communion

[Deanna]

Please don't be insulted if you are a non-Catholic and are left out of the
communion durring mass.  I was actually surprised to hear that one was
offered communion because of a person's faith 'showing through'.  It is
mandated by the Catholic church that you be confirmed in the church before
receiving communion.  It is the belief of the church that to provide this
service to non-Catholics serves to break down the strength of the body of the
church.  They ask that as a non-Catholic you seek communion in your own
church.  (They do offer special blessings.)  The reason for this
'rule' is that non-Catholics may be recieving the holy host in a spirit
differently then the church intends it to be recieved.  The faith in the
act is key.  Of all things, Catholics take the holy host most
seriously.  They believe that you are ACTUALLY recieving the body of
christ, not in symbolism.  Basically, if you don't BELIEVE as they do,
don't trivialize their most sacred ritual by participating.  It's bigger
then that....but that's the jist...

Hope that has cleared up the ???


----- Original Message -----

From: Maryjane Dunn

To: GOCAMINOapete.uri.edu

Sent: 4/2/01 1:01:35 PM

Subject: Re: liturgies and prayer on
camino





While attending high mass in Compostela (when Linda and I were inducted
into

the Archicofradia de Santiago--neither Linda nor I are Catholic), I was
told

by one of the Spanish priests (from the Asociacion de Alicante, I
believe)

that he would be helping to serve communion, and that I should come to
his

station and he would serve me, because, in talking with me he said he
could

see my "true Christian faith" and that was good enough for him.



Maryjane



  That's very interesting! I was traveling with several American
priests, a

  nun, and a group of Catholic lay people (and 3 non-Catholics,
including

  myself and a Baptist) last summer. When the priests celebrated mass
and

  passed around the consecrated bread, they were quite clear that

  we were NOT

  to particate unless we were Catholic. Being Christian Protestant

  wasn't good

  enough. ...









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