How is holy communion celebrated in the catholic church?

Question

How is holy communion celebrated in the catholic church? Is the bread and wine just symbollic or do they believe the bread and wine is acyually the body of christ? any answers or websites would be great so i can research this! thanks!

Answer 1

The Eucharist for Catholics is a partaking in the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ under the appearance of bread and wine.

Nothing is impossible for God.

Answer 2

It actually does become the body and blood of Jesus. The communion in the other Churches is SYMBOLIC because their clergy does not have the proper ordination to complete the consecration. This is the main reason there is disagreements between us---we relate what we know is true and they relate what they know but what the reality between the two is is two different things---they do not have a love for Mary as we do because she is not their Mother because they do not partake in the real body and blood of Jesus.

Answer 3

In the gospels, that command was only recorded in Luke (keep doing this in remembrance of me), however, it was also repeated by Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians (1Cor 11:24). Jesus told this to a group of Jews (who became Christian), on the night that they observed the Passover. Jews observed the Passover on the same night, Nisan 14, once per year. Without some sort of instruction otherwise, it would only make sense that a Jew receiving this command would understand that to mean an annual commemoration. I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses and that is what we do. Once per year we observe the memorial of the Lord's Evening Meal on the night that corresponds to Nisan 14 on the Jewish calender.

Answer 4

One can make a spiritual communion simply by thinking upon it., but most people attend the Mass, and at a certain point, pew by pew, the people line up to the front of the church in order to receive Holy Communion. When they have received it, they return to their pew to join in the hymns and pray quietly. Not long afterward, the dismissal is said, and the people leave.

as for the Presence of Jesus, you have no idea. It is indeed the font of Peace and the most healing and strengthening of things this planet has to offer. It unites us with those who have gone before us, and with those present, with those yet to come, and with every living soul.

Answer 5

We believe in the Real Presence as taught by Jesus. The Eucharist is Jesus Christ, fully present - body, blood, soul and divinity. The Eucharist is not a symbol.

Answer 6

We receive the real Body and Blood under the APPEARANCES AND FORM of bread and wine. Chemical anyalsis still indicates it is bread and wine; however, the belief is that the bread and wine are SUBSTANTIALLY changed into the real Body and Blood of Jesus.

Answer 7

Catholics see the Scriptures written about the Eucharist as literal teaching by Jesus and have interpreted Jesus’ words as literal since before the NT Scriptures were written as recorded in Scripture. Catholics find no reason to interpret Jesus’ teaching to be anything but literal from a hermeneutical, historical or theological perspective.

Some Protestants, on the other hand, are very much like the proto-Protestants who were former disciples and left Jesus after His teaching in John 6, about the commandment to eat His Body and drink His Blood. They remain in the carnal sense and deny the miracle of the Eucharist. They believe that instead of being present at the one sacrifice of Christ, that what Jesus instituted is a symbolic ordinance instead.

So, what we are speaking of is two totally different practices. The first identical to what the apostles taught and put into practice which is the real presence and the second a modernist interpretation of a man Ulrich Zwingli which is a symbolic ordinance. The first is actually Christ on the Cross where the worshippers are at the foot of the cross; the second is just a remembering of what Christ did as recorded in the Bible. When a Catholic Christian remembers Christ’s sacrifice it is from being there, when a Protestant remembers Christ’s sacrifice it is recalling what is written in Scriptures about the event. Certainly, one should be able to understand the level of passion one would have after being at the foot of the cross compared to the level of one just remembering what is written in a book. So even though some do not take it lightly, even though they do not believe, it cannot be the same passion for an exercise or ordinance in supposed obedience, as the Protestant act can be described; to the Catholic practice of being present with the living corporeal Christ at the cross and eating His real body and Blood as He commanded.

It must be noted for understanding that for many of the Reformers that this approach by Zwingli was necessary to give some credibility to the new Protestant movement which denied the successive apostolic leadership of the Church established by Christ. These reformers knew full well that they had no true legitimacy and no authority from Christ. They also knew that without a legitimate episcopacy that they could not continue Holy Orders, the Sacraments nor do they have the authority to confect the Eucharist which authority can only be given by Christ through the Church. Therefore, they could not continue the Eucharist even if they desired without a valid priesthood.

So, I am not saying that I do not believe that Protestant communion service is not special or a sign of unity but it is to me a sign of unity for a false, heretical belief outside of historical, Traditional and orthodox Christianity and is a doctrine of men warned about in the Gospels.

(Mat 15:7 DRB) Hypocrites, well hath Isaias prophesied of you, saying:(Mat 15:8 DRB) This people honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me.(Mat 15:9 DRB) And in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines and commandments of men.

(Mar 7:5 DRB) And the Pharisees and scribes asked him: Why do not thy disciples walk according to the tradition of the ancients, but they eat bread with common hands?

(Mar 7:6 DRB) But he answering, said to them: Well did Isaias prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

(Mar 7:7 DRB) And in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines and precepts of men.

(Mar 7:8 DRB) For leaving the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, the washing of pots and of cups: and many other things you do like to these.(Mar 7:9 DRB) And he said to them: Well do you make void the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition.

(Luk 6:46 DRB) And why call you me, Lord, Lord; and do not the things which I say?

In Christ
Fr. Joseph

Answer 8

Yes, as all those above me have stated, it is not symbolic it is the true presence of Christ.

Jesus said many times, "eat my body and drink my blood." Specifically John 6 he tells his followers "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day."

Many turned away at hearing this because they could not accept it. Jesus did not call them and say it's only symbolic...he let them go. He then says to his disciples...will you leave me to? Peter answers....to whom shall we go, you have the words of eternal life.

Later at the Last Supper he repeats these words and shows his disciples "how" to eat his body and drink his blood. He instituted the Eucharist.

http://www.catholic.com/library/Christ_in_the_Eucharist.asp
http://www.scripturecatholic.com/the_eucharist.html

Answer 9

No, we do not believe that it is only symbolic. Jesus did not say this a symbol of my body.

Here you go:

http://www.catholic.com/library/Christ_in_the_Eucharist.asp

Answer 10

you answered the question, what are you still confused about.