I was recently at a Catholic wedding mass. When it was time for communion I saw a couple who I know for sure is protestant get up and receive the sacrament of communion at the catholic mass. The priest had no way of knowing this. Have things changed in the Catholic church or was this couple wrong to do this? I thought one had to be a Catholic in good standing and I thought most people knew this. Also, after the mass, I saw the woman take her children and walk all over the altar, like it was a tourist attraction, walking way back where the priest stands and where the sacraments are kept. Was I wrong to see this as disrepectful? I am not Catholic but, I would not do this.
2006-10-30 04:05:13 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
This was a highly educated couple so I know they knew better. And the woman was walking around just keeping her kids busy, not respectfully looking at the religious articles. It was almost as if they were 'thumbing their noses'. You had to be there.
2006-10-30 04:19:46 · update #1
I know all about communion in other churches and I agree about what's in your heart. I'm just saying that I respect the beliefs of others in their church and so should that couple.
2006-10-30 04:24:01 · update #2
I'm wondering if this one 'Catholic' believes Christ can turn a white disk and wine into the 'body and blood' of Christ but, he doesn't have the power to do the same with bread and juice? I believe he can do anything. Have faith!
2006-10-30 04:29:06 · update #3
I commend you for being respectful of the Catholic faith. We all need to be respectful of each other particularly when visiting another house of worship.
Catholic teaching is that you have to be a practicing Catholic following Church teaching, believing in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and not guilty of an unconfessed mortal sin in order to receive Communion in the Catholic Church. People of other traditions are free to agree or disagree with these Catholic teachings but I believe they should be respectful of them when attending Mass in a Catholic Church.
I do not believe that we are required to eat kosher foods but I would never visit a Jewish synagogue and do something that would make their kitchen not kosher. That is just showing respect for something they take very seriously.
I would also like to respond to some people here who have said that you are not to receive Communion until you have received first Communion. There is no sacrament called first Communion nor is there any special rite or liturgy of first Communion. Whenever you receive Communion for the first time is your first Communion. Many converts to the Catholic faith receive Communion for the first time with no special pomp or circumstance. After a person has been appropriately instructed in the faith and received the Sacrament of Reconciliation they may receive Communion at any time.
2006-10-30 05:31:32 · answer #1 · answered by anyonexxxxxx9999 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Catholics may only receive Communion in the Orthodox Church with prior permission from the priest. As a rule most Orthodox priests will not oblige you. Reception of the communion in a non Catholic church implys that you accept their beliefs. If you have done this already you will need to undergo the Sacrament of Reconciliation before receiving the Eucharist again.
2016-03-28 01:42:49 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I took communion when I was a kid because I was visiting the church with a friend to learn about her religion...but I was wrong for doing that. It is disrespectful of their faith because you must attend catechism classes and show other "efforts of faith" (my own term) in order to be able to receive communion if you are a catholic, so as a Baptist, I showed (unintentionally) disrespect. I actually have a lot of respect for all religions, and believe their are many paths to God. But it is not a sideshow, and not a tourist attraction. The old "when in Rome.." doesn't apply here.
2006-10-30 04:13:02 · answer #3 · answered by Sharon S 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Non-Catholics should not receive Communion at a Catholic Church. It is sacrilegeous to receive the body and blood of the risen Savior while thinking of it as simply a piece of bread. The fault however does not lie with the non-Catholic who unknowingly receives. After all, in their own church, if they have any communion service at all, it IS just bread and wine, or bread and juice. The fault lies with the priest, who at any mixed assembly like a wedding or funeral, should make a brief, sensitive statement indicating that the Eucharist is the principle symbol of Catholic unity, and that we request that friends and family of other faiths do not receive. He doesn't have to get into the theology of the Eucharist, or the literal presence of Christ's body and blood. But he should say something, and if he doesn't, then any impropriety that occurs is his fault.
2006-10-30 04:21:28 · answer #4 · answered by PaulCyp 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋
You are not meant to receive the sacrament unless you have made your first communion but in fairness they may not have known that. In relation to the children being taken to see the sacraments as long as they were aware that it was a special place I think it's right that religion should be open to children and that things should be explained to them at an early age. As long as they were not treating it as a play ground I think it's fine.
2006-10-30 04:11:22 · answer #5 · answered by josephmcl2 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋
You were not wrong. Since the Catholic Church believes in the literal transubstatiation and that the Eucharist is the symbol of the unity of the Body of Christ, for those not in that unity and communition to receive the Eucharist is a grave insult.
2006-10-30 04:08:43 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
Taking communion is for anyone who chooses to accept Christ. However, taking communion in the catholic church is reserved for catholics only (this is catholic doctrine). So to be respectful of their beliefs I would choose not to take part in communion in their church. God knows what is in your heart. If you skip communion out of respect for their beliefs or if you recieve communion out of your love for God, he will know your motivation and judge accordingly.
2006-10-30 04:15:14 · answer #7 · answered by LeBizzle 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
From a Baptist point of view...we receive Communion as remembrance to the death of Christ. One does not have to go through a ritual of First Communion; you only need to receive Jesus Christ as your Saviour, the Son of God. We gather, pray, sing, and worship at the alter. It is a holy meeting place to us, not a sacred shrine. So to answer your question, their taking of Communion was not disrespectful, but letting her children run wild in the house of God was.
2006-10-30 04:16:37 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
As a kid, I attended catholic mass with family friends and I received communion. I am not Catholic. I don't think Jesus minds. As far as the Catholics, I don't know their rules.
2006-10-30 04:10:59 · answer #9 · answered by luvnlvn 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
No one should receive Holy Communion unless they are Catholic.
2006-10-30 04:08:12 · answer #10 · answered by WC 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