Why does the Catholic Church Deny Protestants Communion?

[tparsons]

A friend ask me “Why does your church deny protestants communion”? He said Jesus would never deny anyone communion so why do catholics deny communion to those outside the church?

I told him because we believe in the Real Presence!..Not good enough for him. BTW- he is methodist. This is a difficult question to answer, at least for me it is.

Many Thanks!

 

[jmcrae]

This is from something I wrote a few years ago - I hope it helps you:

Holy Communion signifies not only union with Christ, but also union with one another.

Would that we were [all one in Christ], but we are not, and to signify that we are, through the sharing of Holy Communion, would be to enter into a fantasy world, and to deny the very real differences that divide us from one another.

Catholics have a number of reasons for becoming anxious when someone simply helps himself to the Holy Eucharist without preparation or adequate understanding of what the Eucharist is, or what it means to Catholics. The non-Catholic who does so sends quite a different message than he intends to, when he partakes of the Eucharist in a Catholic Church.

The best thing for a visitor at Mass to do is to refrain from taking Holy Communion, thus signifying his respect for Catholics and Catholic customs. He will be much better received as an ambassador for his own faith tradition, if he can show this kind of respect for himself, and for Catholic beliefs.

If you find that you are in agreement with Catholic teachings, and you wish to come into full Communion with the Church, you should begin by contacting a priest as soon as possible, so that he can instruct you in what you need to do in order to be received as a full member of the Church, and be able to receive Holy Communion in the Catholic Church.

Another thing you could point out to your friend is that by receiving Holy Communion in the Catholic Church without going through First Holy Communion classes or RCIA makes it seem as though he thinks he is just naturally so much better than those of us who have taken the time to prepare ourselves worthily for this Sacrament.

 

[LindaS]

My understanding is this: Reception of the Eucharist is the sign of communion/community among the faithful. If one receives the Eucharist, it means that he agrees with and accepts the teachings of the Catholic Church. A Protestant does not agree or accept those teachings, therefore he is not in communion with the Catholic Church and so cannot receive the Eucharist. Hope this helps.

Peace,
Linda

 

[bear06]

A friend ask me “Why does your church deny protestants communion”? He said Jesus would never deny anyone communion so why do catholics deny communion to those outside the church?

I told him because we believe in the Real Presence!..Not good enough for him. BTW- he is methodist. This is a difficult question to answer, at least for me it is.

Many Thanks!

There won’t be a good enough answer. Ask him if he’s in communion with the Catholic Church. Maybe that’ll turn on a light bulb! No communion, no Communion.

How about this quote?

“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (1 Cor. 11:27–28).

Obviously the Body and Blood wasn’t meant for everyone.

And lastly, give him this tract.
catholic.com/library/Who_Can_Receive_Communion.asp

 

[Sabda]

Um, how does he know that Jesus would never deny anyone Holy Communion? Does he think Jesus would give Holy Communion to Satan?
As far as why, because protestants do not share our beliefs. There is a reason why it’s called “communion”. To be in “communion” is to share in the same beliefs. When you receive the Eucharist you are saying, “yes, I believe and accept all the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church”. So, does your friend believe and accept all the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church? If he does than invite him to attend RCIA.

 

[carol_marie]

The Catholic Church teaches that no one in a state of mortal sin should receive communion without first confessing his sins to the Priest. Since Protestants do not confess their sins to a Priest, they are not in a state of grace to receive communion.

Tell your friend if he is without sin, he’s welcome to receive.

 

[tparsons]

There won’t be a good enough answer. Ask him if he’s in communion with the Catholic Church. Maybe that’ll turn on a light bulb! No communion, no Communion.

How about this quote?

Obviously the Body and Blood wasn’t meant for everyone.

Excellent!..Thank you!

And lastly, give him this tract.
catholic.com/library/Who_Can_Receive_Communion.asp

 

[Sabda]

ROFL
Bring on a topic about the Eucharist and everyone seems to come out of the wood work. In 5 minutes we have 5 post, now 6.

 

[rightandreason]

The Catechism states the following

{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

The Compendium states this…
293. When is it possible to give Holy Communion to other Christians?

