Taking Communion at non-Catholic church?

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In July, I’m visiting the east coast for the arrival of my 1st grand baby! Yey!! We arrive on Friday & will attend Mass on Saturday evening. I will also be visiting my brother & his family who live near my son & wife. My brother has a 1yr old daughter & is “dedicating” her at their Assembly of God Church on Sunday morning. He’s flying in our other sister and husband (they’re Baptist). We will be attending out of respect and love for my brother who has done a lot for me. When he and his family visited us this year, they attended Mass with us probably for the same reasons.

IF it so happens that their communion of bread & grape juice is done that particular morning…do we participate or not? I don’t want to offend them, I don’t want to seem elitist (I have already been accused of that). What do I tell my kids? Is this a mortal sin? I plan on talking to my priest about it.

Thank you.
 
No, you do not. You’re not “in communion” with their beliefs about the Eucharist, and it is not respectful of our traditions or theirs to pretend that you are. That would be presumptuous.

Do talk to your priest, so you can explain to anyone who asks (which they may not even do), why it is not elitist to refrain from intruding on the intimate ritual of another faith. He’ll help you decide whether this is something you ought to explain afterwards or not, or how you might respond the most graciously if your family invites you in advance to please participate.
 
During their visit I had a long tearful conversation with my SIL about me not choosing them to be my children’s Godparents. I thought it was clear that it was because they’re not Catholic. She said she’s seen non-Catholic Godparents at other churches and she pointed out that they’re the Godparents of my oldest son (back when I was cafeteria Catholic). She was also upset because if my husband and I were to die, the children would not go live with them on the east coast. She felt they weren’t considered because they’re not Catholic. I explained, not true, because they would live with my other SIL who is also not Catholic but they live here. If such a tragedy occurred I can’t uproot the kids from everything & everyone they know. Besides, their Catholic God-parents would ensure they attend Mass every Sunday. I love my SIL & we have always been close & this totally tore her apart & that’s when my brother accused Catholics of being elitists. Anyway, yes a lot of emotions. I don’t want to hurt them, again. I don’t want to draw attention to us if we don’t take communion there. But right is right & wrong is wrong. My Mom, who is also Catholic, said she will participate because in the Bible there’s a story of a man who doesn’t eat meat being invited to someone’s home & served meat & Jesus said not to offend them. Sorry, I’m totally paraphrasing here. Lol

Thanks.
 
journey00 said:
My Mom, who is also Catholic, said she will participate because in the Bible there’s a story of a man who doesn’t eat meat being invited to someone’s home & served meat & Jesus said not to offend them. Sorry, I’m totally paraphrasing here. Lol

Thanks.
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Her reasoning would make sense if the only reason to refrain from their communion was because of a personal dislike for grape juice or something.

It is wrong for Catholics to receive communion at other churches. It mocks the real presence of the Eucharist in the Catholic Church and gives others the false impression that there is a unity among churches which does not exist:

“Catholics may not receive communion in those communities that lack a valid sacrament of orders… The Catholic faithful…must refrain from receiving the communion distributed in [non-Catholic] celebrations, so as not to condone an ambiguity about the nature of the Eucharist and, consequently, to fail in their duty to bear clear witness to the truth” (Ecclesia de Eucharista, Pope John Paul II).
 
journey00 said:
In July, I’m visiting the east coast for the arrival of my 1st grand baby! Yey!! We arrive on Friday & will attend Mass on Saturday evening. I will also be visiting my brother & his family who live near my son & wife. My brother has a 1yr old daughter & is “dedicating” her at their Assembly of God Church on Sunday morning. He’s flying in our other sister and husband (they’re Baptist). We will be attending out of respect and love for my brother who has done a lot for me. When he and his family visited us this year, they attended Mass with us probably for the same reasons.

IF it so happens that their communion of bread & grape juice is done that particular morning…do we participate or not? I don’t want to offend them, I don’t want to seem elitist (I have already been accused of that). What do I tell my kids? Is this a mortal sin? I plan on talking to my priest about it.

Thank you.
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I have a lot of family memebers who are fallen away Catholics. When some of thier children married I approached the mintister and asked to do what non-Catholic do in our faith…I came forward for a blessing and the minister had no problem with that.

I know this may not be the best way - however it kept peace in the family and was very indiscret. Not saying it is the best solution - it may be the one that keeps family talking after the day.
 
jmjconder said:
I have a lot of family memebers who are fallen away Catholics. When some of thier children married I approached the mintister and asked to do what non-Catholic do in our faith…I came forward for a blessing and the minister had no problem with that.

I know this may not be the best way - however it kept peace in the family and was very indiscret. Not saying it is the best solution - it may be the one that keeps family talking after the day.
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Yes, I want to follow what Jesus commanded to do and I also want to keep the peace in my very loved family. I would like to do something like that, ask for a blessing from their minister. But, usually they just pass out the bread & grape juice to congregation where they are sitting. Unfortunately, they probably don’t line up & walk to the front.
 
journey00 said:
…My Mom, who is also Catholic, said she will participate because in the Bible there’s a story of a man who doesn’t eat meat being invited to someone’s home & served meat & Jesus said not to offend them. Sorry, I’m totally paraphrasing here. Lol

Thanks.
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She’s got the wrong story. It wasn’t Jesus, it was St. Paul, and he said that whether or not you eat depends. In this case, you *don’t eat *because eating is going to be taken to mean the wrong thing.

