Why does the Church refuse to share the Eucharist with non-Catholics?

Question

St. Paul taught that we must discern the Body and the Blood of the Lord to receive the Eucharist. We must be prepared by faith, understanding and an examination of our conscience. This is the most ..........http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-S6YMuFYyaa9ESBoW5DFwEjL_HhqA?p=137

Wally, do you know that to deny God's miracles in favor of doctrines of men is blasphemy. If you are willing to debate your views against the views of the Church, I am willing to do so. Let me know.

Answer 1

I Cor 11 has an important clue. First, Paul explains what the sacrament means in a passage older than the four gospels:

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
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Note that Jesus said, "THIS IS MY BODY, which is for you." He didn't say it was a symbol, or a reminder, or a nice sentimental ceremony. He said that the consecrated bread, while keeping all the physical character of bread, is now the real body of the living Christ, which we are commanded to eat. John 6:55 "For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him."

However, Paul was shocked by the thoughtless way people were eating the body of Christ:

20 When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!
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Those who approach the Lord's table without faith or understanding are at risk of illness or death:

27 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. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
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Christians must eat the body and drink the blood of Christ for salvation. John 6:53: Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

But they must be properly prepared to receive him--by baptism, by study, by faith, and by confession of sins. To offer the body of Christ to the unbaptized, who have not learned the truth of Christianity, who have no faith in his promises for the sacrament, and who have broken their relationship with God by serious sin, would endanger their lives.

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 2

So true. Thanks.

I am convert to Catholicism. My husband and I were married by a justice of the peace after I became Catholic. He was divorced so our marriage was not valid. I did not receive Eucharist for over 3 years while waiting to see if he would be granted an annulment. During this time, I attended Mass every Sunday and read the "spiritual communion" in my Pieta, while others were receiving Eucharist. I would also go up for a blessing some times.

This was one of the best times for me spiritually. Desiring Christ, praying, being obedient to the Word of God, gave me so much spiritual insight. By the time I had my marriage blessed and validated I was so excited to be able to receive again, I could hardly wait!

I look forward to every Mass and will never put myself in a position again to be unable to receive our Lord. It is a miracle and a gift of God that all should partake of. But receiving unworthily is to deny yourself the grace of God. You cannot receive the blessing of the sacrament if you are in mortal sin. That is just the truth of it. It is not a rule of the Catholic Church, it is the basic fact of the Eucharist and the reception of the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ. The Church does not make the rules, but she is the one to tell the faithful what is necessary for their salvation.

Answer 3

Pastor Billy says: very simple answer but first let's ask you a few questions have you actually spent time examining the word communion? do you know what morphology is? do you know what hermeneutics and exegesis are?

Communion in Catholic understanding expresses precisely the character of the community when partaking the Eucharist. We should be in unity before during and after celebration of the sacrament and clearly Catholics and non-Catholics are not in complete unity especially with regards to the Eucharist to actually share the sacrament.
It is in love of our non-Catholic brethren that the Eucharist is restricted to them until that time at which they are no longer in disunity to the One true Church

Answer 4

John 6:53-56. So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.

Because the Eucharist is not a symbol, but really the body and blood of Christ, it has power. This entails responsibility for us. The Eucharist is tied into the sacrament of Confession in a very real and powerful way. Confession prepares us for Holy Communion in a perfect way by allowing us to examine ourselves and “discern the body.” This begins to get to the heart of why non-Catholics cannot participate.

The Church limits participation out of concern for souls. In her wisdom, the Church prevent you from “eating and drinking judgment upon” yourself. Because non-Catholics do not understand the power of the Eucharist and the sanctity with which we should approach the altar, they are not prepared to accept the responsibility that the Eucharist entails. In other words, if you do not understand what you eat, you can’t possibly understand the ramifications of eating it. The Church is protecting you from the inevitable judgment that is so severe that “some have died.” That’s the power and holiness of God.

It is not a restriction to be petty or mean, but rather a true concern for your soul. Yet the Eucharist continually calls you home to the Catholic Church, so that you may participate in the body and blood of Christ:



1 Cor 10:15-17. I speak as to sensible men: judge for yourselves what I have to say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

Answer 5

Catholics believe that even Catholics who have not been to Confession cannot take part in the Eucharist. People who receive it are supposed to be free from sin and confession and absolution are the road to this. Since non-Catholics do not participate in the sacrament of Reconciliation, they cannot be pure enough to accept the Body of Christ. Since I married a non-Catholic and had the ceremony done by a mayor, I've been told that I can never again receive the Eucharist. I think unless my husband dies and I repent of marrying him or something like that. Or he turns Catholic. Neither of which will ever happen. So it's not only non-Catholics.

Answer 6

St. Paul was right, the Body of Christ, can't be taking without a self-conscious commitment, that what we are about to received, is good for our Body, mind, soul and spirit. it won't work other wises. So if some don't believed in it, Why take it?, or have to experiences even the smallest desires to do it!

Answer 7

i didnt look at the link and i cant answer for the "Church" youre referring to but i can give you an opinion as a roman catholic.....to put it simply...you need to believe in the "Eucharist" as explained by the Church. if i didnt i wudnt be catholic.

EDIT: oh cool...thnx for that Pastor Billy!!

EDIT:...oh wally! i sure hope your not a pastor with a congregation!!

EDIT:...oh cool...thnx for that spiritro...

EDIT:... wyrdrose.... "you can never receive the sacrament of the Eucharist again" not true....you know and i know that is not true....why do you choose to propogate someone elses opinion that you know is not true?...

Answer 8

Because according to the Catholic Faith you must have received the sacraments necessary.

Baptism
First Communion

Then you may receive it. But it's not like people are wearing signs, and the priest doesn't stop and ask everyone that comes up if they are spiritually prepared.

However, other christian faiths do not give communion until you are baptized (which can be even later, than the traditional 8 years of age)....

It really doesn't matter. Most people who are not practising catholics, do not go to catholic churches, and do not need to worry.

So what do we care?

Answer 9

Because other churches don't believe in the Eucharist.

Answer 10

Dear Wyrdrose,
If you or your husband were not married before in church you are free to marry in church. If you choose not doso then don't complain that you can't receive Christ's Communion.:it is that you won't