Why Can't Protestants Take Communion in a Catholic Church

Black Cordelias ^

[stockpirate]

Because they don’t want to.

[NYer]

Tis the season when travelers often visit Catholic Churches. Our missalette contains a page explaining this to non-Catholic visitors.

[NYer]

Related

Where is the Real Presence in the Eucharist in Scripture?

Q. Where in the Bible does it say that Jesus is actually bodily present in the bread and wine of the Eucharist?

A. In John 6, After demonstrating His power to feed 5,000 people with a few loaves and fishes, Jesus tells his listeners seven times that they must eat His flesh and drink His blood in order to have eternal life. The Jewish leaders and even some of Jesus’ followers rejected this teaching as preposterous and left him at this time, precisely because they understood Him to be speaking literally. One year later, Jesus instituted Eucharistic Communion (Mt. 26:26) saying of the bread, “This is my body” and also of the cup, “This is my blood.” From the beginning of Christianity, Church Fathers describe the mystery of the miraculous transformation of the Eucharistic meal into Christ’s Presence under the appearance of bread and wine.

Q. But how do we know for sure Jesus meant this literally?

A. We can ask ourselves, “What did the earliest Christians believe about communion?” The writings of the early Church Fathers tell us what these first century Christians believed about the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. In 110 A.D. St. Ignatius of Antioch, who was taught the Christian faith by the apostle John, wrote about the heretics of his day:

“They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the Flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ. Flesh which suffered for our sins and which the Father, in His goodness raised up again.” Letter to the Smyrneans 6,2

[Mad Dawg]

Well, some of them do. On Christmas Day I was taking the sacrament to the hospital and an error in the hospital census led me to the room of a Protestant who said,”I’m not Catholic but I’d love communion.” I was distressed that I could not give her the sacrament, but we held hands and prayed together for a little while and asked Jesus to come into our hearts and live within us.

[B-Chan]

And of course one does not “take” Communion. One receives it.

[PAR35]

Why Can't Protestants Take Communion in a Catholic Church

Because there is a completely different understanding about what is going on. I don't even take communion in a Lutheran church; and probably shouldn't in a Baptist church, either, since they don't even consider it a sacrament.

A Protestant that would present himself for Communion at a Catholic church is woefully ignorant. (And the reverse is equally true.)

Threads like this are good. And the current Pope has been great for the Catholic church.

[Salvation]

At the beginning of all Masses non-Catholics are invited to come forward to receive a blessings by placing the hands across their chest. Have seen it done. And it is especially touching with those who are in RCIA and want to receive Communion so badly.

[A CA Guy]

Because Protestants are NOT CATHOLICS.

They have to go to Bible classes, convert to Catholicism or fake being Catholic and get communion like thieves in the night.

[gitmogrunt]

Can an Orthodox Christian receive communion in a Roman Catholic Church?

[lonestar]

A Protestant that would present himself for Communion at a Catholic church is woefully ignorant.

Likewise, a Catholic who would present himself for Communion at a Protestant church, would be equally ignorant.

Personally, I can't imagine wanting to participate in Communion at a Catholic church anymore than I would go to confession. Not gonna happen!

[Mad Dawg]

Yup.

[the invisib1e hand]

Because they don’t want to.

Which is merely a symptom of the deeper cause.

[NYer]

Can an Orthodox Christian receive communion in a Roman Catholic Church?

The Catholic Church allows Orthodox to receive communion because we share the same belief in the Real Presence. It is my understanding, however, that Catholics may not receive communion in the Orthodox Church. I have pinged Kolokotronis for an explanation.

[the invisib1e hand]

Likewise, a Catholic who would present himself for Communion at a Protestant church, would be equally ignorant.

Ignorant of what? "Communion" at a Protestant church is meaningless.

[wagglebee]

"Communion" at a Protestant church is meaningless.

At some it is. Lutherans and Anglicans do believe in the Real Presence, but not to the same extent that Catholics and Orthodox do.

[narses]

In extremis I believe it is permitted, and under extraordinary conditions with permission. As I understand it.

[narses]

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Obama Says A Baby Is A Punishment

Obama: “If they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.”

[Exit148]

what about this?

http://www.faithabq.org/sacraments-baptism-holy-communion

I’m not defying -— just asking. I’m interested.

[Natural Law]

Communion is not limited to receiving Eucharist. It is a symbolic expression of belonging to, and accepting the teachings of the Catholic community. Unless one becomes Catholic one cannot completely “take” Communion.