Why do Roman Catholics not observe an open communion/Eucharist?

Question

I'm not Catholic but went to mass today, some churches offer open communion so that all may come closer to God.

Why is it that in Catholic churches a child of God is not deemed worthy if they don't hold membership to a special club?

Yes boniface I get that but why?

Imacatholic, I have. Just not at a catholic church. Perhaps I'd be better off phrasing my question as:

Why do not Christians share in communion together regardless of what church they normally attend?

Answer 1

Being raised RC, it was just the way it was. Many other christian based denominations also have a closed communion.

Simply put, being Roman Catholic, in their minds means you are a follower of Christ and thus, can partake of communion. If you are not Roman Catholic, you should not partake since they do not know your standing as a Christian.

You are not being judged, but rather than cause you to sin by taking of the bread unworthily, it is best you do not take it at all.

Answer 2

In nonCatholic churches, they can have 'open' communion because all they are handing out is bread and wine- or grape juice. It is a symbol and ONLY a symbol.

In the Catholic Church, we believe that during the Consecration the bread and wine become Jesus Christ, Really and Truly Present under the APPEARANCE of bread and wine. This is NOT a symbol. St. Paul said whoever receives communion unworthily is guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ. You can't be guilty of a symbol.

Want further proof Catholic Communion is NOT a symbol- but the tru Presence of Jesus Christ? Look at the stan worshjippers....what do they want to get a hold of ? The EUCHARIST. Why? Because even THEY believe it is Jesus Christ!

Answer 3

I'm not a Roman Catholic, but I am Lutheran & authentic Lutheran congregations also practice close(d) Communion, (however the definition is a little different--its about what the person believes, not what church body they're a member of).

The short answer to your question is to protect people from being condemned.

While the Lutheran Church disagrees with Roman Catholic church on the false theology of transubstantiation, they do agree in the very real presence of Christ's actual body & blood in Holy Communion. That is, Lutherans believe that Christ's real body & blood are supernaturally (not symbolically, not merely physically, not merely spiritually) present in, with & under the bread & wine in Communion.

Contrary to Reformed teaching, this *is* biblical. Don't be fooled by their higher critical rhetoric that "Jesus can't be in two places at once" or "bread & wine can't be body & blood at the same". If you reject higher critics concerning the historocity of Genesis, then it's only consistent to reject what they say of the Sacrament of the Altar. The reason it's called a Sacrament (means "mystery") is because it is a mystery how this happens. We believe by faith that it happens & don't judge God's infinite, unchangable, infallible Word with man's fallible, finite "reasoning". Read Matthew 26:26-39; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:17-20; John 6:25-69; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:23-32.

St. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:16, "Is not the cup of thanksgiving ("Eucharist") for which we give thanks a participation in the body of Christ?" and again in 1 Cor. 11:27-29, "Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself."

How much clearer can it get that Jesus is really present in Holy Communion, and that this matter should be understood & believed if the person wants to partake in it worthily? These words may seem harsh, but to deny the real presence is quite literally to deny Christ, period. That is why those who don't believe in the real presence are not allowed to take part in Holy Communion at Lutheran churches.

The body & blood of Jesus Christ is quite literally the fruit from the Tree of Life. Would it have been merciful for God to have allowed Adam & Eve, after their fall into sin, to eat of the Tree of Life? Or was it more merciful that He had that Tree guarded, so they wouldn't have to live in their sin & the consequences of it (i.e. suffering, etc.) for eternity? An analogy would be a loving parent barring the way into a busy intersection saying, "This is closed to you, for your protection!"

The same mercy is shown when practicing close(d) Communion.

Answer 4

It's not really about "membership" as much as it is about their beliefs regarding the Eucharist. I'm about to make a strange analogy that in no way implies anything about your character.

Imagine you see someone in bad shape on the street, with a sign in their hand asking for help (money). I don't know many people who wouldn't lend a hand, unless they were sure the person was going to use the money to buy booze or other drug. In the same way, the Church does not want to feel like it is irresponsibly administering Communion just so the person can "feel better".

Catholics take Communion very very seriously. They do not believe they are able to take it unless they have confessed their sins to either their peers or a priest. They consider the contempt for the rite of confession to be an insult to Jesus's sacrifice...just as they consider a beggar who lies about their intention (like "need money for food", but instead buy drugs)

They're not trying to snob on you, they just want to feel like they are providing the Eucharist in the way which most closely adheres to their strict code of conduct.

P.S. Communion is more about being there and sharing the signs of peace than simply eating a piece of bread when everyone else does.

Peace

Answer 5

For the Catholic Church, communion is a sign of unity. That unity has been fractured. Therefore until such time as Christians are reunited, non-catholics cannot receive communion, nor are Catholics allowed to receive communion in other Churches. You would have been welcome to receive a blessing. If you should find yourself in the same situation again, simply get into the line for communion, place your arms across your chest and when you reach the priest or eucharistic minister simply say "a blessing please."

