Why only Communion once a month?

[THutch04]

I don’t know why it’s only once a month, but I do know that weekly communion even in the Catholic Church is a fairly recent development. I’ve heard that in some countries or areas where there are few Catholic churches, weekly communion isn’t possible because there aren’t enough priests to celebrate Mass every Sunday. I grew up Episcopalian, and we did have Communion weekly, but I found a flyer from an Episcopal church dating back from the early 1900’s that advertised Communion as being every other week. I don’t know when or why the changes occurred though. But I’ve heard that several churches are moving towards more frequent communion.

 

[Cat]

My husband said that the reason is because communon takes too much time away from the preaching, and THAT is the focus of most non-Catholic eccelesial communities (AKA Protestant).

That’s what he always heard growing up in the Assemblies of God.

 

[water]

Clever. Either:

A. I make myself sound like a loony tune anti-catholic and start shouting “because the church wants to control your life” or…

B. I catch on to your implication that it is for our salvation and thus a very good thing.

Truth is communion every week is (relativly) recent. And quite frankly, to make it seem as if you need to every week really is a tool to make sure you attend service every week (which, as I understand, communion aside, missing a service except in situations of illness or other extreme circumstance is considered a mortal sin). As to whetherit’s because of the church caring for your spiritual well being, or for other, more earthly and less virtues reasons, well that’s highly subjective now isn’t it…?

When one knows the benefit of receiving His Body and Blood, he wants to go every day. Those who know this benefit try their best to receive the Communion everyday.

It is not about anti Catholic; so, I wouldn’t call you that. - it is more about do what Jesus told you to do.

 

[richjaurigui]

You’re not being serious. I saw your post about “Lucifer/Martin Luther”

After years of research, YES…Very serious…The Holy Logic of the saints dictate this…not me!

 

[Ceil-1]

Clever. Either:

A. I make myself sound like a loony tune anti-catholic and start shouting “because the church wants to control your life” or…

B. I catch on to your implication that it is for our salvation and thus a very good thing.

Truth is communion every week is (relativly) recent. And quite frankly, to make it seem as if you need to every week really is a tool to make sure you attend service every week (which, as I understand, communion aside, missing a service except in situations of illness or other extreme circumstance is considered a mortal sin). As to whetherit’s because of the church caring for your spiritual well being, or for other, more earthly and less virtues reasons, well that’s highly subjective now isn’t it…?

I take it you assume that some nebulous person or persons in the Church have some “earthly” and less than virtuous reasons for Communion. Where did you get the idea that Communion every week is relatively recent? Do you mean the custom of taking Communion? I personally think people take it too often without “discerning the Body and Blood”, as St. Paul warned. He obviously thought it was a big deal. Me thinketh you do not trust the Church. You have some obvious prejudices against it.

 

[mean_owen]

I grew up Episcopalian, and we did have Communion weekly, but I found a flyer from an Episcopal church dating back from the early 1900’s that advertised Communion as being every other week. I don’t know when or why the changes occurred though.

THutch- As I understand it, the big shift at least in the Episcopal Church in the US (I don’t know about the rest of the Anglican Communion) was in the years leading up to the 1979 version of the Book of Common Prayer, which integrated the Eucharist into the rest of the service. Previously (and still in a few places, I think), it was more common to have Morning Prayer, followed on occasion (usually 1x/month) by the Eucharist.

 

[Cairisti]

When I was at my parents a few months ago, I saw their church calendar for the year. (They are Southern Baptists). The Lord’s Supper was to be celebrated Palm Sunday. That’s it. Only once a year.

(Then again, they are without a regular pastor since the last guy retired and are having “guest” pastors, so maybe it’s a timing thing).

 

[twosweetgirls]

I recall Scott Hahn, in his book “Rome Sweet Home”, recounted that a Protestant pastor said something like the reason Protestants only take communion very sparingly is because it’s so “special”, and to take it as often as possible–ahem like CATHOLICS–was to negate everything about it.

To which Scott replied something like, well yeah, that’s like saying that married couples shouldn’t have sex as often as possible because it’s so “special”. His pastor friend laughed and said "well, when you put it that way. . . " (I’m sure I’m paraphrasing, but you get the gist)

Makes perfect sense to me–that’s why I lovelovelove receiving Jesus in the Eucharist as often as possible.

 

[O.S.Luke]

I recall Scott Hahn, in his book “Rome Sweet Home”, recounted that a Protestant pastor said something like the reason Protestants only take communion very sparingly is because it’s so “special”, and to take it as often as possible–ahem like CATHOLICS–was to negate everything about it.

To which Scott replied something like, well yeah, that’s like saying that married couples shouldn’t have sex as often as possible because it’s so “special”. His pastor friend laughed and said "well, when you put it that way. . . " (I’m sure I’m paraphrasing, but you get the gist)

Makes perfect sense to me–that’s why I lovelovelove receiving Jesus in the Eucharist as often as possible.

