Funeral Mass Question

[PamOKW]

Originally posted by goofy4tink
There are so many similarities. B]

That's very true. I also think that's why there is sometimes confusion about Communion. I didn't know myself for a long time that non-Catholics were asked to refrain from going to Communion. (I also didn't realize the difference in how Communion was looked at.) As you mention, an Episcopal service and a Catholic service can be very similar. I think that's why some people mention relatives/friends who encourage them to participate.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Originally posted by goofy4tink
Is it a sin if a non-Catholic takes communion?

There's only one Person Who really knows the answer to this. Let your conscience be your guide.

That fact of it is this: you are not sanctioned to take Communion if you are not a Catholic in good standing. It is a sacrament from the Church, and as such, it is a very special thing.

But as was pointed out earlier, "non-Catholic," "sinner," or "I just ate breakfast" are not printed on your forehead. There is no one to physically stop you from taking a sacrament you are not entitled to take.

 

[gemmie214]

Originally posted by Mercy
Ok, so what happens when a non-Catholic takes communion in a Catholic church then, do they spontaneously combust or something, are they committing a sin, does it not count? Ridiculous.

Why is respecting the requests of a faith....ANY faith ridiculous?
I find that comment very offensive

 

[Deb in IA]

Originally posted by goofy4tink
As a practicing Episcopalian, I have to say that we also read 1 Cor. 11:29. And our priest also reverances the chalice and paten before he blesses the wine and bread. Do we actually believe that it turns into the actual body and blood of Christ? No. But, that's okay with me. We also have to be 'free from sin' before we receive the Eucharist. There are so many similarities. I have found, in my experience, that you can take the same reading from the Bible and 4 different people can interpret it 4 different ways!

Is it a sin if a non-Catholic takes communion? Only to the Roman Catholic Church. I'm sure that God doesn't see it as a sin. Please people...I am not trying to be insulting here. My dh is a former Roman Catholic. My step-mom is an incredibly spiritual RC. And I just lost my train of thought. I think I'll quit while I still know what I mean.

LOL at your last comments, goofy!

We are also active Episcopalians, and yes, the format of the Eucharist IS indeed very similar (in many places, word-for-word identical) to the Roman Catholic Eucharist. So, when we have attended Catholic masses, we feel very comfortable with the Eucharistic responses and the kneeling. However, we also know about the restriction for receiving Holy Communion, so we either don't go up or cross our hands over our chest.

However, we Episcopalians clearly state that ALL baptized Christians are welcome to recieve Communtion at our alter (in case anyone is interested in attending the Episcopal Church!! )

 

[Pembo]

Dh is a UCC minister. He recently attended a funeral mass at a Catholic church. He went up and received communion.

 

[CRB#33]

Originally posted by Mercy
So is it a sin for a non-Catholic to take communion even if they are a Christian?

Not in any Bible I've read.

Many of the doctrines in different religions were thought up by man, including how we partake of the ritual of Communion in our religion. They are not necessarily the way that Christ told us to do it.

He told us at the last supper to "Eat (Drink) this in remembrance of me."

That's good enough for me.

The fact that most organized religions make up their own sets of rules and regulations are the things that tend to seperate us as Christians. I have respect for those that follow those doctrines, but I don't believe that these doctrines tell who is going to heaven...or who is right or wrong.

The only thing that matters is whether or not we believe that Jesus Christ is our God and our Lord and Savior.

That's it. And that's what Christ told us. We can only come to the Father through our belief that He is God's Son and trying to live as he did. Sure, we need to to our best to follow the commandments, especially the two that Jesus gave us when He was on earth.

Jesus came down hard on those who worried about the law (the scribes and pharasis) above all else.

Sorry, I'll climb down now.

 

[BHFan25]

Well, thanks for the explanations. I never knew all this. I attended a Catholic Church with a friend growing up and I know I did't take communion there but wasn't sure why I didn't. Now I know. I'm not sure how long it will take me to stop thinking about this 'flesh' thing. No offense, but that really got me.

