Why Is A Catholic Not Supposed To Take Communion In Any Other Church?

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Could someone please let me know the reason for saying a Catholic shouldn’t take communion in any other church but Catholic? If I visit the Prot. Church with relatives or hubby when they have communion, I’m puzzled what to tell them. I so want to find out. What is the right and proper thing to do? Does the Church have a definate view on this?

Thanks for your help!!
 
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sparkle:
Could someone please let me know the reason for saying a Catholic shouldn’t take communion in any other church but Catholic? If I visit the Prot. Church with relatives or hubby when they have communion, I’m puzzled what to tell them. I so want to find out. What is the right and proper thing to do? Does the Church have a definate view on this?

Thanks for your help!!
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There are a couple reasons why you can not recieve communion outside the Church. First, by recieving communion you are accepting the teachings of the church. If I recieve communion in The Catholic Church, I am accepting all that The Catholic Church teaches. If I accept communion in the Baptist church, I am accepting what they teach.

Second, by recieving the communion, you are proffessing The True Presence of Christ in the sacrament. In protestant churches, they neither believe in the True Presence, nor profess it.

Third, by recieving communion, you are doing just that; you are recieving communion with the rest of the church. When I recieve the Eucharist on Sundays, I am brought into communion with the rest of The Body of Christ.
 
Communion in addition to being the real presence of Christ in the Catholic Church which is central to our faith, also means a unity of belief. If you take communion you are stating with your actions that you fully believe in communion with the others you are partaking with.
This kinda is then a lie for a Catholic to take communion in a Protestant Church as this would be stating with your actions that you believe what they believe. If you are Catholic that would be lying to yourself and to them even if you are doing it to make them feel comfortable.

God Bless
Scylla

Edit: I was too slow also, and the other post was probably a lot more comprehensive.
 
Hi Sparkle: Because their communion is NOT a partaking of the body and blood, soul and divinity, of our Lord and Savior. Our Catholic communion IS.

To take Protestant communion would indicate that one views it as “equivalent to” Catholic communion. It is not.

To take Protestant communion would indicate that one accepted that as “equivalent to” or “acceptable” as Catholic communion. It is not.

A Protestant “communion” or “Lord’s supper” is symbolic (yes, I know that Lutherans and some “high” Episcopalians are CLOSE to Catholic view, but “close” is still not “exact”.)

I have deep love and respect for my Protestant sister, but I could not and would not take communion in her church. By doing so I am elevating THEIR communion to the level of Catholic communion. I am saying that their SYMBOL is the EQUAL of my REAL PRESENCE. It is not.

It is not “kindness” to make false statements just so that people are not “offended”. Sure, it seems “kind” to say that “communions, whether Catholic or Protestant, are all MEANT to be offerings to God, so I should take communion no matter where I am”. In the Protestant’s mind, what is being taken is at best something where the Lord is “under”, at worst just a “commemoration” of His death. But to a Catholic, communion is the body and blood, soul and divinity of Christ. And to receive communion which is NOT that is not just receiving NOTHING, it is blasphemous in its implied equivalency and certainly leads at best to moral “relativism” and at worst to moral INDIFFERENCE. . .

“Because you were neither hot nor cold, I spit you out of my mouth” said the Lord. Kind of makes you “rethink” the ideas of toleration/ acceptance/ “it’s all good”. . .
 
Primarily because receiving Communion is an act showing a union of Faith, Practice and Belief between members of the Mystical Body of Christ. That union does not exist between Protestant communities (churches) and the Catholic Church.
 
I think the simplest but ouchie answer is that taking communion in a non-Catholic church is the sin of indifferentism.

Scott
 
If taking communion means you buy into all their teachings, then doesn’t going to their ceremony at all mean the same thing?

For Catholics, we consider taking communion as an assent to Catholic teachings, but do Protestants hold the same belief?

We stand side by side with them in common causes, such as pro-life issues. If their communion is just a meaningless ritual from our point of view, how would it harm a Catholic to participate in it any more than for a Catholic to display a Protestant-made pro-life bumper sticker?

Doesn’t Paul say when you are around people of weak faith, you should eat what is put before you?

Alan
 
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AlanFromWichita:
If taking communion means you buy into all their teachings, then doesn’t going to their ceremony at all mean the same thing?

For Catholics, we consider taking communion as an assent to Catholic teachings, but do Protestants hold the same belief?

We stand side by side with them in common causes, such as pro-life issues. If their communion is just a meaningless ritual from our point of view, how would it harm a Catholic to participate in it any more than for a Catholic to display a Protestant-made pro-life bumper sticker?

Doesn’t Paul say when you are around people of weak faith, you should eat what is put before you?

Alan
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The difference between holding a protestant made pro-life sign and taking communion is that The Eucharist is the Body of Christ. It is not just a piece of paper. The Eucharist is the central ceremony of The Christian Faith. The Protestant churches have changed the meaning to just a symbolic meaning.

Going to their ceremony does not mean you buy into their theology. It could mean that you are going because your wife belongs there or something.

Look at the word “communion”. That is what you recieve. It is communion of Faith. This faith includes the whole Faith, not just part.
 
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AlanFromWichita:
If their communion is just a meaningless ritual from our point of view, how would it harm a Catholic to participate in it any more than for a Catholic to display a Protestant-made pro-life bumper sticker?
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To use an analogy, offering a pinch of incense to the Emperor was just a meaningless ritual to the early Christians (as well as to most of the Roman citizens–it was no big deal). Yet many went to their deaths rather than participate in this small civic ritual that everyone involved took to be meaningless.

The Eucharistic is the pinnacle of our worship. We ought not to recognize or participate in imitations.
 
Thank you so much! I do believe I understand why alot better now. This Sunday will be my first among family and friends where I refrain from taking a Prot. symbolic communion. And I do know why.
 
To our in-laws and parents, we have simply stated that due to the differences in our beliefs concerning Communion - we refrain from participating. We refrain out of respect. So far, no meltdows! I’d really advise explaining this before you head into the service, to avoid that akward moment where they hold that plate in front of you. Also, you have kids that are Catholic? Remember to remind them not to participate. Pray - I’ve been in that pew and KNOW that it can cause some stomach knots. After the first time, you feel so much love for the Eucharist. Praying for you!
 
Because only a Catholic priest has the authority to consecrate the hosts, so that you may receive the Lord. This power of authority has been given to priests since the time of the apostles. Other ministers of Protestant denominations did not receive their ordination from the Catholic church and so are not rightfully approved to consecrate the hosts. Besides most other denominations to not hold to the Catholic belief of mass anyway, but simply believe communion is a symbolic act.
 
[1398](javascript:openWindow(‘cr/1398.htm’)😉 The Eucharist and the unity of Christians. Before the greatness of this mystery St. Augustine exclaims, *“O sacrament of devotion! O sign of unity! O bond of charity!”*237 The more painful the experience of the divisions in the Church which break the common participation in the table of the Lord, the more urgent are our prayers to the Lord that the time of complete unity among all who believe in him may return. [1399](javascript:openWindow(‘cr/1399.htm’)😉 The Eastern churches that are not in full communion with the Catholic Church celebrate the Eucharist with great love. “These Churches, although separated from us, yet possess true sacraments, above all - by apostolic succession - the priesthood and the Eucharist, whereby they are still joined to us in closest intimacy.” A certain communion in sacris, and so in the Eucharist, "given suitable circumstances and the approval of Church authority, is not merely possible but is encouraged."238

[1400](javascript:openWindow(‘cr/1400.htm’)😉 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

Catechism of the Catholic Church - PART 2 SECTION 2 CHAPTER 1 ARTICLE 3

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
 
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