Attending a Catholic church as a guest

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. They can just stay seated during communion.

Thank you. Apparently there is an expectation... even an insistence... that everyone goes up to receive a blessing. Worded as "have to."

I've been to weddings and a funeral, and this has never been said before. Some people simply stayed seated.

An expectation from whom? I am a non-Catholic who attends mass often because I work for a Catholic organization. I have never heard that as a stated expectation from the altar. They tell you that you are welcome to but it is not an expectation and the majority don’t.

Op here. I'm not clear on who expects this. I thought perhaps it was that particular church.

Thanks for the information. Those who don't want to go up will stay seated.

I am confused. You heard that you "have to", but who did you hear it from?

[Anonymous]

The Catholic Church is the one true faith.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. They can just stay seated during communion.

Thank you. Apparently there is an expectation... even an insistence... that everyone goes up to receive a blessing. Worded as "have to."

I've been to weddings and a funeral, and this has never been said before. Some people simply stayed seated.

This is not typical in my experience. I would have emailed the pastor and principal in advance to tell him that my guests would remain seated and cc the bishop.

[Anonymous]

OP, is it your child who says everyone has to go up. Teens are notoriously unreliable with relating policies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a non-Catholic who attends mass from time to time. I wish I could take communion but was under the impression that I am ineligible to do so because I was baptized Protestant rather than Catholic, do not participate in confessions, do not fast for an hour before church, and generally believe that bread and wine offered at the Eucharist are symbolic of Christ's body and blood as opposed to having really, truly been converted to Christ's body and blood.

Am I wrong? Is anyone welcome to partake these days according to the dictates of his or her own conscience?

They’re ok with child molesters distributing that communion, though.

Go up there and receive, PP. All are welcome at God’s table. Nowhere in the Bible is all of that rigamarole above stated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a non-Catholic who attends mass from time to time. I wish I could take communion but was under the impression that I am ineligible to do so because I was baptized Protestant rather than Catholic, do not participate in confessions, do not fast for an hour before church, and generally believe that bread and wine offered at the Eucharist are symbolic of Christ's body and blood as opposed to having really, truly been converted to Christ's body and blood.

Am I wrong? Is anyone welcome to partake these days according to the dictates of his or her own conscience?

They’re ok with child molesters distributing that communion, though.

Go up there and receive, PP. All are welcome at God’s table. Nowhere in the Bible is all of that rigamarole above stated.

IFfthe preist doesn't know who you are, and you "act" Catholic (know what to do at the altar), he will likely serve you communion.

There is nothing in the Bible about Catholicism. The Bible was written before Catholicism was developed. You need to consult the catechism to know the rules of Catholicism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the preist doesn't know who you are, and you "act" Catholic (know what to do at the altar), he will likely serve you communion.

Why would a non-Catholic want to receive the Eucharist?

That's not what the OP was talking about anyway. She somehow misunderstood an invitation to come up for a blessing as a requirement to do so (although she still hasn't said how she came to that conclusion).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the preist doesn't know who you are, and you "act" Catholic (know what to do at the altar), he will likely serve you communion.

Why would a non-Catholic want to receive the Eucharist?

That's not what the OP was talking about anyway. She somehow misunderstood an invitation to come up for a blessing as a requirement to do so (although she still hasn't said how she came to that conclusion).

Lol, well we mostly avoided somewhat snotty responses.

Op here. Ds passed this on to me. When questioned further, he stated that the school Chaplain claims it is a "requirement of that parish." He's pretty pushy though. It isn't unusual for him to use "church policy" as his own preference. His claim for this is that the only way you don't go up is if the entire row stays seated.

Ds was told this morning that those who choose not to participate simply won't. One is of another faith and will have nothing to do with being blessed by a Catholic priest.

Thanks for the answers. I believe I said earlier that my confusion came in because I've been to other ceremonies/services and participation has never been required.

Graduation isn't being held at the school's home parish so I thought I would ask. We are now done with high school, so it won't be an issue again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the preist doesn't know who you are, and you "act" Catholic (know what to do at the altar), he will likely serve you communion.

Why would a non-Catholic want to receive the Eucharist?

Maybe because the body of Christ is for all Christians, not just the Catholic ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the preist doesn't know who you are, and you "act" Catholic (know what to do at the altar), he will likely serve you communion.