So when you say you are to be without sin when you partake, does that mean you have just went to confession? Or have you prayed to God before going up? Are you allowed to blanket your sins? You know, please forgive me for all or are you supposed to list things you have done wrong or haven't done right? Ack! I'm the type who would drive myself crazy worrying if I forgot something. I try not do do a blanket prayer for my sins and am always wondering whether I forgot something important or possibly did something wrong and wasn't aware I was wrong. I have honestly never felt I was w/o sin in my whole life. There always seems to be something looming in the background. Yes, I feel for forgiven of those sins because of Christ's death and ressurrection-- but to say I have confessed everything--no, I have never felt like I get it all said. LOL I guess I sound like a horrible person. Anyway, I think OCD would set in with me and I'd never be able to partake because of this reason and I'd be afraid if I did partake and wasn't w/o sin, I'd bring judgemnet upon myself.

 

[goofy4tink]

Originally posted by JerseyJanice
There's only one Person Who really knows the answer to this. Let your conscience be your guide.

That fact of it is this: you are not sanctioned to take Communion if you are not a Catholic in good standing. It is a sacrament from the Church, and as such, it is a very special thing.

But as was pointed out earlier, "non-Catholic," "sinner," or "I just ate breakfast" are not printed on your forehead. There is no one to physically stop you from taking a sacrament you are not entitled to take.

Sorry, I should have put quotes around my statement. I was referring to what someone else had said. I have never received communion in the RC church. Different faiths, different traditions/beliefs. However, receiving Communion in my church is also a sacred practice. It is at the altar rail that I feel most at peace and closest to God. I tend to get a little miffed when the folks over at the RC church start making it look like only their practices are sacred and special. No matter how we worship, it is special. We may not completely understand that particular practice but that doesn't make it any less special/sacred to the person practicing it.

Do you all think that maybe I used the word 'practice' too much?

 

[pammypooh]

BHFan25 -

There is a prayer that we say right before going to receive Communion, "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed."

I think sharing information on each others different faiths and beliefs is interesting, however, please do not attack someone's religion. I always liked the DIS and found it pleasant. A couple of the remarks on this thread are not.

Pam

 

[6_Time_Momma]

I tend to get a little miffed when the folks over at the RC church start making it look like only their practices are sacred and special.

Well, I hardly think anyone was implying that at all. Noone ever said your practice of communion wasn't special. However, you do not believe that the communion wafer is the sacred body of Christ, right? I think that is what meant when someone referred to it as sacred. I have never understood the thinking that people in th RCC supposedly think themselves "better" than other denominations. Yes, we believe that the doctrines and practices are the way that God inteneded Him to be worshipped. That makes us acting like we're "better" than you?? That doesn't mean that others don't fully believe they are worshipping Him the right way. \

I know people who think we are wrong and not following the Bible and so they think they (and their denomination) are better than Catholics. Why is that any different?

 

[jjcollins]

Ok, so what happens when a non-Catholic takes communion in a Catholic church then, do they spontaneously combust or something, are they committing a sin, does it not count? Ridiculous.

You might even go to hell lol



jj........

 

[gemmie214]

Originally posted by pammypooh
BHFan25 -

There is a prayer that we say right before going to receive Communion, "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed."

I think sharing information on each others different faiths and beliefs is interesting, however, please do not attack someone's religion. I always liked the DIS and found it pleasant. A couple of the remarks on this thread are not.

Pam

Amen to that Pam

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Originally posted by CRB#33
Not in any Bible I've read.



He told us at the last supper to "Eat (Drink) this in remembrance of me."

Where I would respectfully differ is that we take Him at His Word:

"This is my body, which will be given up for you .... "

"Eat this in remembrance of me."

This is my blood .... which will be given up for you ..."

"Drink this in remembrance of me."

As Catholics, our belief is that Jesus told us that he is the bread and wine. Of course, there is so much more than that, but to us, that's His sacred Word, or commandment to us.

