Episcopal Mass

[Anonymous]

Catholics think the Eucharist is a mystery, too.

They really do believe it's the real body and blood of Jesus, but Catholics fully accept science and know full well that if a scientific test was done, no DNA would show up in the consecrated host.

Thus the mystery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes to communion. No reason not to take it because all are welcome. But if you choose not to, you can go forward for the blessing.

The Catholic church teaches that Catholics should not take communion in Protestant churches. That's a reason for the OP not to take it.

Really? I am a Lay Eucharistic Minister (serve communion) and plenty of Catholics taken communion at our Anglican church. I've never heard that.

NP. Many people do not see it for what it is - the appearance of belief in an invalid eucharist. Have some Catholics done it as a show of community and without malice? Of course, but they really shouldn't.

Invalid in YOUR opinion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes to communion. No reason not to take it because all are welcome. But if you choose not to, you can go forward for the blessing.

The Catholic church teaches that Catholics should not take communion in Protestant churches. That's a reason for the OP not to take it.

Really? I am a Lay Eucharistic Minister (serve communion) and plenty of Catholics taken communion at our Anglican church. I've never heard that.

NP. Many people do not see it for what it is - the appearance of belief in an invalid eucharist. Have some Catholics done it as a show of community and without malice? Of course, but they really shouldn't.

Invalid in YOUR opinion.

Invalid according to the teachings of the Church, not just an individual's opinion. Churches have many teachings that its members are expected to follow - some under pain of spending an eternity in hell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes to communion. No reason not to take it because all are welcome. But if you choose not to, you can go forward for the blessing.

The Catholic church teaches that Catholics should not take communion in Protestant churches. That's a reason for the OP not to take it.

Really? I am a Lay Eucharistic Minister (serve communion) and plenty of Catholics taken communion at our Anglican church. I've never heard that.

NP. Many people do not see it for what it is - the appearance of belief in an invalid eucharist. Have some Catholics done it as a show of community and without malice? Of course, but they really shouldn't.

Invalid in YOUR opinion.

Well, not just in MY opinion, personally. But yes, the eucharist is not invalid to those who believe in it under this form.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Either that or the priests and nuns were lying about it, or didn't know themselves.

The most likely solution is that you misunderstood. How old were you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is very similar. As for communion, my Episcopalian DH takes communion at Catholic mass and it has never been an issue (we've been to a lot of Catholic weddings)

In the parish I'm now attending, there's a remark in the front of the book we use during Mass that says, "We are sorry that we cannot invite other Christians to receive Communion". The priests aren't checking to see that everyone is a Catholic, any more than they're checking how long people have fasted, or whatever, but it would be more respectful of other people's religion to refrain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is very similar. As for communion, my Episcopalian DH takes communion at Catholic mass and it has never been an issue (we've been to a lot of Catholic weddings)

In the parish I'm now attending, there's a remark in the front of the book we use during Mass that says, "We are sorry that we cannot invite other Christians to receive Communion". The priests aren't checking to see that everyone is a Catholic, any more than they're checking how long people have fasted, or whatever, but it would be more respectful of other people's religion to refrain.

As an Episcopalian it may be counterintuitive for your DH to think that participating in a religious service is disrespectful, but that is the case with the Catholics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

As an Episcopalian it may be counterintuitive for your DH to think that participating in a religious service is disrespectful, but that is the case with the Catholics.

There are many situations when a person who doesn't belong to a religious group can participate only in limited ways. For instance, I have heard Episcopal ministers invite "all baptized Christians" to take communion. That leaves out an awful lot of people. The Episcopal DH can't help to form a minyan (maybe if he's Jewish by descent?). The Mormon temple is, as I understand it, off-limits to those who don't belong to the church. I would not speak in a Quaker meeting for worship unless I became a regular attender and then felt called to speak.

And so on -- there are examples all over the place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As an Episcopalian it may be counterintuitive for your DH to think that participating in a religious service is disrespectful, but that is the case with the Catholics.

There are many situations when a person who doesn't belong to a religious group can participate only in limited ways. For instance, I have heard Episcopal ministers invite "all baptized Christians" to take communion. That leaves out an awful lot of people. The Episcopal DH can't help to form a minyan (maybe if he's Jewish by descent?). The Mormon temple is, as I understand it, off-limits to those who don't belong to the church. I would not speak in a Quaker meeting for worship unless I became a regular attender and then felt called to speak.

And so on -- there are examples all over the place.

You are giving extreme examples. Episcopal service is almost exactly the same as Catholic mass - hence why an episcopal person would not think it was against the rules to take Eucharist in a catholic mass. Now, if an episcopal person went to a Hindu rite, it would be obvious to him that they don't belong and only observe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
You are giving extreme examples. Episcopal service is almost exactly the same as Catholic mass - hence why an episcopal person would not think it was against the rules to take Eucharist in a catholic mass. Now, if an episcopal person went to a Hindu rite, it would be obvious to him that they don't belong and only observe.

I assume the poster's DH thought it was appropriate; there's no announcement that tells people to stay away, or that defines who can receive Communion. For instance, my DH (not Christian) would be explicitly excluded by the Episcopalians, but not the Catholics. He would not expect to receive Communion in any church.

[Anonymous]

13:50 here. Oh, and for the poster with the Episcopalian DH, I'm not trying to tell you how to handle it. That's going way too far for a stranger on the Internet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:13:50 here. Oh, and for the poster with the Episcopalian DH, I'm not trying to tell you how to handle it. That's going way too far for a stranger on the Internet.

But the Catholic church tells you how to handle it - rules are rules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
But the Catholic church tells you how to handle it - rules are rules.

The poster has better sources of advice than strangers on the Internet.

[Anonymous]

I hope the OP goes to the service and it is joyful. I've spent the first half of my life in Catholic churches and the second half in Episcopal churches; much of the back and forth on this thread is familiar and will always make my chuckle. As the donkey said, "Lighten up, St. Francis"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
But the Catholic church tells you how to handle it - rules are rules.

The poster has better sources of advice than strangers on the Internet.

Actually, the poster could find the info directly on a catholic website. No need to spend on internet strangers for this well known and simple rule of the church.