Taking Communion at a protestant church

[dandee]

I have repeatedly heard commentators on EWTN state it is a sin for Catholics to take Communion at a protestant church. I can find much the same thing in various threads in these forums. However, the admonishions come with no citation to official Church teachings.

My wife is a recent convert to the Catholic Church and thus has ties to friends in various protestant denominations. She still attends some functions and partakes in communion there. She has spoken with our parish priest, on my request, about this and has his blessing to continue. I am deeply concerned.

Can anyone direct me to a single Church document (or several if they exist) that clearly states the gravity of this sin and the reasons why?

This is my first post - hope I have not committed any fau-pax by placing it in the wrong forum or asking an inappropriate question.

 

[Seatuck]

We look to Canon Law 844 for the answer-

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.
§2. Whenever necessity requires it or true spiritual advantage suggests it, and provided that danger of error or of indifferentism is avoided, the Christian faithful for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister are permitted to receive the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick from non-
Catholic ministers in whose Churches these sacraments are valid.

Protestant ministers do not have valid orders therefore they do not have valid Eucharist in thier services. The only non Catholic minister a Catholic may approach for sacraments is an Eastern Orthodox minister and we must ask them first if it is possible .

The idea is that we do not share the same meaning for Communion with protestants. Some of them come kind of close but they do not have the Holy Orders to confect the Eucharist. By partaking of their symbolic communion we say that we are in union with them and that is a lie. We can feel very close to other christians and share much of christian life but it is not true that we belong to the one church together and are in union. That is why it may be sinful for us to go to communion at non catholic churches. In your wife’s case she has ample acess to the sacraments at her own Parish from her own priest. She may not partake of protestant communion.

 

[passus]

This issue is very explicitly addressed in Pope John Paul the Great’s encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia:Catholics may not receive communion in those communities which lack a valid sacrament of Orders (46).
I hope that helps.

 

[newbetx]

key here is that all these references say not to do it but they do not say specifically it is a sin. I did spend some hours on this with the CCC and other docs. Here is my thread.

I don’t know if it’s Automatic to say if you do something you aren’t supposed to do, it’s a sin, but that is the impression I’m getting. But specifically, I did find through another tread I can’t find right now a very logical explaination of the reason NOT to take Protestant communion. I know some get all snippy about it.

 

[love4mary]

I read this in a Church of Christ bulletin the other day.

“The pastor will consecrate the communion bread before services and leave it on the back table, those wishing to take communion may do so at any time.”

consecrate BEFORE services?

leave IT on the back table?

 

[bluerose]

key here is that all these references say not to do it but they do not say specifically it is a sin. I did spend some hours on this with the CCC and other docs. Here is my thread.

I don’t know if it’s Automatic to say if you do something you aren’t supposed to do, it’s a sin, but that is the impression I’m getting. But specifically, I did find through another tread I can’t find right now a very logical explaination of the reason NOT to take Protestant communion. I know some get all snippy about it.

Well, look at it this way: if a father tells his son NOT to do something (even something morally neutral, like eating a cookie before dinner or running in the hall) and the son does it anyway, then the son has committed the sin of disobedience. The action itself may not be a sin, but the disobedience to the father is.

And the same way a child doesn’t understand WHY it’s wrong to run in the hall or eat a cookie before dinner (sorry if I’m being too simplistic) until he’s older and has grown in understanding, I feel there must be a reason why the Church tells us we can’t and I may not just be grown up enough to understand right now. So, I obey the Church.

 

[Newbie2]

I read this in a Church of Christ bulletin the other day.

“The pastor will consecrate the communion bread before services and leave it on the back table, those wishing to take communion may do so at any time.”

consecrate BEFORE services?

leave IT on the back table?

No involved if it’s just symbolic, no?

 

[newbetx]

Well, look at it this way: if a father tells his son NOT to do something (even something morally neutral, like eating a cookie before dinner or running in the hall) and the son does it anyway, then the son has committed the sin of disobedience. The action itself may not be a sin, but the disobedience to the father is.

And the same way a child doesn’t understand WHY it’s wrong to run in the hall or eat a cookie before dinner (sorry if I’m being too simplistic) until he’s older and has grown in understanding, I feel there must be a reason why the Church tells us we can’t and I may not just be grown up enough to understand right now. So, I obey the Church.

Actually, I find that a VERY reasonable explaination. The question was where in church documentation does it say it’s a sin. I found nothing. The CCC does NOT say not to partake, only that it can not be the true Eucharist. Now the Holy Father’s quote is new to me but understandable giving previous discussions from priests/bishops. So IF it is a sin, is it Mortal or Venial?

From the OP, I would like your priest’s explaination of his position. Do you think you could get it?

 

[Newbie2]

I guess the implication is that we would be partaking in a worthless ritual, no?

 

[DD2007]

I don’t think it is reasonable to think that the Roman Catholic Church has a monopoly on the Eucharist.

 

[newbetx]

I guess the implication is that we would be partaking in a worthless ritual, no?

