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Can a Catholic receive Protestant "communion"?
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No! It is a serious sin for a Catholic to receive communion in a protestant church. As Catholics the Eucharist is the source and summit of our Faith and spiritual life. When a Catholic receives "communion" in a Protestant church they are saying that they are in communion which that church and what it teaches. It also creates a scandal and diminishes the Catholic Teaching concerning the True Presence.
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For the same reason, protestants are not allowed to receive the Eucharist in a Catholic Church since receiving the Eucharist signifies that one is in full communion with the Catholic Church and all its teachings.
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In order to receive the Eucharist one must not be in a state of mortal sin - this includes Catholics!
Real Presence in
the Holy Eucharist
The Catholic Church teaches that the Holy Eucharist (under the appearance of bread & wine) is the real body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ. This belief is an unchangeable Dogma of the Catholic Church. How this divine "process" of transubstantiation occurs is one of the great mysteries of the Catholic Faith. It is something that cannot truly be comprehended by the human mind. Catholics except this belief through Faith in Jesus Christ. The belief in the the real presence is found in the Bible though the words that Jesus spoke and through the words which the Apostles wrote. The Bible never states that the Eucharist is merely symbolic. Sadly, a recent poll found that less than 30% of Catholics believe in the real presence.
Transubstantiation
The mysterious process by which the Lord Jesus Christ becomes present in the Eucharist.
Every ordained Catholic priest participates in the one priesthood of Christ. When the priest pronounces the words of Eucharistic consecration, he is said to do so in persona Christi, that is, in the Person of Christ. It is really Christ speaking through the words of His priest, when the priest says, “This is my Body,” and “This is my Blood.” The Old Testament sacrifices could never take away sins, but the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross can.
We participate in this sacrifice when we participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass over which an ordained priest presides.
Bible verses that show the Eucharist to be the true Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ:
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for
the life of the world is my flesh.’ The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ 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’" (John 6:47-55). Although the Jews did not believe they fully understand the intentions behind the words which Jesus spoke.
“He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever." This he said in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum. Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, "Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you that do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and
who it was that would betray him. (John 6:56-64) Even some of His followers did not believe that we could eat His real flesh & blood.
"For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when 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 also the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant of my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes"
(1 Cor. 11:23-26).
"Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died". (1 Cor. 11:27-30). If the Eucharist is just a symbol then this verse is makes no sence. This verse also backs up the Catholic teachings that we should not receive the Eucharist if we are in a state of mortal sin or if we do not believe everything which the Church teaches.
(Last supper) “And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."( Luke 22:19-20)
“ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.” (Luke 24:35-36) Breaking of the bread = Holy Communion. Jesus was known to them in holy communion!
(Last supper) “And as they were eating, he took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them, and said, "Take; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” (Mark 14:22-24) Nowhere in scripture does Jesus say that His Body & Blood are merely symbols. Jesus used the word "many" here because He knew many would reject His teaching on the Eucharist.
(Last supper) “Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
(Matthew 26:26-28
What is Eucharistic Adoration?
Eucharistic Adoration is an extension of the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament which occurs in every Mass: "Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb."
During Eucharistic Adoration the Holy Eucharist is placed in the Monstrance and exposed for the faithful to view and worship.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament flows from the sacrifice of the Mass and serves to deepen our hunger for Communion with Christ and the rest of the Church. The Rite concludes with the ordained minister blessing the faithful with the Blessed Sacrament.
During the Protestant Reformation (1521) Martin Luther denied the Sacrament of Holy Orders eliminating the priesthood. Luther also denied that the Bread and Wine change into the Body and Blood of Christ. While Luther believed in the importance of "communion" he taught that the elements of bread and wine remain with the presence of Jesus during "communion". After "communion" Luther taught that the presence of Jesus is no longer present in the bread and wine. Luther's beliefs are not biblical. Today most protestants believe that communion is merely a symbolic representation of the Last Supper.
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