Christ with us under the form of bread and wine. They reject the Mass, the re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice. They reject the communion of saints - the communion of the Church triumphant, suffering and militant. They more than likely believe that once saved, always saved. I can’t say for sure with the group you worship with, but many, many Protestatnt groups accept homosexuality and abortion. Only Evangelicals tend to stand strong on those issues.

I could go on and one, but I hope you get my point. By worshipping with these people, you are affirming their heretical beliefs. The Church most definitely prohibits that.
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But yet we have specific Church teaching that contradicts the opinion you have in the last paragraph. You are also supposing to -divine- the motivations and beliefs of individuals. Not even all Catholics believe the things you reference above. And although denominations have substantial differences, we should not look for division, but unity between Christians. We are all well aware of what divides us.

The issue being brough up in this thread that is objectionable, is that** mortal sin **is being commited by Catholics in these situations. That is just errouneous nonsense, and not by someone’s opinion, but by the stated teaching of the Church that has been linked twice in this thread. Everyone should **read the teaching **before having an opinion.
 
clem456 said:
But yet we have specific Church teaching that contradicts the opinion you have in the last paragraph. You are also supposing to -divine- the motivations and beliefs of individuals. Not even all Catholics believe the things you reference above. And although denominations have substantial differences, we should not look for division, but unity between Christians. We are all well aware of what divides us.

The issue being brough up in this thread that is objectionable, is that** mortal sin **is being commited by Catholics in these situations. That is just errouneous nonsense, and not by someone’s opinion, but by the stated teaching of the Church that has been linked twice in this thread. Everyone should **read the teaching **before having an opinion.
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No, we do not. We have the statements of several in this thread, as well as an answer from a rather trustworthy priest from Catholic Answers on the previous page.

It is mortally sinful for Catholics to knowingly and with full intent go to Protestant worship services unless one has a reason to do so, like a wedding, baptism, funeral, or some ecumenical activity.
 
OraLabora said:
This is entirely false. Most Protestant churches for instance, have a valid baptism. Baptism is a sacrament. The Anglicans believe that the Eucharist is a sacrament. They have a Mass. There maybe serious errors in the way

they believe it, and the sacrament itself may not be valid, but it they certainly believe it’s a sacrament. The Anglicans celebrate saints, they just stopped naming new ones after the Reformation.

I assume that you know the word “Protestant” comes from the word “protest.” What do you think they are protesting? They are protesting the Magesterium of Catholic Church, they are protesting the traditional teaching of the church, they are protesting the validity and infallibility of the Pope, they are protesting the Eucharist, they are protesting Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth, they are protesting the authority of priests to forgive sins, and on and on and on. Protestants today are not themselves heretical because they have not personally rejected the Catholic church and her teachings. But their beliefes most assuredly are heretical. Yes, Protestant baptism is valid because they do it according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. But that does not give validity to all of their many heretical teachings. Anglicans most definitely do NOT believe the Eucharist is a sacrament, at least not in the sense that the Catholic Church does. They administer it as if they do, but they do not believe in transubstantiation. Only the Catholic church believes this.
You’re attempting to paint Protestantism with a very broad brush when in fact many Protestant churches do include some elements of Truth; it’s just that none of them have the complete picture.
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Really? What teaching is that? I’ve never heard it, and I guess Father Serpa hasn’t heard it, either. We cannot have unity with heretical belief.
The issue being brough up in this thread that is objectionable, is that** mortal sin **
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is being commited by Catholics in these situations. That is just errouneous nonsense, and not by someone’s opinion, but by the stated teaching of the Church that has been linked twice in this thread. Everyone should **read the teaching **before having an opinion.

Mortal sin depends on the person. If a persons insists on going to protestant worship services knowing that he is worshipping with those who are not in communion with the Catholic Church and by his presence, thereby affirming the heretical beliefs of the protestants, he may well have committed mortal sin. I would not make that judgment. I will leave it between the person and his confessor.
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YoungTradCath said:
No, we do not. We have the statements of several in this thread, as well as an answer from a rather trustworthy priest from Catholic Answers on the previous page.

It is mortally sinful for Catholics to knowingly and with full intent go to Protestant worship services unless one has a reason to do so, like a wedding, baptism, funeral, or some ecumenical activity.
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My parish doesn’t celebrate Evening Prayer and although I tried my best to start that, there was no interest, even from the Pastor. The Anglican Church down the street does celebrate Evening Prayer, pretty much in the same format as we do. You’re saying that opting to go celebrate Evening Prayer with them is a sin.
 
Perhaps you would like to re-read Fr. Serpa’s answer. He said it can be sinful. He does not say it is definitely and/or always sinful, nor does he mention mortal sin.
YoungTradCath said:
No, we do not. We have the statements of several in this thread, as well as an answer from a rather trustworthy priest from Catholic Answers on the previous page.

It is mortally sinful for Catholics to knowingly and with full intent go to Protestant worship services unless one has a reason to do so, like a wedding, baptism, funeral, or some ecumenical activity.
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Phemie said:
My parish doesn’t celebrate Evening Prayer and although I tried my best to start that, there was no interest, even from the Pastor. The Anglican Church down the street does celebrate Evening Prayer, pretty much in the same format as we do. You’re saying that opting to go celebrate Evening Prayer with them is a sin.
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I would say so, yes.
agnes_therese said:
Perhaps you would like to re-read Fr. Serpa’s answer. He said it can be sinful. He does not say it is definitely and/or always sinful, nor does he mention mortal sin.
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:confused:

I didn’t say that. I said that without a reason (examples above were given), it is mortally sinful.
 
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