 

[palmtreegirl]

Originally posted by JerseyJanice
Yes, BHFan, you are correct here.

Catholics believe that the Eucharist is really the flesh and blood of our Lord. We Catholics are cannibals, actually.

The host and wine are not symbolic to us; they are really Christ. There is a "transformation" that takes place during the Mass wherein the host and wine become the Lord. The priest is given the "magic" (so to speak) to do this, as he is ordained as a descendent of St. Peter (our first Pope).

Catholics ourselves just can't waltz up to the altar and receive Communion whenever we want. We are expected to be in a State of Grace when we take Communion. That is, we need to have reconciled our mortal sins during the sacrament of confession. And we can't have eaten anything at least an hour before Communion.

I was raised strict Catholic went to 12 years of Catholic school, the whole 9 yards so to speak. But I never believed that the host turned into Christ's body, not even as a child. That and the whole confession thing just threw me for a loop.

I remember being forced to go to confession during school and not being able to think of something to confess to, I was told that I had to confess something so I'd lie and make something up in confession! lol I guess at that point I could've went back in and confessed I lied in confession.

 

[CRB#33]

Mary Jo, I stand corrected. And the dumb thing is I knew this

I guess it boils down to an interpretation.

In the Presbyterian church, during Communion, we recite the words almost as you quoted them Mary Jo. We say the body that will be broken for you and the blood that will be shed for you.

I guess I've always thought when I was taking communion, that I was symbolically eating and drinking the body and blood of Christ. I just never, and neither does my church to my knowledge, put the name "trans-substantiation" to it.

I see it as a very subtle difference and the fact that I love Christ with all my heart is what's important. I don't need to take Communion in a church that does not allow me to.

 

[goofy4tink]

Originally posted by 6_Time_Momma
Well, I hardly think anyone was implying that at all. Noone ever said your practice of communion wasn't special. However, you do not believe that the communion wafer is the sacred body of Christ, right? I think that is what meant when someone referred to it as sacred. I have never understood the thinking that people in th RCC supposedly think themselves "better" than other denominations. Yes, we believe that the doctrines and practices are the way that God inteneded Him to be worshipped. That makes us acting like we're "better" than you?? That doesn't mean that others don't fully believe they are worshipping Him the right way. \

I know people who think we are wrong and not following the Bible and so they think they (and their denomination) are better than Catholics. Why is that any different?

No Kristy, I don't think anyone 'here' actually said or implied that they or their choice of worship practice were better than me or my choices. This is something I have encountered in day to day living here in my area. I was actually told by a practicing (there's that word again!!) RC that since I was not RC, I wasn't going to heaven!! I personnally don't think any form of worship is any better or any more 'right' than any other. My mom, one of the most spiritual people I've met, used to say that most of the stuff we do in church is mandated or interpreted by man. I really like to hear about other religious ceremonies or beliefs. I think that a lot of other forms of worship can actually improve my experience. For instance....I think there is a lot to be said for Mother Nature. Now, that should get some discourse going!!!

 

[BHFan25]

Thanks again for the answer. I hoped there was a blanket prayer because otherwise how would you know. I always learn a lot on this type of thread.

 

[BHFan25]

LOL, Goofy4Tink, I agree that there is a lot to be said about Mother Nature. I love nature and all that God created. But, for me, I'll worship the creator and not the creation.

 

[PamOKW]

Originally posted by goofy4tink
I was actually told by a practicing (there's that word again!!) RC that since I was not RC, I wasn't going to heaven!!

Well, she's still "practicing" to be a Catholic since it's not true that the Catholic Church believes only Catholics go to Heaven. There are a lot of misconceptions about each other's beliefs. It's nice to share and maybe learn something every once in awhile.

 

[goofy4tink]

Originally posted by PamOKW
Well, she's still "practicing" to be a Catholic since it's not true that the Catholic Church believes only Catholics go to Heaven. There are a lot of misconceptions about each other's beliefs. It's nice to share and maybe learn something every once in awhile.