Why would a non-Catholic want to receive the Eucharist?

Maybe because the body of Christ is for all Christians, not just the Catholic ones.

Not the point at all. The non-Catholics are not interested in the Eucharist or a blessing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the preist doesn't know who you are, and you "act" Catholic (know what to do at the altar), he will likely serve you communion.

Why would a non-Catholic want to receive the Eucharist?

Maybe because the body of Christ is for all Christians, not just the Catholic ones.

Maybe because everyone is doing it and it doens't seem like a big deal - not realizing that Catholics believe it is the actual body of CHrist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the preist doesn't know who you are, and you "act" Catholic (know what to do at the altar), he will likely serve you communion.

Why would a non-Catholic want to receive the Eucharist?

Maybe because the body of Christ is for all Christians, not just the Catholic ones.

Maybe because everyone is doing it and it doens't seem like a big deal - not realizing that Catholics believe it is the actual body of CHrist.

I'm an agnostic/atheist raised UU from a WASP background. This was a huge internal issue with me when my longterm partner's mother died and had a Catholic funeral. He is an atheist now, but from an observant family. I wanted to do whatever it was that would not rock the boat at a tragic funeral. I felt in between a rock and a hard place with what was most respectful; recusing myself and standing out as an already outsider, or being disrepectful to the faith and receiving communion. I made a last minute decision to not be the ONLY person in the church hanging back and took communion. I fretted and practiced beforehand in case it felt like the right thing to do. It was fine and funerals are for the living. I think it was well-received I didn't pick a funeral as the place to "take a stand."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the preist doesn't know who you are, and you "act" Catholic (know what to do at the altar), he will likely serve you communion.

Why would a non-Catholic want to receive the Eucharist?

Maybe because the body of Christ is for all Christians, not just the Catholic ones.

Maybe because everyone is doing it and it doens't seem like a big deal - not realizing that Catholics believe it is the actual body of CHrist.

I'm an agnostic/atheist raised UU from a WASP background. This was a huge internal issue with me when my longterm partner's mother died and had a Catholic funeral. He is an atheist now, but from an observant family. I wanted to do whatever it was that would not rock the boat at a tragic funeral. I felt in between a rock and a hard place with what was most respectful; recusing myself and standing out as an already outsider, or being disrepectful to the faith and receiving communion. I made a last minute decision to not be the ONLY person in the church hanging back and took communion. I fretted and practiced beforehand in case it felt like the right thing to do. It was fine and funerals are for the living. I think it was well-received I didn't pick a funeral as the place to "take a stand."

I think you missed the point. Only Catholics in good standing can take communion at a Catholic funeral mass. I'm Episcopalian and my catholic MIL and friends would have been appalled if I had gone up to take communion. It's not proper and it's disrespectful to Catholics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the preist doesn't know who you are, and you "act" Catholic (know what to do at the altar), he will likely serve you communion.

Why would a non-Catholic want to receive the Eucharist?

Maybe because the body of Christ is for all Christians, not just the Catholic ones.

Not the point at all. The non-Catholics are not interested in the Eucharist or a blessing.

A certain subset of Roman Catholics don't understand a thing about other Christian denominations. Receiving the Eucharist is a sacrament in most Christian churches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the preist doesn't know who you are, and you "act" Catholic (know what to do at the altar), he will likely serve you communion.

Why would a non-Catholic want to receive the Eucharist?

Maybe because the body of Christ is for all Christians, not just the Catholic ones.

Maybe because everyone is doing it and it doens't seem like a big deal - not realizing that Catholics believe it is the actual body of CHrist.

I'm an agnostic/atheist raised UU from a WASP background. This was a huge internal issue with me when my longterm partner's mother died and had a Catholic funeral. He is an atheist now, but from an observant family. I wanted to do whatever it was that would not rock the boat at a tragic funeral. I felt in between a rock and a hard place with what was most respectful; recusing myself and standing out as an already outsider, or being disrepectful to the faith and receiving communion. I made a last minute decision to not be the ONLY person in the church hanging back and took communion. I fretted and practiced beforehand in case it felt like the right thing to do. It was fine and funerals are for the living. I think it was well-received I didn't pick a funeral as the place to "take a stand."

No. This is very wrong.