1398-1401

Catholic ministers may give Holy Communion licitly to members of the Oriental Churches which are not in full communion with the Catholic Church whenever they ask for it of their own will and possess the required dispositions. Catholic ministers may licitly give Holy Communion to members of other ecclesial communities only if, in grave necessity, they ask for it of their own will, possess the required dispositions, and give evidence of holding the Catholic faith regarding the sacrament.}

It is important to realize that when you recieve the Body and Blood of Christ you are professing also that you believe all that the Catholic Church teaches and that you acknowledge the Real Presence of the Body and Blood of Christ. Any Protestant who truly believes their Protestant faith would not want to recieve the Eucharist in the Catholic Church, because he would be professing the Catholic faith in doing so.

I hope this helps.

 

[jmcrae]

Tell your friend if he is without sin, he’s welcome to receive.

Depending on what sort of Protestant he is, he might honestly believe that he is without sin.

And even if he is actually without sin (just got baptized this morning) he still can’t receive Holy Communion in the Catholic Church, because he is not in agreement with the teachings of the Church and he has not made a Profession of Faith in the Catholic Church - he’s not in communion with us.

 

[Corki]

A friend ask me “Why does your church deny protestants communion”? He said Jesus would never deny anyone communion so why do catholics deny communion to those outside the church?

And why would your friend believe that? Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist to a very small group of his followers. He could have done it when he was with one of the large crowds that followed him.

BTW, all of the above is good stuff regarding the doctrine of the Church, I just want to give you something that more directly addresses your friend’s claim.

 

[havemercy]

I know a person who has a problem with Catholic “closed communion” (an ex-Catholic, though he thinks Catholics are “cool”). There really is no reasoning with him.

 

[rr1213]

Here’s a question. Marriage is a sacrament in the Catholic Church. Husband and wife are one according to scripture. Wife converts to the Catholic faith. Husband remains Protestant. Husband attends Catholic mass and wife takes communion yet, notwithstanding that they are one, the Protestant husband must abstain. Sooooo…husband and wife are in sacramental union yet cannot take communion with each other? The husband is not in communion with his wife and vice-versa?

 

[jmcrae]

The husband is not in communion with his wife …

The husband is not in communion with THE CHURCH.

His wife has nothing to do with it.

 

[rr1213]

The husband is not in communion with THE CHURCH.

His wife has nothing to do with it.

That’s a bit too simple I think. If the husband is not in communion with the Church, then he also is not in communion with his wife…yet his wife is in communion with the church. Bit circular. Also, seems a preposterous to me that Christ can say that husband and wife are one, and that noone should put asunder what God has joined, yet husband and wife cannot be in communion with each other because the Church states that the husband cannot take communion.

 

[carol_marie]

That’s a bit too simple I think. If the husband is not in communion with the Church, then he also is not in communion with his wife…yet his wife is in communion with the church. Bit circular. Also, seems a preposterous to me that Christ can say that husband and wife are one, and that noone should put asunder what God has joined, yet husband and wife cannot be in communion with each other because the Church states that the husband cannot take communion.

How is it that the husband and wife are “not in communion with each other” just because he can’t take communion?

If I were in a state of mortal sin & I refrained from taking communion (but my husband did) - we are still “in union with each other.”

Maybe I’m just not understanding?

 

[kquinn]

Dear Tparsons,

A friend of mind (Catholic convert) once put it this way to me: The Catholic Church holds that Communion is literally the body and blood of Christ. If you are a Protestant and do not believe it is such then you should also consider it wrong to receive communion (almost making a mockery of God). If you are a Protestant and do believe it is truely Christ, then it goes without saying that you understand the reverance with which Catholics approach Him and have no qualms with undergoing the required instruction…

(This is partially a rephrasing of what jm wrote, but the simplicity helped me to “get” the idea")

God bless,
k

 

[carol_marie]

Depending on what sort of Protestant he is, he might honestly believe that he is without sin.

Very true… I didn’t even consider that! I actually met a Christian who said that he NEVER sins. He said that if a person is truly saved, they will not sin. Poor thing… he is either so out of touch with his own conscience, or he’s tormented because he knows he’s a fake.

