What is the Churches Position on giving Holy Communion to non Catholics

[nhylan]

When I was in my late teens, I was working at a summer camp. On Sundays, a Catholic priest would come to the camp to celebrate mass, while protestants walked to a Presbyterian Church in a small nearby town. Being away from a Lutheran Church, I missed receiving the Supper, and one day spoke to Father _____ about my predicament.
He offered to allow me to receive.

Now I was young, and all the ramifications were not clear in my understandings at that time, and I’m not sure if Father _____ did the right thing, but nevertheless, I have always been thankful that he was there for me in my time of need.

Jon

This is a perfect example of the allowances the CCC makes, he most certainly did nothing wrong. You felt the need to receive, you’re Lutheran so you probably have a fairly Roman Catholic understanding of the sacrament, and you had no way of receiving in your own church.

 

[ConstantineTG]

There needs to be a Christological declaration by the two Churches affirming the same faith and the validity of the priesthood and Sacraments in both Churches. There is already an inter-communion with the Assyrian Church of the East and the Chaldean Catholic Church. Of course this is after the Vatican affirmed that the ACotE is apostolic, has a valid priesthood, valid Sacraments, and professes the same faith as we do.

The same also for the Orthodox although there is no inter-communion. But the Catholic Church would give Communion to the Orthodox if they approach (not many do but there are those out there).

 

[ConstantineTG]

This is a perfect example of the allowances the CCC makes, he most certainly did nothing wrong. You felt the need to receive, you’re Lutheran so you probably have a fairly Roman Catholic understanding of the sacrament, and you had no way of receiving in your own church.

I think its stretching it a bit. As I have noted in my previous post, there should be an affirmation that the communicant believes what the Church teaches about Communion, including the Real Presence and also the worthiness of a communicant to receive. Besides the Orthodox (Eastern, Oriental, ACotE, Syriac) and some schismatic groups, I don’t really see anyone affirming the same faith in the Eucharist as the Catholic Church. Lutherans believe in Consubstantiation for one thing which is against Catholic teaching.

 

[JonNC]

I think its stretching it a bit. As I have noted in my previous post, there should be an affirmation that the communicant believes what the Church teaches about Communion, including the Real Presence and also the worthiness of a communicant to receive. Besides the Orthodox (Eastern, Oriental, ACotE, Syriac) and some schismatic groups, I don’t really see anyone affirming the same faith in the Eucharist as the Catholic Church. Lutherans believe in Consubstantiation for one thing which is against Catholic teaching.

While our expression of the RP does differ from Transubstantiation, it isn’t consubstantiation, which we reject. That said, the father did ask me what I believed, and while I don’t remember the conversation clearly (it was over 35 years ago), he seemed satisfied enough. Again, I’m not saying he did the right thing regarding Catholic practice, I certainly remian forever grateful to him.

Jon

 

[ConstantineTG]

While our expression of the RP does differ from Transubstantiation, it isn’t consubstantiation, which we reject. That said, the father did ask me what I believed, and while I don’t remember the conversation clearly (it was over 35 years ago), he seemed satisfied enough. Again, I’m not saying he did the right thing regarding Catholic practice, I certainly remian forever grateful to him.

Jon

Well, I trust the good priest did what he believes is right to the best of his abilities. I don’t want to presume an abuse by the priest which seems to be the norm in these parts here.

 

[Halyna]

If you have to be Catholic (and in the state of grace) to receive Communion, why do catholic priests knowingly give communion to those who are not catholic.
I was at a funeral dinner, sitting opposite a priest and to his left was a friend who is Lutheran. He said, in a bragging manner, that this priest gives him and his wife (the wife claims to be 1/2 catholic and 1/2 Lutheran) communion every Sunday, and he knows we’re Lutheran.
That priest knew he shouldnt have said that and gave me a startled look and I back at him.
So, why does this priest do that? Is it because my Lutheran friends give a lot of money to the church?
Who’s sin is this then, the priest, the Lutherans, or mine for not reporting this abuse to the bishop?

 

[Suegra]

We are Anglo-Catholics (although I would heavily emphasize “Catholic” in that description) living outside the USA. We receive the Body of Christ at Mass at our local Catholic Church, by permission of the Archbishop because
(1) our beliefs are fully in agreement with that of the universal Catholic Church including the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist,
(2) we make our confessions, and
(3) the sacraments (as we received in the USA) are not available to us in this country.

The Anglican presence here is liberal and they have started in the last few years to so-called “ordain” women as “priests”.

We petitioned for, and received, permission to receive the Holy Sacraments and provided letters of support with the petition (from our Anglican bishop and Anglican priest), under a provision of Catholic canon law.

