Maria Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 I'm part of a diocesan wide Catholic young adults group, but one doesn't have to be Catholic in order to join. So anyway, after one of our meetings one of our non-Catholic members, Jessica, brought up the issue of Catholics not being allowed to receive communion in protestant churches. What struck me was that, while the rest of us all agreed that it was indeed the case, we each had different reasons for it that were meaningful for us. So, for instance, the issue had come up because Jessica had asked someone in our group to visit her church and receive communion. He agreed, but then e-mailed her saying that he wasn't sure if he could. He then e-mailed a priest who's part of our group, and then forwarded the priest's reply to Jessica. The priest's argument was along the lines that it was commiting a kind of adultery, and was betraying the Church. [url="http://www.fatherdowd.net/blog/?p=968"]You can find the q and his a here.[/url] Another friend, who had spent some time as a Pentecostal, said that receiving communion in a protestant church wouldn't be very respectful to the protestants. If Catholics were to receive, they'd have to view it as no more than a kind of agape meal, whereas many protestants view it as symbolizing Christ's body and blood in some profound way. My argument was still different, and went along these lines: The primary reason for receiving communion is to obey Christ's command, whatever you understand that to mean, and whatever reason you understand to be behind it. So, receiving communion makes a statement that you believe that what you are doing is what Christ commanded us to do. Catholics cannot believe that a protestant communion service fulfills Christ's command. So, what's your reason? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 its a sin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil Red Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 they don't have the True Presence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fides_et_Ratio Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Without trying to be offensive... it's pointless. It's not the Body & Blood of Christ, so why settle for a "symbolic symbol" when you can receive the real thing at a Catholic Church? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Wednesday Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Well, the fact that it's strictly forbidden is enough reason for me. But otherwise, why act like we are in communion with one another, when in fact, we are not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatholicCid Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Along Ash Wednesday's line as well, it could cause scandal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groo the Wanderer Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 How about this? Because the Church forbids it...except in extreme cases (which are not defined in the CCC). My wife is Assembly of God/Pentacostal. Both I and our daughter refuse to take communion in her church for a number of reasons: 1. It violates canon law, per the CCC 2. it is not the Real Presence 3. they do not believe it is anything more than a symbol and to join in that practice would be a slap in the face to our faith 4. they use oyster crackers and white grape juice??!?!? 5. we simply do not feel ourselves to be in communion (united to) thier faith So when they start passing around the trays, we politely decline with no explanation given nor asked for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maria Posted October 11, 2006 Author Share Posted October 11, 2006 (edited) Yeah, in my post I didn't do the 'well, we're not allowed to' because that wouldn't have been a very good argument, considering that Jessica wanted something to make that statement make sense. But I agree, it should be enough for all Catholics. Something Jessica brought up a lot was essential stuff vs. non-essential stuff. I.e., in her mind, since we believe that Jesus is Lord, etc., we are enough in communion to receive communion. My sister did comment that we have different ideas of what is essential and what is non-essential (or debatable). Edited October 11, 2006 by Maria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toledo_jesus Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 the problem with the Protestant line of thinking is that they do not consider our Eucharist to be the True Body and Blood. They don't really understand what all the fuss is about because they don't actually believe it. So, since we know better, and know that they ain't got the Real Presence, we seem sort of uptight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N/A Gone Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 I had this issue last year, as the only catholic in a protestant bible college we have weekly chapel where communion is served sporatically. As someone who received communion at a protestant service once I understood communion to really be I actually felt an anger towards Protestant communion. I met with a dear professor of mine about this and I used terms like "masterbation" to discribe what I felt of the perversion of protestant communion. Doesnt Paul speak of death happening to those who pervert the body and blood? Why would you desire to disgrace our most sacred thing? You dont do it because it is wrong. It is a perversion. an adultry. and it hurts. Knowing that all those people whom I have shared most of my faith walk with will most likely never be in communion again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 [quote name='Revprodeji' post='1089376' date='Oct 11 2006, 05:28 PM'] Knowing that all those people whom I have shared most of my faith walk with will most likely never be in communion again. [/quote] Yeah, that stinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary-Kathryn Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 Because I didn't convert to Catholicism to be a Protestant. I do not want bread and grape juice. I want to receive the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. I want it from the hands of a Catholic priest, in a Catholic Church, during a Catholic Mass. I converted because I believe with all my heart, so why would I want to settle for something that doesn't even come close? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franimus Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 I'd say because what you consider "in communion with" one another is different from what I consider to be "in communion with" one another (I'm stricter) This is assuming you also go to Mass to receive the Real Presence the same day anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritas Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 + The Church says not to. period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ardillacid Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 [quote name='Veritas' post='1089686' date='Oct 12 2006, 12:15 AM'] + The Church says not to. period. [/quote] That may be good enough for you, but that won't satisfy anyone who is not a Catholic. And it probably won't satisfy most Catholics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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