VB8

Answer 6

Both faiths eventually think within the equal matters. They are each Christian. Both faiths recognize salvation via Christ's crucifixion, each faiths think in an all-powerful god. Now the 2 disagree at the extra superficial elements of religion. Most importantly, baptists take the Bible because the literal and unquestionable phrase of God. They learn it therefor, it's real. Catholics learn the Bible as extensively a metaphor, anything that demands to be interpreted. Not to distinctive from fixing a riddle. This change in interpretation ends up in many delicate variations. Transubstantiation, by means of St. Thomas Aquinas' intent, is a combination of theological interpretation and Aristotelian good judgment. Baptists reject transubstantiation, seeing that it's not, phrase for phrase, within the Bible. This proposal is a fashion some of the 2 faiths and on their disagreements. Also priceless of no longer, except he numerous as a substitute delicate variations, their is a giant change among devout tone amoung the 2 faiths. As I'm certain you'll be able to inform easily from the responces, Catholics appear to be much less confrontational, at the same time the Baptists appear to be extra agressive. This stands to intent that a religion that's headquartered of absolutes shall be a little bit extra fanatical and no more accepting of variations. While such a lot of Catholicism slightly recognizes the smaller Protesant denominations. In reality, such a lot Europeans have under no circumstances heard of a state-of-the-art Baptist. So thats particularly the clash in a simplistic nut shell. I could additionally like to notice that the Catholic Church has an overly confident dating with Anglicans, Lutherans, and the Eastern Orthodox faiths. Interesting to notice, none of those faiths take the Bible actually eather. All those faiths have their disagreements, nevertheless it's most of the time extra theological and no more fanatical, within the state-of-the-art technology besides. As a Catholic, I have got to say that no religion is fully proper or fully mistaken. And I believe it's immportant and morally proper to recognize the Baptist religion, seem at their ideals and honor its finer facets at the same time rejecting is worse traits. I real want all faiths might respectfully disagree, however they cant.

Answer 7

The eucharist in the Catholic church is not a mere symbol. It is the real and substantial, body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ, and it is the very source and summit of every Catholic's existence.

To avoid the possibility of sacrilege, Catholics are trained from a very early age, in a particular discipline, which assures worthy reception of the most blessed sacrament of the altar.

In scripture, St. Paul counsels that receiving unworthily results only in condemnation.

Since non-Catholics generally do not believe in the real presence of Jesus in the eucharist, and they also reject the need for the sacrament of reconciliation ... which would typically ensure worthy reception ... they have no business risking sacrilege, profaning the body and blood of Jesus, and bringing condemnation upon themselves ... by thoughtlessly engaging in such an ill considered act.

Lots of God's children are burdened by unconfessed and unrepented deadly sins, which present no real problem when partaking of protestant grape juice and crackers ... but which would totally prevent them from attempting an intimate and most personal encounter with Jesus ... the King of Kings and Lord of Lords ... who is holiness personified.

For these and many other very good reasons, holy communion in the Catholic church is reserved to properly disposed Catholics who are in good standing with the Catholic church, and to no one else.

I hope you can bring yourself to accept and respect this ... and if not ... realize that you may have some explaining to do ... to the one you have profaned ... come Judgment Day.

Answer 8

It's not a special club. It is open to all those who wish to learn the fullness of truth at any time. Must not be too exclusive - it is the largest Christian denomination on earth, with more than 1 billion (that's Billion with a B) adherents. Half of all Christians are Roman Catholic, with a great many more professing Orthodoxism, which is nearly the same in its beliefs. All other Christians are divided in more than 35,000 Protestant denominations and independent churches, all of whom teach a different version of what they think Jesus taught.

But you do have to receive two other sacraments - Baptism and Reconciliation before you can receive Communion. To receive Communion is to be "in communion" with the Church - to profess faith in all of its teachings, which includes the belief that the bread and wine are tranformed into the Real Presence of the Jesus Christ - his actual body and blood, not symbolic.
1 Corinthians 11:27 Whosoever eats this bread and drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily eats and drinks judgement upon himself. - In other words, don't eat it if you don't believe it.

Answer 9

The term communion implies a whole and unfractured community of believers. It would give a false impression of unity if the Eucharist was given to those not in union with the church. If youre not in communion with Rome, then you should not partake of the most sacred rite held by Catholics, i mean would you just walk into a mosque and assume that you have a right to all of islams most sacred rituals without believing in them?

Answer 10

(1) Because the Catholic Eucharist is the literal Body and Blood of the risen Savior, and allowing people to receive Him who think they are just eating a bit of bread would be a sacrilege.

(2) Because the Eucharist is the central symbol of Unity within the one Church Christ founded ("we are one body because we share in the one bread"). Allowing those who have rejected this God-given unity to participate in the central symbol of the very unity they have rejected would be a lie.

Incidentally, I attended a Baptist service where the pastor asked that those who did not share their beliefs not participate in their communuion. And that was a mere symbolic communion! So certainly the true Eucharist instituted by Christ at the Last Supper should be treated with even greater respect and reverence.