We would not (and did not) receive until and unless this gracious permission had been granted.

YIC,
Suegra

 

[Invictus_88]

Suegra,

It might perhaps count as drifting off the topic at hand, but your post begs the question:

Given this, would you be happy to shed light on why it is that you do not simply become a part of the Catholic Church?

 

[Suegra]

Invictus_88,
I hope and pray our parish in the USA may accept His Holiness’ generous offer in the Anglicorum Coetibus. If so, we will still be in communion with the parish that nourished us so well in the Catholic faith. Only time will tell.

If not, I *will *probably convert, but my husband isn’t ready to do so at this point.

YSIC,
Suegra

 

[waterbrook]

I believe Pope John Paul 2 gave communion to brother Roger of Taize on more than one occassion and brother Roger was Lutheran.

 

[FKhiva]

I think this should have nothing to do with church doctrine but what the Bible states in this regard, which are two distinct things. Please read your Bible instead, as church doctrines are man-made and do not necessarily represent the views or the Word of God. Denominations are a direct result of church doctrines and now we see and descriminate each other based on this man-made dogma.

We tend to to rely too much on what theologians have decided for us and then put us in a box, and in this way have abdicated our individual responsibility to search the scriptures.

Khiva

 

[mwok]

I think this should have nothing to do with church doctrine but what the Bible states in this regard, which are two distinct things. Please read your Bible instead, as church doctrines are man-made and do not necessarily represent the views or the Word of God. Denominations are a direct result of church doctrines and now we see and descriminate each other based on this man-made dogma.

We tend to to rely too much on what theologians have decided for us and then put us in a box, and in this way have abdicated our individual responsibility to search the scriptures.

Khiva

If everyone read the Bible and took what they felt the Word of God was saying we would have one interpretation for each person who read the Bible.

 

[JonNC]

I think this should have nothing to do with church doctrine but what the Bible states in this regard, which are two distinct things. Please read your Bible instead, as church doctrines are man-made and do not necessarily represent the views or the Word of God.

While I don’t deny the encouragement to read the Bible, I do reject the idea that Church doctrines do not represent the word of God. I am of the firm belief that the three creeds, the early councils, and the Lutheran confessions do rightly reflect the Gospel, and they help me to understand the word of God better.

Denominations are a direct result of church doctrines and now we see and descriminate each other based on this man-made dogma.

The LCMS practices close communion, but I do not see this as discrimination, anymore than I see the Catholic practice of closed communion as discrimination. In fact, the practices of close and closed communion are intended, in large measure, to protect those who do not discern the body of Christ in the Eucharist, in keeping with 1 Cor.

We tend to to rely too much on what theologians have decided for us and then put us in a box, and in this way have abdicated our individual responsibility to search the scriptures.

This is akin to saying we rely too much on doctors when we are sick. Sure, we have an individual responsibility to live a healthy life, eat properly and exercise, but even in these things we rely on health professionals to guide us.
Same with our reading the Bible. I take responsibility to hear the word and receive the sacraments, ie, live a healthy spiritual life, but I depend on the Church to guide me. This is the role of the Church, as set by Christ Himself.

Jon

 

[JonNC]

I think this should have nothing to do with church doctrine but what the Bible states in this regard, which are two distinct things. Please read your Bible instead, as church doctrines are man-made and do not necessarily represent the views or the Word of God. Denominations are a direct result of church doctrines and now we see and descriminate each other based on this man-made dogma.

We tend to to rely too much on what theologians have decided for us and then put us in a box, and in this way have abdicated our individual responsibility to search the scriptures.

Khiva

Khiva,
Just as a followup, if in your study of scripture, you come to an incontrovertable conclusion, for example - the Virgin birth, does that not, in a manner of speaking, become a doctrine for you? And how is that different than the same doctrine found in, say, The Apostles’ Creed:
“And (I believe) in Jesus Christ, His only son, our Lord,
who was born of the Virgin Mary, …”

Jon

 

[Corki]

I think this should have nothing to do with church doctrine but what the Bible states in this regard, which are two distinct things. Please read your Bible instead, as church doctrines are man-made and do not necessarily represent the views or the Word of God. Denominations are a direct result of church doctrines and now we see and descriminate each other based on this man-made dogma.

We tend to to rely too much on what theologians have decided for us and then put us in a box, and in this way have abdicated our individual responsibility to search the scriptures.

Khiva

Have you read the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)? The doctrines of the Church all flow from Scripture and Tradition. There is no “instead”. All Catholics are urged to read and understand Scripture. But Scripture points us to the authority of the Church; the two are intrinsically linked.