And even if he is actually without sin (just got baptized this morning) he still can’t receive Holy Communion in the Catholic Church, because he is not in agreement with the teachings of the Church and he has not made a Profession of Faith in the Catholic Church - he’s not in communion with us.

I agree - I was just being sarcastic.

 

[jmcrae]

That’s a bit too simple I think. If the husband is not in communion with the Church, then he also is not in communion with his wife…yet his wife is in communion with the church. Bit circular. Also, seems a preposterous to me that Christ can say that husband and wife are one, and that noone should put asunder what God has joined, yet husband and wife cannot be in communion with each other because the Church states that the husband cannot take communion.

The “communion ceremony” (if you’ll indulge me) of the Sacrament of Marriage is not the same ceremony as the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

Not being allowed to receive Holy Communion in the Catholic Church does not prevent the husband from “communion” with his wife in the manner of married people.

 

[Church_Militant]

PROTESTANT SERVICES

The blurring of the fact that a validly ordained priest is needed to celebrate the Eucharist has led some, out of a well-meaning but misguided sense of ecumenism, to treat Eucharists as valid among Protestant groups, which lack the sacrament of holy orders.

Against this the Pope argues: “The Catholic faithful, therefore, while respecting the religious convictions of these separated brethren, must refrain from receiving the communion distributed in their 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. This would result in slowing the progress being made toward full visible unity” (30).

“Catholics may not receive communion in those communities that lack a valid sacrament of orders” (46).

In the same way, the Pope stresses, Catholics cannot satisfy their Sunday obligation by attending Protestant services: “It is unthinkable to substitute for Sunday Mass ecumenical celebrations of the word or services of common prayer with Christians from the aforementioned ecclesial communities, or even participation in their own liturgical services. Such celebrations and services, however praiseworthy in certain situations, prepare for the goal of full communion, including eucharistic communion, but they cannot replace it” (30).

RECEIVING COMMUNION

Eucharistic Communion is both an expression and an intensifier of communion with the Church. As a result, there are limits to who can receive Communion. In Ecclesia de Eucharistia, John Paul II points out that communion with the Church is both visible and invisible, and both are needed to receive the Eucharist.

Visible communion with the Church “entails communion in the teaching of the apostles, in the sacraments, and in the Church’s hierarchical order” (35)—in other words, accepting Catholic doctrine, receiving the Church’s sacraments, and being subject to its governance. In short, being a faithful Catholic.

Invisible communion with the Church, “in Christ and through the working of the Holy Spirit, unites us to the Father and among ourselves.” Union with God is achieved through the state of grace, which is thus indispensable to receiving eucharistic Communion. Though some have tried to deny this or to water down the fact that every mortal sin destroys the state of grace, it remains true.

Thus the pontiff states that “along these same lines, the Catechism of the Catholic Church rightly stipulates that ‘anyone conscious of a grave sin must receive the sacrament of reconciliation before coming to communion. ’ I therefore desire to reaffirm that in the Church there remains in force, now and in the future, the rule by which the Council of Trent . . . affirmed that, in order to receive the Eucharist in a worthy manner, ‘one must first confess one’s sins, when one is aware of mortal sin’” (36; cf. CCC 1385).

This means that some Catholics are not allowed to receive Communion. This is a particularly sensitive issue when it comes to those who live in objectively immoral situations, such as invalid marriages. These can arise when a Catholic marries outside the Church without a dispensation or remarries after divorce without an annulment.

In regard to such cases, the Pope stresses: “The judgment of one’s state of grace obviously belongs only to the person involved, since it is a question of examining one’s conscience. However, in cases of outward conduct that is seriously, clearly, and steadfastly contrary to the moral norm, the Church, in her pastoral concern for the good order of the community and out of respect for the sacrament, cannot fail to feel directly involved. The Code of Canon Law refers to this situation of a manifest lack of proper moral disposition when it states that those who ‘obstinately persist in manifest grave sin’ are not to be admitted to eucharistic communion” (EDE 37; cf. CIC 915).

(Cont’d)