For no. 1, yes he may take Communion in the United Methodist Church.

For no 25, the portion concerning the United Methodist Church is untrue.

The United Methodist Church does believe in the Real Presence (although not transubstantiation).

you should not take communion in a catholic church if you are not catholic. that would be a sacrilege.

Jwallace: Your husband is more than welcome to take communion in a Methodist church. The Methodist church practices open communion, on the belief that communion is open to anyone who wants to take it. It's not a secret ritual. Also, for those bantering about whether a non-Catholic should take communion if attending Mass. Folks, even if you don't believe it should make a difference, to Catholics it does, and that's their church. Respect it. You wouldn't eat bacon in a synagogue. By the same token, you don't take communion in a Catholic church if you're not Catholic. What you believe personally has nothing to do with it. It's what the Catholics believe and it's their church.

I believe if one believes in the body and blood given as Christ's body it is acceptable in any church, because after all the church isn't the fact. it is God, not any mediator between.

If you are not catholic, go up for communion with your arms crossed over your shoulders, and the priest will give you a blessing instead. I just had to add that, sorry.

The United Methodist Church does not believe in the real presence of the Lord in the Eucharist. However, the Lutheran Church does. The Lutheran Church of the E.L.C.A. Synod allows open communion. This means you do not have to be a member to receive the Eucharist. The Missouri Synod Lutheran Church has closed communion just like the Catholic Church. May God bless.

I am a Catholic priest and would like to add something to this conversation. The issue of who should and should not receive Holy Communion is the same as in the Missouri Synod Lutherans, Wisconsin Synod Lutherans nd Orthodox Christians. It is not simply a matter of doctrinal assent, i.e. what I personally believe. It is a matter of communion. It is a holy communion shared between the people receiving it and Jesus. An individual may be in full communion with Jesus and not with a particular church. In our Eucharistic Prayer we pray, "in union with Benedict our pope, x our bishop..." When we say "amen" to "the body of Christ" we mean that I believe in everything that was prayed during the Eucharistic Prayer.

We do not make a personal judgment as to the worthiness of a non-Catholic Christian, it is simply acknowledging that communion does not yet exist between us and so we cannot authentically celebrate what does not exist. Catholics come at salvation from a much more communal origin. It not just about Jesus and me, but Jesus and us.

So what I think I am reading is: if you are a Lutheran and believe that the blessed Eucharist is the real presence of our Lord's body and blood, it is OK to receive Communion at a Catholic Church. What other Catholic Sacraments can Lutherans partake of without being confirmed in the Catholic faith? Confession.....etc? I bring this point up because of a serious issue on this between my Lutheran (ELCA) husband and I (Catholic). I have recently returned to the Catholic faith and am "really" learning what my faith teaches. If this is so then I ask myself why am I going through all the restrictions of an anullment when it doesn't matter?

Don't Anglo catholic churches accept transubstantiation?

"I can not join the Catholic church, because I do not accept that any other human beings-( the Pope or a priest) stands between me and God."

anon 3115,

This is a common misunderstanding of the Pope and priests spread by years of misinformation. I'd encourage you to make an appointment and actually speak openly with a priest, who will help you. These men are not obstacles or walls between you and God. Far from it, they are here to help. As a priest myself, I pray for the day when we will all be truly one in faith - share in the real presence of communion - body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus - and worship the one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Union in faith, not just symbolically, but actually, is what Christ calls us to. - In Christ, A Passing Priest

In my opinion it is quite simple. Unless you have received your first Eucharist in the *Catholic* church(when the priest recognizes you as mature and educated to receive). Then simply ask for a blessing instead. If you want to become a Catholic ask your local priest and he will be glad to receive you at Easter where he will Baptize, Administer the Eucharist and confirm you.

My husband is not catholic - we were married in the catholic church and he goes to church weekly with me. He did make his first holy communion and confirmation in the Methodist church. He would really like to receive communion with me, but is not sure this is acceptable.

The Episcopal Church (Anglican/Church of England) has foundation in transubstantiation during the Eucharist sacrament. It is taught that Christ is actually present in the transubstantiated bread (body) and wine (blood). The poster who is looking for a good spiritual fit outside the Catholic Church should investigate Episcopalian churches (just a recommendation).

