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Join our Philosophy forum to discuss religion and spirituality.

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Join our Philosophy forum to discuss religion and spirituality.

Philosophy/religion

Should Catholics receive communion in an Anglican church?

66 replies

Golda · 10/10/2009 20:19

I am going to a baptism tomorrow in a CofE church. Are Catholics supposed to receive in other churches?

OP posts:

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OldLadyKnowsNothing · 10/10/2009 20:21

I think I read that it's Ok, also for Anglicans in Catholic churches. But as I'm ex CoS, this could be nonsense.

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CarGirl · 10/10/2009 20:23

I thought Catholics weren't supposed share communion with non-Catholics?

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tvaerialmagpiebin · 10/10/2009 20:27

If you are a Catholic and wish to receive in a CofE church you will be welcomebu most priests. But AFAIK if you are an Anglican who wants to receive at a Catholic mass the priest may refuse you if he knows you are not a Catholic.

IME most aren't bothered. But some will be.

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tvaerialmagpiebin · 10/10/2009 20:28

"welcomed by"

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OldLadyKnowsNothing · 10/10/2009 20:28

It's my understanding (and only that, could well be wrong) that the Anglican church is a catholic church. Somehow.

Where's the Rev when you need her? She explained it all a few months back.

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Morosky · 10/10/2009 20:32

I am a catholic who has started attending an Anglican church, I have been told that I am welcome to recieve holy communion and in the service book it also says Christians of all denominations are welcome to take communion. I am not sure what the catholic church would make of as we believe very different things about the Eucharist

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catinthehat2 · 10/10/2009 20:32

Well, I would share communion, then if I was struck by lightning I would know that I had committed a faux pas.

WWJD?

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tvaerialmagpiebin · 10/10/2009 20:35

Ahem

The Anglican church is part of the universal (i.e. catholic) church. Many Anglicans believe that the CofE preserves more accurately the marks of the "original" church of Christ than the Roman Catholic church.

Much confusion abounds over "catholic" v. "Catholic" v. "Roman Catholic".

Most of this if ignored by parish priests of all catholicities in the interests of a) getting on with other Christians and b) it is really dull.

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CarGirl · 10/10/2009 20:37

Quite catinthehat2 my understanding was that the roman catholic church has an issue with the other denomination taking communion with them rather than the other way around. Basis at our church is "if you accept Jesus as Christ and your personal saviour" that's it.

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SardineQueen · 10/10/2009 20:37

I think you can golda

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Prunerz · 10/10/2009 20:38

I thought all comers were welcome in an Anglican church. I always thought that was one of its strong points, personally.
Though on pondering that, I should admit I am an atheist and know sod-all about communion.....

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catinthehat2 · 10/10/2009 20:38

Yes yes yes that's all very well, but have you seen lightning flickering round the ceiling on these occasions?

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ZZZenAgain · 10/10/2009 20:42

I agree with Morovsky. AFAIK if you are a baptised Christian, you are welcome to take communion in an Anglican church.

The problem is the other way round, where if you have a different belief as to what communion is or what happens during communion, you would in they eyes of the CC be committing a sin by communing in a Catholic church. Since this is the way the CC sees it, they would not like people to draw this sin down on themselves. That's bascially why they don't yet have a one-communion-fits-all set-up with all churches yet. I think Orthodox and Catholics do pretty much.

THe CC also expects Catholics to only take communion when certain conditions are met.

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tvaerialmagpiebin · 10/10/2009 20:45

You will find many Anglicans actually have a very RC view of what is happening during the consecration. Transubstantiation anyone?

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ZZZenAgain · 10/10/2009 20:49

The Anglican church is quite wide and encompassing which is one of its greatest strengths and I am not sure that all Anglicans have the same take on communion, I mean I don't know that the way communion is prepared and carried out and theologically viewed covers point for point every aspect of communion in exactly the same way. Maybe, I don't know but as far as I know that is the spanner in the works when it comes to non-Catholics taking communion in a Catholic CHurch.

Not that this is OP's situation. As far as I know, it's ok from an Anglican point of view if she does that and from the point of the Catholic CHurch I don't think there would be any issue with her doing it either.

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catinthehat2 · 10/10/2009 20:50

Nope, only happens when there's incense, trufax.

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tvaerialmagpiebin · 10/10/2009 20:52

Plenty incense in my Anglican church
Plenty bells too, and priest called "Father", and confession, and Benediction.

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Morosky · 10/10/2009 20:52

Is transubstantiation not a catholic thing, shared by high anglicans.

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ZZZenAgain · 10/10/2009 20:54

I think it's more than just transubstantiation but I am not a theologian

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Fruitbeard · 10/10/2009 20:58

Well, I'm probably going to Hell then, because I took communion at my niece's baptism in a VERY high anglican church - in fact they referred to themselves as catholic and the mass was indistinguishable (although a proper choir and massive organ as opposed to our mumbling congregation and old Enid on the bontempi).

I also take the view that missing mass isn't a sin (certainly I'm not sorry for it so no point in confessing it) and still take communion. No lightning bolts yet....

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wicked · 10/10/2009 21:01

Anyone who loves the Lord and is a good relationship within their own church is welcome to come to the Lord's Table and receive communion in the Anglican church.

However.....the RCC condemns their adherants who do this.

Christian unity is a long way off.

You can go to the communion rail and receive a blessing. Just keep your hands by your side. Do not stay in you chair/pew.

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tvaerialmagpiebin · 10/10/2009 21:03

LOL at Enid on the bontempi.

Someone put WWJD earlier in this thread. Would he give a stuff - nope. He'd be too busy telling us all to get out there and start feeding the hungry.

Speaking as a theologian with a vested interest in the minutiae of such things I would say to the OP, if you feel that you want to take communion, it is highly unlikely that any priest is going to stop you, unless you look like you are going to put the wafer in your pocket and flog it on ebay to a bunch of Satanists.

I think it is lovely to have a baptism during a communion service so that the baby can be welcomed to the church family during the family meal. Hope you have a lovely morning OP.

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ZZZenAgain · 10/10/2009 21:03

If you really want to know

If you can be bothered reading all that, it seems you just have to believe in transubstantiation and meet all the other criteria for it to not be an issue

IME the Anglican church does not make all the same requirements of the faithful in terms of when they can and should not be taking communion.

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MaryBS · 10/10/2009 21:04

RCs are not supposed to receive communion in an Anglican church - teaching of the RCC - this is fact. The Anglican church on the other hand has no problems with RCs receiving. I believe it is due to the RCC not accepting that Anglican priests are validly ordained.
Having said that, many RCs WILL receive in an Anglican church, because it is a matter of conscience for them.

I am former RC, now Anglican - the rest of my family are still RC. In my family, my mum won't receive in an Anglican church, my sister will if my mum isn't there, my brother will anyway.

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teamcullen · 10/10/2009 21:07

I class myself CofE, although I was baptised in a little independant church. I attend a catholic chuch as my children are catholic.

I take communion at whatever church im in. If anybody thinks I am wrong, I will answer to God when its my time. There are catholics who think Im wrong and probably think I will go to hell, but they are usually the catholics who only go to church for special masses and talk right the way through.