| Question Title | Posted By | Question Date |
|---|---|---|
| Can a catholic attend a non-catholic service and receive their communion? | Paul | Tuesday, July 26, 2005 |
Question: Realizing that only Catholics believe in the true meaning of the Eucharist, transubstantiation, can I, as a Catholic attend a non-catholic service with my wife, who is non-catholic, and partake in their communion service? I feel that their communion is only a representation and not the Real Body and Blood of Christ, so I know I'm not receiving a sacrament. |
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| Question Answered by Mr. Jacob Slavek
Dear Paul, No, you can never receive communion at a Protestant service. For Catholics, Communion is a sign of unity regardless of what the other Churches teach so to receive in another church would be a sign of unity with that church. Canon Law says that the only occasions in which a Catholic may receive Communion in another church are when all four of these conditions are met: There is genuine necessity, there is no danger of error, a Catholic minister is not available and that the Sacrament is received in a church which has valid sacraments. Mr. Slavek Footer Notes: (a) A Eucharistic Minister is clergy (Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion). Laity are Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and should never be called Eucharistic Ministers. (b) There is no such Mass called the Novus Ordo. The Current Mass is the Roman Missal of 2000, or the Oridinary Form of the Mass. The Tridentine Mass is the Roman Missal of 1962, or the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Please refrain from using the term, Novus Ordo. Thanks. (c) The titles of Acolyte and Lector belong exclusively to the Installed Offices of Acolyte and Lector, who are men (only) appointed by the Bishop. These roles performed by others are Altar Servers and Readers, respectively. |
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