I am a United Methodist Pastor, ALL are welcomed to the Lords table (communion) that believe, or seek to believe in Jesus, even if you do not believe in the doctrine of the Methodist church. Its Gods gift to ALL, not the Methodists gift.

Rev. Mike

Friendship United Methodist Church.

Hi Azmason,

I think the key difference is in your statement, unless I am misreading you.

Believing the bread "represents" the body of Christ is different than believing that the bread "is" the body of Christ (or the wine his blood). Catholics believe that the blessing said over simple bread transforms it, so that it is part of Christ's body you are consuming. That is the reason why Catholics do not tend to welcome those who are non-Catholics into taking communion. It is about the reverence to the sacrament, and the sharing of beliefs on the nature of this transformation, or the communion of Catholics as well as receiving the Eucharist. Taking the Eucharist only as symbol would dishonor what Catholics believe it is.

However, I don't think that the average Catholic church wishes you to feel unwelcome. It is merely in the details of what a sacrament is that the church differs on this from what you may believe. I am perhaps off mark here, because I am not sure what the Methodist teaching is on the nature of communion in their church.

As a baptized Methodist I find to disheartening that I cannot take communion in the Catholic Church that I attend with my best girl friend. We as Methodist believe that the the bread represents the body of Christ and the wine is the Blood of Christ. We have open communion for all in our Church and the Catholics need to realize that Christianity is all of us together. We are not in competition against each other but are in competition with each other as Christians!

Anon11042 - If you took communion at a Catholic church, don't worry about it. If you're considering joining a Catholic church, you may want to talk to your local church about their programs for adults.

It's just important in the future to avoid it in deference to the Catholic belief that you really must believe the Eucharist is the body of Christ after it has been blessed. As for communion at other churches, even if you accept transubstatiation there's nothing wrong, as long as the sect doesn't object, with taking what is considered a symbol of Christ's body. Catholics attending a service at another church might accept communion, but they would conclude that this is a symbol not a sacrament. Sacrament is defined as the symbol of a thing and the thing itself.

I am not catholic, I have taken the communion already, what should I do?

if you have come to accept transubstantiation, then please do take a serious look at the views of the church. perhaps you will see that we aren't that disagreeable. in any case, hear the story from the horse's mouth. peace be with you.

The Lutheran church does not accept transubstantiation. I think they accept sub-substantiation, which is different.

The Lutheran church accepts transubstantiation.

According to the catholic church, how frequently should we attend mass?

I was just inquiring, according to the Catholic Church, how often should we attend mass? Is it necessary to attend every week?

Also, where should mass be held?

And lastly, what is the significance of the mass? According to the Catholic Church, of course.

If anyone has an answer to any of these questions it would be greatly appreciated.

I was born, raised, and baptised in a protestant denomination that maintains a Calvinist position on communion-i.e., that transubstantiation does not occur. However, in my spiritual growth, I have come to believe in and accept the concept of transubstantiation. This puts me in a very difficult position. I can not join the Catholic church, because I do not accept that any other human being-( the Pope or a priest) stands between me and God. But I feel it is a lie to take communion in a church that does not consider communion a sacrament. Is there any protestant denomination that accepts transubtantiation?

I believe it should also be noted that non-Catholic Christians are discouraged from taking Communion at a Catholic church. This is because Catholics believe that the bread and wine really is the Body and Blood of Christ, while non-Catholic Christians just believe that it is a symbol. So not taking Communion in a Catholic church is standard for non-Christians and even Christians who are non-Catholic.

I hope that makes sense.

Have a blessed day.

Though I'm not clergy, I believe that Methodists practice what is called "open communion." That means that anyone who wants to can take communion.

In this case, I think the church leaders would say that it's not membership in the church but belief in the tenants of the faith that qualify you to take communion.

My husband is not a member of a church. We go to the Methodist church because I am a menber. He is a christian man who believes in god and lives by the book. What I want to know is it proper for him to take communion with me at the Methodist church?