Where can I find the source that states that Catholics may not receive communion in Protestant churches?

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While I know that Catholics may not receive the Protestant version of communion, where can I find the official source that states this? I looked in the Catechism but could not find it. Thanks!
 
It’s in the Code of Canon Law:
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.

§3. Catholic ministers administer the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick licitly to members of Eastern Churches which do not have full communion with the Catholic Church if they seek such on their own accord and are properly disposed. This is also valid for members of other Churches which in the judgment of the Apostolic See are in the same condition in regard to the sacraments as these Eastern Churches.

§4. If the danger of death is present or if, in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or conference of bishops, some other grave necessity urges it, Catholic ministers administer these same sacraments licitly also to other Christians not having full communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and who seek such on their own accord, provided that they manifest Catholic faith in respect to these sacraments and are properly disposed.
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Joe found it while I was looking it up. 🙂

You may find this article from Canon Law Made Easy to be of interest:
When Can Catholics Receive Communion at a Non-Catholic Service?

canonlawmadeeasy.com

When Can Catholics Receive Communion at a Non-Catholic Service?

Q: Can Catholics receive communion at Episcopal services? One article I read … states that the Canon Law deems reception of communion from a non-Catholic minister is blasphemy and, as such, …
canonlawmadeeasy.com
 
Thanks for this!

Curious, is this the only mention of it anywhere? I thought for sure it would be in the Catechism. Are there any other official sources that address this topic?
 
Hi, Tech!

…just find the most pedestrian (easy read) and yet unfriendly page (would not allow copying) on the cannon 844.2 (why Catholics cannot partake of non-Catholic celebration of the Holy Eucharist):
http://canonlawmadeeasy.com/2015/12/17/when-can-catholics-receive-communion-noncath-service/
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The specific chapter (#10) is found towards the middle of the page; it reads:

But Anglican and Episcopal liturgical services (and those of all other non-Catholic protestant groups…

Maran atha!

Angel
 
It is in the Catechism, too (citing this section of Canon Law). Look at CCC 1398–1401. In particular:
CCC 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.” [239] It is for this reason that, for the Catholic Church, Eucharistic intercommunion with these communities is not possible. 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.” [240]
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1ke said:
No.

Certainly not. I’m curious though why this isn’t sufficient for you?
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It’s plenty sufficient for me personally; I don’t question the Church’s teaching on this. I anticipate a discussion with someone on this subject and was hoping to find a source that explained it a bit more than the brief mention in Canon Law does.
 
EnglishTeacher said:
While I know that Catholics may not receive the Protestant version of communion, where can I find the official source that states this? I looked in the Catechism but could not find it. Thanks!
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You will never actually find any statement that says “Catholics cannot receive Protestant communion.”

The reason is that there is only one Communion. There is only one Eucharist. Whether we use the word Communion to describe the service or the host/bread (what used to be bread) it either “is Communion” or it “is not Communion.”

There is no such thing as two or five or a hundred or a thousand different forms of Communion. There is no such thing as Protestant Communion compared to Catholic Communion. There is only one Christ, one Body of Christ, one Last Supper, one Crucifixion, etc. and consequently there can be only one version of the Eucharist.

What happens in a Protestant service is not Communion and therefore Catholics cannot participate.

Merely arguing that Catholics are “not allowed” to do it is rather weak. It comes across as sounding like a human law that can be subject to change. We can’t do it now, but maybe we’ll be allowed to do it in ten years. Indeed, the Protestant retort is often to say “change the law” or “ignore the rule.” This kind of reasoning misses the essential point altogether.

The essential, most truthful, and most important reason why we cannot receive Communion at a Protestant service is because there is no Communion to be received.
 
FrDavid96 said:
What happens in a Protestant service is not Communion and therefore Catholics cannot participate.

The essential, most truthful, and most important reason why we cannot receive Communion at a Protestant service is because there is no Communion to be received.
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And, more to the point, since it’s not ‘Eucharist’, we shouldn’t be treating it as if it were. So, for a Catholic to “go to communion” at a Protestant service would be to commit the sin of ‘scandal’: it would lead Protestants (or maybe other Catholics at the service!) to think that we’re saying that Protestant ‘communion’ and Catholic Eucharist are the same thing, and that it’s ok to take communion at each others’ liturgies.

(In addition, if a Catholic takes ‘communion’ at a Protestant service, and then tells his Protestant friend that she cannot receive the Eucharist at a Catholic Mass… well, that leads to misunderstandings and hard feelings.)

It’s just a bad situation all around, so… just say ‘no’ (even if the Protestants who offer it are doing so with good intentions!)…
 
FrDavid96 said:
The essential, most truthful, and most important reason why we cannot receive Communion at a Protestant service is because there is no Communion to be received.
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While quite forceful, it is exact!

I fully concur.

A symbol cannot be Received as the Body and Blood of Christ!

Maran atha!

Angel
 
Hi, Gorgias!

Sadly, that’s the “good feeling theology” that’s taking place… it follows the “political correct” themes–which, interestingly enough, is mandated for everything but for respecting human dignity and the value of Faith (conscience).

Maran atha!

Angel
 
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