im a protestant , thinking of going to a catholic church for the first time and recieving the eucharist.......

Question

although, im not fully catholic (or fully protestant) in that matter, i love the fact that catholics RESPECT the eucharist........

a define myself as a bible-believing GOD fearing person who believes in Christ and his death for humanity SAVED the entire human race from eternal damnation........
i don't "classify" myself as a protestant or catholic. neither does the bible. neither does God.

catholics believe that you are recieving christ's flesh and blood literally
i would take issue, but the bible does say
this IS my blood, this IS my body...................
and paul talks about purifying your body before taking the eucharist, my protestant faith doesn't push this, yet the BIBLE does

i'm taking the eucharist for the first time at a catholic church I have never been to.................
this IS my blood, this IS my body................

Answer 1

Anna, the Catholic church does NOT teach that only Catholics are saved. What it does teach is that all are saved through Christ's Church.

One should not receive the Eucharist unless properly disposed according to the teaching of St. Paul to do otherwise brings condemnation on oneself and can result in death. this is a serious matter and you should speak to a priest of deacon before attempting to receive. That being said i understand your desire to receive but it should be done with the proper respect and understanding of the action you are taking.

In Christ
Fr. Joseph

It is required that all Catholics believe in the real corporeal Christ in the Eucharist to receive. It is definitely NOT an optional belief as such a practice of receiving without discerning the body and blood would violate Scriptural commands.

Answer 2

I am thrilled that you have accepted the Truth of the Real Presence in the Eucharist. Also, I am thrilled that you wish to receive the Eucharist from the Catholic Church.

There is something you do need to know about reception of the Eucharist for non-Catholics: Typically, non-Catholics are not allowed to receive the Holy Eucharist.

While you are always welcome to celebrate Mass in a Catholic Church, reception of the Eucharist is normally left to Catholics. Reason being, the act of receiving the Holy Eucharist in a Catholic Church is akin to professing belief in the Real Presence (not a problem in your case), but it is also a profession of belief in all Catholic teachings.

If you accept the Real Presence of the Eucharist, I have no doubt you can accept the other teachings of the Church if you so choose to accept them as well.

This might appear unfair to non-Catholic Christians but, the Truth is, the Church so respects the Real Presence of the Eucharist that it cannot allow those who possibly question the Real Presence or the Church in general to receive it. The Church protects the integrity of the Host by this.

The Holy Eucharist is arguably the Church's most Sacred of Sacraments. It cannot afford to take it's reception lightly. Reception of the Holy Eucharist is not a right, it is a privilege. Having said that, please know that it is your right to earn that privilege of receiving the Holy Eucharist.

I hope you have noticed that I have used the terms "typically" and "normally" when referring to non-Catholics receiving the Eucharist.

Since you profress belief in the Real Presence, and honestly wish to receive the Body and Blood of Christ from the Catholic Church, you should contact the priest at the Church you wish to attend mass.

The priest might be willing to allow you to receive the Holy Eucharist despite not (yet?) being Catholic. Good luck.

Answer 3

Hi,

I agree with everything Danny H has to say. The Church asks that non-Catholics not participate in the Eucharist. I did so before I became a Catholic and regretted it. The requirement for Catholics to receive communion are that they are in a state of grace (no mortal sin unconfessed) and an acceptance, if not belief, that the Church's doctrine is true. A person may receive a "temporary" forgiveness of mortal sin from truly confessing to God that he/she is sorry for his/her sins because he/she has sinned against God's love, not because he/she fears the loss of Heaven, will never sin again, and that he/she will confess to a priest as soon as possible. These things are difficult to understand and incorporate into one's life before joining the Church. With Love, a convert at 40.

Answer 4

First, I want to say "Welcome home!"

I'd suggest you speak with a priest about joining RCIA. I did it 3 years ago and it was the best decision of my life.

It makes me so, so happy that you're going to Mass. I do have to ask, however, that you speak to a priest about receiving the Eucharist. Normally we ask that non-Catholics do not receive it out of respect for themselves and the Blessed Sacrament. From your comments, you seem to believe in the Real Presence of Christ. To be clear, I think it would be best if you spoke to a priest first.

By the way, you're so dead on the money with your comments above. Christ DID save humanity with His death, and the bible DOES say "this is my body... this is my blood". Wanna know what converted me? It was John chapter 6. This is where Jesus taught of the Eucharist for the first time. Later, the scripture from Paul, talking about purifying yourself before taking the Eucharist.

Wow. It's always a breath of fresh air to see someone find their way home.

Welcome back. God bless and take care.

Answer 5

I am glad that you have come to see that the Catholic Church believes in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. I am also glad that you want to receive Christ in the Eucharist but I have to inform you that you cannot receive it yet! You have to be a practising Catholic to do so or else you will bring condemnation to yourself as Paul said in the bible. Do see a priest and he will guide you as to what you should do next! God bless you and hope that one day you too will be able to partake in the Eucharist and be in the communion with all the saints!

Answer 6

Hi Friend,

I have been a devout catholic all my life and I'd just like to say you have an amazing catholic perspective!
You seem to fully understand the eucharist more than recieving catholics do!!!! Congrats!
However, you cannot recieve the eucharist unless you are catholic.
I'm sorry.
-SO- in order to recieve Jesus physically, body, blood, soul, and divinity you need to become catholic!!!!
Talk to a priest or a catholic church's DRE.
God Bless!!!!

Answer 7

Well, I urge you to pray about this and see if your pride is leading you ahead of God's will. Some specifics:

1. If you take the communion, you will be violating their practice. Only practicing Catholics are to take communion at the Mass. They may not know and there may even be a local don't ask/don't tell thing going on, but they have their teaching and it's inappropriate for you to willfully ignore and violate it.

If you love the fact they respect the Eucharist, I urge you to do the same and respect their teachings.

2. In Vatican II (1960's) the church said that Catholics did not have to believe that the wafer and wine were, literally, Christ's body & blood. They now also allow a more reformed view - the elements are, spiritually, the body & blood of Christ.

(Some protestant churches go a step further and say the elements merely 'represent' the body and blood, as symbols. That's too weak for me. But I digress.)

I urge you to talk to a priest there before doing this. You will only end up feeling bad about it later.

Answer 8

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 9

I wouldn't, if I were you - but I'm not, so take this for what it's worth.

Protestants are all over the map when it comes to Eucharist / Communion - transsubstantiation, consubstantiation, remembrance, sacrament, ordinance, Real Presence, both / and, etc, etc.

Not so with Catholics. There is a pre-existing unity among Catholics when it comes to Eucharist. So while many Protestants with their differences view Communion as a chance to put those differences aside and break bread with their fellow Christians who may not share all the same doctrines and beliefs as they do, most Catholics view partaking of Communion and assisting at Mass as outward growths of that pre-existing unity. There are no hatchets to bury, no differences to cast aside.

For their sake, don't horn in and defile their most sacred expression of unity in Christ. If you're not one of them - if you haven't drunk THAT Kool-Aid - then have the respect you claim to have for them and simply ask for the Lord's blessing when making your way up to the Eucharistic Minister tomorrow morning.

Answer 10

I'm glad to hear about your enthusiasm about receiving the Holy Eucharist. However, you MUST be part of the Catholic community in order to fully receive the benefits from it.

The Holy Apostles were Catholic. The word "Catholic" simply means "Universal". The "Universal" or "Catholic" church started as soon as Our Lord celebrated the first Eucharist with His disciples at the last supper.

Before moving forward, with all due respect, please read the Catechism of the Catholic Church before receiving the Eucharist. You might be surprised!