In a Catholic mass, why is a non-Catholics, though he/she is a believer, not included in communion?

Question

I completely understand if you have not accepted Christ as your Savior, that you are asked not to partake. But I don't understand believers not taking communion. This is simply educational for me, so anything you know would be great, and I will respect your answer.

Answer 1

At the Last Supper, Jesus said, “Take this bread. It is my body.” The he said, “Take this and drink. This is my blood. Do this in memory of me.”

Catholics believe this was the First Eucharist, that through some miracle the bread and wine actually became the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

Catholics reenact the Last Supper during every Mass, where the priest, acting in place of Christ, changes the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

This is a great sacrament of thanksgiving and unity of Catholics.

Anyone who does not believe in the actual presence of Christ and is not united with the Catholic faith is asked, out of respect, not to receive the Eucharist.

Catholics, out of respect for other Christian faiths, do not receive Communion in non-Catholic churches.

We pray that one day Christian unity will succeed and we will all be called to the same table.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

That's not strictly true.

Catholics believe in the REAL PRESENCE, that is, that the bread and wine are transubstantiated by the the priest's repetition of Christ's words from bread and wine into the real Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.

It would be at the very least, rude, for anyone NOT believing that to partake of the holiest aspect of Catholicism.

In practice, however, many a Christian from a tradition which holds it to be merely a memorial meal has partaken, some unknowing of our beliefs, some uncaring.

The priest does not stop granting communion to question those who come forward to partake. And with so many parishes using Eucharistic Ministers to assist the priest in the offering of the Host and the Cup, well, asking "Do you believe?" would sure hold up the proceedings.

Remember too, that the minister, whether priest, deacon or lay, always speaks the words, "Body of Christ" when proffering the Host and "Blood of Christ" when proffering the Cup. The response is "Amen", meaning "so be it" or "I agree". If you don't believe it, then saying "Amen" is like telling a lie to God. Not the brightest idea you could have.

Hope this helped.

Answer 3

It is a practice called close or closed communion. This is practiced so only those who share similar beliefs about the nature of the Lord's Supper can partake in it. i think that Catholics only allow other Catholics to partake in communion. Many other Christian demonations have similar practices for communion.

Some people believe that it is only the bread and wine that you receive, others believe that you only receive the body and blood, and still others believe that you receive both of those things. It is these differences that separate us in who can partake of communion.

Answer 4

For one very simple reason- because it takes more than belief in Jesus Christ to receive Communion in a Catholic Church. We believe that the Eucharist IS THE BODY, BLOOD SOUL AND DIVINITY of Jesus Christ.


In prostestant churches, it doesn't matter, because they are only receiving bread.

St. Paul states that anyone who receives Communion unworthily is" guilty of the body and blood of Christ." If it is only a symbol, how can you be guilty of anything.

I use the following comparison:

When someone enters our country for, say a vacation- do we automatically allow them to vote? Of course not. To do that, we require they attend classes and make a public statement of allegiance to our country- declaring that they believe what we believe and want to be a part of our great land. Then and only then are they allowed to participate in the privilege of voting.

It is the same in the Catholic Church. The Eucharist is central to our faith- it is our union with the Lord. We cannot know if someone who is 'just visiting' from another faith believes what we do about the Eucharist. Before one may receive, they must attend classes ( RCIA) and make a public statement before the church ( the Creed) that they believe what we believe and plan to live their lives in union with Christ and His Church. Only then are they able to receive Communion.

Answer 5

Do you believe that the bread and wine you receive is in reality, Jesus Christ or do you believe it is only symbolic? If you think it is merely symbolic, then you are disrespecting Jesus Christ.

Do you follow the God's teachings and commands as they are taught by the catholic Church - the church that jesus established on earth? If not, then you are disrespecting Him.

But even then, belief is not enough. To worthily participate in Eucharist, you must already be in communion with God and others. If you are living a life contrary to God's will, then you are disrespecting Him when you receive Eucharist. You are SAYING you love God, but your actions say otherwise.

Catholics who have committed a serious sin should also not receive communion.

Answer 6

There are a few reasons, not the least of which that it would signify a unity (communion) which does not yet exist. Also, non-Catholics do not have the same belief in the Eucharist as Catholics do. Catholics accept the Eucharist as a "Mystery of Faith," and through this Mystery the elements actually become for us the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ. For one to not recognize this and partake of the Eucharist unworthily, they would be eating and/or drinking judgment upon themselves.

1Co 11:27 Therefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord.
1Co 11:28 But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread and drink of the chalice.
1Co 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord. (DRB)

A priest cannot, in "good faith," knowingly permit a non-Catholic (save Eastern Orthodox, for they too do understand the Eucharist as we do) to participate in our Eucharist - for he then would be participating in the sin against the Body.

As for "tradition," please see the article listed in the "sources" below.

Answer 7

A catholic must go through they first communion to receive communion there for a non-catholic has not converted and had they first Communion can not receive Communion

Answer 8

It is a matter of the differences of What you believe.. Catholics believe in Transubstanciation...
Luke 24: 29 But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.
31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
32 They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together
34 and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon."
Others do not believe it is the actual presence of Jesus, just a representation. Others believe in consubstanciation. That it is still bread but contains the nature of Jesus.

Answer 9

It is because non-Catholics have not gone through receiving the sacrament of reconciliation - this also applies to Catholics who have not gone through the First Communion Ceremony. They can still participate. They can still receive a blessing. But they cannot take the host.

Answer 10

Good morning and thanks for your question. All believers are welcome to come to Mass and worship together with us. The number one reason that non-Catholics are asked to not receive Communion is because Catholics have a unique belief about the Eucharist. It is that God is mystically present - body, soul, and divinity - within the Eucharist. This is our primary belief, our number one belief, so to speak. This belief is so sacred to us and so true, that one who does not believe this is not in communion (participating in the same belief) to receive Communion. I hope that makes sense.
Communion for us is not just a remembrance but a spiritual act in which the priest acts in persona Christi (for the person of Christ) through the Holy Spirit and with the grace of God to fulfill Jesus's sacrifice of love mystically (the priest is human and obviously cannot become Jesus or anything like him... but, having been anointed, the Holy Spirit works through him)
And, if a non-Catholic believes all of this, my question is: what is stopping them from entering into full communion with the Catholic Church and converting? We'd love to have them!

God's peace to you