How does a non-Catholic respectfully decline Communion at a Catholic church?
I'm a baptist and this coming sunday I am going to mass with a good friend. I've never been to a Catholic service before but I do know that typically non-Catholics do not participate in Communion. So how do you not participate?
Do you still go to the priest at the front of the church? Do you cross your arms? Or do you just tell the priest that you are not catholic? Or do you just stay in your seat?
Any answers help!
Communion is not required of everyone. You simply stay in your seat. I am sure your friend would be more upset if you did try to receive communion.
At that time the people receiving communion will to up to the front to receive it. Those who do not simply sit or kneel. Often a hymn is sung at this time, so there will be something for you to do besides feeling awkward.
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April 18 2009 06:37 pm | Catholic
nrginequalsnrgout on 18 Apr 2009 at 11:54 pm #
Just stay on the pew.
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Richard B on 18 Apr 2009 at 11:59 pm #
Cross your arms in front of your chest to get blessed, or just remain seated if you don't want to be blessed.
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Sunshine on 19 Apr 2009 at 12:36 am #
tell them their belief is a fairy tale
video addressing hatred towards Atheists
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lfx-yOchgI
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kiahsobyk on 19 Apr 2009 at 12:55 am #
Ball up your fist, narrow your eyes, and hiss out of clenched teeth, "Back off, priesty boy!" If you can do a good Vegeta impression it will help.
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I do this all the time.
…in my dweems.
Clarice on 19 Apr 2009 at 1:25 am #
You can either stay in your seat or you can walk up and cross your arms and be blessed. That's what many people do, including children who have yet to recieve first communion.
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Melonie D on 19 Apr 2009 at 1:37 am #
Just stay in your seat. I have been to mass several times with my friends, and I just stay in my seat. You should not go up there if you have not been through communion.
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Ray M on 19 Apr 2009 at 2:10 am #
Different ways
1) just stay in the pew. You don't even have to go up.
2) if you want to go up, USUALLY crossing the arms is a sign to give you a blessing instead of the eucharist. SOmetimes you do find a priest who doesn't realize the sign or you might go to a Eucharistic Minister (non-priest helping distribute to speed up the process) who doesn't know the sign.
That's the two main ways. If you don't know the church, watch and see if you any others do the arms crossed. OFten you'll see this with the children who are too young to receive. If they do it, then you could do it. Otherwise, stay in your seat.
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Diana G on 19 Apr 2009 at 2:40 am #
Stay in your seat.
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harpertara on 19 Apr 2009 at 3:02 am #
Communion is not required of everyone. You simply stay in your seat. I am sure your friend would be more upset if you did try to receive communion.
At that time the people receiving communion will to up to the front to receive it. Those who do not simply sit or kneel. Often a hymn is sung at this time, so there will be something for you to do besides feeling awkward.
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Catholic for over 40 years.
Lawrence P on 19 Apr 2009 at 3:25 am #
Just stay on the pew, or you can get blessed by coming up with your arms crossed, but don't like your mouth is open, because sometimes they think you want them to distribute it directly to your mouth, happened to me once when i was younger
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allcreaturesgreatandsmall on 19 Apr 2009 at 3:47 am #
If your "good" friend is going to the true Catholic Mass he will instruct you that you are not allowed to receive Holy Communion. However I have a feeling that you will be attending the Newchurch whose service, the Novus Ordo, was concocted by Protestants and Freemasons and today has evolved into that which is nothing more than a Roman Protestant service. The true Catholic Mass is only found in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, founded by Jesus Christ for the dispensation of mercy and outside of which no one is saved.
This is the punishment which has befallen both Modernist Catholics and their kin the Protestants, who have always denied a visible Church, its teachings, and its Vicar on earth "You shall seek me, and shall not find me…" We live in perilous times "For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, even till that day in which Noe entered into the ark, And they knew not till the flood came, and took them all away."
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http://www.traditio.com
sparki777 on 19 Apr 2009 at 4:04 am #
You may either stay in your seat, of if you really want to go forward, you can go up, and when it's your turn, cross your arms across your chest, left hand to right shoulder and vice versa, and bow. The priest will give you a blessing, and then you move on.
You don't have to tell the priest you're not Catholic – you don't have to speak with him at all. Anyway, it's not just non-Catholics who refrain from Communion. Catholics can only receive it when we are in a state of grace, so there are usually some of us who don't receive the Eucharist at Mass.
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Daver on 19 Apr 2009 at 4:23 am #
<<I'm a baptist and this coming sunday I am going to mass with a good friend. I've never been to a Catholic service before but I do know that typically non-Catholics do not participate in Communion. So how do you not participate?>>
All you have to do is stay in the pew while 'everyone' else goes up to receive Communion.
You Catholic friend should know that non-Catholics cannot receive Communion, so he/she shouldn't think anything of it. If your friend doesn't know non-Catholics can't receive Communion in a Catholic Church, you will be able to educate him/her on an element of his/her own belief.
<<Do you still go to the priest at the front of the church? Do you cross your arms?>>
You can if you want to and, yes, be sure to cross your arms so that the priest knows you're up there to receive a blessing rather than Communion.
<<Or do you just tell the priest that you are not catholic? Or do you just stay in your seat?>>
When the priest sees your arms crossed, he'll know your intention is to receive a blessing rather than Communion.
If you prefer, you can just stay in your seat while others go up for Communion.
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