No, the issue is that it would imply to others that you believe in the “worthless ritual.” THAT is the issue. The official positon is that partaking in Protestant Communion implies YOU acknolwedge it’s validity when we actually believe it is not valid. Make sense?

 

[Newbie2]

No, the issue is that it would imply to others that you believe in the “worthless ritual.” THAT is the issue. The official positon is that partaking in Protestant Communion implies YOU acknolwedge it’s validity when we actually believe it is not valid. Make sense?

I agree. You said it better than I.

 

[Corki]

Actually, I find that a VERY reasonable explaination. The question was where in church documentation does it say it’s a sin. I found nothing. The CCC does NOT say not to partake, only that it can not be the true Eucharist. Now the Holy Father’s quote is new to me but understandable giving previous discussions from priests/bishops. So IF it is a sin, is it Mortal or Venial?

Since canon law is binding on all Catholics, violating it would be, by definintion, a sin. Mortal or venial would depend on the usualy three conditions. I think it would be hard to receive communion at at protestant church without full knowledge or consent. Grave matter would be the subjective one.

In my opinion (which isn’t worth much), IF by “taking” protestant communion, there was any chance that someone would misunderstand what the individual or Catholics in general believe about the Eucharist, then it would be grave matter. Also, IF by participating in the protestant communion service there was any danger to the person’s own faith or the faith of others (ie children who might witness this and think its ok), then it would be grave matter.

 

[DD2007]

No, the issue is that it would imply to others that you believe in the “worthless ritual.” THAT is the issue. The official positon is that partaking in Protestant Communion implies YOU acknolwedge it’s validity when we actually believe it is not valid. Make sense?

I think that all celebrations of the Lord’s Supper are valid in all the denominations of the Church. Since we are all a priesthood of believers and our one mediator is Jesus Christ all that is required is faith. An ordained Catholic Priest is not required. All that is required is a group of believers gathered together to remember the Lord through the paschal supper He told us to observe as often as we do it.

 

[tulsacubfan]

No, the issue is that it would imply to others that you believe in the “worthless ritual.” THAT is the issue. The official positon is that partaking in Protestant Communion implies YOU acknolwedge it’s validity when we actually believe it is not valid. Make sense?

I’m not sure I think the symbolic recreation of the Lord’s Supper in any church is a “worthless ritual.” It is not the sacramental Eucharist, but I think it is a bit harsh to call it a worthless ritual. My husband was raised a Baptist (since converted) and we will occasionally attend a Baptist service with his mother (and also attend Mass). We attended Christmas Eve service one year and we participated in the Lord’s Supper. At no time did I think this was a valid sacramental Euharist. Rather, I thought it was a symbolic recreation of the Lord’s Supper.

 

[Michael_David]

I think that all celebrations of the Lord’s Supper are valid in all the denominations of the Church. Since we are all a priesthood of believers and our one mediator is Jesus Christ all that is required is faith. An ordained Catholic Priest is not required. All that is required is a group of believers gathered together to remember the Lord through the paschal supper He told us to observe as often as we do it.

How about the other way around? A Catholic Priest giving Communion to a known Protestant Minister? This has happened when a bunch of the Christian religions were in talks together looking for common grounds between themselves (and perhaps differences).

If Baptism and Confirmation is required for taking Communion, and these other religions have a similar form of these, how different are we? In these respects? How similar?

Also, since it is called ‘Communion’, how does this figure into it?

 

[DD2007]

How about the other way around? A Catholic Priest giving Communion to a known Protestant Minister? This has happened when a bunch of the Christian religions were in talks together looking for common grounds between themselves (and perhaps differences).

If Baptism and Confirmation is required for taking Communion, and these other religions have a similar form of these, how different are we? In these respects? How similar?

Also, since it is called ‘Communion’, how does this figure into it?

I think the only restrictions on who can recieve communion should be 1. baptised 2. self examination

The Lord’s Supper is valid throughout the entire Universal Church. I will commune with any denomination that will let me. I would love to commune with the Catholics but they won’t let me.

 

[Michael_David]

The Lord’s Supper is valid throughout the entire Universal Church. I will commune with any denomination that will let me. I would love to commune with the Catholics but they won’t let me.

If I may ask: why will they not let you?

 

[DD2007]

If I may ask: why will they not let you?

I’m not Catholic anymore and they say you have to be in full communion with the Pope to recieve. They also have rules against divorce and remarriage which is a catagory I fall into.

 

[Seatuck]

Since canon law is binding on all Catholics, violating it would be, by definintion, a sin. Mortal or venial would depend on the usualy three conditions. I think it would be hard to receive communion at at protestant church without full knowledge or consent. Grave matter would be the subjective one.

In my opinion (which isn’t worth much), IF by “taking” protestant communion, there was any chance that someone would misunderstand what the individual or Catholics in general believe about the Eucharist, then it would be grave matter. Also, IF by participating in the protestant communion service there was any danger to the person’s own faith or the faith of others (ie children who might witness this and think its ok), then it would be grave matter.

I agree. It is a public action which says something that is not true. Therefore it is a public lie. Taking communion in a protestant church says we are in union when in fact we are not.