Here’s the passage she refers to:
Now in regard to meat sacrificed to idols: we realize that “all of us have knowledge”; knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up. If anyone supposes he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if one loves God, one is known by him. So about the eating of meat sacrificed to idols: we know that “there is no idol in the world,” and that “there is no God but one.” Indeed, even though there are so-called gods in heaven and on earth (there are, to be sure, many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom all things are and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are and through whom we exist. But not all have this knowledge. There are some who have been so used to idolatry up until now that, when they eat meat sacrificed to idols, their conscience, which is weak, is defiled. Now food will not bring us closer to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, nor are we better off if we do. But make sure that this liberty of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block to the weak. If someone sees you, with your knowledge, reclining at table in the temple of an idol, may not his conscience too, weak as it is, be “built up” to eat the meat sacrificed to idols? Thus through your knowledge, the weak person is brought to destruction, the brother for whom Christ died. When you sin in this way against your brothers and wound their consciences, weak as they are, you are sinning against Christ. Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause my brother to sin. 1 Cor. 8:1-13

Now, here is what the Catechism says:
**1400 **Ecclesial communities derived from the Reformation and separated from the Catholic Church, "have not preserved the proper reality of the Eucharistic mystery in its fullness, especially because of the absence of the sacrament of Holy Orders."236 It is for this reason that Eucharistic intercommunion with these communities is not possible for the Catholic Church. However these ecclesial communities, "when they commemorate the Lord’s death and resurrection in the Holy Supper . . . profess that it signifies life in communion with Christ and await his coming in glory."237

So you can explain that while we recognize the reality that remains in what they’re doing, we each also have to recognize the real differences between us and the reality that we’re not as in union as we’d ideally like to be. We don’t pretend that elephant is not in the room. We work past it for the unity we can manage, but we don’t act as if there is no lack of unity in the Body of Christ.
 
journey00 said:
IF it so happens that their communion of bread & grape juice is done that particular morning…do we participate or not?
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No. It is not permissible for a Catholic to do so. Church teaching is very clear on this.
journey00 said:
During their visit I had a long tearful conversation with my SIL about me not choosing them to be my children’s Godparents. I thought it was clear that it was because they’re not Catholic. She said she’s seen non-Catholic Godparents at other churches and she pointed out that they’re the Godparents of my oldest son (back when I was cafeteria Catholic)
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A non-Catholic can be a Christian witness to a Catholic baptism, together with a Catholic godparent. So it is possible she has seen Christian witnesses stand up at a Catholic baptism.
journey00 said:
She was also upset because if my husband and I were to die, the children would not go live with them on the east coast.
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This is just silly.

The person chosen as Godparent has no legal standing and your kids do not go to them if you di.

If you were to die your children would go to the care of whoever you specify in your will. If you don’t have a will (you need to have one,) then the state will get involved in the decision making. It has NOTHING to do with who your Godparents are.
journey00 said:
I don’t want to draw attention to us if we don’t take communion there.
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Well, hopefully they will not have communion. But if they do, you cannot participate.
journey00 said:
My Mom, who is also Catholic, said she will participate because in the Bible there’s a story of a man who doesn’t eat meat being invited to someone’s home & served meat & Jesus said not to offend them. Sorry, I’m totally paraphrasing here. Lol

Thanks.
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Your mom needs to brush up on her bible stories.
 
Every protestant service I went to that had communion, it is usually passed down the rows like offering is. Just let it pass by you. 🤷 I went to a Christmas thing this past Christmas and just let it pass by me. When we got in the car my mother-in-law said that she understood why I let it pass by me. I didn’t even have to bring it up.
 
I can’t say that this pertains to all protestant Churches…but my MIL goes to a non-denominational Church and she has said that there is no solemn procession to receive communion.
She says everyone just gets up and gets what they need and then sits back down. She always admired the solemness and reverence that Catholics have toward, what she considers, communion.

You should not participate in their communion…and I really don’t see why it would be considered a big deal if you didn’t.

You SIL needs an explanation on exactly what the role of a Godparent actually is.
 
journey00 said:
Yes, I want to follow what Jesus commanded to do and I also want to keep the peace in my very loved family. I would like to do something like that, ask for a blessing from their minister. But, usually they just pass out the bread & grape juice to congregation where they are sitting. Unfortunately, they probably don’t line up & walk to the front.
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In that case I would just pass it on.
 
Of course, as it has been conveyed, Catholics are not supposed to take part in communion at non-Catholic churches but there is another side to consider. While non-denominational churches may not mind who partakes as they usually view it as just a symbol, some denominations such as Lutherans, only allow members of said Lutheran synod, to commune. So it is wise to be aware of this as well.
 
The Protestant services I have attended (Baptist) have had a little tray with tiny cups of grape juice set into it - it is passed along the row and everyone takes their little cup. And a bread tray is passed and you take the piece of bread. As I recall, you might wait until everyone has some, and then eat and drink it all together, but it’s been a while.

So no, there is no line for communion because their ministers are not priests and do not pretend to be priests. They are all in a “personal relationship” with Jesus, remember. Their ministers would never try to convey a blessing unless they were baptizing or casting out evil spirits. 🙂

OP, just let the trays pass you by. Do not remark upon it, and do not get into any emotion-filled discussions. Just say if you are asked, after the service, “It is not personal, it is a rule of our Church.” Your mother is not helping by taking their communion.
 
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