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I've had to deal with this twice as an Episcopalian in a Roman Church. At my ex-wife's grandmother's funeral in the diocese of Pittsburgh I was in fact invited to be a pall bearer and join in communion by the priest as the Bishop there encouraged it.
My children attended Roman Catholic schools in central PA. Several times we were part of a celebration at the schools that involved communion. The Bishop there did not share with others. There were written notices on the door, in the program, and a reminder by the officiating priests that non-Romans were not permitted to partake of the Lord's Supper.
OTOH, every Episcopal mass and Lutheran and Presbyterian Communion I have ever attended included an invitation for all believing Christians to receive communion. That is the doctrine of these churches.
Petty Roman principles peeved me. It seems your Bishop has some say in the matter. Here's a chit <chit> take it up with your priest.
YMMV.
You remind me of a minister we heard when we went to his service one Christmas. Our niece's son was playing the cello so we went to hear him. Right before communion he gave everyone a lecture to come to communion worthily but he also said, "There is nothing magical happening up here, it's just communion."
I'm not sure if he knew we were there but he seemed not to realized he just insulted us. We aren't ignorant enough to think communion is a magic act. We believe it is Christ really coming down from heaven to feed us with His true body, blood, soul and divinity. It's biblical and we believe Christ when he said truly it is Him. "You have no life in you unless you feed on the Son of God." It's a mystery but most of faith is a mystery. You either believe or you don't.
If you don't believe then don't receive communion in a Catholic church. Simple as that. The church is not keeping anyone from coming to church but they do have beliefs about communion that should be respected as any other place has. Show respect like we do any other place we go to.
Sorry, Janelle. I did not mean to insult anyone. I simply believe what Jesus said. It was to remember Him. I do not take it literally. There have been many things done in meditation to invoke the deeper states (that also accompany truly devout prayer). I see it as in that category - invoking closer communion with Jesus and God. It was not intended to be an exclusionary ritual, IMO. It is meant to be an inclusionary one.
In a funeral or wedding, it is usually offered to everyone.
Unless you are Catholic you will never understand why it's so disrespectful in a normal mass. That you are a lapsed Catholic and now a "minister" for another religion and still think it's ok to receive it is disgusting to me, but not surprising, since you weren't faithful to your own. I certainly can't take you seriously as any kind of a man of the cloth.
I was raised Roman Catholic and understand the intricacies of their denomination. It is not disgusting what I did. Personally I will take the guidance from the Bishop and Priest in attendance than some judgemental fundamentalist on an anonymous message board.
I was raised Roman Catholic and understand the intricacies of their denomination. It is not disgusting what I did. Personally I will take the guidance from the Bishop and Priest in attendance than some judgemental fundamentalist on an anonymous message board.
I so agree with you.. Just where does Catholics who seem to believe that unless you are a bonafide RC.. and want to partake in communion is somehow "Sacrilege" !!!! That thought actually demeans what Jesus and his teachings promoted!! It's basically partitioning that ONLY they ( those that claim the only way) have that venue to seek comfort thru communion during a reverent service!
I find it very arrogant and compartmentalizing Christians in general... In fact, Many Christian sects don't use wine ( but grape juice) to symbolize what "Communion" represents! It's the individual midst of each and everyone that counts.. Certainly NOT what biased D-C posters that claim exclusivity
As a young person over 55 years ago.. I went to multiple Christian churches and observed the messages being preached.. and I never once heard segregating RC's as the ONLY way to the kingdom of Heaven!! In fact as a real young ( 4-5 years old @ a Billy Graham rally/Toronto Canada).. I felt so moved and literally dragged my parents up to the alter to receive communion and blessings!! The Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit) in general truly does move some people who hear it and assimilate the message ( whether they know precisely what it means or not!!)
RC folks that don't accept others who feel moved to do what I, as a young child felt compelled to do smacks of "Elitist" attitudes... which is FAR FAR from the New Testament teachings !!!
I so agree with you.. Just where does Catholics who seem to believe that unless you are a bonafide RC.. and want to partake in communion is somehow "Sacrilege" !!!! That thought actually demeans what Jesus and his teachings promoted!! It's basically partitioning that ONLY they ( those that claim the only way) have that venue to seek comfort thru communion during a reverent service!
I find it very arrogant and compartmentalizing Christians in general... In fact, Many Christian sects don't use wine ( but grape juice) to symbolize what "Communion" represents! It's the individual midst of each and everyone that counts.. Certainly NOT what biased D-C posters that claim exclusivity
As a young person over 55 years ago.. I went to multiple Christian churches and observed the messages being preached.. and I never once heard segregating RC's as the ONLY way to the kingdom of Heaven!! In fact as a real young ( 4-5 years old @ a Billy Graham rally/Toronto Canada).. I felt so moved and literally dragged my parents up to the alter to receive communion and blessings!! The Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit) in general truly does move some people who hear it and assimilate the message ( whether they know precisely what it means or not!!)
RC folks that don't accept others who feel moved to do what I, as a young child felt compelled to do smacks of "Elitist" attitudes... which is FAR FAR from the New Testament teachings !!!
Do you not realize that them being as sure in their beliefs to deny you of their communion is exactly the same as you condemning them for not daring to share? You are BOTH sure of your beliefs and you are refusing to budge.
Do you not realize that them being as sure in their beliefs to deny you of their communion is exactly the same as you condemning them for not daring to share? You are BOTH sure of your beliefs and you are refusing to budge.
The difference is that Lyndarn is INcluding the Catholics who are not so up in arms about EXcluding Lyndarn and anyone else who sees communion as an INclusive ceremony, while the idea that others should abstain out of "respect" for the idea that "they" are different is EXcluding all Catholics on the basis of what "they" believe about communion.
Check a catechism book or talk to an R.C. priest on this point, your reaction was totally inappropriate.
Back in the Fifties, when I was an R.C., your attitude would have been considered quite bizarre. I am unaware that R.C. doctrine about the sacrament of communion has changed since then.
You were attending a non-Catholic church, presumably one that did not believe in either transubstantiation or consubstantiation, judging from the minister's remark. Therefore, to an R.C. their communion service could not possibly be the same as the R.C. one, and could only be a memorial.
Probably without meaning to, the minister was saying exactly what any R.C. priest would have said about their communion service. You were in their church, and he was talking about their service and belief.
Your sense of "insult" was totally cultivated - and unorthodox - nonsense.
Not sure what you mean. Yes, I am insulted when communion is referred to as a magic act. I knew he was referring to changing the bread and wine into the body, blood, soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. What else could he be referring to magic about?
Do other non-Catholic churches refer to communion as "not magical"? I have gone to other non-Catholic services and none of them did? They gave out communion at communion time without a lecture first. My husband and I found it very strange. Of course, we said nothing about it to him or anyone else.
I'll match my 50s Catholic school teaching on communion with yours. I would find it hard to believe it wasn't the same.
A number of years ago a good family friend died and I went to his funeral. The deceased brother was a Roman Catholic priest and his uncle a bishop. While I was raised RC, I am now a UCC minister. During the funeral mass communion was offered - I went up and received it without hesitation. The uncle served me, knowing full well who I was.
After the service family friends chastised me for receiving communion because I was no longer a practicing RC. The brother and uncle had no problems with my receiving it at all. That told me right there that the problems people had with it are there problems, clearly the church leadership did not have any issues at all.
If I am ever in a Roman Catholic church again and communion is offered, I will receive it without hesitation.
YOU are proving just how far some of our priests have strayed. Yes, it is a problem in our church now. Sad but true.
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