If your child is not Catholic

[Tiredallthetimeneedsleep]

And attends a Catholic school, do you go to Holy Mass? I'm not Catholic and have received an email invite to attend Holy Mass. I'm not sure I can go as an agency worker so not sure if I'll be working anyway. Wwyd

Hasn’t bothered to take her children out of RE lessons and worship, hasn’t told the school but waiting until Holy Communion time, even bothering to send them there in the first place is ridiculous. If I hated an institution there’s not a chance I’d send them to the school, let alone not request they don’t do the RE lessons etc.

You're not supposed to take communion in a Catholic church as an anglican.

I'd go to Mass if my child specifically wanted me to. Likewise I'd go for a friends special event, eg marriage, baptism, 1st Holy Communion etc. But otherwise no. I wouldn't choose to attend a Catholic service. I'll stick to my CofE where I'm allowed to have communion and not treated as some kind of lesser Christian.

In my case there was absolutely NO alternative.

Unfortunately all the state primaries around me when my children were young were also faith based. It's pernicious. All state schools should be secular and if parents want to inflict religious education on their children then it should be done in non school time.

As to that, I was never baptised and was not allowed to take communion in an Anglican church. They offer you a blessing if you care to kneel in front of the minister. I did not so care.

I think the notion of eating the body of Christ is more than a little disturbing anyway (clearly old pagan nonsense at work there), so wasn't too bothered about being excluded.

@Goldenbear You definitely have to be Catholic to receive it in a Catholic Church and you need to be confirmed.

i know this 100% as I was once gently told off by a Catholic priest when I went up to receive it one Easter. I’m an Anglican and somehow he knew even though we were visiting ppl and had never been to that church before. 🤣

The Anglican Church is different, they let orhers take communion.

My kids all went to/go to a church school, although not Catholic. They're not baptised, we're not Christian (not any other religion either) so no, we didn't go to any sort of church service outside of the school ones.

I would have preferred them to have gone to a secular school but there just aren't any in the area.

Yes you have to be baptised (in any denomination) to take communion in the CofE, although no one is going to ask for proof when you're there! You used to have to be confirmed as well, but a lot of CofE churches have relaxed this rule.

Catholics only let Catholics take it though.

There are no secular schools in England-they are all nominally Christian.Interested that your only option is a Catholic school, though. Are all the schools in your area faith schools?

For those of you who think it’s not an issue I can guarantee you that most staff in the school feel it is. Why should they have to stay behind and watch children instead of attend mass when it is a Catholic school. Staffing is so tight as it is and having staff left behind to babysit children instead of attending a whole school event is a nuisance. Catholicism is a massive part of the school as a whole and the curriculum, not just going to mass. Some children are respectful and stand quietly during prayers or mass but those who are repeatedly asking to sit out or remove themselves what is the point? It causes a divide between them and their peers. Surely this is precisely why there are nondenominational schools available - a lot more than Catholic schools. I am certainly not big on religion but at a primary school level of moral stories I don’t think it’s a terrible thing for anyone. Learning to be quiet and respectful towards a religion different to your own beliefs is not a bad thing either.

Catholics only let Catholics take it though.

I thought this too, but I was at my goddaughter‘s first communion and the catholic priest let her non-catholic grandparents receive communion (they are quite god-squad and asked if they could). I was pleasantly surprised, as our parish priest used to make a big song and dance about inviting non catholics to go up and receive a blessing instead.

Who let loose all the idiots on this thread wittering in about how they’d never sent their child to a faith school? Loving the sound of their own voices as they spout forth irrelevant replies?

OP, I would think it’s entirely up to you if you want to go. And if you do go out of interest or curiosity there is no obligation to go again.

Surely the non Catholic children, teachers and parents just sit quietly when the service is on. Some may join in the hymns or prayers if they align with their beliefs/religion.
I've been to a few church services with my mother in law but I am not a Christian.
I go for her.

I’m astounded at that.

Hopefully her children will learn that people have different views and opinions surrounding religion. There are good religious people and bad atheists and vice versa. We are atheists but acknowledge others have their own belief system.

Genuine question....
If someone isn't Catholic but they are at a Catholic mass and they go up for communion - how does the priest know if they aren't Catholic?
If they don't announce it who is going to know?

dc go to a catholic school and we are not religious. They love religion and attend the mass at the school and the local church (they go as a school or a class every other term) children see, to like it. There is only 5% of the school that is actually catholic. I have attended mass at a church with the school helping to get them there and although I didn’t partake in it all it was interesting and the children really enjoy themselves

He could spot them as new parishioners and have noticed they don’t get up and down, say the prayers etc with everybody else/confidently.

But you wouldn’t know definitively without asking I suppose.

@Needmorelego I have no idea but that one time I did it, I must’ve been radiating “heretic” vibes, because the priest knew. 🤣

We are a CofE family. I have served in CofE.
Our youngst attends a Roman Catholic Secondary School.
We get a blessing not communion. It works well. Btw only a few services a year are with communion.

I didn't actually know that as I haven't been to church for a very long time. Seems odd as both Christianity faith.

How lovely to have that choice

I had to be confirmed but it was a very traditional church.

You used to have to be confirmed. In more recent years individual churches can make their own decision as a PCC whether to allow non-confirmed communicants or not.

I'm not sure how a Catholic priest would know for definite, but I assume like a PP said that you might not know when to stand/sit/kneel/cross yourself etc. I went to mass with my Catholic ex-friend once. She made it very clear that I was not allowed to take communion as I'm not Catholic.

Oh right, I have not received communion since my teenage years so 25 years ago but I have been to C of E church for church Nativity as my DD via the Rainbows was asked to be an Angel and weddings, two funerals. I could have received communion on the days DD as a Rainbow was attending church but I opted not to.