Catholic V Church of England - main differences please

[SecondhandRose]

My children go to a Catholic school although we are C of E. Please can anyone tell me what the basic differences are?

Also can I go to Mass and go up the front and do whatever it is they do (putting something in their mouths)?

Some of the Mums were honouring Mary with flowers during May, why would this be? Someone said to me that Mary is very important in the Catholic faith.

I'm sorry I sound such a thicky but I'm too embarrassed to ask at school and I know I can always rely on you.

You cannot take communion in a Catholic church unless you are a Catholic. This is based (i think) on the doctrine of transubstantiation, the bread becomes the body of Christ.

Other differences, not everyone takes the wine during the mass. Only Male upmarried clergy. Pope is the head of the church. Mary is vererated as she is the Mother of Christ and is also born without the stain of original sin (???? not too sure about this one, Catholic mumsnetters will know a lot more)

SHR,you can go up to the altar rail, and keep your head bowed for a blessing, but you shouldn't receive Communion if you are not a Catholic. From what you say, you don't seem to be a confirmed member of the C of E, either, and to receive communion in either Church, you should have some instruction in the whys and wherefores. Catholics believe that the communion bread becomes the body of Christ (transsubstantiation) whereas Anglicans believe it represents the body of Christ. easier to get your head round, i think!

Not sure why Mary is honoured in May, particularly, but she is VERY important as the woman chosen by God to be the mother of His son.

My answer to the question is 'Mary' and they miss a bit at the end of the Lord'S Prayer AND the catholic hymns are much much better than COE - and they do great schools. I went to a Catholic school although being COE and I used to go up and get a blessing as I couldn't eat the body of christ there.

Good old google, found a page all about feasts to do with Mary here . There's 2 different ones it could be. HTH

Here in Ireland, families used to have a May Altar, with a small statue of Mary and fresh flowers to honour her, in the home. There was one in my kid's school, and in my mother's house, this year. Mostly the tradition is dying out though. I wouldn't receive Communion if I were you. I am a Catholic but went to a Church of Ireland school, and I think C of I (or E) hymns are far, far, better.

The short answer is transubstantiation, the pope, and Mary. As to the hymns, I have to agree that the Anglican church has better ones - my (Catholic) grandmother always used to remark that "the divil has all the best tunes..."

Don't they differ on divorce? catholics don't allow it, c of e does.
Also, I think catholics don't take communion if they haven't confessed recently, so if you're not taking communion you won't be the only one.

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You don't have to keep up with confession to take communion - at least I don't anyway!
The Catholic Church does not allow divorce but you can get a marriage annulled on certain grounds.
And we have the Pope as the head of our Church, whereas the CofE's have the Queen.

Oh and Bloss, no longer do you have to have last rites befor you cark it. You can confess in your heart to God and that is enough. Also it's not the priest who forgives sin, the priest requests God's forgiveness for you.

I was taught it was a mortal sin to take Communion without having been to Confession.

Agree, defo don't have to have been to confession to take communion. Befoee the eucharist there's the bit where you apologise for sins and as far as our priest is concerned, that's got you covered.

Some RC priests give communion to non-RCs (there was a hoo-har in the Daily mail when they found out that Tony Blair takes communion with cherie and family) but probably better if you don't. Asd others have suggested, you can get a blessing (as your kids will do).

Do you have a big RC church or a religious bookshop near you? They will be able to point you in the direction of some basic (and kid friendly) books so that you can explain things to your kids. That said my dbro is 9 and being brought up RC, goes to an RC school; he recently asked "so what's a virgin then?"

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you should not receive communion, but receive absolution first if you have committed a mortal sin. So if you've done something BAD, you should not go to communion until you've gone to confession.

But in general terms, assuming you don't go round thieving & committing adultary etc willy nilly you don't need to go to confession first. hope that's clear.

Also catholics are not obliged to receive communion every time they go to mass anyway. Usuually do of course, but the obligation is to attend mass every Sunday not to receive communion (or Saturday evening). Obliged to receive communion once a year as a minumum. Usually at Easter. Also obliged to go to confession (now called the Sacrament of Reconcilliation) at least 1x per year, although encouraged to go more frequently, esp. if having committed mortal sin.

BTW Purgatory has definitely not been abolished! Maybe just wishful thinking!

yes and btw bloss rc's DO NOT PRAY to mary or saints (that would be idolatry) they request intercession with god. and in the catholic church we believe in the doctrine of the trinity so jesus is not our "intercessor before god" but one of three "persons" in one god.

honestly, bloss, i'm wondering why you commented on this, clearly it's not something you are well informed about (unlike many other topics).

KS-as a not very good Catholic the thought of purgatory does not impinge on my everyday life at all. It may worry me later

purgatory is a place where souls go to be purified before they go to heaven. When a person sins, if they truly confess & repent, their sins are forgiven, but the sin damages the purity of the soul, imagine it leaves a mark. maybe you have truly been sorry for a sin, but not made reparations - eg if you steal something. You might be very sorry you stole, but never made it up to the person/ company whatever, so they are still victims of your sin, Damage is still done, despite being sorry & forgiven.

So purgatory is a place where souls go to be purified and then can thus enter the splendour of heavan, and God's presence, pure and undefiled.

My (Methodist)grandmother used to get out the wedgewood coffee pot when the Catholics came round for coffee morning..but not when the Anglicans came. (Bloss? Any theological basis for that??)

SQ - I hope you don't think I'm being facetious, I really want to know: if you are asking Mary/saints to "request intercession with God", isn't that praying? Because Mary and the saints are long dead. So how can they hear you? Are they omnipresent? And if it's not praying, what is it?