As a Catholic, may I attend a non-Catholic church and receive communion there? It's happened in the past when visiting with a friend at her church when communion was being served. I wasn't sure what to do. Also, is it OK even to visit a non-Catholic church for the sake of keeping in my friends' good graces?

-- Dorothy Masone (masonedy@hotmail.com), May 05, 2003

Answers

It is acceptable to attend a service of another church; however you should not play any official role in the service, should they invite you to do so, such as presenting the gifts or doing a Bible reading; and particularly you should not receive their version of "Communion". To do so would could give the impression of accepting their "Communion" as equivalent to the genuine Eucharist, which it very clearly is not. Some Protestant churches won't even offer Communion to those who are not actually members of their congregation. But many of them take an "all are welcome" approach. In such a case, a Catholic must respectfully decline.

Ecumenism is a good thing when it is true ecumenism, which means mutual respect while working together toward genuine Christian unity. However, Jesus said "I am the truth", and nothing that compromises or ignores the truth can ever be the work of the Holy Spirit. True ecumenism is a work of the Holy Spirit. Therefore we always want to avoid putting up walls where they don't exist. But we must also avoid ignoring walls that actually do exist, and simply making believe they don't.

-- Paul (PaulCyp@cox.net), May 05, 2003.

Jmj
Hello, Dorothy.

The Catholic Church does not forbid us occasionally to attend a service held at a non-Catholic church, if this is done for a good reason -- e.g., to join in prayers for Christian unity, because of a friendship or family bond, or for research (to help one understand how a given denomination worships or teaches). However, attendance at a Protestant service cannot stand as a substitute for obligatory attendance at Sunday Mass.

The answer to your question about whether you can receive Communion is different, depending on whether you are talking about ...
(1) assisting at the Divine Liturgy (which is like a Catholic Mass with a valid Sacrament) at a schismatic (e.g., Eastern Orthodox) parish or ...
(2) attending a Protestant worship service.

The following is based on information from theologian Colin Donovan of EWTN:
Canon 844 of the Code of Canon Law addresses the question of Catholics receiving the sacraments (or something that looks like the sacraments) from non-Catholics. It sets the following strict conditions:
a. necessity or genuine spiritual advantage
b. when the danger of error or indifferentism is avoided
c. it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister
d. a church which has valid sacraments

This last condition is the key one, since it eliminates ALL the Protestant ecclesial communities (Anglican, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, etc.), since none of these has a valid sacrament of Holy Orders nor a valid Eucharist.

The possibility of a Catholic receiving from a minister of another church (assuming the first three conditions in the canon are fulfilled) is limited to all the schismatic churches recognized by the Holy See (the Vatican). These include at least the Eastern Orthodox Churches, certain Oriental [apostolic] Churches, the "Old Catholic Church," the "Polish National Catholic Church."

God bless you.
John
PS: Dorothy, if you wish to ask whether your friend would be permitted to receive Communion while attending Mass with you, please mention the name of the church or denomination to which she belongs.

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), May 05, 2003.

Thank you both for all of the above. Most helpful.

I don't believe my friend would not be permitted to receive communion at my mass - she's United Methodist.

-- Dorothy (masonedy@hotmail.com), May 05, 2003.

no, she certainly would not be allowed to.

orthodox and greek are the two churches allowed to take our communion.

-- paul (dontsendmemail@notanaddress.com), May 05, 2003.

Dorothy, she in her church gets the permission to go to the catholic church and have the communion.No problem there. In the catholic church IF the priest knows she's methodist he should not give her the communion - his church doesn't allow him to. But few priests would care - it is not a good moment to refuse in public the communion in this way just because she's methodist. And then - if you don't tell him, the priest doesn't even know...

-- Wayne Queen (WQ99@aol.com), May 05, 2003.

It is not "just because she is Methodist". It is because she is a non- believer in the true presence of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist, and it would be a sacrilege to give GOD to someone who thought they were just eating a piece of bread. Someone who would not worship the Eucharist is not in a position to receive the Eucharist.

-- Paul (PaulCyp@cox.net), May 05, 2003.

It appears from the above answers that it is okay for a Greek Orthodox to receive Communion at a Catholic Church, but how about a Catholic at a Greek orthodox Church? I am Catholic and I attended service with my boyfriend Sunday, who is Greek Orthodox and we started a discussion about Communion and really had nowhere to turn for an answer. Any thoughts on the Greek Church's feeling towards Catholics receiving Communion at their Church?

-- Autumn (autumn_turner@elvis.com), June 02, 2003.

as i understand, the greek orthodox will allow roman catholics to recieve communion, although im not sure. im also not sure of the church's position on this matter

-- paul (dontsendmemail@notanaddress.com), June 02, 2003.

Jmj
Hello, Autumn and "little paul."

In an extremely helpful 1993 Vatican document, which reflects the precepts of Canon Law -- the "Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism" -- the rules given are as follows:
---------------------- QUOTE ----------------------

Sharing in Sacramental Life with members of the various Eastern Churches

122. Between the Catholic Church and the Eastern churches not in full communion with it [e.g., the Greek Orthodox (JFG)], there is still a very close communion in matters of faith. Moreover, "through the celebration of the Eucharist of the Lord in each of these churches, the Church of God is built up and grows in stature" and "although separated from us, these churches still possess true sacraments, above all —- by apostolic succession —- the priesthood and the Eucharist...". This offers ecclesiological and sacramental grounds, according to the understanding of the Catholic Church, for allowing and even encouraging some sharing in liturgical worship, even of the Eucharist, with these churches, "given suitable circumstances and the approval of church authorities". It is recognized, however, that Eastern churches, on the basis of their own ecclesiological understanding, may have more restrictive disciplines in this matter, which others [i.e. Catholics (JFG)] should respect. Pastors should carefully instruct the faithful so that they will be clearly aware of the proper reasons for this kind of sharing in liturgical worship and of the variety of discipline which may exist in this connection. [Unfortunately, "pastors" never tell us anything about this! (JFG)]

123. Whenever necessity requires or a genuine spiritual advantage suggests, and provided that the danger of error or indifferentism is avoided, it is lawful for any Catholic for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister, to receive the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick from a minister of an Eastern church.

124. Since practice differs between Catholics and Eastern Christians in the matter of frequent communion, confession before communion, and the Eucharistic fast, care must be taken to avoid scandal and suspicion among Eastern Christians through Catholics not following the Eastern usage. A Catholic who legitimately wishes to communicate with Eastern Christians must respect the Eastern discipline as much as possible and refrain from communicating if that Church restricts sacramental communion to its own members to the exclusion of others.

125. Catholic ministers may lawfully administer the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and the anointing of the sick to members of the Eastern churches, who ask for these sacraments of their own free will and are properly disposed. In these particular cases also, due consideration should be given to the discipline of the Eastern churches for their own faithful and any suggestion of proselytism should be avoided.
------------------ END QUOTE ----------------------

So, Autumn, we can sum up as follows:
(1) Your Greek Orthodox friend may receive at our Mass, if his Orthodox bishop permits it, if he is in a state of sanctifying grace, and if he has observed the one-hour fast.
(2) You may receive at an Orthodox Divine Liturgy if the Orthodox bishop permits it and if you meet the criteria listed in #123 above. It may not be possible for you to say that "it is physically or morally impossible" for you "to approach a Catholic minister." I suggest that you discuss this with your Catholic pastor, showing him the above quotations.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), June 06, 2003.