A Question For Catholics

selmaborntidefan

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I think I know the answer, but I'd like to get one from someone who is either: a) a Catholic; or b) a former Catholic well-versed in their teachings. I wouldn't be asking if I knew for sure - and if you can provide some specific references that would be greatly appreciated.


I'm watching the whole gay marriage and abortion thing in the Catholic church - the divorce thing for that matter - and a huge, big deal is made about "if you X you cannot take Communion."

Let me ask the question: what difference does it make whether you take Communion or not FROM THE CATHOLIC PERSPECTIVE?

I know what I've heard but you know how that is - so I'm simply asking. (And for the record, I'm reading through the Catechism right now and about 1/10th of the way through.


So you can't take Communion - why is this a big deal?
 

92tide

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i don't know the details (i am a recovering former southern baptist who is now episcopalian), but the eucharist is one of the three sacraments of initiation.

i enjoy the eucharist, but being "denied" it wouldn't bother me. i really don't know what that would mean to a catholic.
 

always4bama

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I am not Catholic, but understand this is why they would not want to be denied Communion.

Transubstantiation is the teaching that during the Mass, at the consecration in the Lord's Supper (Communion), the elements of the Eucharist, bread and wine, are transformed into the actual body and blood of Jesus and that they are no longer bread and wine but only retain their appearance of bread and wine.

The "Real Presence" is the term referring to Christ's actual presence in the elements of the bread and the wine that have been transubstantiated.

The following are some Scripture they use:


  • Matt. 26:28, "for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins."
  • John 6:52-53, "The Jews therefore began to argue with one another, saying, How can this man give us His flesh to eat? 53Jesus therefore 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 yourselves.'"
  • 1 Cor. 11:27, " Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord."
 

jthomas666

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It's the transubstantiation thing. For protestants, it's a symbolic change, but Catholics believe the bread literally becomes the flesh of Christ and the wine becomes His blood--thus it would be inappropriate for a non-Catholic to partake.

92, I LOVE the Vatican Rag; I've got about 4 Lerher albums on the iPod.
 
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selmaborntidefan

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OK, I'm missing something just slightly then.

I understand the transubstantiation view. Got that. They believe in "the Real Presence." But why is this considered important? Is this a sort of way of saying "you cannot be saved" without partaking of it? The only reason I'm asking that is because unless that's the problem, I don't get it. Even if you hold to the Real Presence - unless you believe it touches on eternal life - I'm just trying to understand why it would be a big deal. I'm not being critical, which is why I asked for Catholic input, but I've never understood the WHY. This is not something that can just be written off to "well, the church says so," because that has nothing to do with why it would bother a Catholic to be denied the elements/sacrament/whatever.

I understand the church saying "you can't partake if." I'm just curious as to the why it would matter to the person. That's really all I'm getting at.
 

selmaborntidefan

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It's the transubstantiation thing. For protestants, it's a symbolic change, but Catholics believe the bread literally becomes the flesh of Christ and the wine becomes His blood--thus it would be inappropriate for a non-Catholic to partake.
Yeah, I even understand this part you're talking about. I'm just asking the "why" it matters. So a church tells you that you cannot partake of the sacrament; why would that matter is sorta what I'm getting at?
 

Bama Reb

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It's the transubstantiation thing. For protestants, it's a symbolic change, but Catholics believe the bread literally becomes the flesh of Christ and the wine becomes His blood--thus it would be inappropriate for a non-Catholic to partake.

92, I LOVE the Vatican Rag; I've got about 4 Lerher albums on the iPod.
So that's why there are always so many Catholics at Olive Garden!
 

Jon

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as a former Catholic I always felt it was just another form of control

Convince you that communion was important and necessary, vital even and then set up conditions upon which you can and can't receive it with the arbiter being the Clergy. Makes you have a guilty conscience if you take communion without confessing so you have to go talk to the priest/confess. Gives them power and control. It also gives the congregation something to gossip about. I recall it as a kid "I can't believe he is taking communion after what he was caught doing" blah blah blah
 

Bama Reb

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Another question I have for Catholics is one I've posed in a previous thread some time ago.
As children, my siblings and I were all raised as Methodists. My sister who now lives in Florida married shortly after graduating from high school and that marriage produced two fine sons. She and her husband divorced in later years and she moved to Florida where she met her present husband, who is a Catholic. Prior to their marriage, she had to get an annulment to her first marriage so that they could marry in the Catholic faith.
My question is: Why does the Catholic church place this requirement on those who marry in the church, and is the church saying that in their eyes, her two children were born out of wedlock?
 

Jon

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Another question I have for Catholics is one I've posed in a previous thread some time ago.
As children, my siblings and I were all raised as Methodists. My sister who now lives in Florida married shortly after graduating from high school and that marriage produced two fine sons. She and her husband divorced in later years and she moved to Florida where she met her present husband, who is a Catholic. Prior to their marriage, she had to get an annulment to her first marriage so that they could marry in the Catholic faith.
My question is: Why does the Catholic church place this requirement on those who marry in the church, and is the church saying that in their eyes, her two children were born out of wedlock?
control, control and control

they can get you to behave how they want if you feel this stuff is important.
 

TideWatcher

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I am not a catholic; but do know some. For a "good" catholic communion is the most important part of their religion. To be cut off is like a serious Bama fan being cut off from watching or hearing any Bama games( to use a contextual analogy). Nominal catholics will not be affected by suspension from communion except maybe embarrassment; traditional, serious catholics will be devastated by it, it is being cut off from a vital part of their life. Jon is right, it is controlling; but it isn't ridiculous to them, they see it as matters of life and death.
 

RhodeIslandRed

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I am Protestant, and not Roman Catholic, but as I understand things from their perspective, having good standing in the Roman Catholic or any Orthodox church (Greek, Russian, etc) is required for salvation. It is not a "salvation by grace" type of strategy. Protestants are not allowed to partake of their communion. Divorce and annulment is also another sticky issue. Other sacraments that also need to be considered are baptism and last rites, as well. I have friends who are Catholic. :)
 

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