Prof. Hahn is using a quote (re: making love) made famous by the late Dr. James F. White, who was a professor of liturgical theology at Notre Dame… and a United Methodist. I hope he gives Jim credit.

A sample of Jim’s work here, and with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops here.

 

[twosweetgirls]

^Yep, I think that’s it. IIRC, Scott was looking into Catholicism and was talking to this friend about it.

 

[Yerusalyim]

Truth is communion every week is (relativly) recent. And quite frankly, to make it seem as if you need to every week really is a tool to make sure you attend service every week (which, as I understand, communion aside, missing a service except in situations of illness or other extreme circumstance is considered a mortal sin). As to whetherit’s because of the church caring for your spiritual well being, or for other, more earthly and less virtues reasons, well that’s highly subjective now isn’t it…?

Actually the RECEPTION of the Eucharist by the faithful on a weekly, or even daily basis is relatively recent. The central act of worship at Mass has always been the Eucharist and is (and has been for almost 2000 years) offered daily. The Early Christians would gather on Sunday and celebrate the “little easter” each week, and, as the Lord commanded, would “do this in memory of” Jesus…the “this” being celebration of the Eucharist.

I honestly think, without having really studied the subject, that the reason many protestant congregations went to less frequent communion services was to seperate themselves more from the Catholics…and the percieved “magic” of the priest. For Protestants the center of worship became preaching rather than the Eucharist.

I explained to one Baptist friend of mine when he asked about the usual Catholic Sermon only lasting 10 or 15 minutes, that our central focus of worship was the Eucharist. He toldl me that he sometimes felt that he was missing out…that in his church it was all about the conversion experience and not enough focus put on CELEBRATION. From his point of view conversion should mostly be acheived outside church, and then the church service would be about celebration and GROWING in faith…I found it an interesting comment.

 

[JoyfulOne]

Which ones?

I don’t think the Salvation Army does, or Quakers.

My stepson went to a huge non-denominational deal that was almost entirely comprised of college students when he was at Clemson, and they never had it in the four years he was there.

 

[Syele]

I had some friends in the Salvation Army for awhile. This is what they told me about Communion there.

The Salvation Army has “Issues” regarding communion. The thing is, they weren’t supposed to be a church. They were supposed to be a Christian organization. The organization told members they should not leave their own churches. Such an organization has no need really to hold communion services. The issues come in when all the Salvation Army members do leave their own churches and attend there every Sunday morning.

 

[Apryl]

I asked someone that is not Catholic, and does not post to this list, but has often given me really good answers when I have questions on Protestantism.

He said that the reason why they don’t have communion at every service, or every Sunday, is to make it more special. It’s not something to have so often that it can be taken for granted.

I like that answer.

I’m also sure I left something out, but I still like that answer.

 

[princeoflight]

Do this in remembrance of me…does this ring a bell?

Read the accounts in Matthew, Mark, and Luke on the
Last Supper, can you not see the difference in the
scriptures? There are four loaves and four cups that
are to be consumed (even the Jews know this!).

If you read them carefully, you will be able to discern this.

They are four different emblems that represent three
different groups of people. There are two taken before the
meal, one during the meal that covers all three of
these groups and one after the meal that was for the
1NC Saints alone (Judas had left - Jesus would not have made Judas his wife).

You are to partake of these emblems one a year on Nisan 14 just as Jesus asked you to do. Why is this so hard to understand?

Part of the problem is that you people do not know anything about the salvation covenants because the churches do not teach this. The scriptures do! Do you truly believe that Jesus would only share his most important “last supper” with the twelve alone? Who do you suppose “so and so” was, you know the one that Jesus stated, they would go to have this celebration with? Do you not think that his family and closest friends would be there with him? Read the scriptures carefully and you will see the subtle differences in each that tell you this story.

In fact the way I was able to discern this was by trying to figure out whom that “other disciple who Jesus loved was”! And guess what folks…it isn’t John. Here is a link to that proof, if you read it carefully the scriptures are telling us that there were others in the room with Jesus and the twelve.

lordswitnesses.us/that_other_disciple_whom_jesus_l.htm

 

[Apryl]

Do this in remembrance of me…does this ring a bell?

Read the accounts in Matthew, Mark, and Luke on the
Last Supper, can you not see the difference in the
scriptures? There are four loaves and four cups that
are to be consumed (even the Jews know this!).

Who is this directed towards?

I don’t know what you mean when you mention Nisan 14. I have no foundation to try to understand you. Please explain this further.

You say that ‘you people’ don’t understand, but I personally would like to understand. The only way I can understand is if you explain these comments in clear language.

Please be patient with those that may not think that they know as much as you think you do. Please understand that every one can learn.

I have no idea of what you speak when you say that someone shouldn’t believe that only the 12 were to partake of His body and blood. I have never thought that, and so far, none of the posts on this thread expressed that. Care to explain?